Conference Calling
Conference Calling
Conference calling lets you add one or more participants to your active call, creating a multi-party conversation. This is invaluable when a caller needs to speak with multiple people simultaneously — whether that is bringing in a supervisor, connecting a client with a specialist, or setting up a three-way call with an underwriter. This guide walks you through starting, managing, and ending conference calls in the AgentTech Dialer.
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What Is Conference Calling?
A conference call is a call with three or more participants. Unlike a transfer where you hand the call off and leave, a conference keeps you on the line while adding others. Everyone in the conference can hear and speak to each other simultaneously.
Common Use Cases
- Bringing in a supervisor — A caller is unhappy or has a question beyond your expertise. You add your supervisor to the call so they can hear the situation firsthand and help resolve it without the caller needing to repeat themselves.
- Connecting a client with a specialist — A Medicare prospect needs to speak with a licensed agent in their state. You add the licensed agent to the call and introduce them to the caller.
- Three-way call with an underwriter — A client needs immediate answers about coverage. You conference in the underwriter so the client, you, and the underwriter can discuss the details together.
- Warm handoff with context — You want to introduce the caller to another agent and stay on the line briefly to ensure a smooth transition before leaving the conference.
- Multi-party consultations — Complex cases may require input from multiple departments — such as a billing specialist and a policy specialist on the same call with the client.
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Starting a Conference
To begin a conference call, you must already be on an active call with at least one other participant (the original caller).
Step-by-Step
- Look at the call bar at the bottom of your screen. You should see "Active Call" status, the call duration timer, and the caller's information.
- Click the Connect button on the call bar. This opens the Connect Modal.
- The Connect Modal has three tabs: Agents, Queues, and Phone Number. Select the tab that matches the type of participant you want to add.
- Choose the participant you want to add (an agent, a queue, or enter a phone number).
- Click Add to Conference to initiate the conference.
What Happens Next
- The system calls the person you selected (or places the call into the queue for the next available agent).
- Once the new participant answers, they are added to the conference.
- The Conference Panel appears on your screen, showing all participants in the call.
- The original caller, you, and the new participant can now all hear each other.
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Adding Participants from Each Tab
From the Agents Tab
- Open the Connect Modal and click the Agents tab.
- Browse the list of agents or use the search bar to find a teammate by name.
- Check their status indicator — look for agents showing "Available."
- Click on the agent you want to add.
- Click Add to Conference.
- The selected agent receives an incoming call notification. When they answer, they join the conference.
Example: You are on a call with a customer who has a question about their policy renewal. You want to add Sarah from the renewals team. You click Connect, search for "Sarah" in the Agents tab, see she is Available, select her, and click Add to Conference. Sarah answers and joins the call.
From the Queues Tab
- Open the Connect Modal and click the Queues tab.
- Browse the list of available queues.
- Click on the queue you want to add a participant from.
- Click Add to Conference.
- The call enters the selected queue. The next available agent in that queue receives the call. When they answer, they join the conference.
Example: A caller needs help from the Billing department, but you also need to stay on the line. You add the "Billing Support" queue to the conference. The next available billing agent answers and joins the three-way call.
From the Phone Number Tab
- Open the Connect Modal and click the Phone Number tab.
- Enter the external phone number you want to add to the conference using the dial pad or by typing the number.
- Click Add to Conference.
- The system dials the number. When the external party answers, they join the conference.
Example: You are discussing a life insurance application with a client and need to conference in the underwriting office at an external number. You enter the number, click Add to Conference, and the underwriter answers and joins the call.
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The Conference Panel
Once a conference is active (three or more participants), the Conference Panel appears on your screen. This panel is your command center for managing the conference.
What the Conference Panel Shows
The Conference Panel displays a list of all participants in the conference. For each participant, you see:
- Name or Number — The participant's name (if they are an agent in your system) or their phone number (if they are an external party or the original caller).
- Role Indicator — The panel identifies participants as:
- Original Caller (the person who called in or whom you called)
- Added Participants (anyone you added to the conference)
- Mute/Unmute Button — Each participant has an individual mute control (see below).
- Kick Button — Each participant has a kick button to remove them from the conference (see below).
- Info Display — Additional information about the participant, such as their phone number or agent status.
Participant Controls
For each participant in the conference (except yourself in some cases), you have two key controls:
Mute/Unmute Button:
- Click the Mute button next to a participant's name to mute their microphone. They will still be able to hear everyone else, but no one will hear them.
- Click again to Unmute them.
- Use case: Mute a participant who has background noise, or temporarily mute the caller while you and another agent discuss something privately.
Kick Button:
- Click the Kick button next to a participant's name to immediately remove them from the conference.
- The removed participant's call ends — they hear a disconnect tone.
- The remaining participants continue their conversation uninterrupted.
- Use case: Remove a participant once they have provided the information needed, or if someone was added by mistake.
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Managing the Conference
During a conference call, you have full control as the agent who initiated it. Here are the key management actions:
Muting Individual Participants
You can selectively mute any participant in the conference:
- Find the participant in the Conference Panel.
- Click their Mute button.
- A visual indicator shows they are now muted (the button changes state).
- Click the button again to unmute them.
This is different from the main Mute button on the call bar, which mutes your own microphone. Use the Conference Panel mute buttons to control other participants, and the call bar mute button to control yourself.
Kicking Participants
To remove someone from the conference:
- Find the participant in the Conference Panel.
- Click their Kick button.
