Using call monitoring

Note: Call monitoring is not enabled by default. Admins enable call monitoring then add groups that can use monitoring features.

If granted permission by your Zoom Phone admin, you use these call monitoring features on other phone users, common area phones, call queues, shared line groups, and call delegation.

The following scenarios illustrate possible use cases:

• Front desk receptionist: If there is a high-priority call for an employee who is busy on another call, the receptionist can barge in and inform the employee of the important call.
• Call center supervisor: Supervisors can silently observe an agent's call with a customer to ensure high-quality service, then barge in to calls to assist.
• Group trainer: A group trainer can listen to an agent's call with a customer then whisper to the agent to provide advice on handling the customer.

This article covers:

• Call monitoring features
• Limitations of call monitoring
• How to use call monitoring
  
  • Desktop client or mobile app
  • Desk phone
  • DTMF codes
• How to use call monitoring for call queues

Prerequisites for using call monitoring

• Zoom Phone license (required for the monitor and phone users being monitored)

For monitoring phone users:

• Zoom desktop client or mobile app, version 5.4.7 or higher
• Provisioned desk phone that supports call monitoring

For using conference barge on shared line group members:

• Zoom desktop client or mobile app, version 5.8.0 or higher

For monitoring call queues or shared line groups:

• Zoom desktop client for Windows or macOS, version 5.6.0 or higher
• Zoom mobile app for Android or iOS, version 5.6.0 or higher

Call monitoring features

Call monitoring consists of these features:

• Listen: Listen to a call without the parties being aware.
• Whisper: Speak to a phone user in a call without other parties being aware.
• Barge: Join a call and speak to all parties. The call will become a 3-way call.
• Take over: Take over the call from a Zoom Phone user.
• Conference Barge: Take over a shared line group call. This allows multiple members to barge into a call that is received by the shared line group, regardless of who answered the call. Up to 10 total members can join the call. 

Limitations of call monitoring

Take note of these limitations when using call monitoring:

• For each call that can be monitored, only one monitor can actively use a call monitoring feature on that call. For example, if a monitor is already listening to a call, another monitor can't listen to the same call.
• If you attempt to monitor a call that's on hold, you will be placed on hold and hear the hold music.
• You can only use call monitoring on a phone user when they are in call or the call is on hold. You can't use call monitoring when the phone user is ringing a number.
• If you answer an incoming call while you're using a call monitoring feature, the call monitoring will end.
• Taking over a call will end the active call recording.
• If you can monitor a call queue or shared line group, this only includes calls where a member makes or receives a call using the call queue's or shared line group's extension or direct number . This doesn't include direct personal calls made or received by the member.
• If you can monitor a phone user, this only includes calls where the phone user makes or receives a call using their extension or direct number.

How to use call monitoring 

If your admin assigned you as a monitor with call monitoring privileges, you can listen, whisper, barge, or take over calls. You admin has control over which monitoring privileges you can use.

Note: If the admin enabled call monitoring for a call queue or shared line group, you can only monitor calls if the phone user being monitored made or received the call using the call queue's or shared line group's extension or direct numbers.

Desktop client or mobile app

1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop client or mobile app.
2. Click or tap the Phone tab .
3. Click or tap the Lines tab.
   In the MONITORING section, you will see a list of the phone users that you can monitor. When a phone is on a call, you will see their call status change along with the call length.
4. Follow one of these options depending on the call monitoring feature you want to use:

• Listen: Click the listen button.
  
• Whisper: Click the whisper button.
  
• Barge: Click the more button (...) then click the barge button. The barge button is also used for conference barge. 
  
  Alternatively, if you're already listening or whispering on a call, click Barge using the in-call controls.
• Take over: Click the more button (...) then click the take over button. 
  
  Alternatively, if you're already listening or whispering on a call, click Takeover using the in-call controls.

Note: You can switch between call monitoring features when using listen, whisper, or barge. When you take over a call, you can't switch back to a different call monitoring feature.

Desk phone

Notes:

• After an admin sets up call monitoring, a line key called BLF (Monitoring) will be automatically added to your line key settings. This line key will allow you to see the call status of the phone users you can monitor.
• If you have access to several direct numbers or shared lines, customize the line keys to make it easier for you to identify lines. 

• Phone users who have supported Yealink devices and are in a call monitoring group can use all call monitoring features (listen, whisper, barge-in, takeover, conference barge) regardless of their call monitoring role (executive or assistant).

1. Go to your phone's home screen.
   On the line key list, you will see the phone users that you can monitor. When a phone is on a call, you will see an in-call status, usually indicated by a red icon or solid red indicator light.
2. Press and hold the line key associated with the phone user you can monitor.
3. Press one of these options depending on the call monitoring feature you want to use:
   • Listen: Press Monitor.
   • Whisper: Press Whisper.
   • Barge: Press Barge In.
   • Take over: Press Take over. On some Yealink devices, press More then Take over.

Note: You can switch between call monitoring features when using listen, whisper, or barge. When you take over a call, you can't switch back to a different call monitoring feature.

DTMF codes

You can also use call monitoring features by dialing and calling DTMF codes. You can use these codes on the desktop client, mobile app, or desk phone.

How to use call monitoring for call queues

If your admin assigned you as a monitor for call queue, you can listen, whisper, barge, or take over calls made or received by call queue members.

1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop client or mobile app.
2. Click or tap the Phone tab .
3. Click or tap the Lines tab.
   • In the MONITORING section, you will see a list of call queues you can monitor.
   • When a member makes a call using the call queue's direct number or receives a call routed through the call queue, you will see the notification message below the call queue name.
   • The notification will indicate the number of members in a call that you can monitor.
4. Click or tap the call queue name to view a list of members on calls you can monitor.
5. Use a call monitoring feature.