Automated Sales Calls: AI Phone Agents That Close Deals

Automated sales calls use AI voice agents to handle outbound prospecting, lead qualification, appointment scheduling, and follow-ups without human intervention. Instead of sales teams manually dialing hundreds of numbers, AI-powered phone systems conduct natural conversations, qualify prospects, book meetings, and update CRMs in real time—enabling businesses to scale outreach, reduce costs, and improve conversion rates while maintaining consistent messaging across every interaction.

What Are Automated Sales Calls?

At their core, automated sales calls leverage conversational AI to initiate, conduct, and complete phone conversations with prospects and customers. Unlike traditional auto-dialers that simply connect calls to human agents, modern voice AI platforms handle the entire conversation—greeting prospects, asking qualifying questions, addressing objections, and scheduling next steps.

The technology combines natural language processing, speech recognition, and voice synthesis to create interactions that sound remarkably human. These systems understand context, respond to unexpected questions, and adapt their approach based on how the conversation unfolds.

How This Technology Differs From Traditional Dialers

Traditional power dialers and predictive dialers accelerate the process of connecting human sales reps to prospects. They eliminate manual dialing and reduce downtime between calls, but still require human agents to conduct every conversation.

AI voice agents represent a fundamental shift. They don't just dial numbers—they conduct complete conversations from start to finish. The system can handle objections, answer questions about products or services, and make decisions about next steps based on prospect responses. This means a single platform can manage dozens or even hundreds of simultaneous conversations without additional staffing.

Some platforms still use basic recorded messages or rigid menu systems. True conversational AI goes far beyond this, engaging in dynamic, two-way dialogue that responds naturally to whatever the prospect says.

Inbound vs. Outbound Automation

Voice automation serves both directions of communication. For outbound scenarios, AI agents proactively reach out to prospect lists, introduce your company, qualify interest levels, and book appointments with sales teams. They can work through thousands of contacts systematically, ensuring consistent follow-up and never missing a scheduled callback.

On the inbound side, these systems answer every incoming call instantly—no hold music, no missed opportunities. They can route callers to the right department, answer common questions, schedule appointments, or capture detailed information for human follow-up. The same AI that conducts cold outreach can also serve as your always-available receptionist.

Key Benefits of Voice AI for Sales

The business case for automating phone conversations centers on three core advantages: operational efficiency, cost reduction, and performance improvement. Companies implementing these solutions typically see measurable ROI within weeks of deployment.

Operational Efficiency Gains

Time savings represent the most immediate benefit. Human sales reps spend significant portions of their day on activities that don't directly generate revenue—dialing numbers, leaving voicemails, navigating gatekeepers, and handling routine questions. AI agents eliminate this overhead entirely.

A single voice agent can initiate and manage 50-100+ simultaneous conversations. While a human SDR might connect with 20-30 prospects in a full day of calling, an AI system handles that volume in minutes. This parallel processing capability means you can contact your entire prospect database in hours rather than weeks.

The technology operates 24/7 without breaks, sick days, or vacation time. For businesses serving multiple time zones or international markets, this continuous availability ensures prospects receive timely responses regardless of when they engage.

Follow-up becomes automatic and reliable. The system schedules callbacks, sends reminder messages, and ensures no prospect falls through the cracks. Human teams struggle with consistent follow-up at scale—AI agents execute it flawlessly every time.

Cost Reduction Across the Board

Labor represents the largest expense in most sales operations. Hiring, training, and retaining quality SDRs requires substantial investment. AI voice agents reduce this burden significantly—one platform subscription can replace multiple full-time positions while delivering higher output.

Training costs drop dramatically. New human reps require weeks of onboarding, ongoing coaching, and performance management. Voice agents deploy in days and maintain consistent quality from the first call forward. Updates to messaging or processes roll out instantly across all conversations.

Infrastructure expenses decrease as well. Traditional call centers require physical space, telephony equipment, and management overhead. Cloud-based AI systems eliminate most of these requirements, allowing remote operation with minimal technical infrastructure.

The ROI calculation typically shows positive returns within 60-90 days. Businesses save on headcount while simultaneously increasing the volume and quality of prospect interactions.

Performance Improvements That Drive Revenue

Connect rates improve substantially when AI handles initial outreach. The system can attempt contact at optimal times, leave personalized voicemails, and immediately retry busy numbers. Persistence that would burn out human reps becomes standard operating procedure.

