Phonebar Agent

Owned by XCALLY Knowledge (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Oct 17, 2024 by Product Knowledge
16 min read

What’s about

The XCALLY Phonebar is an always-on-top application used by the Customer Care Agents to mainly manage incoming and outgoing calls.

You can use XCALLY Phonebar only as Agents and not as Users

Agents can access the functions set in their Profile, according to their skill levels or tasks in teamwork.
They will only receive and manage the calls landed on the queues the agents belong to and perform actions defined by the Administrator or Supervisor.

These configurations are associated to the single Agent credentials, so the application shows customized features with different login to the system: this is very useful in work environments that share positions, as usually Call Centers do.

Some features are available only for enabled Agents by the Administrator or Supervisor. Please see the Settings section and the Agents configuration parameters.

Start using XCALLY Phonebar

  1. Open the Phonebar application, using the Windows start menu or double-click on the Icon on your desktop

  2. When the login panel appears, insert your Host and Agent credentials. If the Security Suite is enabled, at the first Login, the Agent will be asked to set a new password

  3. Choose the language for your Phonebar interface (by default, the language is the same as your desktop)

  4. Click on the "Remember me" box to save your credentials. This feature must be enabled by the administrator

Select an Agent Profile

If Phonebar agent is enabled on different Agent Profiles, when they login into XCALLY, it’s possible to see a dropdown menu to select profile to use.
As always, agents can see different profiles in addition to personal profile

Commands and Functions List

Icon

Function

Keystroke

Icon

Function

Keystroke

Show Command Menu to access Agents 'Presence, Queues List, Messenger and Video Recording

 

Set Speakers OFF/ON

 

Set Mute ON/OFF

 

Enable/disable ringtone

 

Show the status of the network/socket connection (if yellow it means not connected)

 

Click to show Call History panel (the small number, if any, refers to missed calls)

 

Field used to type the number to call (special character + is allowed)

 

Screen Recording Start/Stop button, it turns red and blinks when the recording is in progress image-20240304-133951.png

 

Click to show the dial pad

Ctrl+D

Start the call

 

Open the Omni Desktop Interface

 

Set Pause status

By clicking on pause icon while you are busy in call, you book a pause to result in pause status at the end of the current call (without receiving new interactions until you click on green icon)

Ctrl+P

In Pause Status, click on the green icon to set Ready Status

Ctrl+R

Show Settings

Ctrl+S

Log out

Ctrl+F4

Click in the upper right corner to minimize the application

Ctrl+M

In-Call Functions

 

Icon

Function

Keystroke

Icon

Function

Keystroke

Answer 

Ctrl+A

Hang up

Ctrl+H

Transfer

Ctrl+T 

Hold

Ctrl+O

Record

 

 

Busylight on XCALLY Phonebar

XCALLY Phonebar supports Busylight devices Alfa and Omega Model 2

Settings

Clicking on the Icon image-20240304-135700.png next to the Agent Name, the Agent can access to the Phonebar Settings

Profile

The Profile section displays: 

  • Agent's Full Name and Username

  • Agent's extension number

  • the actual XCALLY server address

 

Change Password

 

If the Security Suite is enabled by the Admin, at the first login or after the expiration date the Agent is asked to change the password and must follow the security rules about the password syntax:

  • Minimum length of 8 characters

  • At least one lowercase letter

  • At least one uppercase letter

  • At least one digit

  • At least one symbol in the range ~!@#$%^&-_=+[{]}

Services

The Services section allows the Agent to set some call features like:

  • Auto Answer: if enabled by the Admin, the calls will be automatically answered after the default delay (i.e. 20 seconds). The Agent can disable/enable the Auto Answer function for the current work session.

  • Call Forwarding (Unconditional): if enabled by the Admin, the calls will be automatically transferred to the number specified. The Agent can set an automatic forward of any call received for the current work session.

 

 

If the Administrator of the Agent's profile do not Enable Settings, the Agent can't use Services features.

In fact, the alert "Services are not enabled!" is shown. 

