Call forwarding issues

The intended call flow is: a customer calls your business number, your business number forwards to your Maple AI number, the AI handles the call, and only if it can’t does it transfer to your separate transfer number. For problems with that last step, see Call transfer issues.

Star code (*72) doesn’t turn on forwarding

*72 is carrier-specific and doesn’t work with every provider. VoIP and cloud phone systems usually set forwarding in an online portal instead.

1. Find out who your phone carrier is (check your phone bill). Maple support can look it up from your number if you’re unsure.
2. Use that carrier’s method:
   • Traditional landline: a star code such as *72 (varies by carrier).
   • VoIP systems (Nextiva, RingCentral, Vonage, etc.): set a forwarding rule in your provider’s admin portal.
   • Cell phones: Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding (iPhone) or Settings > Calls > Call Forwarding (Android).
3. If the standard steps don’t work, call your carrier. Some business plans need forwarding turned on by the carrier.
4. Test by calling your business number from a different phone. The Maple AI should answer, not your store phone.

Calls still ring at your store

1. Check you forwarded to the exact Maple AI number, including the area code. One wrong digit sends calls elsewhere.
2. Wait up to 24 hours. Some carriers take that long to apply routing changes, so test again the next day before assuming it failed.
3. Test from an outside phone, not the phone you used to set up forwarding.
4. Check for an auto-attendant, IVR menu or voicemail that picks up the call before forwarding can apply. Turn it off or reconfigure it.
5. Ask Maple support to check whether your calls are reaching the AI.

Calls go to the wrong place at certain times

Time-of-day routing, schedules, day/night modes or conditional forwarding in your phone system can override forwarding.

1. In your carrier or VoIP admin portal, look for time-based routing, schedules or conditional forwarding rules.
2. Make the rule that forwards to your Maple AI number cover every hour you want the AI to answer.
3. “Forward on no answer” and “forward when busy” are separate settings from “forward all calls”. Check the right one is on.

Every call rings your phone first

First check whether Ring Staff First is on (AI Agents → your agent → Call Handling). When it is, Maple rings your transfer number first on every call and the AI only answers if no one picks up.

If it’s off, forwarding is likely reversed or was never turned on: your phone system may forward the AI number to you, instead of your business number to the AI number.

1. In your carrier’s portal (for example Nextiva or RingCentral), check that your main business number has an active rule forwarding to the Maple AI number.
2. If a third party set up your phone system, ask them to update the forwarding destination.

You have only one phone line

Forwarding sends all incoming calls away from the line, so a single line shared with a POS tablet, fax or outbound calls can’t simply be forwarded. Either:

• Add a second line for customer calls and forward that one to Maple, keeping the original line for everything else.
• List the Maple AI number directly on your Google Business Profile, website and online listings, so customers call it without forwarding.

The AI sometimes answers slowly or not at all

If the AI number picks up in 2 rings on some calls but takes 10 or more (or never answers) on others, the cause can be carrier routing, network latency, or settings still loading after a recent change.

1. Test several times at different times of day and note any pattern.
2. Note which number you call from; some carriers route calls differently.
3. Send Maple support the time of each test call, the number you called from, and how many rings before pickup (or that it never answered).

Good practice

• Test from an outside phone before sending real customer calls to the AI.
• Keep your carrier name and account details to hand; they speed up troubleshooting.
• Tell Maple before you change forwarding rules, phone numbers or carrier settings, because those changes can break call routing.
• If forwarding fails unexpectedly, show your Maple AI number on your Google Business Profile or website until it’s fixed.
• Moving your number to Maple (porting) is also possible, though forwarding is recommended. To port, reach out to your onboarding specialist.

Still stuck? Contact support.