Lead qualification accuracy increases because every prospect receives the same comprehensive discovery questions. Human reps sometimes skip steps or make subjective judgments. AI agents follow the exact qualification framework you define, ensuring consistent data collection and scoring.

Messaging stays on-brand across every interaction. Sales teams naturally develop individual styles and may deviate from approved positioning. Voice agents deliver your exact value proposition, handle objections with approved responses, and maintain brand consistency at scale.

Data capture becomes comprehensive and structured. Every conversation generates detailed transcripts, sentiment analysis, and CRM updates. This visibility enables better forecasting, coaching insights, and continuous optimization of your sales process.

How the Technology Works

Understanding the technical foundation helps businesses evaluate solutions and set realistic expectations. Modern voice AI combines multiple advanced technologies into unified systems that deliver natural, effective conversations.

The Core Technology Stack

At the foundation sits speech recognition technology that converts spoken words into text. Advanced systems achieve accuracy rates above 95% even with accents, background noise, or unclear audio. This transcription happens in real-time, enabling immediate processing and response.

Natural language understanding (NLU) analyzes the transcribed text to determine intent and extract key information. The system identifies what the prospect is asking, whether they're expressing interest or objection, and what information they're providing. This goes far beyond simple keyword matching—modern NLU grasps context, nuance, and implied meaning.

Large language models (LLMs) generate appropriate responses based on the conversation context, your business rules, and training data. These AI engines understand how to maintain natural dialogue flow, ask relevant follow-up questions, and adapt their approach based on prospect responses.

Text-to-speech synthesis converts the AI's responses back into natural-sounding voice. High-quality systems offer multiple voice options, adjustable speaking pace, and emotional tone that matches the conversation context. The best implementations sound remarkably human, with appropriate pauses, inflection, and conversational rhythm.

Telephony infrastructure connects everything to the actual phone network. Enterprise-grade solutions use carrier-grade connections that ensure call quality, reliability, and proper caller ID presentation. This layer handles the technical details of initiating calls, managing audio streams, and integrating with existing phone systems.

Integration Architecture

Effective automation requires seamless connection to your existing business systems. CRM integration ensures that every conversation automatically updates contact records, logs activities, and triggers appropriate workflows. When an AI agent qualifies a lead, that information flows directly into your sales pipeline without manual data entry.

Calendar systems connect to enable real-time appointment scheduling. The voice agent can check availability, book meetings directly into sales reps' calendars, and send confirmation emails—all during the live conversation with the prospect.

Marketing automation platforms receive engagement data to trigger appropriate nurture sequences. If a prospect isn't ready to buy immediately, the system can automatically enroll them in relevant email campaigns or schedule future touchpoints.

Analytics tools aggregate conversation data to provide insights into campaign performance, common objections, conversion patterns, and optimization opportunities. This visibility enables continuous improvement of scripts, targeting, and overall strategy.

At Vida, our AI Agent OS platform connects directly to thousands of business applications through native integrations and API connections. This means your voice agents operate as natural extensions of your existing workflows rather than isolated tools requiring manual coordination.

Conversation Design and Flow

Effective voice agents require thoughtful conversation design. The best implementations balance structure with flexibility—following proven frameworks while adapting to individual prospect responses.

Opening statements establish context quickly and professionally. The agent identifies itself appropriately, confirms they're speaking with the right person, and establishes the purpose of the call. This transparency builds trust and sets clear expectations.

Discovery flows guide the conversation through key qualification questions. The system adapts question order and depth based on responses, pursuing relevant details while avoiding unnecessary interrogation. This dynamic approach feels natural rather than scripted.

Objection handling follows pre-defined response patterns for common concerns. When prospects raise issues about pricing, timing, or competitors, the agent delivers approved responses and attempts to move the conversation forward. For complex objections beyond its scope, the system can schedule human follow-up.

Escalation triggers determine when to transfer to human agents. You define the conditions—perhaps when deal size exceeds a threshold, when specific technical questions arise, or when the prospect explicitly requests human contact. Smooth handoffs ensure continuity and positive customer experience.

Closing actions complete the interaction appropriately. Whether booking a meeting, scheduling a callback, or simply logging the conversation outcome, the agent executes defined next steps and confirms details with the prospect.

