Recording business calls: where it happens, how long to keep recordings and how to tell the customer
Sado AI team · · 4 min read
In short
Calls can be recorded in four places: on an office mini-PBX, on a cloud PBX or at the provider, in CRM telephony, and in an AI operator’s portal. Whichever you choose, write three rules first: which calls are recorded, how long recordings are kept and who listens to them. Tell the customer briefly at the start that the call is recorded. Recordings hold personal data; Uzbekistan has a law on personal data, so ask a lawyer if in doubt. Listen to recordings regularly, or they just take up space.
Where recording happens
A call is usually recorded by whichever system it passes through. Sometimes one call is recorded in two places, say on the PBX and in the CRM. Then agree which copy is the main one, or recordings end up scattered in two places.
| Where | How it works | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Office mini-PBX | Recordings stay on the device in the office | Disk filling up, backups, who has access |
| Cloud PBX or provider | Recordings on the provider’s server | How long they’re kept, whether it costs extra, how to download |
| CRM telephony | The recording is attached to the customer’s card | Which calls get in, how long they’re kept |
| AI operator portal | A recording and transcript of each call | Recording, full transcript and collected answers in one place |
Three rules to write first
- Which calls are recorded: all of them, or only calls with customers. If internal staff calls are recorded too, tell staff in advance.
- How long they’re kept: for example, three months, then the recording is deleted. If you need longer, write down why.
- Who listens: the owner and the person responsible for quality. No folder open to everyone.
Don’t forward recordings to messengers, personal phones or shared groups: a single leaked file can cost you a customer’s trust.
How to tell the customer
One short sentence right after the greeting is enough. If the caller asks why, explain simply:
Sado: Assalomu alaykum, Asl Avto Servis, this is Shohruh. This call is recorded for quality.
Caller: Why do you record it?
Sado: So what we agree stays clear: the day, the time, the job. Then there are no disputes later.
Caller: All right. I wanted to book an oil change for tomorrow.
Sado: Sure, tomorrow at ten or at three is free. Which suits you?
Caller: Ten.
Sado: Booked: tomorrow at ten, oil change. See you then!
In Sado, the AI operator says at the start of the call that it’s recorded; this line can be switched on or off in the settings.
How to use recordings
- Every week, listen to a few calls from each person and give one piece of advice.
- When there’s a dispute, listen to the recording: you’ll know exactly what the customer said.
- Give new staff a set of good calls: it teaches faster than a written script.
- Note frequent questions and add the answers to the website or the script.
- Find questions that went unanswered: they show what your information is missing.
What recordings look like with an AI operator
Every call Sado’s AI operator handles is in the portal: the recording, full transcript, collected answers and a short summary. You don’t have to listen to the whole call: read the transcript and find the part you need. You can also ask “Yordamchi” in the portal which questions the operator couldn’t answer. If you use Bitrix24, the recording and transcript go into the call card.
Data is kept for a limited time, and you can ask for it to be deleted. More: AI operator for incoming calls, Bitrix24 connection, questions about Sado, calls and your CRM. Try it live.
Questions
Do we need the customer’s consent to record a call?
Telling them at the start that the call is recorded is the simplest, most open way. For an exact answer on what the personal data law requires, ask a lawyer.
How long should recordings be kept?
Only as long as the work needs: for example, one to three months for quality checks. If you need longer (a dispute, a contract), write down why and limit access.
Can calls on a mobile be recorded too?
Some smartphones can record, but the recordings stay on each employee’s phone and are hard to control. Work calls are better recorded through the PBX, the provider or the AI operator.
What if there’s no time to listen to recordings?
You don’t need to hear them all. Each week, pick a few random calls plus any where the customer was unhappy. With an AI operator there’s a transcript, and reading it is faster than listening.