Ask Phone Number

The Ask Phone Number action allows the chatbot to collect a valid phone number from users during a conversation.

This action ensures that the user enters a properly formatted phone number, which can be used for contact verification, follow-ups, or customer records.

The collected phone number is stored in a variable and can later be used for automation, CRM updates, or customer communication workflows.

When to Use Ask Phone Number

Use the Ask Phone Number action when the chatbot needs to collect a customer's contact number.

Common Use Cases

  • Customer contact collection

  • Appointment confirmation

  • Order verification

  • Lead generation

  • Support request follow-up

Example interaction:

Bot: We need your phone number to confirm your appointment. Please enter it with the country code. User: 919876543210

The chatbot captures and stores the phone number for later use.

How to Add Ask Phone Number

Follow these steps to add the Ask Phone Number action in your bot workflow.

  • Open Bot Builder

  • Click Add Node

  • Select the Ask tab

  • Choose Ask Phone Number

  • Configure the required fields

  • Click Create

The chatbot will pause at this step until the user enters a valid phone number.

Ask Phone Number Configuration

When creating an Ask Phone Number action, several fields must be configured.

Action Name

The Action Name identifies the action within the bot workflow.

This name is visible only inside the bot builder.

Example:

Collect Phone Number Customer Contact Input Verify Phone Number

Message

The Message field contains the prompt shown to the user.

Example:

Hello 👋 We need your phone number to confirm your appointment. Please enter it in the format: 919876543210

The message supports:

  • Dynamic variables

  • Text formatting

  • Emojis

Variables can be inserted using the Add Variable option.

Adding Variables

The Add Variable option allows dynamic values to be included in the message.

Examples include:

  • Customer name

  • Phone number

  • Email

  • Contact details

Example:

Hi {{customer.name}}

This helps personalize the interaction.

Error Attempt

The Error Attempt field defines the number of invalid attempts allowed.

Example:

Error Attempt: 2

If the user enters an invalid response multiple times, the chatbot will follow the configured Action on Invalid.

Error Message

The Error Message is displayed when the user provides an invalid phone number.

Example:

Please provide a proper phone number so we can continue. Example: 919876543210

This helps guide users to enter the correct format.

Action on Invalid

This setting defines the behavior when the user exceeds the allowed error attempts.

Available options include:

End the Flow

Stops the chatbot conversation.

Skip the Question

Allows the chatbot to continue without collecting the phone number.

Fall Back Flow

Redirects the user to another predefined chatbot flow.

Validation Settings

The Validation Setting ensures the phone number meets the required length.

When enabled, you can define:

Minimum Characters

Example:

Min Characters: 10

Maximum Characters

Example:

Max Characters: 12

These limits help ensure the user enters a valid phone number format.

Store Response in Variable

The Store Response in Variable field saves the collected phone number.

Example variable:

phonenumber_collect

This stored value can be used for:

  • Customer records

  • Marketing campaigns

  • WhatsApp broadcasts

  • Follow-up communication

Example Ask Phone Number Interaction

Example chatbot conversation:

Bot: Hello 👋 We need your phone number to confirm your appointment. Please enter it in the format: 919876543210 User: 919876543210

The chatbot stores the number in the variable:

phonenumber_collect

and continues the workflow.

Best Practices

Follow these recommendations when using Ask Phone Number.

Provide clear formatting instructions

Tell users whether to include the country code.

Use validation settings

Ensure phone numbers meet the expected length.

Provide helpful error messages

Guide users when incorrect input is entered.

Store phone numbers securely

Use variables for later automation or CRM integration.

Personalize messages

Include dynamic variables when possible.

Summary

The Ask Phone Number action enables chatbots to collect valid phone numbers from users during conversations.

With Ask Phone Number, you can:

  • Capture customer contact numbers

  • Validate phone number format

  • Limit incorrect input attempts

  • Store phone numbers in variables

  • Use collected data for automation and communication

This feature helps ensure accurate contact data collection for business workflows and customer engagement.

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