Understand how retries work in a Call Center campaign

Understand how CallHub automatically calls back contacts who didn't answer, so you can read your campaign stats correctly and set retry limits with confidence. This article is for campaign managers running a Call Center campaign.

Why retries matter

Not everyone picks up the first time you call. CallHub's retry system automatically follows up with contacts who were unavailable during the initial call, so you reach more people without manually redialing anyone. Configuring retries well keeps your campaign running efficiently, avoids wasted contact attempts, and lifts your overall connection rate.

Key terms

Retry Attempts

The count of the retry cycle a contact is currently in. Each time a contact is retried, this number increases by one until it reaches the maximum retries set for the campaign.

Contacts in Retry

Contacts waiting in the retry queue to be called again after the configured retry interval. These contacts did not answer, were busy, or failed to connect in the initial call attempt.

The retry lifecycle

When your Call Center campaign runs, the retry process moves each contact through these stages:

1. Initial call attempt: All contacts in your campaign list are called once in the first round.
2. Retry queue: Contacts who don't answer, are busy, or fail to connect are added to the retry queue. They wait there until the configured retry interval passes.
3. Retry cycles: Each queued contact is retried according to the campaign settings. The Retry Attempt counter shows how many retry cycles a contact has gone through.
4. Completion: Once a contact reaches the maximum retry limit, no further calls are made to that contact.

This way your campaign keeps reaching for unanswered contacts while avoiding unnecessary repeated calls.

Example: maximum retry limit of 3

Say your campaign's maximum retry limit is 3 and a contact does not answer the first call:

1. Attempt 1: Initial call, no answer.
2. Attempt 2: Contact is in the retry queue; the system retries the call.
3. Attempt 3: Final retry; if there is still no answer, no further calls are made.

What happens when you change settings mid-campaign

Adding new contacts

You can add contacts to the contact list at any time. Adding them does not affect the existing retry settings; new contacts simply enter the same lifecycle above.

Changing retry settings

⚠ If you change the number of retries or the retry interval while a campaign is running, only contacts that enter the retry queue after the change follow the new settings. Contacts already in the retry queue keep the old settings, and the change does not update them retroactively. Set your retry limit and interval carefully before launch.

FAQs

Does adding contacts mid-campaign change my retry settings? 
No. You can add contacts to the contact list anytime, and it will not affect the existing retry settings.

Why is a contact still being called with my old retry settings? 
That contact was already in the retry queue when you changed the settings. Contacts already queued follow the old settings; only contacts added to the retry queue after the change follow the new ones.

When does CallHub stop calling a contact? 
When the contact either connects or reaches the maximum retry limit you set for the campaign. After the final retry, no further calls are made to that contact.

What sends a contact to the retry queue? 
Any initial attempt where the contact did not answer, was busy, or failed to connect.