The VoIP feature allows you to receive incoming calls from your customers and make outgoing calls right from a web browser.
To use the IP telephony functionality, you need to sign up for a Twilio account and connect it to your portal specifying API credentials: Account SID and Auth token. They can be found on the Twilio Console page in the 'Account Summary' section.
The ability to connect a Twilio account is available for portal administrators only.
Click the icon at the top of the page to go to your portal settings and open the Integration -> Third-Party Authorization section. Click the switcher next to the Twilio service, specify API credentials in the appropriate fields, and click the Enable button.
Once you connect your Twilio account to the portal, you will be able to add and manage virtual numbers.
To add a virtual number,
- In the CRM module, go to the Settings section on the left-side panel and click the VoIP Settings option.
- Click the Buy phone number link.
- In the Number purchase window, select the necessary number from the list of available ones and press the Buy phone number button.
If you already have some phone numbers purchased earlier in your Twilio account, you can use the Link purchased number option. In a new window, select one of the available Twilio virtual numbers and click the Link purchased number button.
When the first number is added to your CRM module, you can use the Buy phone number/Link purchased number link above the Virtual numbers and operators list to add some other numbers.
If you are using a trial Twilio account, you cannot add more than one virtual number. Trial Twilio accounts also have some
other restrictions. To use all the capabilities of the service, you'll need to upgrade your Twilio account.
To set up the added virtual number,
- In the Virtual numbers and operators list, select the number you want to set up.
- Click the Outgoing calls switcher to enable the possibility to not only receive incoming calls but also make outgoing calls using this number.
- Click the Call recording switcher to enable the possibility of recording all incoming and outgoing calls for this number so that you will be able to listen to the necessary call recording later.
- Click the arrow to the left of the necessary number to Add operators who should be able to use this virtual number. Check the necessary portal users in the list and click the Save button. Once operators are added, the VoIP icon will be available for them at the top of the page.
You can also set up Outgoing calls and Call recording for each of the added operators separately using the switchers next to the operator's name. To remove an added operator from the virtual number operator list, click the Actions icon to the right of the operator's name and select the Delete option.
Use the Actions icon to the right of the necessary virtual number to Edit or Delete the number.
To learn more about common settings for all numbers and individual settings that you can apply to a separate number, please refer to this article.
To start accepting and making calls,
- Click the VoIP icon at the top of the page. The VoIP client opens in a new window.
- Choose the Online status next to your name.
The Browser option is selected by default, and currently, it is the only available option in the drop-down list, so you don't need to do anything else. Now you are ready to accept incoming calls.
If you receive an incoming call, you can Answer or Reject it using the corresponding buttons within the VoIP window.
If a person whose phone number is stored in your CRM customer base calls you, the contact name is displayed in this window. You can click it to open the customer profile in a new browser tab and easily find all the necessary information about the client that can be useful during the phone conversation.
To end the call, click the Disconnect button.
The button in the VoIP window allows to view the list of missed calls during the current session. If you want to call back to the person who called you, move the mouse cursor over the missed call icon in the list so that it turns into the icon and click it.
Operators who have been granted sufficient permissions can make outgoing calls. To make a call,
- Click the button to open the dial pad.
- Click the icon to open the list of all existing CRM contacts. To facilitate searching for a contact, you can enter the contact name, entirely or partially, in the search field above the contact list. Select the necessary CRM contact from the list.
Alternatively, you can right-click the necessary contact in the complete list of Companies/Persons on the Contacts tab and choose the Make a VoIP call option in the context menu. Currently, you cannot call a contact from their profile page.
The selected contact phone number will be displayed in the corresponding field.
If the contact profile contains several phone numbers (mobile, work, home), click the arrow in the right part of the phone number field to choose the necessary number. To remove the number, click the icon.
To call the number that is not stored in your customer base, select the country code from the list and enter the phone number using the keypad or your PC keyboard.
- Click the Call button.
If you call a contact stored in the CRM module, the link to the contact profile is displayed in this window, so you can open the profile in a new browser tab.
If you make a call to a new number that is not stored in the CRM contacts or if you receive a call from such a number, this number will be automatically saved to your CRM contacts as a new contact. A new Outgoing or Incoming call event is also automatically added to the history of this contact.
All the incoming, outgoing and missed calls are displayed in the Calls section. Click the Calls link on the left-side panel to open the call list. It provides the following information about calls: date and time, agent (operator name), client (customer name stored in the CRM base), call duration and cost. If a call has been recorded, click the icon to play back the recording.
For more details on viewing the call list and adding information about calls to your customer database, please refer to this article.