SMS & Phone
How to Auto-Call New Leads Using GoHighLevel's Call Connect Feature
By Marnix Geerkens. Published 2025-01-06. Updated 2026-06-02.
GoHighLevel's Call Connect feature triggers an outbound call to you or your client the moment a new lead comes in, then bridges that call to the lead automatically. The result is a live conversation within minutes of a form submission or ad lead, without anyone having to manually find and dial the number. It runs inside a workflow and requires the Call Connect setting to be enabled on your phone number.
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Summary. Call Connect in GoHighLevel creates an automatic outbound call to the business owner or a team member when a new lead is created, then connects that call to the lead. The workflow sends a text first, waits for a reply, and if no reply comes in, triggers the Call Connect action to bridge the business directly to the lead while their interest is fresh. This approach removes the manual follow-up step that most businesses are slow on.
What you will learn
- Enable the Call Connect setting on a GoHighLevel phone number
- Build a workflow that texts a lead and waits for a response before calling
- Configure the Call Connect action including the whisper message and timeout
- Use conditional branches to route leads who reply versus leads who do not
- Understand how intent detection works in the yes/no reply branch
Steps
Enable Call Connect on the phone number
Go to Settings, then Phone Numbers. Click the three-dot menu on the relevant number and choose Edit Configuration. Find the Enable Call Connect Feature toggle and turn it on. Without this step, the Call Connect action in workflows will not function.
Create a new workflow and set the trigger
Go to Automations and create a new workflow. Set the trigger to whatever generates your leads, such as a form submission, a Facebook lead ad, or a TikTok lead form. Make sure the form or lead source is passing the contact's phone number through, because the call needs a number to dial.
Create an opportunity and send the initial text
Add an action to create an opportunity in your pipeline so the lead is tracked. Then add an SMS action with an opening message that engages the lead and ends with a yes/no question, such as asking if they are interested or if this is the right time.
Add a Wait step for the reply
After the SMS, add a Wait action set to listen for a contact reply. Set the timeout to two minutes. This gives the lead a short window to respond before the workflow escalates.
Add an If/Else branch on the reply
After the Wait step, add an If/Else condition that checks whether the contact replied. On the branch where they did reply, add another If/Else to check the intent type. If the reply is positive, send a booking link. If it is negative, send an internal notification to follow up manually.
Add the Call Connect action on the no-reply branch
On the branch for contacts who did not reply within two minutes, click the plus icon and add an action. Search for Call and select the Call action. Name it Call Connect for clarity. Set the whisper message to something that tells the business owner who the lead is and where they came from, so they are ready before the call bridges.
Configure the Call Connect timeout and publish
Set a ring timeout that gives enough time for the business owner to answer before the system moves on. Publish the workflow. From this point, every new lead who does not reply to the initial text within two minutes will trigger an automatic bridged call.
Tips
- The whisper message on the Call Connect action is the most overlooked setting. Use it to say the lead's name and source so the business owner sounds prepared when the call connects.
- Keep the initial SMS question genuinely yes/no so the intent detection can read it accurately.
- If you are setting this up for a client, test the entire flow with a real phone number before handing it over.
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Frequently asked questions
What does Call Connect actually do?
It dials the business's phone, then once answered, bridges the call to the lead automatically.
Do I need to enable anything before using Call Connect in a workflow?
Yes. Go to Settings, Phone Numbers, edit the number's configuration, and enable the Call Connect Feature toggle.
What happens if the business owner does not answer the bridged call?
The call times out based on the timeout setting. You can add follow-up steps in the workflow after the Call Connect action to handle that case.
Does this work with leads from Facebook or TikTok ads?
Yes. Use the matching trigger in the workflow and map the phone number field from the lead ad form.
Can I use GoHighLevel's recipe to set this up faster?
Yes. Search for the Fast Follow Up recipe in workflow templates. It includes the Call Connect logic already built out.