Use 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone as your workplace phone

As an 8x8 Contact Center agent, you can configure your workplace settings to use the 8x8 Agent WorkspaceThe brand new interface for 8x8 Contact Center agents to receive and process customer interactions. softphone to connect with customers. With this setting, when a call is offered, you can answer the call directly from the browser. Calls are offered on all the active devices you are using to handle calls, i.e., 8x8 AgentAgents use the Agent Console to view and manage customer interactions. Virtual Contact Center supports Regular agents and Supervisor agents. Workspace, 8x8 Work (desktop or mobile), Microsoft Teams integration, to prevent calls from being missed.

When using the embedded softphone, 8x8 Agent Workspace displays calls from the 8x8 Contact Center queues you are assigned to, and calls to your 8x8 Contact Center extension. If using 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone and 8x8 Work for Desktop simultaneously, incoming 8x8 Contact Center calls are offered and can be answered on both apps. Calls to your Unified Communications Direct Inward Dialing (UC DID) and 8x8 Work phone number or extension are only offered on 8x8 Work for Desktop.

If Auto Answer is enabled, the calling experience may vary depending on what apps you are logged in to. For more information, refer to Handle calls with the 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone and Auto Answer.

Note: When using Agent Workspace softphone, agents are not required to log in to 8x8 Work for Desktop to answer calls in 8x8 Agent Workspace.

Let’s say Robin, a call center agent, uses 8x8 Work for Desktop to handle customer interactions. When the connection mode is On demand, with every incoming call, Robin must navigate away from 8x8 Agent Workspace to accept the call in 8x8 Work for Desktop. By using the new 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone feature, Robin can close the 8x8 Work app and answer calls directly from the browser for a more streamlined experience.

If Robin uses 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone and 8x8 Work for Desktop simultaneously, when a call is offered in 8x8 Agent Workspace, a call notification also displays in the 8x8 Work app. Robin can then answer the call from either 8x8 Work for Desktop or Agent Workspace. Robin can choose to not have the floating call notification presented when 8x8 Work for Desktop is not in focus by toggling off the Enable call control window option from Settings > Audio & Video.

Requirements

You must have an 8x8 Work license with an assigned Direct Inward Dialing (DID) to use 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone.

Limitations

• 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone with Auto Answer enabled is only supported when 8x8 Work for Desktop, 8x8 Work for Mobile, and Microsoft Teams integration are closed.
• 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone is not supported when used simultaneously with 8x8 Work for Web.
• When 8x8 Work for Desktop is closed, all calls to the UC DID and extension are automatically ended.
• Call forwarding rules are automatically disabled when using the 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone. Switching the workplace phone settings to use the 8x8 Work app doesn't automatically re-enable the call forwarding rules for the user profile. To use the 8x8 Work apps with call forwarding rules after using the embedded softphone, you must manually enable the Call forwarding rules in 8x8 Admin Console.
• 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone is not supported if you are using a deskphone to answer customer interactions. When using a deskphone, change your Phone setup to Forward to a phone number. For more information, refer to Set up workplace phone in our 8x8 Agent Workspace user guide.

Enable 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone

To use the embedded Agent Workspace softphone to answer calls directly from the browser, you must first enabled it from My Profile.

To enable Agent Workspace softphone:

1. Log in to 8x8 Agent Workspace.
2. Set your status to Work Offline.
3. Go to Change status > My profile.
4. From the Settings tab, click Change next to Phone setup.
   
5. From the drop-down list, select Use Agent Workspace as your endpoint.
   You must have an 8x8 Work license to be able to use Agent Workspace softphone as your selected endpoint.
   

Note: If the admin granted you permission to use the embedded Agent Workspace softphone, and Use Agent Workspace is not available for selection, refresh the page or log out and log back in to your account.



6. Click Save.

Note: When your profile is updated to use the embedded Agent Workspace softphone, a red dot displays in the browser tab indicating that the microphone is in use. This dot will then display only when engaged in a call or when you are accessing your profile settings and your selected endpoint in Phone setup is Use Agent Workspace.

7. At the prompt, click Allow to enable 8x8 Contact Center to use your microphone in the browser. A microphone icon displays in the address bar indicating that the page is accessing your mic.

Note: You are only prompted once to allow the microphone to be used—when you first select to use the in browser softphone or after clearing your browser history. If you blocked 8x8 Contact Center from using the microphone, access your browser’s settings and allow 8x8 Contact Center to use your microphone.



8. From the Audio settings section that displays, select the speakers and microphone to use, and adjust the volume. When sound is detected, the Input level displays green dots. The number of green dots increases proportionally with the audio level detected. Additionally, Enable noise suppression is enabled to eliminate background noise and increase the audio quality of your interaction.

