Optimizing Zendesk Talk quality

Your external call environment will affect your Zendesk Talk call quality. Here are a few important factors you should consider.

This article covers the following topics:

• Network connection
• Network bandwidth
• Headsets
• Browsers
• Network ports
• Still having issues?

Network connection

Always be conscious of how good your internet connection is -- this is crucial! A hardwired connection to your network will provide optimal results. Wireless internet connections can work, but means that there are obstructions between you and the access point that can reduce call quality.

Network bandwidth

For best results, set up a dedicated network for your Talk calls. This will remove the impact of other applications and services using a shared network. You should have at least 80 kbps per concurrent Talk session available for Zendesk Talk to work at its best. That is the absolute minimum just for the Talk traffic and nothing else, so we would recommend you have 500 kbps to provide some headroom to allow for Talk and other network connectivity needs.

Bandwidth is especially important to consider in a growing organization. What other services are being run on your network. Is Talk having to compete against less critical services?

Headsets

Using a wired headset makes a huge difference. We recommend that agents use one of the following headsets, in order of best call quality:

• Analog Headsets: These are the 3.5mm headphone and mic sets, not to be confused with cell phone headsets which do not offer the best connection when used on a PC. A dedicated headset for calls works the best.
• Wired USB headset: This is the runner-up for the best call experience.
• Bluetooth/Mobile phone headphones: As a last resort, these headphones will work but expect to experience some issues with call quality.

If some agents are having difficulties, consider whether they might be headset-related. Consistency with headsets helps with debugging of problems.

Tip: Check out our recommendations for headsets in Choosing a headset for Zendesk Talk.

Browsers

Our customer service team always directs people to use Chrome as their default browser, but Firefox works great with WebRTC too.

We recommend that you turn off automatic updates for your browser except for security updates. This allows you to manage the changes to your browser and test them out with a couple of agents first.

Sometimes, headsets aren’t automagically picked up by your browser. You might need to edit your browser settings to not use the built-in microphone. For details about how this works in Chrome, see this article.

For more information, see Setting up your browser to take calls.

Network ports

Programs and protocols use network ports to send and receive information. You must open specific ports for Zendesk Talk to best ensure that the data you are sending from your network during a call will reach the recipient on the other end.

Zendesk Talk passes traffic using a protocol known as UDP. By default, many routers block this traffic in an effort to protect your computer. For Zendesk Talk to function at its best, however, these ports must be open.

Imagine the ports like a bunch of little doors -- if they’re closed, the Talk data cannot be passed through, leading to issues with call quality. Allowing these ports to be opened for outbound traffic lets traffic through.

You should perform the following steps:

• For WebRTC users, allow UDP Ports 10,000 to 60,000. For detailed instructions, see Talk network requirements.
• Allow TCP Ports 80, 443, 843 and 1935. For detailed instructions, see Talk network requirements.
• Enable Quality of Service (QoS). If the existing traffic on your network is close to maxing out your bandwidth, it’s possible that this traffic will battle with Zendesk Talk for the leftover bandwidth. If Talk loses the battle, this can cause call drops, bad call quality and your Talk status to go offline.
• Mac and Windows operating systems might have system firewalls enabled that block the ports required for Talk. Using the port requirements mentioned above, follow the relevant instructions in Talk network requirements to ensure your OS firewall and Internet Security software is funneling Talk data correctly.

For more information on the Talk needs, see the information from our service provider Twilio on their Twilio client requirements and Twilio client best practices.

You can also check out Porting numbers into Zendesk Talk.

Tip: Since this is network specific, when you work from a different network (like working from your home network), these ports will also need to be open.

Still having issues?

We are here to help. We suggest you install the Talk feedback app as a starting point. This allows your agents the option to provide feedback on each call after it is over. More details are available here on the Zendesk app marketplace. Having this information will aid us in discussing and identifying issues.