Audio

Volumes

In the Audio section you can set the audio devices, like speakers and microphones, or the ringtone volume.

 

 

 

 

 

Local Sounds: Ring Back

Enable or disable the ring back. The ring back (also ring back tone or ringing tone) is a signaling tone in telecommunication that is heard by the Agent (originator of a telephone call) while the destination terminal is alerting the receiving party.

About 

In this section, you find the software release and version installed on your desktop.

If you click on:

  • Software Update: If the proper general system bar Settings → AutoUpdater are enabled, the system automatically checks if there is a new version available of the XCALLY Phonebar to replace the current one.

    This feature can be disabled by the Administrator: in this case, the Agents can download the new version using the button in the Setting Section. 

  • Documentation: you can view the XCally Agent documentation (Phonebar and Omnidesktop) 

 

 

How to manage the XCALLY Phonebar

Agent Status

  • The Agent can start a global pause using the Phonebar button. The Default Pause counter is then shown on the Phonebar

  • The Pause ends when the Agent clicks on the Ready/Play button

  • If the Administrator has defined customized pauses (i.e. Backoffice, Lunch Break), the Agent can see and choose the suitable pause, clicking on the pauses list button:

  • The Agent can also choose to start a Partial Pause on one or more of Channels, clicking on the channel name shown on the Available Channels List:

If a Partial Pause is chosen on more channels, the Agent Pause display and counter will show it:

For example, if the Agent clicks on the Ready Channel List button image-20240304-142214.png and select "Voice", the Agent will be available and with Ready status only for the Voice Channel; the Agent will result in Pause Status for all the other channels. 

  • If the server is busy, the button turns to gray and becomes inactive until the pause is started (this prevents the Agent from clicking several times in case of delayed pause activation)

Start/Stop Pause

The Agent can start or stop the Pause clicking on the respective buttons, but in some other contexts the pause can start:

  • Automatically, if there are some actions the Agent must do before proceeding (e.g. a Disposition is mandatory requested on the interaction just managed). In this case the pause will end as soon as the operation requested is finished

  • At the request of a supervisor (e.g. on the Realtime monitor)

Place a call

To make a call:

  • Enter the name or number into the call entry field image-20240304-142521.png

  • or use the Dialpad shown by clicking the icon and digit from here

 

Then click the Call button  or press Enter to start the call and a call panel appears as follows: 

 

You can select a contact to call from:

  • Calls History list

  • Omni Desktop Interface Contact's Info 

  • Agents Presence list if you want to call one of the Agents

  • If your Call must be associated to a Service, and the Agent has been associated to the Service itself (in the form of an Out Prefix), you can choose one of them from the list:

This option is available only if the Service Prefixes are defined and the Agent is configured to use them.

Remember that the Administrator can also set this choice as mandatory any time the Agent places a call

Place New Calls

To place a new call without hanging up the current call, simply place a call in the usual way.

A second call panel will appear next to the other call, and the previous call is automatically put on hold:

 

End a Call

Click the End button  on the call panel (the call must be active or on hold) and the call panel closes after a few seconds.

Handle Incoming Calls

As soon as incoming call is received, a call panel appears, showing information about the call:

 

You can use the icons and buttons of the panel to control the call:

  • To answer the call: Click Answer button  from the call panel.

  • To decline the call: click Decline button  from the call panel

  • To forward the call: click Forward button  from the call panel and a transfer window will appear: enter the name or the number to transfer to and then confirm

Handle an Ongoing Call

During a call, its details are displayed in a call panel:

 

You can use the icons and buttons within the panel to control the call:

  • Hold the call: Click Hold button  from the call panel(to take the call back off hold click Resume button )

  • Transfer the call: Click Transfer button from the call panel. You can have two types of transfer: Blind (Unattended) Transfer or Attended Transfer (see below).

  • End the call: Click Hangup button  from the call panel

A default pop-up containing useful information about the call is shown simultaneously to the Agent:

 

Transfer a Call

You have more than one way to transfer a voice call with Phonebar: you can click here to explore documentation about it.

