An interstitial lets the contact choose a reason for getting in touch. The selected option routes to a configured workflow, such as sales questions, service support, recruiting, or member assistance. Starting that conversation does not automatically authorize ongoing marketing.
Common Self-Segmentation Use Cases
🏠
Home Services
“New Quote” → full ITR qualification (service type, urgency, location). “Existing Customer” → shorter flow (account lookup, scheduling). Different alerts, different reps notified.
⚖️
Legal Intake
“New Inquiry” → general inquiry questions and preferred contact details. “Existing Client” → the configured team or agent handoff. Keep detailed case information in your approved intake system.
🚗
Automotive
“Buy / Finance” → sales qualification ITR. “Service Appointment” → service booking flow. “Parts Inquiry” → parts department routing.
🏥
Healthcare
“New Appointment” → location and preferred callback details. “Existing Patient” → appointment assistance. “Billing Question” → the appropriate team. Use the organization’s approved system for clinical details.
🏢
Multi-Location
Location selection on the interstitial, “Baltimore” vs “Annapolis” vs “DC”, routes each contact to the correct local collector with the local number assigned.
🏗️
Construction / Trades
“Residential” vs “Commercial”, different qualification questions, different email routing, different reps. One QR on the truck wrap serves both audiences.
How It Works
Each button on the interstitial page connects to a different collector’s SmartLink. When the contact taps a button, the SMS app opens pre-filled with a keyword or message that identifies which path they selected. OTTO receives that keyword and runs the corresponding flow from that point forward.
1
Contact scans QR code or taps SmartLink → interstitial loads
Branded screen with 2–3 intent options. No navigation, no distractions. Single purpose.
2
Contact taps their intent, “New Customer” or “Existing Customer”
Each button links to a different collector SmartLink. The selection is the routing mechanism.
3
SMS app opens with a pre-filled message matching the selection
“New Customer” → pre-filled opt-in for the new customer collector. “Existing Customer” → pre-filled opt-in for the service collector.
4
Contact taps Send → OTTO runs the matched collector flow immediately
The selected path supplies context for the configured questions. Test each path and define an agent handoff for requests outside the workflow.
✓
Separate email alerts fire per path, to the right team or rep
New Customer leads go to sales. Existing Customer service requests go to the service team. Routing configured separately on each collector.
Setting Up an Intent-Routing Interstitial
Step 1, Build a collector for each intent path
Each button on your interstitial needs its own collector. Build and fully configure each one, questions, final message, email notification, before creating the interstitial page. Two intents = two collectors. Three intents = three collectors.
📌 Planning tip
Map your intent paths before building. Write out: what questions does each path ask? What email does each path alert? What final message does each path send? Getting clarity on the flow before touching the platform saves significant rebuild time.
Step 2, Configure the interstitial with multiple CTAs
1
Go to Lead Collectors → select your primary collector → Options & Details
The interstitial page is configured on the collector you’ll use as the “home base” for this entry point.
2
Enable Interstitial Page → set headline and supporting copy
Headline: “What brings you in today?” or “How can we help?”, neutral enough to work for all intent paths.
3
Add CTA buttons, one per intent path
Button 1: “New Customer / Get a Quote” → new customer collector SmartLink. Button 2: “Existing Customer / Schedule Service” → service collector SmartLink.
✓
Use this collector’s QR code as your single entry point
One QR, one interstitial, multiple intent paths. The QR code doesn’t change when you update the interstitial content.
Interstitial Design for Intent Routing
❓
Frame as a question
“What brings you in today?” or “How can we help?”, a question headline is more natural than a statement and makes the buttons feel like answers, not commands.
🔢
Max 3 options
Start with the few choices your audience needs most. Use clear labels and test the layout on mobile. For a longer list of choices, consider a short ITR menu after the conversation starts.
✅
Label the benefit, not the category
Use an action label such as “Request a Quote” or “Schedule Service” when it explains the next step. Make the destination and the message match what the button promises.
🔄
Update seasonally
Change the offer and CTA copy for seasonal campaigns without reprinting QR codes. Same QR, updated interstitial.
Reporting on Intent Paths
Because each intent path routes to a separate collector, your reports are already segmented. The new customer collector report shows new customer lead volume and conversion; the service collector report shows service request volume. Compare them over time to understand which intent path generates more volume, and optimize accordingly.
✓ Multi-location reporting
If you’re using location selection (Baltimore / Annapolis / DC), each location’s collector report shows per-location volume independently. No manual segmentation needed, the interstitial selection did the work at the entry point.
Go Deeper
📖 Related Insight
SMS Entry Points: Streamline Journeys & Own Your Data
How intent selection fits a broader entry-point strategy, from campaign source to conversation context and team follow-up.
Read the Insight →
▶ Next Step
Inbound SMS Types: Choosing the Right Collector
Once you know your intent paths, here’s how to choose the right collector type for each, ITR, Custom Questions, or Conversational OTTO.
Read the KB Article →
🌐 Related KB
Interstitial Pages for Language Funnels
The same routing mechanic, applied to language: let contacts pick English or Español before OTTO starts.
Read the KB Article →