Using the gather node to ask the caller for information and then adds the caller's response to the call as a tag.

For example, if you want the caller's ZIP Code, you can use the gather node to ask the caller for their five-digit ZIP Code. Ringba captures the digits and adds them to a tag on the call.

A gather node is one of the nodes you use when you create a call flow. See Call Flows with Ringba for information on creating call flows and using them in your campaigns. 

Call flows, including the gather node, are available to admins in all accounts and are included in the price of your subscription. However, if you enable Voice Response, calls going through the call flow incur an additional per-minute fee for the use of the Interactive Voice Agent (IVA). You can see the price for IVA on the Ringba pricing page.

This article contains the following sections:

• Configuring the Gather Node
• Configuring Voice Response
• Configuring Key Tap Response
  • Adding a Play/Say Message to the Gather Node
• Gather Node FAQ

Configuring the Gather Node

To add the gather node to the call flow, hover your mouse over the white square on the previous node where you want to add the gather node. Click the plus sign (+) that appears and choose Gather from the list. 

Once you add a gather node, click the node to open the panel on the right and configure it.

The panel includes the following fields:

• Node Name: Enter a label to describe the node. This information is helpful for identifying nodes in the Call Details Report.
  Tip: Enter a descriptive name to help you differentiate this gather node from other gather nodes when you are troubleshooting or reviewing the reporting later.
• Voice Response: 
  • If you toggle ON this switch, callers hear your prompt and respond by speaking. Continue to the Configuring Voice Response section.
  • If you toggle OFF this switch, callers heard your prompt and respond by tapping keys on their device. Go to Configuring Key Tap Response later in this article.

You can also configure the gather node's On Failure option on the call flow canvas by clicking the plus sign that appears when you hover over the On Failure connector. 

A call follows this path if the caller does not respond or responds with something invalid or unrecognized.

Configuring Voice Response

The following fields and controls appear in the gather node configuration drawer if you toggle on the Voice Response switch. If you toggled the Voice Response switch off, go to Configuring Key Tap Response.

• Data Confirmation: Toggle on this switch to have Ringba read the caller's response back to them and request the caller validate the information. Note: This switch disappears if you select Yes/No in the Value to Capture field.
• Whole Number Confirmation: Toggle on this switch to instruct the system to confirm all the digits in the caller's response as a single number instead of as individual digits. For example, if the caller responds with "53," the confirmation message says, "Your answer is fifty-three" as opposed to "Your answer is five, three." This switch appears only if you select Number in the Value to Capture field. 
• Value to Capture: Select the type of data you plan to capture with this gather node. The call flow uses this value to determine whether the caller's response is valid. You can choose these values: ZIP Code, Age, Number, Yes/No. 
• Plays: Enter the number of times you want the system to say your prompt. 
• Language: Choose the language of the text in the Voice Prompt field.
• Voice: Select which voice you want to read the text in the Voice Prompt field. You can click the speaker icon next to a voice to hear a sample message.
  
• Voice Prompt: Enter the message you want the system to read. Click the Preview button to hear the Voice Prompt you entered read by the Voice you chose.
• Gather Tag Name: Enter the name of the tag where you want to store the caller's response. The system adds this tag to the call. 
• Number Of Digits: Indicate the maximum number of digits the caller can enter. This field appears if the Value to Capture is Number.
• Min Number Of Digits: Indicate the minimum number of digits the caller must enter to proceed. This field appears if the Value to Capture is Number.
• Timeout (sec): Enter the amount of time to give the caller to respond to your prompt. This field appears if the Value to Capture is Number.
• Retries: The number of additional attempts to give user to enter the correct input if they select an invalid input the first time. This field appears if the Value to Capture is Number.

Configuring Key Tap Response

The following fields and controls appear in the gather node configuration drawer if you toggle off the Voice Response switch. If you toggled the Voice Response switch on, go to Configuring Voice Response.

• Plays: Configure the message you want the caller to hear. See the Adding a Play/Say Message to the Gather node section later in this article.
• Gather Tag Name: Enter the name of the tag to capture the caller's input. The system adds this tag to the call, and uses the value to control how subsequent nodes process the call.
• Number Of Digits: Indicate the maximum number of digits the caller can enter.
• Min Number Of Digits: Indicate the minimum number of digits the caller can enter.
• Valid Digits: List the valid digits the caller can enter.
• Finish On Key: Indicate which key the caller presses to stop collecting input.
• Timeout (sec): Enter the amount of time the caller has to enter a response.
• Key press time out (sec): Enter the number of seconds Time in seconds allowed between consecutive digit inputs.
• Retries: The number of attempts the user is allowed to enter the correct input if they select an invalid input.

Adding a Play/Say Message to the Gather Node

Nodes with audio selection let you upload a file or enter text to be played. A play icon appears on the node allowing you to listen to the uploaded file. Playing back entered text is not an option at this time.

For the Play option:

• Plays: Enter the number of times you want the file to play.
• File: Select or upload the audio file you want to play (MP3 or WAV). 
  Tip: After you upload a file, you can access it from the Manage Media > Call Flows screen.

For the Say option:

• Plays: Enter the number of times you want the system to read the text.
• Language: Select the language of the text in the Voice Prompt field.
• Voice: Select which voice you want to read the text in the Voice Prompt field.
• Voice Prompt: Enter the message you want the system to read.

Gather Node FAQ

What does the confirmation message sound like?

If you toggle on the Data Confirmation switch, then after the caller speaks their response to your prompt, the system reads back the user's response in the following sentence:

Your answer is <user's response>. Is that correct?

What happens if the caller doesn't give a correct voice response?

This question covers what happens if the Voice Response switch is toggled on and the caller either does not speak in response to the prompt or says something that doesn't match the Value to Capture.

The caller has the number of seconds you entered in the Timeout (sec) field to begin speaking. If the caller does not begin speaking and you allow retries, the system re-reads the prompt and waits for the number of seconds in the Timeout field again. It repeats this process the number of times you entered in the Retries field or until it gets a response.

If the response is not understandable, the system reads the following message in the Voice you selected:

I am sorry. I didn't understand that. Let's try again.

Again, the system uses the values in the Timeout and Retries field to attempt to get a usable response. 

If the caller never provides a correct response to the prompt, the gather node fails and the call proceeds through the On Failure path of the call flow.

Tip: See Call Flow Solution: Make a Key Tap Contingency Plan for guidance on reverting to a key tap experience if a caller does not give a useful spoken response.

Can the caller still use key taps to enter their answer?

If the Voice Response switch is on, the user must speak their response. If you leave this switch toggled off, the caller must respond by tapping keys on their phone. There is no option to accept both voice responses and key taps in the same gather node.

What should I do if I need help with the gather node?

If you have any questions or need additional help, please reach out to our support team via chat or email at support@ringba.com.