Implementing voice solution FAQ

This FAQ is designed to help you successfully set up and operate VoIP within your support center. It covers the key considerations for onboarding agents, defining roles and permissions, and configuring call flows and IVRs in a way that supports both your customers and your team. Reviewing these topics early will help you avoid common pitfalls, ensure smooth call handling, and prepare your support center for a reliable go-live.

1. Provisioning and porting phone numbers - make a decision about the phone numbers for your center. Keep in mind that the porting process takes time, so it's important to start it as soon as possible! Check our articles to learn more:
   • https://help.babelforce.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045208911-Porting-phone-numbers
   • https://help.babelforce.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045209491-Routing-calls-on-your-own-number-via-SIP-to-babelforce
   • https://help.babelforce.com/hc/en-us/articles/360044766772-Using-your-numbers-from-Twilio
   • https://help.babelforce.com/hc/en-us/articles/360044766792-Using-your-numbers-from-Nexmo
2. Deciding how agents should be set up for VOIP - agents should have a dedicated user account, using a browser phone, a hard phone, a softphone, or specific solution like MsTeams, and verified audio devices (headset, microphone). A call test per agent is strongly recommended before go-live! Learn more about some of the possible solutions:
   • https://help.babelforce.com/hc/en-us/articles/16043753320722-WebRTC-Browser-Phone-A-Comprehensive-Guide
   • https://help.babelforce.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045068612-Provision-your-own-SIP-client-with-babelforce-SIP-credentials
   • https://help.babelforce.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045152072-How-to-configure-Jitsi-media-client-to-work-with-babelforce-platform 
3. Define roles within your team - roles should be clearly separated (agent, supervisor, admin) to ensure correct access to call handling, reporting, configuration, and monitoring features without over-exposing critical settings. See options here: https://help.babelforce.com/hc/en-us/articles/360052733892-babelforce-Manager-User-Rights-Management 
4. Think about the process of assigning calls to agents - agents should be assigned to the appropriate queues based on skills, availability, and working hours. Are agents shared between skills? Do they have any secondary skills and can support other teams if needed? Direct numbers, if used, must be mapped correctly to avoid bypassing queue logic.
5. Design your IVR carefully - IVRs should be simple, short, and goal-oriented. Limit menu depth, use clear language, and consider providing an option to reach an agent or fallback queue (if your voicebot solution can't answer all questions). Define languages served in the IVR, how prompts will be played out (TTS or prerecorded audio), and check local laws that may apply to your use case (for example, you may be obliged to inform the customer that the call is recorded). Each IVR option should be mapped to a clear destination (queue, agent group, voicemail, or callback).
6. Define how business hours and holidays affect call routing - Time-based routing must be configured carefully to ensure calls are handled correctly during open hours, after hours, weekends, and holidays, including appropriate messages or voicemails. You may want to offer limited support or none, ask the callers to leave you a voicemail, or prompt them to send an email. If you have voicebot options, you can also route your callers to your voicebot.

7. Manage your agents' availability - define clearly in which states the agents should be offered calls. Agents should use standardized presence states (available, busy, away, offline) and be aware of what each state means. Incorrect status handling can result in missed calls or long queue times. You can use babelforce statuses or mirror the status from another source, for example Zendesk: https://help.babelforce.com/hc/en-us/articles/17020396359954-Synching-the-agent-status-from-Zendesk-omnichannel-to-babelforce 

   Well-defined statuses will help you monitor your support center. Check the basics here: https://help.babelforce.com/hc/en-us/articles/360040745412-Working-with-agent-presence-in-babelforce

8. KPIs and metrics to be monitored from day one - core metrics include answer rate, average handle time, queue wait time, abandon rate, and agent availability. These help identify configuration or staffing issues early. You can check our standard KPIs here: https://help.babelforce.com/hc/en-us/articles/360044993472-babelforce-KPIs-explained

9. Retention settings - decide which calls are recorded, who can access recordings, and how long they are retained, ensuring compliance with local regulations. If you want to use your own storage, check the details here: https://help.babelforce.com/hc/en-us/articles/360041383031-Storing-your-own-voice-recordings

10. Define integrations and connections to 3rd parties - designing the integration with other tools is a complex process. Make sure to write down all scenarios you want to cover - how these tools interact with your IVR, your agents, and your customers. List the information that should be passed on between the tools, and have the right people check technical documentation to ensure that these processes are possible.

11. Prepare detailed end-to-end testing before go-live - run real-life call scenarios covering IVR paths, queue overflow, transfers, callbacks, and agent log-in/log-out behavior. Agents should receive training on call handling and tools. Make sure to test both happy and unhappy paths. Trainers and supervisors should know how to troubleshoot basic issues and how to report any discrepancies.