Add a Participant to a Call
Use this section if you want to add a participant to a call. You can have up to four participants on a call — yourself, your customer, and up to two additional participants.
Add Participant |
Description |
Adding a third participant |
Here, you are joining a new participant to the two-way call between yourself and the customer. This is a called a three-way conference where the three parties will be able to hear and speak to each other. You can add the third party by speaking to them first (consultation) or without doing so (an immediate conference). By Consultation Calls the third party whilst the original party is placed on hold. See Add Participant to a Two-Way Call by Consultation. Without Consultation Calls a third party without placing the original party on hold. When the third party answers, they are immediately added to the call, resulting in a three-way conference. This might be a human translator who you often include in a three-way conference, for example. See Add a Conference Participant Without Consultation (Immediate Conference). |
Adding a fourth participant |
Here, you joining another new participant to your three-way conference, to create a four-way conference. Note: four-way conferencing may not be available in your organisation. As an example, if you have added a translator as the third party, the fourth party might be someone who you think is able to deal with the caller's query. You can add the fourth party by speaking to them first (consultation) or without doing so (an immediate conference). By Consultation Calls the fourth party whilst temporarily dropping you out of the three-way conference (the other two participants continue to talk to each other). See Add Participant to a Three-Way Conference by Consultation. Without Consultation Calls a fourth party without removing you from the three-way conference. When the fourth party answers, they are immediately added to the conference. See Add a Conference Participant Without Consultation (Immediate Conference). |
Note: participants who have been added to a call do not have any control over call recording. Call recording continues as per the settings prior to adding the participants.
Preset destinations may also be displayed (as shown below) depending on your configuration. The buttons allows you to dial the destination with a single click.
Note: you may see an OK button instead of the Cold and Warm buttons.
Calling method |
Instructions |
By typing a telephone or extension number |
Type the third-party's telephone or extension number in the displayed field and then click Warm (or press F11 on your keyboard), or OK, whichever is available. |
By selecting a contact from your contacts list |
Open or search the contacts list. Click a number in the list to add them the dialog, and then click Warm (or press F11 on your keyboard). If the contact is a storm user, make sure that their status is Available. |
By selecting a pre-configured destination |
Note: some destinations may be configured to transfer the call directly to the third party while dropping you out of the call (cold transfer). You must not select any of these destinations. Ask your administrator for advice on the use of these buttons. In the displayed dialog, select the button to call the third party. |
While the phone is ringing, you can use one of the following buttons if you decide not to call the third party:
Action before third party answers |
Instructions |
Call a different third party |
Click the Cancel button if you decide to call a different third party. The ringing will stop and the original party will remain on hold. You may now use the Transfer button to call another party (by returning to step 1). |
Quit adding a participant |
Click the Take Back button if you decide not to proceed with adding a participant. The ringing will stop and you will be returned to speaking with the original party. |
Clicking the button once switches your conversation to the original party. The third party is put on hold and cannot hear the conversation.
Clicking the button again reverts to the third party. The original party is put on hold and cannot hear the conversation.
You may toggle between the parties as many times as is required.
On the call bar, the party with whom you are currently speaking is displayed at the top of the bar in bold text. In the illustration below, the agent is currently consulting with agent Chloe Taylor and has been doing so for a minute and fourteen seconds.
Action during consultation |
Instructions |
Call a different third party |
Click the Cancel button. This keeps the original party on hold. You can then use the Transfer button to call another third party (by returning to step 1). |
Quit adding a participant |
Click the Take Back button. This drops the consultation call with the third party and puts you back in conversation with the original party. |
Add the third party as a participant |
If the third party's participation is agreed, click the Conference button. This will place yourself, the original party, and the third party in a three-way conference. All three parties can now hear and talk to each other. |
Action during the three-way conference |
Instructions |
End the Conference |
See End a Conference. |
Add a fourth participant |
To add a fourth participant by speaking to them first, see Add a Participant to a Three-Way Conference By Consultation. Or, to add the participant without speaking to them, see Add a Conference Participant Without Consultation (Immediate Conference). |
Calling method |
Instructions |
By typing a telephone or extension number |
Type the fourth party's telephone or extension number in the displayed field and then click OK. |
By selecting a pre-configured destination |
In the displayed dialog, select the button to call the fourth party. |
While the phone is ringing, you can use one of the following buttons if you decide not to call the fourth party:
Action before fourth party answers |
Instructions |
Call a different fourth party |
Click the Cancel button. The ringing will stop and the three-way conference will continue (although you will still be temporarily removed from it). You can then use the Transfer button to call another party (proceed from step 1). |
Return to the three-way conference |
Click the Take Back button. |
Action during consultation |
Instructions |
Call a different fourth party |
Click the Cancel button. The three-way conference will continue and you will still be temporarily removed from it. You may now use the Transfer button to call another party (proceed from step 1). |
Return to the three-way conference |
Click the Take Back button. |
Add the fourth party as a participant |
If the fourth party's participation is agreed, click the Conference button. This will place yourself, the original two parties, and the fourth party in a four-way conference. All four parties can now hear and talk to each other. |
This section describes how to add a participant to a two-way call or three-way conference call without speaking to the intended participant beforehand.
Preset destinations may also be displayed (as shown below) depending on your configuration. The buttons allow you to dial the destination with a single click.
Calling method |
Instructions |
Type the telephone number |
Type the intended participant's telephone or extension number in the displayed field and then click the Conference button. |
Select the contact from your contacts list |
Open or search the contacts list. Click a number in the list to add them the dialog, If the contact is a storm user, make sure that their status is Available. |
Selecting a pre-configured destination |
In the displayed dialog, select the button corresponding to the target destination. |
While the call to the selected party is ringing, you can continue to speak to the original caller as well as click Cancel if you decide against adding the called party as a participant.
The party will be added as a participant as soon as they answer the call.
Do one of the following to end a three-way or four-way conference.
Action |
Instructions |
Revert to the original two-way call |
Click the End Conference button. Note: the button is subject to user rights. If you have the user right but still do not see the button, it is because the original party has hung up, leaving the other participants, and yourself in the conference. |
Drop out of the conference |
Click the button and then select No in the confirmation dialog: If there is only one other participant in the conference, the conference will end. If there is more than one other participant, the conference will continue until only one participant remains. |
Disconnect all participants |
Click the button and then select Yes in the confirmation dialog. This disconnects all parties and they are given a 10 second warning that the conference is about to end. |