AI vs IVR: The Smart Way to Route Calls Without Losing Clients or Sanity

Let’s be real: routing calls in HighLevel isn’t just about connecting someone to the right number — it’s about keeping the conversation alive, converting more leads, and not driving your team crazy with broken logic loops. 🌀

In our most recent HL Pro Tools live call, my guy Mario Aldayuz, Head of Partnerships at HL Pro Tools, tackled a beast of a challenge: smart call routing using AI vs traditional IVR. 

The question wasn’t “what’s possible?” — it was “how do we make this way easier and more effective?”

Let’s dig into the problem, the fix, and what you can take and implement today. 👇

The Problem: Too Many Call Paths, Not Enough Logic

Andrew — a power user who’s deep into custom objects — came in with a sharp use case:

“I’ve got properties. I’ve got landlords. I want to connect them automatically when a call comes in.”

Sounds simple, right? But the kicker? HighLevel’s automation with custom objects isn’t quite there yet. So Andrew was stuck manually associating objects with contacts. Not exactly the scalable system we dream of.

The Fix: Enter the Boomerang Hook

This might be one of my favorite hacks yet.

Mario introduced the “boomerang hook.”
(It sounds cool because it is cool.)

Here’s how it works:

1. 🔄 Send the contact data out of HighLevel via a webhook.
   
2. 🪃 Your external tool (like Make or Zapier) catches the data, does the logic (e.g., match the landlord with a property).
   
3. 🚀 It immediately fires that data back into HighLevel via API call — boom, you’ve just automated a connection HighLevel doesn’t currently allow natively.

Why this matters: You can dynamically build relationships between custom objects, automate call logic, and build advanced routing flows without waiting for future feature releases.

AI vs IVR: What Should You Use?

When it comes to routing calls, you’ve got options:

🧠 AI Agent

• Super conversational (feels like a real human)
  
• Great for routing based on intent
  
• Needs more setup + training

📞 IVR (Interactive Voice Response)

• Basic call menu (“Press 1 for sales…”)
  
• Simple to set up
  
• Better for predictable call paths

My take? Use both. Start with IVR for volume, then layer in AI where calls drop off or clients need a warmer experience.

Want to Skip the Trial and Error?

If you’re constantly Googling “how to build XYZ in HighLevel” and duct-taping workflows together… stop. 😅

Visit hlprotools.com. 

We’ve got plug-and-play workflows, live support, and real humans (like Mario!) who can guide you through automations that actually work.

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Before people pay you, they need to trust you.

What builds trust faster than anything? ⭐️ Testimonials.

In the spirit of free, helpful stuff… I’m giving away the exact Testimonial Workflow we use for our clients. It helps you:

• Collect testimonials on autopilot
  
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• Keep everything organized in a way your future self will thank you for 🙌

🎉 Download it now