How to Transfer Calls to External Numbers in Zendesk IVR

How to Transfer Calls to External Numbers in Zendesk IVR

Setting up your phone system to route calls to external numbers can solve several real support challenges. Maybe you have a specialist contractor who handles specific technical issues. Perhaps you need after-hours calls to reach an on-call team. Or you simply want overflow calls to go to an external call center when your team is swamped.

This guide walks you through configuring Zendesk Talk IVR to transfer calls to external numbers. We'll cover everything from the initial setup to reporting on those transfers, plus some important limitations you should know about before going live.

If you're already using Zendesk for your support operations, adding external number routing extends your capabilities without requiring a separate phone system.

What You'll Need

Before you start configuring IVR menus, make sure you have the following in place:

Requirement	Details
Zendesk Suite	Professional, Enterprise, or Enterprise Plus plan
Zendesk Talk	Professional or Enterprise edition
Phone number	At least one number with outbound calling enabled
External numbers	Destination phone numbers with country codes
Admin access	Zendesk Admin Center permissions

IVR functionality is not available on Suite Team or lower-tier plans. If you're on Suite Team and need IVR, you'll need to upgrade to Professional or higher.

Understanding IVR in Zendesk Talk

IVR (Interactive Voice Response) is essentially a phone tree system. Callers hear a recorded greeting, press keys to navigate menu options, and get routed to the right destination based on their selections.

In Zendesk Talk, IVR menus can route calls to:

• Agent groups - Send calls to specific teams
• External numbers - Forward calls outside your Zendesk system
• Voicemail - Let callers leave a message
• Textback - Offer to continue via SMS instead of waiting

IVR integrates with Zendesk's omnichannel routing, meaning tickets get created immediately when calls enter the queue. This lets you run ticket triggers on incoming calls before they're even answered.

One important limitation: IVR is not available for incoming calls from digital lines. If you're using digital lines for click-to-call functionality, you'll need to use group routing instead.

Step 1: Record Your IVR Greeting

Your greeting is the first thing callers hear, so clarity matters. A good greeting explains the menu options clearly and sets expectations about wait times.

To create your greeting:

1. Navigate to Admin Center > Channels > Talk > Greetings
2. Click Add greeting or upload an audio file
3. Record directly in your browser or upload a pre-recorded file

Supported formats are MP3 and WAV. Keep your greeting concise but informative. For example: "Thank you for calling. Press 1 for sales, 2 for technical support, or 3 for billing. To leave a voicemail, press 0."

Best practices for greetings:

• List your most common options first
• Speak slowly and clearly
• Mention estimated wait times if queues are long
• Always include an escape route (voicemail or callback option)

Step 2: Create the IVR Menu

Now you'll build the menu structure that routes calls based on keypresses.

1. Go to Admin Center > Channels > Talk > IVR
2. Click Create IVR and give it a descriptive name
3. Add your menu levels and configure keypress actions
4. For external number routing, select Route to external number as the action
5. Enter the full phone number including country code (e.g., +1-555-123-4567)
6. Set up overflow handling for when external numbers don't answer

You can create multi-level menus for complex routing scenarios. For example, pressing 2 for technical support might open a submenu: "Press 1 for account issues, 2 for API questions, or 3 to speak with a senior engineer."

When using omnichannel routing, IVR keypresses can add tags to tickets. These tags can then trigger automations that change group assignments, priority, or routing queues.

Step 3: Assign the IVR to a Phone Number

With your menu created, you need to connect it to an actual phone number.

1. Navigate to Admin Center > Channels > Talk > Numbers
2. Select the phone number you want to configure
3. In the routing settings, choose your IVR menu from the dropdown
4. Save the configuration
5. Test with a few calls to verify the routing works as expected

Always test thoroughly before directing customer traffic to the new IVR. Call from different numbers, try each menu option, and verify calls reach the correct destinations.

Transferring Calls to External Numbers

There are two ways calls can end up at external numbers: through IVR automation or via agent-initiated transfers.

Agent-Initiated External Transfers

During an active call, agents can transfer to external numbers:

1. Click the transfer button in the call console
2. Dial the external number with country code
3. Wait for the receiver to answer
4. Introduce the caller briefly
5. Click Transfer to complete the handoff

Important: Call charges continue to apply for both the incoming and outgoing call legs during a transfer. You're essentially paying for two calls until the transfer completes.

