Make your first test call

The best way to check your setup is to call your own business. Dial your business number from a phone that isn't the business line, let the AI answer, and hang up. Moments later, the call appears in your Inbox.

This is a real phone call, so you'll hear exactly what your customers hear, including the greeting and the AI disclosure at the start. You can test whenever you want, as many times as you want. It's not a required setup step.

Before you begin

• Set up call forwarding first. Without it, calls never reach your AI.
• Check that AI answering is on: open Settings, choose AI Answering, and make sure the switch shows Live.
• Use a different phone than your business line, like your personal cell or a family member's phone. Calling from the business phone itself won't test forwarding.
• A test call uses your trial minutes, but a quick one only uses a little.

Steps

1. From another phone, dial your business number. The one your customers use, not your RankLadder number.
2. If you chose ring-first forwarding, let it ring. The call forwards to your AI after a few rings.
3. Talk to it. Ask something a customer would ask, like your hours or prices, and leave a message with a name and callback request. Sam Alvarez works fine as a test name.
4. Hang up.
5. Open Inbox in RankLadder. The call appears within moments, with the recording, the full transcript, and a short summary.

What happens next

Read the transcript and listen to the recording. If the AI missed a question or gave a thin answer, that's normal on day one. Teach it the answer under Receptionist, then call again. Each test call makes the next real call better.

If it does not work

• The call never forwards: forwarding may not be active yet. Recheck Settings, then Call Forwarding, and dial the code again from the business line.
• Your voicemail picks up instead: on iPhone, turn off Live Voicemail. With ring-first forwarding, your carrier's voicemail can also grab the call if it's set to answer faster than forwarding kicks in.
• The AI doesn't answer: check that the switch in Settings, AI Answering shows Live.
• Still stuck: see "Calls aren't reaching your receptionist."

Related guides

• Forward your calls to RankLadder
• Your Inbox: every conversation in one place
• Calls aren't reaching your receptionist