What's new for 8x8 Engage Beta users?

We have introduced the following enhancements:

8x8 Engage product options are now configuration settings

The 8x8 Engage voice-only and blended experiences are now configuration settings of the same 8x8 Engage licenses. You can now change the experience your users see at any time, without re-provisioning.

As an administrator, you can choose the experience for your users using the following toggle in Admin Console > Work Apps Settings:

• Allow users to have Engage voice & digital blended capabilities: When enabled, users can handle both customer calls and digital interactions, such as web chat, SMS, and WhatsApp.
  When disabled, users can only handle voice interactions, and My inbox is hidden in the 8x8 Work app menu.

Note:

The setting changes apply to 8x8 Work for Desktop/Web, version 8.37 or later, and 8x8 Work for Mobile version 12.14 or later.

How this change affects users

• Existing users: Their current experience stays the same until an admin changes the toggle.

• New users: The blended experience (voice and digital) is enabled by default.  Admins can use the Allow users to have Engage voice & digital blended capabilities toggle to switch the experience between blended and voice-only.   

To learn more, see Configure 8x8 Engage users.

Rebrand of 8x8 Engage Voice to 8x8 Engage

8x8 Engage Voice is now 8x8 Engage and supports both voice-only and blended customer interactions, depending on your configuration. If you already use 8x8 Engage Voice, your experience does not change. Digital channels are not enabled by default for existing customers.

Admins can enable digital channels at any time by enabling the Allow users to have Engage voice & digital blended capabilities toggle in Admin Console > Work Apps Settings. Users can then also use My inbox tab in the 8x8 Work app to handle digital interactions, such as web chat, SMS, and WhatsApp.

Due to this rebranding, the following licenses have also been renamed:

Important

The name change does not affect the capabilities unlocked by the licenses.

Ability to enable pause reasons for users

You can now let 8x8 Engage users select a reason when they pause their assigned queues, for example Break or Work offline. Supervisors can see why a user is paused. Admins set the reasons in advance in Configuration Manager, and users choose a predefined option from that list.

As an administrator, you control this with the following settings in Admin Console > Work Apps Settings:

• Allow users to have pause reasons: Allows users to choose a reason when they pause their assigned queues. This setting is enabled by default for new 8x8 Engage customers. Existing customers can enable it at any time.

• Allow users to pause their assigned queues: Allows users to pause their assigned queues.

Note:

Users can only choose a pause reason when Allow users to pause their assigned queues is also enabled. If it is disabled, users cannot pause their queues, so they cannot choose a reason.

Availability

• Pause reasons are available on 8x8 Work for Desktop and Web, version 8.37 or later.

• Pause reasons are available on 8x8 Work for Mobile version 12.14 or later.

Interaction insights included with 8x8 Engage licenses

8x8 Engage licenses include artificial intelligence (AI) insights for Unified Communications voice interactions. Users and supervisors can open the Interaction Details panel to view an AI-generated call summary, AI-generated action items, and transcription.

Proactive Outreach license for digital messaging

Digital messaging in 8x8 Engage is billed through 8×8 Proactive Outreach. Customers must request a Proactive Outreach license from Dealdesk to add digital channels to their organization. For more information on licensing charges, see 8x8 Engage Pooled Minutes and Usage Charges.

Notes:

• Proactive Outreach is licensed per company, not per user.

• To use SMS, you also need a Sender ID (numeric or alphanumeric).

Ability to park Contact Center calls in 8x8 Engage

Note:

To have this feature enabled, contact your 8x8 Account Representative.

You can now park Contact Center queued calls in 8x8 Engage. This new feature provides more flexibility for users handling multiple calls, streamlining workflows in busy environments where calls need to be shared or deferred temporarily.

Let’s say Pat needs to quickly assist another incoming caller. Pat can now park their current call, handle the new one, and either return later or have a teammate pick up the parked call to continue the conversation without losing context.

Limitations

• Call parking can only be enabled for customers with a post-processing time above one minute.

• Parked calls data is not visible in 8x8 Analytics.

To park a call in 8x8 Engage:

1. While on a call, click More to open a menu.

2. From the list of options, select Park.
   

3. Confirm the prompt to disconnect the call and park it for later retrieval. 

   

4. An announcement plays specifying the extension number the call has been parked on before the call disconnects.

Note:

Calls that are not retrieved from the queue before the recall timer is reached are automatically returned to the agent.

How to retrieve a parked call

To retrieve a parked call, call the announced call park extension.

Ability to park Contact Center calls from 8x8 Frontdesk in 8x8 Engage

Note:

To have this feature enabled, contact your 8x8 Account Representative.

We’ve re-enabled the park calls feature for receptionists using 8x8 Frontdesk in 8x8 Engage, making it easier to manage active calls. You can now accept a call, park it, and let either yourself or another user retrieve it later. While on an active call, click the Park icon to park the call and select the destination from the list.

You can park calls as follows:

• For me: Only you can retrieve the parked call.

• For site: Allows only the users located at that site to retrieve the parked call.

• For everyone: Allows anyone in the company to retrieve the call.

Note:

Calls that are not retrieved from the queue before the recall timer is reached are automatically returned to the agent. Parked calls that have bounced back display the icon in front of the customer’s name or number.

Limitations

• Call parking can only be enabled for customers with a post-processing time above one minute.

• Parked calls data is not visible in 8x8 Analytics.

For additional information on parking calls from 8x8 Frontdesk, see Park calls.