Enabling Talk and configuring general settings

This article describes how to enable Zendesk Talk and configure general settings. Before you enable Talk, make sure to read Preparing to use Zendesk Talk to ensure your hardware and network are ready.

This article contains the following topics

• Enabling Talk
• Talk general settings
• Re-activating Talk
• Next steps

Enabling Talk

Before you can start using Talk, you need to enable it, then configure some settings that will apply to all of your calls.

To enable Talk

1. In Admin Center, click Channels in the sidebar, then select Talk and email > Talk.
2. On the Talk welcome page, click Get Started.
3. On the Your number page, review your assigned number, then click Next.

   

   You can purchase additional numbers or port an existing number into Talk later, if you want to. If you are on a trial version you can use the assigned number only or add a digital line.

   Note: If you see a list of numbers on this page, you can choose a number from the list, change the country or number type, or search for a specific number if you'd like.
4. On the Who will answer the calls page, select which agents can use Talk. You can choose from:
   • Everyone: Any agent can use Talk
   • Only Me: Only you can use Talk
   • Specific Users: A new page opens on which you can choose the agents who will have access to Talk
5. When you've finished choosing Talk users, click Next.
6. On the Let's try your new number page, follow the on-screen steps to simulate a call or click Skip this step.
7. If you simulated a call, click Check out the ticket to see the ticket created from the call or click Finish.
8. Configure Configure Talk general settings as needed, then click Save.

Talk general settings

In the Settings tab, configure the Talk general settings to your requirements. For information about the other Talk settings you can configure, see Configuring Talk settings.

Talk setting	Description
Enable Talk	Select the Enable Talk checkbox to turn Talk on or off.
Maximum queue size	Your call queue size determines how many incoming calls will be kept waiting for an available agent, whether on hold or in the callback queue, before being sent to voicemail (or an overflow number if it's configured and voicemail is off). You can select from a range of queue sizes, including 0, 2, 5, 10, or 15. If you use Talk Professional or Enterprise, you can also select additional queue sizes in increments of 5 between 20 and 50. A maximum queue size of 0 prevents end users from submitting a callback request in the Web Widget (Classic).
Maximum queue wait time	Callers who wait longer than the time specified in the maximum queue wait time are sent to voicemail. Callers can dial 1 at any time to go straight to voicemail (if enabled). If voicemail is off, the caller will hear a greeting, then the call will end. Maximum queue wait time is ignored after a call is transferred. The maximum queue wait time takes precedence over the Call offering time limit setting. You can select from a range of wait times between 1 and 20 minutes (or 1 and 60 minutes if you are on a Talk Enterprise plan).
New live call recordings are public?	Enabling this option allows the requester to see recordings from live calls that are added to tickets. For more information, see Managing recording options in Zendesk Talk.
Agent confirmation when forwarding?	When agents forward calls to their phones, this option requires agents to press a key before the call is connected to indicate that a person is answering the call and not an automated voicemail. This prevents calls from forwarding to an agent's personal voicemail if they do not answer. Forwarded calls not answered with a key confirmation are routed to voicemail and recorded in a ticket. If your agents forward calls to a phone system where personal voicemail boxes are not an issue, you can disable this option so that agents are immediately connected to callers when they answer.

Re-activating Talk

Deactivated Talk accounts do not display the Talk icon, as the setting is turned off by default when the account is deactivated. To reactivate a Talk account, you must be an admin.

1. On the sidebar in Talk, click Text & Talk.
2. Open the Summary tab.
3. In the Summary table, find the account you want to reactivate. To the right of that account, click Activate.

   The Talk icon will now appear for agents using Talk.

Next steps

• Adding Zendesk Talk numbers
• Configuring voicemail options