Activating focus mode for voice and chat in the Zendesk Agent Workspace

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This article describes how to activate and deactivate focus mode in the Zendesk Agent workspace. Focus mode enables admins to set conditional routing based on agent activity for voice and chat.

This article includes the following sections:

• About focus mode
• Activating and deactivating focus mode

Note: To configure focus mode for omnichannel routing, see Managing your omnichannel routing configuration.

About focus mode

When activated with the Zendesk Agent Workspace, focus mode allows agents to be online for both voice and chat conversations but only serves the agent one channel at a time. For example, if an agent is on a call, they will not be offered chats until the call and call wrap-up has ended. If an agent is responding to a chat or handling multiple chats (up to the maximum chat limit), then no calls are offered to the agent until all their chats have ended.

By default, agents can get calls and chats at the same time.

When focus mode is activated, an agent working on chats will not receive calls until their chats have ended.

When focus mode is activated, an agent taking a call will not be offered chats until their call and call wrap-up has ended.

Focus mode is excluded for direct call and chat transfers between agents. Agents can transfer a call to another agent who is actively engaged in a chat. Similarly, agents can transfer a chat to another agent who is actively working on a call.

Within the Agent Workspace, focus mode is available only for customers using Zendesk Talk and Chat. It is not supported for Talk Partner Edition, Zendesk messaging, or web and social messaging channels. However, when using focus mode with omnichannel routing, it is available for Zendesk Talk, Chat, and messaging (including web and social messaging channels).

Activating and deactivating focus mode

The Agent Workspace focus mode setting is visible for all the accounts that have the Zendesk Agent Workspace activated, but aren’t using omnichannel routing.

Focus mode is off by default. If you activate focus mode, then later deactivate the Zendesk Agent Workspace, focus mode is deactivated automatically.

Note: If you've activated omnichannel routing, you must manage your focus mode settings in the omnichannel routing configuration.

To activate focus mode

1. In Admin Center, click Workspaces in the sidebar, then select Agent tools > Agent interface.
2. In the Focus Mode section, select Enable focus mode for live channels.

   

3. Save your changes.

To disable focus mode

1. In Admin Center, click Workspaces in the sidebar, then select Agent tools > Agent interface.
2. In the Focus Mode section, deselect Enable focus mode for live channels.
3. Save your changes.