Phone Calls Skill
Make AI-powered phone calls on behalf of the user — book restaurants, make appointments, inquire about services, etc.
Provider: Bland AI
Why Bland AI?
- Simplest API of all options (Vapi, Retell are more complex)
- Just need phone_number + task to make a call
- Low latency, natural-sounding voices
- Pay-per-minute, no platform fees
- Self-hosted (data stays secure)
Setup Required
1. Create Bland AI Account
- Go to https://app.bland.ai
- Sign up with email
- Add payment method (or use free trial credits)
2. Get API Key
- Go to https://app.bland.ai/dashboard
- Click your profile → API Keys
- Copy your API key
3. Configure Clawdbot
Add to your environment or .env:
bash
BLAND_API_KEY=sk-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Or store in ~/.clawd/secrets.json:
json
{
"bland_api_key": "sk-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
}
Usage
Basic Call
./phone-call.sh "+447123456789" "Call the restaurant and book a table for 2 at 7pm tonight under the name John"
With Custom Voice
./phone-call.sh "+447123456789" "Ask about their opening hours" --voice maya
Check Call Status
./check-call.sh <call_id>
How It Works
- You provide a phone number and a task/objective
- Bland AI calls the number with an AI agent
- The AI follows your instructions naturally
- You get a transcript and summary after the call
Example Tasks
Restaurant Booking:
Call this restaurant and book a table for 4 people on Saturday at 8pm.
The booking should be under the name "Smith". If they ask for a phone
number, give them +447123456789.
Appointment Inquiry:
Call this dental office and ask what appointments are available next
week for a routine checkup. Get at least 3 options if possible.
Service Inquiry:
Call this plumber and ask if they can come out tomorrow to fix a
leaking tap. Get a quote for the callout fee.
Pricing (Bland AI)
- Outbound calls: ~$0.09/minute (US)
- Varies by country — check https://app.bland.ai for current rates
- First calls may have free credits
Voice Options
Built-in voices:
- josh - Male, professional
- maya - Female, friendly (default)
- florian - Male, European accent
- derek - Male, casual
- june - Female, professional
- nat - Male, natural
- paige - Female, upbeat
Advanced Features
Voicemail Handling
The AI can detect voicemails and either hang up, leave a message, or ignore.
Call Recording
Set record: true to get a recording URL after the call.
Webhooks
Get notified when calls complete by setting a webhook URL.
Conversation Pathways
For complex flows (IVR menus, multi-step processes), create pathways in the Bland dashboard.
Limitations
- Cannot call emergency services (999, 911, etc.)
- Some numbers may be blocked (DNC lists)
- Rate limited: 1 call per 10 seconds to the same number
- Max call duration: 30 minutes default (configurable)
Troubleshooting
"Invalid phone number"
- Include country code: +44 for UK, +1 for US
- Remove spaces and parentheses
"Insufficient balance" - Add credits at https://app.bland.ai/dashboard/billing
"Rate limit exceeded" - Wait a few seconds between calls to the same number
Files
phone-call.sh— Make a phone callcheck-call.sh— Check call status/transcriptbland.sh— Low-level API wrapper