This lets agents proactively initiate Voice, SMS, and WhatsApp engagements from a single view in AgentDesk; no more switching between separate UIs per channel.
It reads a customer's available contact points and surfaces one-click channel actions, pre-filling the right context so agents can reach out without copying information between systems. Before starting a conversation, agents can also open the customer's full profile and history with a single click.
This guide covers prerequisites, how to start an outbound engagement from both the Outbound Option and the Customer List, and common troubleshooting steps.
Key benefits
-
Reduced Average Handling Time (AHT): One-click outbound initiation removes the need to switch between outbound options provided earlier and navigates the user to the same outbound drawer whenever a conversation needs to be initiated (regardless of the channel).
-
See the context: Optionally see the customer history or load the full profile view by clicking on the customer name, before starting a conversation.
Who can use it?
Any agent or supervisor with access a permission to start an outbound conversation can use this option.
|
Access level |
What you can do |
|---|---|
|
Standard |
Search or select a customer and initiate Voice, SMS, or WhatsApp engagements from the Outbound Option or the older Customer List. |
If a channel action is missing or greyed out, ask your administrator to confirm the channel is enabled for your organization and assigned to your team.
Prerequisites & configuration
Before agents can use the Outbound Option, an administrator needs to have the following in place:
-
Channels enabled: Voice (CX_VOICE), SMS, and/or WhatsApp must be configured and assigned to the agent’s team for the corresponding actions to appear. Note that to send a conversation via WhatsApp, you must have WhatsApp template messages purchased from WhatsApp or have a conversation opened with the customer within the past 24 hours.
How it works
Click the Outbound icon in AgentDesk on the top bar to slide the Outbound Option drawer from the right side of your workspace. It sits alongside your active conversation and won’t interrupt any ongoing work.
Agents can start a Voice, SMS, or WhatsApp engagement from two places in AgentDesk:
-
The Outbound Option panel — search for or dial a customer directly.
-
The existing Customer List — click a channel icon on any customer record you’re already viewing.
In both places, the same channel actions and behavior apply.
Starting an engagement from the Outbound Option
-
Search or dial: Use the search bar to look up a customer by name or phone number, or expand the built-in dial pad to enter a number which isn’t in the list. Suggestions and matched profiles appear as you type.
-
Choose a channel: Once a customer is found, click the icon for Voice, SMS, or WhatsApp to start that engagement:
-
Note that the voice option is disabled while another call is active or is being routed.
-
Clicking the SMS opens the Message Composer, where you can type a message and use Send and Close to send and wrap up in one step.
-
WhatsApp opens a WhatsApp chat session where you can send text and file attachments with captions.
Note that before sending a message or a call, you can also open the customer profile and history by clicking on the customer name in the list.
-
Pick the right number: If a customer has only one number for a channel, clicking the icon acts immediately. If they have several, the icon shows a dropdown so you can pick which number to use.
-
Create a contact on the fly: If your search finds no match, matching direct-dial actions still appear alongside a Add New Contact card. Selecting it opens the Create Customer dialog, pre-filled with the number or name you searched for. Once saved, the new customer’s channels appear immediately in the results.
Starting an engagement from the Customer List
From any customer record in the existing Customer List, the same Voice, SMS, and WhatsApp icons are available directly on the row or card:
-
Click a channel icon to start that engagement immediately, or use the dropdown if the customer has multiple numbers for that channel — identical to the behavior in the Outbound Option.
Tips
-
Use the dropdown on a channel icon whenever a customer has more than one number; it prevents accidentally contacting the wrong one.
-
If you frequently dial numbers outside the list, the manual dial pad in the search bar is faster than creating a contact first.
-
The Outbound Option and Customer List stay in sync — a contact created from one appears immediately in the other.
Troubleshooting / FAQ
Why is the Voice action disabled?
Voice is disabled while another call is active or currently routing. Wait for the current call to end, then try again.
Why don’t I see a channel icon for a customer?
The customer likely has no contact point on that channel, or the channel isn’t enabled for your team. Check the customer record or ask your administrator to confirm channel configuration.
Why is a customer’s name and number masked?
PII masking is applied based on your access level. Ask your administrator if you need PII-authorized access.