Summary: ◀▼
Use phone numbers to identify and manage end-user profiles in Contact Center. New profiles are created for unknown numbers, existing profiles match direct lines, and duplicates can be merged. Direct lines uniquely identify users, while shared numbers link multiple profiles. Adding or merging numbers helps maintain accurate user data and ensures calls are associated with the correct profiles, improving contact management.
Use end-user phone numbers to identify callers and manage duplicate profiles in Contact Center. Zendesk can create new users from unknown numbers, match existing users by direct lines, and merge duplicate accounts when needed.
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Understanding how phone numbers are linked to end-user profiles
Users are identified by their phone numbers as follows:
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If the caller is an end user with an existing profile, and calling from a number already added to the profile, their existing profile is set as the ticket requester.
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If the number has not yet been added to a profile, a new profile is created using the calling number as the user name.
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If the call comes from an unknown caller (with an identifying number), a profile is created.
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If the call comes from an anonymous or blocked number, no ticket or contact is created.
Two types of phone number can be stored in end-user profiles:
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Direct lines are used to identify a user. When you add a unique number to a user's profile, it's automatically set as a direct line. If the caller is an existing end-user calling from their direct line, the user's existing profile is set as the ticket requester. Users can have more than one direct line.
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Shared numbers are linked to multiple user profiles. If a number that is already being used as a direct line number is added for another user, it becomes a shared number in that user's profile. When you make a call from the shared number, the call will be associated with the original caller who owns the direct line.
When receiving a call, Zendesk checks to see if a user is associated with the number that is calling. If no user has the number as a direct line (for example, if it’s been deleted from the user), then a new user will be created using the calling number as a direct line. The number will no longer be associated with any users that have that same number as a shared number. A user can have only one shared number on their user profile.
To add a number to a user's profile
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In Support, click the Customers icon (
) in the sidebar. -
(Optional) Search for a user.
For more details, see About the Customers page.
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Click a user’s name.
The name might be a phone number until you enter the customer’s name.
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Click + add contact.
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Enter a phone number for the user. If you have phone number validation enabled, this number must be in E.164 format.
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To add additional numbers, repeat steps 4-6.
Merging users
Calls received from new, unknown users generate new end-users that are identified only by the telephone number they're calling from. Unknown users might already have a user account if they're using a telephone number that they haven't added to their user profile. In this case, you can merge the new user account with their existing user account. For more information, see Merging a user's duplicate account.
When merging users, all phone numbers that the merging user has will be added to the receiving user. The only scenario where a number is discarded during merging is when two users both have a shared number. Because you can only have one shared number, in this case, the shared number of the merging user will be discarded.