- The participant is immediately disconnected from the conference.
- The remaining participants continue talking.
Important: Kicking is immediate and cannot be undone. The removed person would need to be added again if you need them back.
Seeing All Active Participants
The Conference Panel provides a complete, real-time view of everyone in the conference. As participants are added or removed, the panel updates automatically. You can always see:
- How many people are in the conference
- Who each participant is
- Whether each participant is muted or unmuted
- The ability to kick any participant
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Leaving vs. Ending the Conference
When you are ready to exit the conference, you have two distinct options. Understanding the difference between them is critical.
Leave Conference
- What it does: You exit the conference, but all other participants remain connected to each other. The call continues without you.
- When to use it: Use Leave Conference when you have introduced the caller to another agent or specialist and your presence is no longer needed. The caller and the other participant(s) can continue their conversation.
- Example: You added a supervisor to help a frustrated caller. After introducing the supervisor and confirming they have the context they need, you click Leave Conference. The supervisor and the caller continue speaking, and your status moves to the disposition phase.
- What happens to you: Your call bar clears, the disposition modal appears (if configured), and you proceed with your normal post-call workflow.
End Conference
- What it does: The entire conference is terminated immediately. Every participant is disconnected — the caller, you, and all added participants.
- When to use it: Use End Conference only when the conversation is completely finished for everyone and there is no reason for any participants to continue talking.
- Example: You held a three-way call with a client and an underwriter to finalize policy details. Everyone has agreed on the terms and is ready to hang up. You click End Conference to disconnect all parties simultaneously.
- What happens: All participants hear a disconnect tone. Your call bar clears and the disposition modal appears.
Choosing the Right Option
| Situation | Action |
|-----------|--------|
| You introduced the caller to someone and they no longer need you | Leave Conference |
| The entire call is finished and everyone is done talking | End Conference |
| You need to step away but the caller and specialist should keep talking | Leave Conference |
| It was a brief three-way call and all parties have concluded | End Conference |
| You want to remove one specific person | Use the Kick button instead |
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Adding Multiple Participants
You can add more than one participant to create larger group calls. Here is how:
- Start a conference by adding your first additional participant (as described above in "Starting a Conference").
- Once the first additional participant has joined and the Conference Panel is visible, click the Connect button on the call bar again.
- The Connect Modal reopens. Select another participant from the Agents, Queues, or Phone Number tab.
- Click Add to Conference again.
- When the new participant answers, they are added to the existing conference.
- The Conference Panel updates to show all participants.
You can repeat this process to add as many participants as needed. The Conference Panel will list everyone, and you will have Mute and Kick controls for each person.
Tip: Large conferences with many participants can become difficult to manage. Keep conferences to the minimum number of people needed to accomplish the goal.
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Conference Calling Best Practices
Before Adding a Participant
- Brief the caller — Before adding someone to the conference, let the caller know what you are doing. Say something like: "I am going to bring in our billing specialist to help answer your question. You will hear a brief pause while I add them to the call."
- Check availability — Use the Agents tab to verify the person you want to add is showing "Available" status before attempting to add them.
- Prepare context — Think about what information the new participant will need. Be ready to provide a quick summary once they join.
During the Conference
- Make introductions — When the new participant joins, introduce everyone. "Hi Sarah, I have Mr. Johnson on the line. He has a question about his renewal premium that I thought you could help with." This ensures everyone knows who they are speaking with.
- Manage the conversation — As the conference initiator, you act as the facilitator. Guide the conversation, ensure everyone has a chance to speak, and keep things on track.
- Use mute strategically — If you need to have a quick sidebar with one participant, you can mute the others temporarily. Just remember to unmute them when you are done.
- Take notes — Conference calls often involve important details from multiple people. Use the Notes field in the Contact Information card to capture key points.
When to Use Conference vs. Transfer
- Use a conference when you need to stay on the call and participate in the conversation, or when you want to ensure a smooth handoff by introducing the parties.
- Use a transfer when you simply need to send the call to someone else and your involvement is complete.
- Use a conference followed by Leave Conference when you want to do a warm introduction and then step away — this combines the best of both approaches.
Tips for Escalations
- Supervisor escalations — When a caller asks for a supervisor or manager, conferencing them in is often better than transferring. You can provide context, introduce the supervisor, and then leave the conference once they are situated.
- Stay calm — Escalated calls often involve frustrated callers. Adding a supervisor via conference shows the caller that you are taking their concern seriously and getting them help without making them start over.
- Document everything — After leaving or ending a conference that involved an escalation, add thorough notes to the contact record about what happened, who was involved, and what was resolved.
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Troubleshooting Conference Calls
A Participant Cannot Hear Anyone
- Check if they have been accidentally muted in the Conference Panel. Click their Mute/Unmute button to toggle their audio.
- Ask them to check their headset connection and microphone.
You Accidentally Kicked Someone
- Click the Connect button again and re-add them from the Agents, Queues, or Phone Number tab.
- Apologize to the remaining participants and let them know you are adding the person back.
The Conference Did Not Start
- Make sure you are on an active call before trying to start a conference. The Connect button is only functional during an active call.
- If the additional participant does not answer, the conference cannot be formed. Try again or select a different participant.
Audio Quality Issues
- Large conferences can sometimes have audio quality challenges. If you notice echo or feedback, ask participants to use headsets rather than speakerphones.
- Ensure you are using a wired headset for the most reliable audio.
Last updated: February 24, 2026