Getting started with Voice

Voice lets your team make and receive phone calls directly inside Cue or via your existing hardware (beta). Calls are managed alongside your existing channels (WhatsApp, Web Chat, Email) in one inbox. This guide covers what Voice is, how it works, and what you need to set it up.

How Voice as a channel works

Voice connects your workspace to the phone network through the browser. When a customer calls your phone number, the call is routed to available agents in your workspace based on the call routing strategy you configure. Agents answer, transfer, and manage calls on the platform.

Outbound calls work the same way: agents dial from the widget, and the call connects through your workspace's phone number.

Every call is logged in your inbox as a conversation, with recording and transcripts available after the call ends.

What you need before you start

Setting up Voice as a channel involves a few steps in order. Here is the prescribed sequence:

1. Complete a regulatory bundle - before you can purchase a phone number, telecom regulators require proof of your business identity. You will submit business details and documents (the requirements differ by country). Approval typically takes around 3 business days.
2. Purchase or port a phone number -  once your regulatory bundle is approved, you can buy a new number or port an existing number from another provider.
3. Create a Voice channel - the setup wizard walks you through connecting your number, configuring a greeting and setting business hours.
4. Build a workflow (limited to Automate, Scale and Enterprise plans) - for advanced call handling, use the Voice flow editor.

Key concepts

A few terms you will encounter as you set up and use Cue Voice:

• Regulatory bundle - the set of compliance documents required by telecom regulators before you can purchase or port numbers in a country.
• Call routing strategy - the rule that decides which agent gets the next call. Options are Round-robin, Fewest calls today, and Longest idle (limited to Automate, Scale and Enterprise plans).
• Voice workflow - a visual sequence of steps that defines what happens when a call comes in, built in the flow editor (limited to Automate, Scale and Enterprise plans).
• Warm transfer (GA) - the agent speaks privately with the transfer target before connecting the caller.
• Cold transfer - the call is transferred immediately with no introduction.
• TTS (Text-to-Speech) — converts typed text into spoken audio for greetings and menu prompts.

Roles and permissions

Voice uses the same role system as the rest of Cue, with specific permissions for voice features:

• Workspace Owner - full access. Can purchase numbers, create channels, configure workflows, and make or receive calls.
• Supervisor - can make and receive calls, transfer calls, and view recordings and transcripts. Cannot manage channels or workflows.
• Outbound Agent - can make and receive calls, and transfer calls. Cannot manage channels or workflows.
• Agent - can receive inbound calls and transfer calls. Cannot make outbound calls or manage channels.

Frequently asked questions

Do agents need a desk phone or a separate app to use Voice as a channel?

No. Voice works directly in the browser. Agents just need a computer with a microphone, a supported browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge), and an internet connection.

Which countries can I purchase numbers in?

We currently support South Africa and the United Kingdom. Additional countries will be added over time.

Can I keep my existing business phone number?

Yes. You can port an existing number from your current provider to Cue. The process requires a Letter of Authorisation (LOA) and takes days to weeks depending on the country and carrier.

What happens when all agents are busy?

Callers are placed in a queue and hear hold music until an agent becomes available.