Implementation Best Practices

Successful deployment requires more than just signing up for a platform. Companies that achieve the best results follow proven implementation frameworks that address technical, operational, and strategic considerations.

Defining Clear Objectives and Use Cases

Start by identifying specific scenarios where automation delivers the most value. Lead qualification for inbound inquiries? Outbound prospecting to specific segments? Appointment setting for existing opportunities? Focusing on defined use cases enables targeted optimization and clear success metrics.

Establish measurable goals for each use case. Instead of vague aims like "improve efficiency," set concrete targets: "qualify 100 leads per day," "book 20 demos per week," or "reduce cost per qualified lead by 40%." These specific objectives guide configuration decisions and enable objective performance evaluation.

Map your ideal conversation flow before building anything. Document the questions you need answered, the information you need to provide, and the outcomes you're trying to achieve. This blueprint ensures your voice agent actually serves your business process rather than creating new problems.

Script Development That Sounds Human

Effective scripts balance professionalism with conversational tone. Avoid corporate jargon or overly formal language—people respond better to natural, straightforward communication. Your voice agent should sound like a helpful colleague, not a robot reading a legal document.

Keep opening statements concise and value-focused. Prospects don't want lengthy introductions—they want to know why you're calling and what's in it for them. Get to the point quickly while remaining polite and professional.

Build in natural language variations. The same question asked multiple ways sounds more human and handles diverse responses better. Instead of rigidly asking "What is your budget?" every time, include variations like "What range were you thinking?" or "Do you have a number in mind?"

Design for interruptions and unexpected responses. Real conversations don't follow perfect linear paths. Your agent needs to handle prospects who ask questions mid-flow, provide information out of sequence, or take the conversation in unexpected directions.

Test extensively with diverse audiences before full deployment. Have team members role-play different prospect personas, including difficult scenarios. Refine based on what works and what creates friction or confusion.

Compliance and Legal Considerations

Telephone sales regulations vary by jurisdiction and industry. In the United States, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) establishes strict requirements for automated calling systems. You must obtain prior express written consent before making automated calls to mobile phones for marketing purposes.

Do Not Call (DNC) list management is non-negotiable. Maintain updated suppression lists and immediately honor opt-out requests. Violations carry substantial penalties and damage your reputation.

Call recording disclosure requirements differ by state. Some jurisdictions require one-party consent, others require all-party consent. Your voice agent should clearly disclose recording where legally required, typically in the opening statement.

Industry-specific regulations add additional layers. Healthcare providers must comply with HIPAA requirements for protected health information. Financial services face regulations around fair lending and consumer protection. Ensure your implementation addresses relevant compliance requirements for your sector.

Caller ID presentation matters both legally and practically. Display accurate, recognizable caller information rather than spoofed or misleading numbers. This transparency improves answer rates and builds trust.

Balancing Automation with Human Touch

The goal isn't to eliminate human interaction—it's to optimize when and how humans engage. AI handles repetitive, high-volume tasks efficiently, freeing your sales team to focus on complex conversations that require human judgment, creativity, and relationship building.

Define clear escalation criteria. When should the voice agent transfer to a human? Common triggers include high-value opportunities, technical questions beyond the agent's knowledge base, explicit customer requests, or detected frustration in the conversation.

Implement warm handoff procedures. When transferring to humans, the agent should provide context: "I'm going to connect you with Sarah, who specializes in enterprise implementations. She'll have all the information we just discussed." This continuity creates better customer experience than cold transfers.

Use AI insights to make human interactions more effective. Conversation transcripts, sentiment analysis, and qualification data help sales reps prepare for calls and personalize their approach. The combination of AI efficiency and human expertise delivers superior results.

Industry-Specific Applications

While the core technology remains consistent, different industries leverage voice automation in distinct ways that address their specific challenges and opportunities.

Real Estate Lead Management

Real estate professionals struggle with immediate lead response. When someone inquires about a property online, speed matters—leads contacted within five minutes are 21 times more likely to convert than those contacted after 30 minutes. Voice agents provide instant response regardless of when inquiries arrive.

Property qualification happens automatically. The agent asks about budget, timeline, location preferences, and financing status. This information helps agents prioritize which leads deserve immediate personal attention and which need additional nurturing.