You can choose among three ways to transfer a call:

  • Agent 1 answers the call and then places the Customer on hold

  • Agent 1 calls Agent 2 (Agent 1 and Agent 2 speak together)

 

  • Agent 1 places the calls on Conference (Agent 1, Agent 2 and Customer speak together)

 

Record a Call

The Agent can start recording a call during the conversation, clicking on the Record button  image-20240304-151702.png

This is possible only if the Administrator has enabled this function in the Agent's Advanced Setting.

Clicking the Record button, the list of the active recording files is opened showing the Actions control buttons.

The call will be recorded until the Agent clicks on the Stop button:

 

To start it again the Agent should press the start button: 

 

These stop/start actions can be done as many times the Agent needs

The Agent can start a new separate recording clicking on image-20240304-153745.png (only 2 recordings per call will be possible):

 

 

All the Voice Recordings will be available for the Supervisor's review.

What happens if you transfer a call during the recording?

This feature can be configured by the Administrator in a way that:

  • If you transfer the call via blind transfer the recording will be stopped

  • If you transfer the call via attended transfer the recording will be stopped only if the second call is external

  • Click here to find out more

Automatic Call Recording

The Administrator can set an automatic recording feature to:

  • Specific Agents (receiving a call)

  • Queues (all the calls received from that queue)

  • Outbound Routes (all the calls done on that specific route)

 that will be activated whenever the call is taking place in one of these contexts.

Unlike a normal call display:

 

The Agent in this case will be notified the call is being recorded by the record button image-20240304-155903.png becoming red on the Phonebar:

Clicking on this button the Agent can pause the recording…

and start it again:

It is possible to do it as many times is needed, or start a new recording clicking on image-20240304-161023.png (only 2 recordings per call will be possible).

All the Voice Recordings will be available for the Supervisor's review

Click to call integration: Moreover if you click on links like call to:number or tell:number, Windows requires which application to use for opening the link and also Phonebar is now a supported one: (metti tutto in blue info panel)

 

If the Phonebar is running and you click a link, a call will start directly to the number indicated, activating a click to call

Calls History

 

Clicking on the icon image-20240304-161947.png  you can see a call history log containing the last calls you've done/received:

 

You can order the list by Contact name/Number or by Date: click on the column header to do it.

If you want to call a Contact in the Calls History, you can just click on the handset button image-20240304-162630.png (in the column Action) referring to that contact.

Remember: When you log out the call history is reset. If you want to delete the Call History contents, click on the icon image-20240304-162642.png

Screen Recording

ScreenRecording is a function available when an Agent is using the Phonebar and is managing a voice call. 

Screen Recordings record both Agent and Customer audio.

The Agents can record and save operation sequences performed on the desktop if the Administrator allows this function in the Agent Settings profile.

 

There are two types of Screen Recording: 

Manual: the Agent uses the Phonebar to record video sequences of what happens on his/her desktop.

  • By clicking the Video Recording button image-20240304-162919.png , the REC button becomes red image-20240304-162928.png and blinks to display that the recording is going on: to stop recording the Agent can just click on the same icon (which turns grey again and stops blinking).

  • By selecting "Video Recording" from the Command Menu, a preview of the screen is shown. The Agent must click on the REC button to start the recording and on the STOP button to end the recording

 

  • For the Agents configured to use this type of Screen Recording, the Supervisor can start and stop this function directly from the Agents Realtime environment (the Agents will be notified the screen recording is in use always from the icon changing color mechanism).

Automatic Screen Recording: the system starts recording a video sequence every time a voice call is received or placed by the Agent using the Phonebar (it stops automatically when the call ends). In this case the Agent has nothing to do to start  or stop the video recording: the REC button will become red and blink image-20240304-163515.png in order to display that the desktop activities are being recorded (the Video recording can never be stopped or started manually by the Agent).

  • The files generated using one of the Screen Recording functions mentioned above will be available on the Agent PC. By default they will be saved in: 

Video/AgentId_AgentName/<year>/<month>/<day>/<filename> .  

