Test decline behavior separately for Desk Station and Pass receivers

Train reception staff on what declining does on their actual receiver, including its effect on escalation.

Source facts

Verkada intercom call groups ring their members simultaneously for the configured duration, then proceed to another group if unanswered. Explicitly declining a call has receiver-specific behavior: declining on a Desk Station ends the call without trying other receivers, while declining in the Pass app continues to the next receivers. The guide supports separate scheduled call lists and an off-hours list. It also distinguishes answering a phone/SIP call from accepting the intercom session with the documented acceptance key.

Source: Verkada Help — Add and Configure Receivers in Intercom.

Applicability

Applies to the receiver and call-list behavior documented for Verkada Intercom. This is a workflow distinction between decline and no answer, not a universal rule for third-party telephone systems.

DSE recommendation

DSE recommends writing the receptionist procedure around the actual receiver type. A person who cannot handle a request should know whether declining stops the attempt or passes it onward. Map staffed, off-hours, and unavailable periods explicitly and avoid a first group whose expected action unintentionally terminates escalation. Document the intended fallback owner and test the acceptance step for telephone recipients. Train substitutes with the same receiver device they will operate.

Verification

Place approved test calls covering answer, no answer, Desk Station decline, and Pass decline. Observe the next receiver and record the actual result and schedule in effect. Verify an off-hours test reaches its intended destination without opening a production door or assuming a ringing phone means the visitor has been accepted.

Official reference

Verkada Help — Add and Configure Receivers in Intercom. Reviewed October 15, 2026.