Showing appointments get scheduled directly into agent calendars. The voice system checks availability, books time slots, sends confirmations, and delivers reminders—eliminating the back-and-forth that typically delays this process.

Follow-up with open house attendees happens systematically. After events, the agent contacts everyone who visited, gauges interest, answers questions, and schedules next steps. This consistent follow-up converts more prospects into clients.

Healthcare Appointment Management

Medical practices face constant interruptions from appointment scheduling calls. Voice agents handle this volume automatically, checking availability, booking appointments, collecting insurance information, and sending confirmations—all without pulling staff away from patient care.

Appointment reminders reduce no-show rates substantially. The system calls or texts patients with upcoming appointments, confirms they plan to attend, and offers rescheduling if needed. This proactive approach typically cuts no-shows by 20-40%.

Patient intake and screening can begin before office visits. The voice agent collects health history, current symptoms, and insurance details, ensuring efficient in-person appointments and proper preparation.

Post-visit follow-up improves patient outcomes and satisfaction. Automated calls check on recovery, remind about medication schedules, and identify any concerning symptoms that need attention.

Financial Services and Insurance

Insurance agencies use voice automation for policy renewals and upselling opportunities. The system contacts policyholders before renewal dates, confirms coverage needs, identifies opportunities for additional products, and seamlessly transfers interested customers to licensed agents.

Claims processing updates keep customers informed without tying up adjusters. The voice agent provides status updates, answers common questions about the claims process, and collects any additional information needed to move claims forward.

Lead qualification for financial advisors ensures productive meetings. The agent asks about financial goals, current assets, and specific concerns, providing advisors with comprehensive background before first conversations.

B2B Sales Development

Software companies and B2B service providers use voice agents to scale their sales development function. The technology handles initial outreach to prospect lists, introduces the solution, qualifies interest and fit, and books discovery calls with account executives.

Demo scheduling becomes frictionless. Instead of email chains trying to find mutually convenient times, the voice agent coordinates directly with prospects and books meetings immediately.

Contract renewal reminders ensure retention opportunities don't slip through the cracks. The system contacts customers approaching renewal dates, confirms satisfaction, addresses concerns, and initiates renewal processes.

Choosing the Right Solution

The market offers numerous platforms with varying capabilities, pricing models, and implementation approaches. Evaluating options systematically ensures you select technology that actually serves your needs rather than creating new challenges.

Essential Features to Evaluate

Voice quality and naturalness directly impact prospect engagement. Request demo calls and assess whether the AI sounds robotic or conversational. Can it handle interruptions gracefully? Does it maintain appropriate pacing and tone? Poor voice quality undermines even the best strategy.

Conversation intelligence capabilities determine how well the system understands and responds to prospects. Look for platforms that handle diverse accents, manage background noise, and accurately interpret intent even when prospects phrase things unexpectedly.

Integration depth matters more than integration breadth. A platform that connects to 1,000 tools superficially may deliver less value than one with deep integration to your specific CRM, calendar, and marketing automation systems. Evaluate how data flows between systems and whether it requires manual intervention.

Scalability and concurrent call capacity define your growth potential. Can the platform handle your current volume? What about 5x or 10x growth? Understanding capacity limitations prevents painful migrations later.

Analytics and reporting depth enable optimization. Look for platforms that provide conversation transcripts, sentiment analysis, common objection tracking, and conversion funnel metrics. Surface-level reporting limits your ability to improve performance.

Compliance tools and safeguards protect your business. Does the platform handle DNC list management? Does it support required disclosures? Can it restrict calling to appropriate hours? These features prevent costly violations.

Implementation and Support Considerations

Ease of implementation varies dramatically across platforms. Some solutions require extensive technical expertise and weeks of configuration. Others offer guided setup that gets you operational in days. Consider your team's technical capabilities and timeline requirements.

No-code versus developer-required platforms represent a fundamental choice. No-code solutions enable business users to build and modify voice agents without programming knowledge. Developer-required platforms offer more customization but create dependency on technical resources.

Customer support and training resources impact your success. Look for providers offering comprehensive documentation, training programs, and responsive support. The best platforms assign dedicated success managers who help optimize your implementation.

Security and data protection standards matter, especially in regulated industries. Verify that platforms meet relevant compliance requirements (GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2) and implement appropriate data encryption and access controls.

