Understanding Call Screening
James Wilson
Product Manager
James has over 10 years of experience in telecommunications and AI-powered communications.
In this article
Introduction
Call screening is one of the core features of PhoneShield, allowing you to filter unwanted calls before they reach you. This guide will help you understand how call screening works and how to configure it for maximum effectiveness.
What is Call Screening?
Call screening is the process where an AI assistant answers your calls, interacts with callers, and helps identify who is calling and why before you decide whether to take the call.
How It Works
- A call comes in to your PhoneShield number
- Your AI assistant answers and greets the caller
- The AI engages in a natural conversation to learn who's calling and why
- Based on your settings, the AI will handle the call in different ways
- You receive a notification with details about the call
Benefits
- Eliminate spam and unwanted calls
- Save time by having AI qualify calls
- Never miss important calls, even when busy
- Get detailed summaries of all calls
- Maintain privacy by not sharing your real number
- Reduce interruptions throughout your day
Call Screening Modes
PhoneShield offers different screening modes to suit your needs:
Castle Mode: Full AI Handling
In Castle mode, your AI assistant handles the entire call without forwarding to you. This is the most protective mode, perfect for when you don't want to be disturbed at all.
- AI answers and has a complete conversation
- Can take messages and gather information
- Sends you detailed summaries afterward
- You decide if and when to return calls
Shield Mode: Smart Screening
In Shield mode, your AI assistant screens calls first, then can forward important ones to you. This balanced mode helps you avoid spam while staying available for important calls.
- AI answers and qualifies the call first
- Can forward the call to you based on your criteria
- Sends real-time notifications about who's calling
- You can decide whether to accept forwarded calls
Switching Between Modes
You can switch between Castle and Shield modes at any time from your dashboard, or schedule automatic switching based on time of day, day of the week, or calendar events.
Setting Up Call Screening
Follow these steps to configure call screening for your PhoneShield number:
- Navigate to Phone Management in your dashboard
Access your PhoneShield dashboard and find the Phone Management section.
- Select the PhoneShield number you want to configure
If you have multiple numbers, choose the one you want to set up screening for.
- Choose either "Castle Mode" or "Shield Mode"
Select the screening mode that best fits your current needs.
- Configure advanced settings (for Shield Mode)
- Whether to forward calls automatically or ask for your permission
- How long the AI should screen before offering to forward (e.g., 30 seconds)
- Which types of calls should be eligible for forwarding
- Save your changes
Click the Save Changes button to apply your new screening settings.
Important Note
Your AI profile settings work in conjunction with your call screening mode. Make sure to configure both for the best experience.
Advanced Screening Configuration
VIP Callers
Create a list of VIP callers who bypass screening or receive priority treatment:
- Add important contacts to your VIP list
- Configure special handling for each VIP
- Options include direct forwarding or special greetings
- Ensure important callers always get through
Time-Based Settings
Configure different screening behaviors based on time and day:
- Set business hours when Shield Mode is active
- Configure after-hours behavior (typically Castle Mode)
- Create special rules for weekends or specific days
- Sync with your calendar to adjust based on your availability
Block Lists
Manage numbers that should be automatically blocked:
- Add phone numbers or area codes to block
- Choose how to handle blocked calls
- Options include rejecting calls or custom messages
- Automatically add known spam numbers
Scam Detection Settings
Configure how aggressively PhoneShield should detect and handle potential scam calls:
Scam Detection Level
Balanced protection
Stronger protection
Strictest filtering
Monitoring and Managing Screened Calls
PhoneShield provides comprehensive tools to monitor and manage your screened calls:
Call History
View a complete history of all calls handled by your AI assistant, including:
- Caller information and verification status
- Call duration and timestamp
- Actions taken by your AI assistant
- Links to detailed call records
Call Details
For each screened call, you can access:
- Full transcript of the conversation
- AI-generated summary of the call
- Audio recording (if enabled)
- Caller identification and verification results
- Scam detection analysis
Call Notifications
Configure how you're notified about screened calls:
- Real-time notifications via mobile app
- Email summaries (instant or digest)
- SMS alerts for high-priority calls
- Integration with messaging platforms (Telegram, Slack, etc.)
Review and Refine
Regularly review your screened calls and adjust your settings based on the results. This helps improve the accuracy and effectiveness of your call screening over time.
Best Practices for Call Screening
Start with Shield Mode
If you're new to PhoneShield, start with Shield Mode to get a feel for how the AI handles calls. You can always switch to Castle Mode later for greater protection.
Craft Clear Instructions
Provide clear, specific instructions in your AI profile about how to handle different types of calls and what information to collect from callers.
Update Your VIP List
Keep your VIP list current with important contacts who should receive special handling or bypass screening.
Use Time-Based Settings
Configure different screening behaviors for business hours, after hours, and weekends to match your availability.
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