Intercom Phone lets you make outbound phone calls or Messenger voice/video calls straight from the Help Desk.
Phone calls let you contact a customer on their saved number, while Messenger voice and video calls allow you to connect with customers directly through the Messenger, and enable screen sharing.
After you’ve set up Intercom Phone, all teammates can make a call. There are no set permissions for this feature.
Outbound phone calls
To make a call from the Help Desk, simply open a conversation and select the phone icon in the top right, then choose Phone call.
Note:
The number shown comes from the phone number saved to the user or lead’s profile in Contacts.
If no phone number is saved, the option to make a phone call will be unavailable and grayed out.
The phone numbers you use for SMS are separate, it's currently not possible to use the same phone numbers for Intercom Phone.
If you’ve activated and set up multiple phone numbers on your workspace, you can also select which number you’d like to make the call from.
See pricing for outbound phone calls.
Scheduled calls
Outbound calling from the Help Desk also enables your team to schedule calls with our calendar integrations like Calendly or Google Calendar and keep the whole conversation in one place.
Messenger voice/video calls and screen sharing
Messenger calls are web-based voice or video calls that are perfect for connecting to customers while they’re active in the Messenger (i.e. during a live chat).
To make a Messenger call from the Help Desk, ensure the conversation is in the Messenger and the customer is online. Then click the phone icon in the top right and select from Messenger voice or video call.
Note:
Only teammates can initiate Messenger calls.
Messenger calls currently work on web, not mobile devices or mobile SDKs. If the customer is on a mobile device, the option to start a Messenger call with them will be grayed out.
Messenger voice call will initiate the call with only audio for the teammate and customer. Video can be turned on later if needed.
Messenger video call will initiate the call with audio and video for the teammate. The customer can turn on their video later if needed.
Use the call controls to start or stop video, adjust the video screen size, mute, or end call.
You’ll only see the customer on your screen if they enable video for the call on their end too.
Customer experience
When a teammate makes a Messenger call, the customer will receive a message in the Messenger to join the call.
Customers joining a Messenger call need to accept browser microphone/camera permission.
If recordings and transcripts are enabled, when a customer joins the call there’s a red indicator next to the time which indicates that the call is being recorded.
Screen sharing
Once the customer has joined the call, they can share their current screen, window, or tab with the teammate using the screen icon in the call controls.
This will present their screen to the teammate in the inbox.
Note: The ability to screen share is only available on the customers end in the Messenger, it is not possible for teammates to screen share.
Traditional phone calls
Alternatively, customers can make or receive traditional phone calls to the phone numbers activated on your workspace.
Customer calling your workspace phone number (inbound call to Intercom). | Customer receiving a call from your workspace phone number (outbound call from Intercom). |
Next, learn how to take calls from the Help Desk. 😃
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