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Use this guide when you need to talk with a customer live — from Inbox — instead of sending another text or email. You will learn when to click Call on a saved customer, when to use Quick call to dial any number, and what to do after the call so the next person on your team can see what happened. Why this matters: Customers often ask a question by text, then need a two-minute conversation to finish the decision. If you call from a personal phone, the rest of your team never sees that the call happened. Calling from Inbox keeps the call on the same timeline as the texts and emails.

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What you will accomplish

  • Choose Call for a saved customer or Quick call for a number that is not open yet.
  • Confirm the phone number before you start the call.
  • Know what the Quick call dial pad labels mean (Clear, Backspace, Will dial, Call).
  • Follow up in writing when the customer or your team needs a record of what you decided.

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When to use Call vs Quick call

Inbox has two outbound calling tools. They sit in different places and do different jobs.
They are not the same buttonCall belongs to the customer you already opened. Quick call is a small phone icon in the page header. If you cannot find Quick call, look at the top of Inbox — not inside the conversation.
Inbox page showing the Quick call phone icon in the header and the Call button on the selected customer conversation
Quick call is the phone icon in the Inbox header. Call is the larger button on the right side of the open conversation.

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Before you start

  • Calling must be set up for your facility. If Call or Quick call is gray, an admin should finish Configure communication settings for Inbox on Settings > Communications.
  • Keep your computer or tablet volume on so you can hear the call.
  • Allow the browser to use your microphone when it asks. The call uses your computer or tablet — not a separate desk phone.
  • Read the latest messages first. A two-minute read prevents promising something that conflicts with a text another teammate already sent.
  • You cannot start a second call while you are already on a call. Hang up first.
If buttons stay grayGray Call on one customer usually means that person has no valid phone number. Open their record in Contacts and add the number.Gray Call and Quick call on every conversation usually means calling is not finished in Settings > Communications.

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Call a saved customer

Use this path when the customer is already in your conversation list.
1

Open Inbox

Go to Inbox from the dashboard sidebar.
2

Select the customer

Click the customer in the list on the left — for example Alex Morgan or Sam Rivera.Check the name and phone number at the top of the conversation before you dial.Why this matters: Two customers can share a last name or a family account. Calling the wrong number wastes time and can share private details.
3

Click Call

Near the top-right of the conversation, click Call (phone icon plus the word Call).This dials the number shown for that customer. It does not open the Quick call dial pad.Expected result: Your team’s phone system starts the call. You may see a call window on the screen while you talk.
4

Talk through the next step

Confirm what the customer needs. Write down the time, vehicle, or dollar amount before you hang up if you will need it in a follow-up text.
5

Hang up, then check the timeline

After the call ends, click the Calls pill near the top of the conversation.Expected result: A new OUTBOUND call entry appears in this customer’s timeline with a duration and status (for example completed).
Inbox conversation for a customer with the Call button next to Texts, Emails, and Calls filters
When a customer is open, Call sits on the right of the conversation header. The Calls pill shows how many phone entries are already in this thread.
Call is gray for this customer onlyIf other conversations still show an active Call button, this customer is missing a phone number — or the number is not a valid mobile or landline format. Fix it on their Contacts record, then return to Inbox.

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Use Quick call to dial any number

Use Quick call when you do not have that person open as a conversation yet — or when the number is not the one on the customer record.
1

Open Inbox

Go to Inbox. You do not need to select a customer first.
2

Click the Quick call phone icon

Look at the Inbox page header — the row that says Inbox and Calls, emails, and texts all in one place.On the right side of that header, click the square phone icon. When you hover, the tooltip says Quick call.
3

Enter the phone number

The Quick call dialog opens with the title Quick call and the line Dial any number.You can:
  • Type in the field that shows (555) 123-4567
  • Tap the on-screen pad (1 through 9, *, 0, #)
  • Press Enter on your keyboard when the number is ready
Clear empties the whole field. Backspace removes the last digit.Expected result: When the number is valid, the dialog shows Will dial plus the full number (including country code). If the number is incomplete, you see Enter a valid phone number.
4

Click Call

Click the large Call button at the bottom of the dialog.Expected result: Inbox places the call to the number you entered. The dialog closes when the call starts.
Quick call dialog titled Quick call with Dial any number, a phone field, numeric pad, Clear, Backspace, Will dial, and a Call button
Quick call lets you type or tap a number. Wait for Will dial to show the full number before you click Call.
Safety first on unsaved numbersDo not share gate codes, billing details, or vehicle locations until you know who answered. If you reached a spouse, valet, or new lead, keep the first call identity-safe — then add or update the person in Contacts.
Already on a call?The dialog shows You’re already on a call. Hang up to place another call. Hang up first. Inbox will not start a second outbound call on top of the first one.

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After the call

A call is only half the job. The next teammate still needs a written trail.
1

Confirm the call landed on the timeline

Open the customer (or search for the number), then click Calls.Expected result: You see an OUTBOUND entry with a duration. If you used Quick call on an unsaved number, the conversation may appear as that phone number until you save it as a contact.
2

Send a short written follow-up when it helps

Good follow-up texts:
  • “Thanks for the call — we will stage the Huracan at 10 AM tomorrow.”
  • “As discussed, Thursday at 10 AM is confirmed. Reply here if you need to change it.”
Use Send a text message from Inbox for a short recap, or Send an email from Inbox when the customer needs a subject line they can search later.
3

Update Schedule if you changed a time

If the call moved an appointment, update Schedule and confirm the new time in Inbox. See Respond to reschedule requests in Inbox.
Inbox conversation with the Calls filter selected showing inbound or outbound call history in the timeline
After a call, click Calls to see phone history without scrolling through texts and emails.

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Common mistakes to avoid

  • Do not dial from a personal cell phone when Inbox calling is available. The rest of your team will not see the call.
  • Do not click Call until you have checked the name and number at the top of the conversation.
  • Do not use Quick call when the saved customer is already open — Call keeps the history on that record automatically.
  • Do not promise a time or price from memory. Open Cars, Schedule, or Payments in another tab first.
  • Do not hang up without a next step the customer can repeat — then write that next step in the same Inbox thread.

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What success looks like

  • The call used the number you intended.
  • An OUTBOUND entry appears under Calls for that conversation.
  • If you agreed on a time, car, or amount, a short text or email repeats it in the same thread.
  • The next teammate can open Inbox and see that the call already happened.

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Troubleshooting

Quick call and Call are both grayCalling is not finished for your facility. Ask an admin to tap Calling under Channels on Settings > Communications. Follow Configure communication settings for Inbox.
The browser asks for the microphoneClick Allow. If you clicked Block earlier, open your browser site settings for this app, allow the microphone, and refresh Inbox.
I hear nothingCheck the volume on your computer or tablet. Confirm you are not already in another call. Try a headset if the built-in microphone is muted.
The customer says they missed the callLook at the Calls filter. If the status is completed with a very short duration, they may have missed it. Send a short text: “We just tried you — is now a good time to talk?” Then try Call again when they reply.
Quick call says Enter a valid phone numberInclude the area code. For numbers outside your country, include the country code. Use Clear and type the number again if the pad added an extra digit.

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What to do next

If you need to review a recording or transcript from this call or an earlier one, continue with Review calls and transcripts. If a customer calls you while you are on another dashboard page, see Handle incoming phone calls.