Q. My call quality is bad. What should I do?

Bad call quality can be described as choppy audio (your Customer might say, “you’re breaking up”), a delayed voice transmission (symptoms include talking over each other), or dropped calls. To sum it up, the call quality issues end up affecting the quality of your service to your Customers. 

There are two things you’ll need to do:

1. First, use the Report Poor Call Quality feature to flag the call.

2. Next, look into the health of your network by reviewing the content below. Voice issues are more common when working from home or outside of the office due to bandwidth or network-related issues.

Working from home #

Learn about network connections #

Before you start troubleshooting, it’s important to understand what a typical home internet network looks like. This can help you imagine how other devices in your home can affect your internet connection.

Network terminologies to be aware of #

• Ethernet Cable – Used to connect a device (PC, TV, laptop, etc.) with an ethernet port directly to a network device like a switch, modem, or router. Use a Cat5 or Cat6 ethernet cable.
• Router – A device that allows your devices at home (PC, TV, laptop, etc.) to “talk” to each other at your home. It’s also the main gateway that allows your devices to connect to the internet. Some routers can act as an access point. Ethernet cables can also connect to a router.
• RAM – Stands for “random access memory,” it’s a critical component in every computing device that allows your devices to quickly store and load information simultaneously. The higher your RAM is, the more information it can load and store.

Look at your network connections #

Network Connections

• Are you connected to the Internet wirelessly or using an ethernet cable? Wireless connections tend to have lower speed and bandwidth, especially if multiple devices are connected to the Internet and work further from your access point . We recommend using an ethernet cable to connect to the Internet if possible.
  • If you use an ethernet cable, having multiple devices downloading/uploading content to the internet can still cause call quality issues. Refrain from running bandwidth-sensitive mediums from running when working, especially if you are on a call.
• Move closer to your access point and reduce your internet usage (e.g., stop streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, etc.) Keep in mind that if you have kids, family, or roommates sharing the same internet connection, this can further degrade the quality of your internet connection.
• Make sure SIP-ALG is disabled in your router. This one might be tricky as you’ll need to know how to log in and access your router configuration. If you’re comfortable accessing your router settings, click here  to see if your router is listed. It notes where the SIP-ALG setting may be found in your router settings.

Network Test

• Run a network test  to ensure you have enough bandwidth to handle calls. The test will look like the screen below. You should see Pass on the connectivity tests.

• It’s OK if you don’t pass the Video tests, notably if you don’t support video calls with Customers.
• If you fail any of the Voice tests:
  • Contact your IT team to lift firewall restrictions and comply with Gladly’s network requirements documented here.
  • Home Network – If you suspect your home network is causing the issue, please work with your manager to discuss possible solutions or alternatives to connect to Gladly. 
  • Internet Service Provider (ISP) – Check with your provider to see if any intermittent issues could be causing unreliable connections to your home. If none is found, work with your manager to determine an alternative method to connect to Gladly.

Check your computer hardware/software #

Hardware

• If you’re working on a laptop, plug it into the wall outlet. Plugged in will help your computer maximize its computing power for optimal performance.
  • Are you using the original power adapter that came with the laptop? If you’re not, there is a possibility that your computer is not getting the necessary power it needs to use its computing resources. Work with your manager if you’re not using the original adapter or OEM (original equipment manufacturer) replacement.
• Check if your computer has enough RAM. Your computer should have at least 4.00 GB. If you do not, contact your manager since your computer does not meet the minimum RAM requirement to use Gladly.
  • Mac – Click the Apple Menu on the top left corner of the screen, then select About This Mac. From the Overview tab, look for the Memory section, which will show your installed RAM.
  • Windows 10 – Click on Start, type “about,” and press Enter when “About Your PC” appears. Under Device Configuration, look for Installed RAM, which will show your installed RAM.

Software

1. Do you have automatic backups (e.g., Dropbox, iCloud, Google Photos, etc.) or upload large content (e.g., Youtube, Vimeo, etc.) from your computer? These run in the background most of the time and can cause bandwidth saturation  and may leave little room for other services like Gladly to have quality a connection. If there is a pattern or a specific window of time that you notice call quality degrades, this could be a clue that bandwidth saturation is happening. Ensure you have no automatic backups running during the workday and refrain from uploading/downloading large files.
2. Make sure you are using Chrome as your browser on your Windows or Mac laptop/desktop and that you have the newest version installed .
   • Chromebook Only – If you’re following the recommended network connections described in the previous section, but you’re still having voice quality issues, on the bottom right of your screen, click on the time, then click on the Wi-Fi network icon. Select your wireless network name on the drop-down menu, then select Network. In the “Name servers” section, select Google name servers. Monitor to see if this improves your call quality. 
3. How many browser tabs do you have open? Browser tabs use up computer resources, which means the more you have open, the more your computer could struggle to keep up. Limit your browser tabs to work essential tabs whenever possible.

Check your microphone/headphones #

1. Make sure the headphones/microphone you are using are functioning properly. If you suspect that your call quality is due to your talking device, work with your manager.

• Make sure that your browser (Chrome) audio is not muted. To mute/unmute a browser tab in Google Chrome, right-click the tab and select “Mute Site” or “Unmute Site.” This will mute/unmute all tabs from the site in the future.

In the office #

If you are experiencing call issues while working in the office, please contact your IT team.

VDI Environment #

If you are using a VDI environment and you are noticing connectivity-related issues (e.g., choppy voice connections, the Customer can’t hear you, echo, slow performance, etc.), please work with your IT team as they are responsible for managing and troubleshooting issues in a VDI environment.