Our Approach at Vida

We built our platform specifically to address the limitations we saw in existing solutions. Our AI Core powers natural, real-time conversations that handle customer service, sales outreach, appointment scheduling, and everyday call management without missed calls or inconsistent service.

Our agents answer instantly, speak naturally, and stay available 24/7. They manage tasks like booking appointments, qualifying leads, capturing information, sending follow-ups, and routing calls with accuracy. Because everything runs on our AI Agent OS, we connect directly to calendars, CRMs, and business workflows so conversations turn into completed actions—not just transcripts.

We focus on practical value: a dependable AI receptionist, customer service representative, phone agent, or sales agent that eliminates bottlenecks and improves responsiveness. Our platform supports custom AI voices, high-quality transcription, automated voicemail handling, outbound calling, and HIPAA-aligned use cases like secure scheduling.

Instead of relying on chat-only bots or rigid IVR systems, we provide conversational AI voice bots and phone AI assistants that hold natural conversations, deliver consistent service quality, and generate measurable ROI through automation, reliability, and improved customer experience.

Measuring Success and ROI

Implementing voice automation without tracking results wastes the opportunity to optimize and prove value. Establish clear metrics from day one and monitor them consistently.

Key Performance Indicators

Connect rate and answer rate measure how often your calls reach actual prospects. Typical connect rates for cold outreach range from 5-15% depending on list quality and timing. Voice agents often achieve higher rates through persistent attempts and optimal timing.

Conversation duration indicates engagement quality. Very short calls suggest prospects aren't interested or the opening isn't compelling. Extremely long calls might indicate confusion or inefficient flows. Optimal duration varies by use case but typically falls between 2-5 minutes for qualification calls.

Qualification rate shows what percentage of connected calls result in qualified leads. This metric reveals whether your targeting and qualification criteria align properly. Low qualification rates suggest poor list quality or overly aggressive criteria.

Appointment booking rate measures conversion from qualified leads to scheduled meetings. This indicates how effectively the voice agent creates urgency and overcomes objections. Typical rates range from 20-40% of qualified prospects.

Cost per conversation and cost per qualified lead enable direct ROI comparison to previous methods. Calculate total platform costs plus any associated expenses, then divide by relevant volume metrics. Compare these figures to your previous cost structure.

Revenue attribution tracks how many booked meetings convert to closed deals and what revenue they generate. This complete view of the funnel demonstrates true business impact rather than just activity metrics.

Analytics and Continuous Improvement

Call transcription analysis reveals patterns in successful and unsuccessful conversations. Review transcripts systematically to identify effective approaches, common objections, and areas where the agent struggles. This qualitative insight complements quantitative metrics.

Sentiment tracking shows how prospects feel during conversations. Are they engaged and positive? Frustrated and negative? Sentiment shifts during calls indicate which parts of your script work well and which create friction.

Conversion funnel metrics show where prospects drop off in your process. Do they disconnect during the introduction? Decline to book meetings after qualification? Understanding these patterns guides optimization efforts.

A/B testing different approaches accelerates improvement. Test variations in opening statements, qualification questions, objection responses, and closing techniques. Let data drive decisions rather than assumptions about what will work.

Common Challenges and Solutions

Every implementation encounters obstacles. Understanding common challenges and proven solutions helps you navigate them efficiently.

Technical Issues

Call quality and latency problems undermine effectiveness. Poor audio makes conversations difficult and frustrating for prospects. This typically stems from inadequate telephony infrastructure or network issues. Choose providers with carrier-grade voice networks and test call quality thoroughly before full deployment.

Integration complexity can delay implementation and create ongoing maintenance burdens. Platforms with pre-built connectors to popular business systems reduce this friction substantially. When custom integration is necessary, invest in proper API documentation and technical support.

Data synchronization problems cause CRM records to become outdated or inaccurate. Ensure your platform provides real-time data updates rather than batch processing. Test synchronization thoroughly across all integrated systems before going live.

Customer Experience Concerns

Robotic interactions damage brand perception and reduce conversion rates. This problem typically results from poor voice quality, unnatural scripts, or rigid conversation flows. Invest in high-quality text-to-speech, write conversational scripts, and build flexibility into your dialogue design.