IVR-Initiated External Transfers

When a caller selects an option that routes to an external number, the transfer happens automatically without agent involvement. This works well for:

• After-hours routing to on-call teams
• Specialist referrals (legal, technical escalations)
• Overflow to external call centers

The caller hears a brief message like "Please hold while we connect you" before the transfer initiates.

Reporting on External Number Transfers

Zendesk Explore lets you track and analyze calls routed to external numbers. This data helps you understand call patterns and optimize your routing strategy.

To create a report:

1. Open Explore and create a new report
2. Select the Talk - Calls dataset
3. Add the Forwarded calls metric under Inbound calls
4. Add a filter for Call IVR action and select "Phone number"
5. Add Call IVR destination to rows to see which numbers received calls

Use this data to identify peak times for external routing, measure answer rates at external destinations, and spot opportunities to bring frequently routed calls back in-house if volume justifies it.

Important Considerations and Limitations

Before implementing external number transfers, understand these constraints:

Caller ID forwarding: As of February 2026, Zendesk introduced configurable caller ID settings for forwarded calls. You can now choose to display the caller's number, your Talk number, or only your Talk number for anonymous calls. This helps with deliverability in countries that restrict caller ID on forwarded calls.

Call recording: Recording continues after transfers, both internal and external. Make sure your external parties are aware of this if compliance is a concern.

Dual charges: You pay for both legs of a transferred call (incoming to Zendesk, outgoing to external number). Factor this into your cost calculations.

Omnichannel routing interactions: If you're using ticket triggers to assign groups to call tickets, transferring a call to another group can cause the trigger to fire again and overwrite the transfer. Update your triggers to include conditions like "Ticket Is Create" or "Comment text does not contain 'Call transferred'" to prevent this.

Tips and Best Practices

Based on common implementation patterns, here are recommendations for setting up external number routing effectively:

• Test everything twice: Call every menu option from multiple numbers before going live
• Keep menus simple: Limit options to 3-4 choices per level to avoid caller confusion
• Provide escape routes: Always offer voicemail or callback as alternatives
• Monitor your reports: Check forwarded call volumes weekly to spot trends
• Document your setup: Create a reference doc showing your IVR structure for team onboarding
• Have a backup plan: Configure overflow routing in case external numbers don't answer

Automate Your Support Beyond Phone Calls

Setting up IVR routing solves the phone channel piece of your support puzzle. But what about the tickets that come in through email, chat, and web forms? That's where we can help.

At eesel AI, we build AI teammates that learn from your existing tickets and help center content to handle support across all channels. Our AI Agent can draft responses, deflect common questions, and resolve tickets autonomously, all while working within your Zendesk workspace.

The combination works well: Zendesk Talk handles your phone routing, and we handle the rest. You get comprehensive coverage without adding headcount.

Want to see how it works? Check our pricing and start a free trial to see how AI can reduce your ticket volume while maintaining quality.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Do I need a specific Zendesk plan to use Zendesk IVR transfer to external number? A1: Yes, you need Suite Professional or higher. IVR functionality is not available on Suite Team or Support Team plans. You'll also need Talk Professional or Enterprise edition.

Q2: Can I route calls to any external number with Zendesk IVR transfer to external number? A2: Yes, you can route to any phone number worldwide. Just make sure to include the full country code when configuring the external number in your IVR menu.

Q3: How much does Zendesk IVR transfer to external number cost? A3: You pay per-minute charges for both call legs: the incoming call to Zendesk and the outgoing call to the external number. Exact rates depend on your plan and the countries involved. Check Zendesk's voice pricing for specific rates.

Q4: Can agents see what's happening during a Zendesk IVR transfer to external number? A4: For agent-initiated transfers, yes. The agent stays connected during the transfer process and can introduce the caller before completing the handoff. For IVR-initiated transfers, the call leaves Zendesk entirely once the external number is dialed.

Q5: What happens if the external number doesn't answer during a Zendesk IVR transfer to external number? A5: You can configure overflow handling in your IVR menu. Common options include routing to voicemail, returning to a queue, or offering a callback. Set this up when creating your IVR menu to ensure callers aren't left hanging.