When a call is offered, you will be able to answer the call directly from the browser and connect with the caller.

Note: If your speaker and/or microphone volume is too low, a notification displays, prompting you to adjust the volume to improve audio experience. You can adjust the settings directly from the notification, or you can access the Audio settings from the status menu or My profile.

Change the audio settings

When using the 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone, you can choose your preferred speakers and microphone settings.

Let’s say Robin, a contact center agent, is alerted that their headset is running low on battery. Robin uses 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone to handle customer interactions, so while the headset is charging, Robin can change the audio settings to use the laptop's speakers and microphone to handle customer calls. Additionally, she can enable a secondary ring device to ensure that she can always hear the ringtone when an interaction is offered.

To change the audio settings:

1. Go to Change status > Audio settings. The options open in a floating window.
   -OR-
   Go to Change status > My profile > Settings > Audio settings.

Note: Refresh the page if the Audio settings section doesn't display in My Profile and you are using Agent Workspace softphone.

2. Make the necessary changes to:

• Speakers: From the drop-down list, select the speakers you want to use.
• Speaker volume: Use the slider to adjust the speaker volume.
• Microphone: From the drop-down list, select the microphone you want to use.
• Microphone volume: Use the slider to adjust the microphone volume.
  The input level bar displays green dots when sound from the microphone is detected. You can also click Test speakers to verify that the audio settings selected work as intended.
• Enable noise suppression: Use to eliminate background noise and increase the audio quality of your interaction. This option is enabled by default.

3. (Optional) Click the toggle switch next to Enable secondary ring device. New options display when the secondary ring device is enabled.
4. (Optional) Select a device from the Secondary ring device list.
5. (Optional) Adjust the speaker volume for the additional device.

6. If updating the audio from My profile, click Save settings. A confirmation banner displays to notify you that your profile has been updated successfully.

Customize sounds per channel when using 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone

When using the 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone, you can customize the sounds for each channel type. This enhancement enables you to select a different sound for incoming calls, incoming chats and emails, and chat messages received after accepting the interaction. 

Note: The selected sound for phone interactions plays in a loop to ensure that you do not miss the calls offered to you. This experience only applies to voice interaction sounds when using 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone.

To customize interaction sounds:

1. Click the Change status menu option and change your status to Work Offline.
2. Click the Change status > My profile.
3. From the Settings tab, scroll down to the Personalization section and configure the following sound settings for the embedded 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone:
   • Voice interaction sound: Select a ringtone from the list for inbound calls. By default, the Peaceful sound is selected. The sound plays continuously until you accept/reject the interaction or the acceptance timer reaches zero.
   • Incoming chat/mail sound: Select a ringtone from the list for inbound chat, SMS, and emails. By default, the sound is set to None.
   • Chat message sound: Select a chat message sound from the list to receive an audible notification whenever the customer replies to your message. By default, the sound is set to None.

4. Click Save settings.

Handle calls with 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone

If you are using the 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone, when a call is offered, you can answer the call directly from the browser. If using 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone and 8x8 Work for Desktop simultaneously, incoming 8x8 Contact Center calls are offered and can be answered on both apps.

Note: Calls to the agent’s 8x8 Work extension don't display in 8x8 Agent Workspace.

To accept and process an inbound phone interaction directly from the browser:

1. Go to My profile and ensure that your Phone setup is set to Use Agent Workspace.
2. From Audio settings, select your preferred speakers and microphone devices.
3. Change your status to Available.
4. When your agent phone rings, the call panel pops at the top of the Control Panel.
   
5. Notice the acceptance timer ticking down around the accept call icon. Answer the call before the timer expires. The call can be accepted manually or connected automatically via Auto Answer. If Agent whisper is set up for your tenant, you may hear a whisper informing you about the incoming call. For details about whisper, see our content about Agent whisper.

Note: A red dot displays in the browser tab indicating that your browser is using the microphone.

6. Your status changes to Busy. If the Local CRM uses the caller's phone number to identify an existing customer, the customer's CRM record pops in the Display Panel.
   
   

Note: Your contact center administrator determines the event that triggers a screen pop. Based on the configuration, the screen pop may occur before or after accepting or completing an interaction. If the screen pop fails to open, clean up your browser cache and cookies and log back in.

7. Communicate with the customer and process the call.
8. If mandated, select the Disposition tab, and select a transaction code from the list.
   

Note: If your contact center administrator has set up codes to state the purpose of an interaction or record the outcome of an interaction, you have to select appropriate codes to indicate the call outcome. For more information, see Select transaction codes.