A path different from the Video directory (e.g. on a network drive) can be specified in the Settings --> General section by the Administrator. 

Command menu

 

When you click on the Command Menu image-20240305-091258.png icon, the following entries will be shown:

 

Only enabled Agents see and have the possibility to use these features (Agent presence and Queue List):

Agent presence:

You can use this function in order to see the agents connected/not connected to and to call them directly. The agents can be retrieved by their queue, name and status.

When you click on agent presence the system will show all the Agents configured on you server and their status:

  • If the silhouette is red image-20240305-092040.png it means that the agent is not connected to at the moment: as soon as he enters the system the silhouette will turn green image-20240305-092052.png  automatically

  • If the Agent is in Pause the silhouette becomes yellow image-20240305-092114.png

  • The list is automatically refreshed as soon as an Agent status changes

  • You can call directly an Agent from the Agents Presence list: just click on the telephone image-20240305-092444.png  button

  • You can transfer a call to an Agent from the Agent Presence list: just click on the transfer image-20240305-092525.png  button

  • You can filter the results by name (or part of it), or select an agent by status or by queue they belong to.

  • Click on image-20240305-092623.png  in order to apply or remove the filters

Queue List:

You can use this function in order to see the queues available and to call them directly. The queues can be retrieved by their name (use the filters to do this).

When you click on queue list the system will show all the Queues configured on your server:

 

For each queue you have the list of calls managed and their status:

  • Waiting

  • Talking

  • Answered

  • Unmanaged

You can call directly a queue from the queue list: just click on the telephone image-20240305-092444.png button.

You can transfer a call to a queue from the queue list: just click on the transfer image-20240305-092525.png button.

Internal Messenger

The Internal Messenger can be used to chat with other Agents or the Supervisor logged to the same Server.

In addition to the messages exchange, the members of the list can be called clicking on the corresponding telephone icon image-20240305-093225.png

Clicking on the header button image-20240305-093341.png the Agent/Supervisor can access the Internal Messenger and see all the available recipients (those with a green badge are logged and those with a red one are not logged):

If you have unread messages you'll see the number of them in the red badge on the header button: image-20240305-094003.png

In this case, when you enter the Messenger the unread messages senders are positioned on top of the Agents/Supervisors list:

 

Click on the unread message to read it all:

 

Reply to the message: 

When the message have been received by the recipient you'll see the blue checkmark: image-20240305-094444.png
Otherwise the checkmark is green: image-20240305-094457.png

What happens if Phonebar loses connection?

AVAILABLE FROM VERSION 5.5.0.0

When the network connection is absent, the system informs the agent with a popup and sound notification.

The popup closes automatically if the network connection is re-established.

Agent can close the popup manually, but it reappears every few seconds until the connection is reestablished correctly.

Troubleshooting

Incorrect Login

  • Administrators can define what is the maximum number of incorrect login attempts that the system can allow: when the number of attempts allowed is reached, the account of whoever exceeds it is temporarily blocked. It can be unlocked:

  1. manually by the Administrator (editing the blocked Agent account and clicking on the Unlock function of the Security Suite Section). When this happens, the Agent is asked to contact the administrator to unlock the account.

  2. automatically, after a certain period of time in minutes (which must be specified by the Administrator in the Admin Settings→ Security Section).

  • The Agent's login name must be unique: simultaneous login using the same credentials is forbidden.

  • If an Agent logs in using the same credentials of another the Agent who is currently logged, the system shows an alert:

 

If the second Agent confirms to log in, the previous Agent is logged out automatically:

 

  • The agent's PC must have an audio device (microphone + speaker) properly installed in order to use the XCALLY Phonebar. Otherwise, the following message will be displayed on the login popup:

 

  • If you see a Forbidden status

 

  • After logging in the XCALLY server, ask your Administrator to check your Agent Profile typology: this value must be XCALLY "Phonebar" to make the communication with the server work

  • If you are notified your license is going to expire, please contact your system Administrator ASAP!

 

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