Contacts (Start Here)
Contacts are the foundation of every campaign. If you treat contacts like “just a CSV,” your campaigns will feel random. If you treat contacts like an operator-grade dataset, your campaigns become predictable.
This guide shows you how Callaro’s Contacts system works: import, segment, DNC, custom fields, and how contact data flows into campaigns and agent variables.
At a glance
- Contacts live in Contacts.
- You can add contacts manually, import from CSV, or manage them in bulk.
- You can turn any filtered view into a Segment and reuse it inside campaigns.
- DNC is not a checkbox — it’s your compliance safety rail.
- Custom fields are how you keep “the one thing that matters to your business” available at call time.
Where to go next
Pick the workflow you’re doing right now:
- New list? Start with Import contacts from CSV
- Need reusable targeting? Go to Contacts list, filters, and segments
- Need to see everything about one person? Go to Contact detail page
- Need to prevent calls? Go to Do Not Call (DNC)
- Need new metadata? Go to Custom fields
If your contacts don’t have the context your agent expects (company, timezone, lead source, etc.), the AI will sound generic. Fixing contacts is often the fastest way to improve outcomes.
How contacts connect to campaigns and agents
There are three ways data reaches your agent at call time:
- From the contact record (standard fields + custom fields)
- From campaign audience mapping (CSV or segment mapping → agent variables)
- From static campaign variables (same value for every call)
If you want the deep “how it actually passes” reference, use Contacts → Campaigns → Agent variables.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Importing contacts without timezone for multi-region outreach.
- Not using segments (you’ll rebuild targeting from scratch every campaign).
- Overusing custom fields without ownership (you’ll create a messy schema).
- Treating DNC as optional (it will eventually become a production incident).