Making calls

Dialbird turns your computer into your work phone, so you can call any customer or supplier without picking up a handset. Everything runs from your chat list, and the number you call from is one of your own, so people see a number they already know. This page covers the different ways to start a call, what happens as it connects, the controls you get once you’re talking, and what to do if a call won’t go through.

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Placing a call from the dialler

The quickest way to reach a new number is the dialler:

1. Click the phone icon at the top of your chat list.
2. In the Make a call window, type the number, or search Or select a contact and pick someone from the list.
3. Click Call.

The number box has a country flag next to it. Countries your workspace can’t call are greyed out, and so are contacts in those countries. If you type a number Dialbird can’t dial, the Call button stays greyed out. See Calling other countries.

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Other ways to start a call

You don’t always have to use the dialler. Whichever is quickest at the time:

• From a chat: open the conversation and click the phone icon in the header. Dialbird calls that person straight away.
• From your calls list: open your Calls and click any past call to ring that number back. Missed calls are listed here too, so you can return them.

However you start it, the person you reach sees the number of the inbox you currently have open. If you’d rather they saw a different one, switch inbox first.

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While the call connects

A small call window appears in the corner. You can drag it anywhere on screen by its body. As things progress it shows:

• Calling… while it’s setting up.
• Ringing… while their phone rings.
• A running timer once they pick up.

The top of the window shows the name of the number you’re calling from, so you always know which of your numbers they’ll see.

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What you can do once you’re talking

Everything you need is in the call window. Along the bottom you have buttons to:

• Mute yourself, so they can’t hear you.
• Record the call, see Recording calls.
• Hold the call, see Putting a caller on hold.
• End call (the red button).
• Open the keypad, to press numbers during a call (useful when another company’s system asks you to “press 1”).
• Transfer the call to someone else, see Passing a call to someone else.

The ⋯ menu at the top has a few more: Merge call, Transfer call, Audio settings (to switch your microphone or speaker), Dialpad, and the same Mute, Record and Hold options. When the call ends, the window shows Call ended with how long you talked. Click the X to close it.

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One call at a time

You can only be on one call at once. While a call is in progress, the call buttons everywhere else are greyed out until you hang up. This keeps things simple and stops calls overlapping.

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Letting Dialbird use your microphone

Because calls run through your browser, it needs your permission to use the microphone. The first time you call, your browser asks for that permission. Say yes and you’re set. If you say no by mistake, Dialbird will tell you:

Microphone access is required to make calls. Please grant microphone permission in your browser settings.

To fix it, click the little padlock next to the web address at the top of your browser, and turn the microphone back on for Dialbird.

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If the call won’t go through

When a call fails, Dialbird tells you what went wrong so you know whether to try again or check the number:

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If calling stops working altogether

Every workspace has a fair usage level for calling, so heavy use doesn’t run away with itself. As you get close to that level, Dialbird warns you once that your workspace is nearing its calling Fair Usage level. If you go past it, calling is switched off for a while and you’ll see Fair Usage review required. Click Contact support and we’ll sort it out for you.