9. Click to end the call. Your post-processing timer begins.
10. Complete any pending notes related to the call during the post-processing time.
11. If you ended the call before selecting a mandatory transaction code, click Go to disposition before wrapping up to indicate the call outcome.
12. Click Wrap up to wrap up the call. When the timer expires, the call wraps up automatically.
13. If configured by the administrator, the post-processing time for direct-to-agent calls can be up to 60 minutes.
    If the post-processing countdown interval reaches zero, 8x8 Agent Workspace automatically sets your status to Available.

Refreshing the page during a call

Refreshing the page while engaged in a call using the embedded 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone causes the system to temporarily disconnect. 8x8 Agent Workspace tries to reconnect for 30 seconds. If unsuccessful, the call drops.

Handle calls with 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone and Auto Answer

Note: When using 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone with Auto Answer enabled, you must close 8x8 Work for Desktop to prevent calls from being auto-answered on the Work app. With 8x8 Work for Desktop open, Auto Answer doesn't behave as expected.

When using 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone with an On Demand connection and Auto Answer is enabled, the call is automatically answered in 8x8 Agent Workspace.

Use cases

The following use cases describe the agent’s calling experience when using 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone with Auto Answer:

Use case 1	Use case 2
Work setup: The agent is logged in to Agent Workspace and uses 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone. 8x8 Work for Desktop is closed. Auto Answer is enabled.	Work setup: The agent is logged in to Agent Workspace and uses 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone. The agent is logged into 8x8 Work for Desktop. Auto Answer is enabled.
Result:	Result:
When a call is inbound via the 8x8 Contact Center extension or queue, the call is offered and auto-answered in Agent Workspace. Calls to the agent’s 8x8 Work extension don't display in 8x8 Agent Workspace.	Important: We do not support this setup when using 8x8 Work for Desktop, 8x8 Agent Workspace, and Auto Answer simultaneously. With this setup, the calling experience is the same as when not using the embedded softphone—incoming calls are auto-answered on all devices. Calls to the agent’s 8x8 Work extension don't display in 8x8 Agent Workspace.

Verify the quality of the call

We have included a call quality indicator—one for you and one for the customer—when using the embedded 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone to enable agents engaged in calls to see when the network conditions are not optimal. With this new feature, you can take appropriate action to rectify the connection issue. If you are experiencing connection issues frequently, reach out to your administrator for assistance.

Notes:
- The call quality indicator is only available for two-way calls.
- The call quality indicator only displays when using 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone.

Call quality indicator color label

The background color for the call quality indicator icon changes as follows to indicate the quality of the call:

• Green : Indicates a good connection quality.
• Orange : Indicates an average connection quality.
• Red : Indicates a bad connection quality.
• Gray : Indicates there is no connection.

Hovering over the call quality indicator icon displays additional information about your connection, such as audio quality, quality score, packet loss, and jitter.

How to call emergency services using Agent Workspace softphone?

If an emergency occurs at the workplace, agents must be able to reach emergency services quickly. 8x8 Contact Center agents using the embedded 8x8 Agent Workspace softphone can make an emergency call from Agent Workspace. The phone number from which the emergency call is placed is your 8x8 Work phone number.

Note: You can only call emergency numbers valid in the country associated with your 8x8 Work Direct Inward Dialing (DID) number. For example, if you have a UK DID, you can only dial 999 and 112, which are the national emergency numbers in the UK.

To make an emergency call when using Agent Workspace softphone:

1. If you are engaged in an active interaction in 8x8 Agent Workspace, end the interaction.
2. Enter the emergency phone number in the call field and click the call icon. The call initiates through your UC DID or 8x8 Work phone number.
3. Your status changes to Work Offline.

Note: If you didn't end the active interaction(s) before making the emergency call, your status changes to Busy instead of Work Offline.

4. Wait for the emergency dispatcher to answer your call and provide them the information regarding the nature of your emergency.
5. End the call only when instructed to do so by the dispatcher. If you accidentally hang up or the call drops due to connection issues, call back or wait for them to call back.
6. Emergency call lock initiates after the call ends or drops.
   The duration of the emergency call lock is five minutes.

What happens when the emergency call drops or ends?

When the call ends or if the call drops, you are placed in an emergency call lock for five minutes to ensure that the emergency services can reach you if necessary.

If your status was set to Busy, and all active interactions end during the emergency call lock, your status will change to Available. If you expect a callback from the emergency services and any work related calls are offered to you, reject those interactions.

While in emergency call lock, you are not permitted to change your status. After the emergency call lock reaches the five minute mark and you attempt to change your status, you are prompted to confirm that you wish to exit the emergency call lock mode. If you choose to exit, no emergency callbacks will be offered to you in Agent Workspace. If the emergency services call, the call will be offered to you in your 8x8 Work apps.
If you choose to remain in emergency mode, you will still be able to receive calls to your UC DID until you log out or until the current session expires.

Note: Supervisors can change your status while in emergency call lock.