Cloud Phone Systems
Call Monitoring: Listen, Whisper and Join
Audio monitoring lets call center supervisors listen to live calls, coach the agent with a whisper only they can hear, or join the call to help – for training, quality and difficult customers.
Three ways to monitor a call
- Listen only – hear both sides without anyone hearing you. Ideal for quality checks and training new staff.
- Whisper – talk to the agent while the customer hears nothing. Feed them an answer, a price or a reminder without interrupting the call.
- Join the call – become a full third participant and talk to both the agent and the customer, for example to calm a difficult situation.
Listen and join work on all calls. Whisper works on inbound and outbound calls where your agent is on the phone system and the other party is outside it.
From the portal
In the call center portal the supervisor finds the agent who is on a call – in the agent list or in a queue – and clicks the speaker icon. An audio monitoring window opens; it starts in listen-only mode, and from there the supervisor can switch to whisper or join at any moment.
From any phone with star codes
Supervisors can also monitor from a phone without opening the portal. We switch this on for your company and decide with you who may use it – by default Office Managers. Dial the monitoring code followed by the agent's extension and you start listening; if the agent has more than one call, the first call not on hold is chosen. Then switch modes with star codes:
- *77 – listen only
- *78 – whisper to the agent
- *79 – join the call
To end, simply hang up. Only users with call center supervisor rights can monitor calls. Check your state's rules and your own policy on telling employees and callers that calls may be monitored – a short notice in your greeting is common practice.
Audio Monitoring
Monitoring modes
Listen only
Hear the call; nobody hears you.
Whisper
Coach the agent; the customer hears nothing.
Join
Become the third person on the call.
Star codes
*77 listen, *78 whisper, *79 join – from any phone.
“My company has worked with Vulcan Telecom for years. Keith and Joseph and everyone at Vulcan have always been prompt to respond to all of our questions and crazy situations.”
“I’ve used Vulcan Telecom for a large medical office telecom project. Large or small they are down to earth and easy to talk to. Keep everything in real terms. I’ve moved 300 miles away but Ive still consulted with Vulcan about issues I couldn’t get resolved by local vendors. Great service”
“Stared using Vulcan telecommunication. I was tired of the big box names making false promises. Vulcan has been so easy to deal with always love Working with a business that enjoys working with other businesses. I would highly recommend contacting them for all your telecommunication needs.”
“Superb customer service! Keith returns phone calls promptly and answered all of my questions about converting to the new system. I was very pleased with the pricing and the ease of transition!”
“From the moment I reached out, their customer service was top-notch—friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely helpful. The service exceeded my expectations and is highly recommendable. If anyone is looking for quality, reliability, and great customer care, they truly go above and beyond!”
“We have used Vulcan for years for our dermatology practice. They are excellent. Always respond asap . Very easy to work with and great customer service !!”
FAQ
Audio Monitoring questions
Will the agent or customer know I am listening?
In listen-only mode neither hears you. In whisper mode only the agent hears you; when you join, both do.
Who can monitor calls?
Users with call center supervisor rights. Monitoring by star code is enabled per company for the users you choose.
Do we have to tell callers?
Rules vary by state. Many businesses mention in the greeting that calls may be monitored or recorded – check your requirements with your attorney.
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