Handling complex objections challenges even sophisticated AI. When prospects raise concerns beyond the agent's programmed responses, the interaction can become awkward. Address this by expanding your objection database over time and implementing smooth escalation to humans when needed.

Managing customer frustration requires careful design. Some prospects will react negatively to automated calls regardless of quality. Train your voice agent to recognize frustration signals and offer immediate transfer to human agents when detected.

Operational Challenges

Spam flagging and caller ID reputation issues prevent calls from being answered. Mobile carriers increasingly flag unknown numbers as potential spam. Combat this through caller ID reputation management services, using local numbers, and maintaining clean calling practices.

Staff resistance to automation can undermine adoption. Sales teams may view voice agents as threats to their jobs rather than tools to make them more effective. Address this through clear communication about how automation handles low-value activities so humans can focus on high-value work.

Scaling challenges emerge as volume grows. What works for 100 calls per day may break at 1,000. Choose platforms built for enterprise scale and test capacity limits before committing to large campaigns.

Future Trends in Voice Automation

The technology continues evolving rapidly. Understanding emerging capabilities helps you prepare for what's next.

Advanced emotion detection will enable more sophisticated responses. Future systems will recognize subtle emotional cues in voice tone and adjust their approach accordingly—becoming more empathetic when detecting frustration or more enthusiastic when sensing excitement.

Real-time multilingual capabilities will eliminate language barriers. The agent will detect the prospect's language automatically and continue the conversation seamlessly in that language, opening global markets without requiring separate implementations.

Deeper personalization through data integration will make every conversation feel custom-tailored. The voice agent will reference previous interactions, known preferences, and relevant context from your data systems, creating continuity that rivals human relationship management.

Predictive analytics for optimal calling times will improve connect rates. Machine learning models will analyze historical data to determine when specific prospects are most likely to answer and engage, automatically scheduling outreach for maximum effectiveness.

Video call automation represents the next frontier. As business communication increasingly shifts to video, voice AI capabilities will extend to video meetings—handling initial consultations, product demonstrations, and support calls with visual components.

Getting Started With Voice Automation

Ready to implement automated calling? Follow this proven framework to ensure successful deployment.

Start with a focused pilot project. Choose one specific use case with clear success criteria. This limited scope enables rapid learning and optimization without risking your entire sales operation. Common starting points include appointment reminders, inbound inquiry handling, or qualification of a specific lead source.

Develop your conversation blueprint before selecting technology. Document exactly what you need the voice agent to accomplish, what questions it must ask, and what outcomes you're targeting. This clarity guides platform selection and accelerates implementation.

Evaluate platforms based on your specific requirements. Request demos that showcase your actual use case rather than generic capabilities. Test call quality, ease of configuration, and integration with your existing systems.

Build your initial agent conservatively. Start with structured flows and proven scripts rather than trying to handle every possible scenario. You can expand capabilities based on real-world performance and feedback.

Test extensively before full deployment. Run the agent through diverse scenarios, have team members role-play difficult prospects, and refine based on what you learn. A few days of thorough testing prevents weeks of problems later.

Launch to a small segment initially. Start with a limited volume of calls or a specific prospect segment. Monitor results closely, gather feedback, and optimize before scaling to full volume.

Measure rigorously and iterate continuously. Track your defined KPIs, analyze conversation data, and make incremental improvements. The most successful implementations treat voice automation as an ongoing optimization process rather than a one-time project.

At Vida, we've streamlined this entire process. Our platform enables you to build and deploy natural-sounding voice agents in days rather than months. We provide templates for common use cases, pre-built integrations with popular business systems, and expert guidance to accelerate your success.

Visit vida.io to explore how our AI Core platform can transform your sales outreach, customer service, and appointment scheduling. Our team will help you identify the highest-impact use cases for your business and build a deployment plan that delivers measurable results quickly.

The future of sales communication combines AI efficiency with human expertise. Companies that adopt voice automation now gain significant competitive advantages—higher contact rates, lower costs, better data, and sales teams focused on activities that truly require human judgment and relationship skills. The technology has matured beyond experimental status into proven, reliable business tools that deliver immediate ROI.

Whether you're a small business looking to handle after-hours calls or an enterprise scaling outbound prospecting, voice automation offers practical solutions to persistent challenges. The question isn't whether to automate phone conversations—it's how quickly you can implement it effectively and start reaping the benefits.