> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.talkchief.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Live Call Monitoring and Agent Coaching for Supervisors

> Listen to live calls, whisper coaching tips to agents, barge in when needed, review recordings, and track activity on the real-time dashboard.

TalkChief gives supervisors a full suite of real-time tools to keep call quality high and support agents in the moments that matter most. Whether you want to silently observe a new hire's first calls, step in during a difficult conversation, or review recordings for quality assurance, every capability is available directly from the Contact Center dashboard.

## Live Call Monitoring

Live call monitoring lets supervisors listen to any active call without the agent or caller being aware. Use it to assess call quality, verify that scripts and processes are being followed, or simply stay aware of what is happening across your team.

To start monitoring a call:

1. Open the **Live Feed** dashboard under **Contact Center > Analytics**.
2. Locate the active call you want to monitor. Each row shows the agent name, queue, caller ID, and call duration.
3. Click the **Monitor** icon (headset) next to the call.
4. Your softphone or browser audio will connect silently. Neither the agent nor the caller is notified.

To stop monitoring, click **End Monitor** or simply hang up your monitoring session.

## Call Whispering

Call whispering lets you speak directly to an agent while a call is in progress — only the agent hears you, not the caller. This is ideal for guiding new agents through tricky situations, suggesting resolution steps, or prompting an upsell without disrupting the customer experience.

To whisper to an agent:

1. Start a monitoring session as described above.
2. Once connected, click **Whisper** in the monitoring toolbar.
3. Speak normally — the agent will hear your voice through their headset while the caller hears only the agent.
4. Click **Stop Whisper** to return to silent monitoring, or end the session entirely.

## Call Barge

Call barge promotes a supervisor from silent observer to active participant, turning the call into a three-way conversation that includes the supervisor, the agent, and the caller. Use it when a situation has escalated beyond what the agent can handle alone.

To barge into a call:

1. Begin a monitoring or whisper session as described above.
2. Click **Barge** in the monitoring toolbar.
3. All three parties — you, the agent, and the caller — can now speak and hear each other.
4. To leave the call, click **Leave Call**. The agent and caller will continue their conversation.

<Accordion title="What is the difference between whispering and barging?">
  **Whispering** creates a private audio channel between you and the agent only. The caller cannot hear you at all, so you can coach the agent without interrupting the flow of the conversation. This is the best option for coaching and guidance.

  **Barging** makes you a full, audible participant in the call — the caller can hear everything you say. Use barge when you need to speak directly to the caller, de-escalate a tense situation, or take over the call entirely. Because the caller becomes aware of your presence the moment you barge, reserve this mode for situations where it is genuinely needed.
</Accordion>

## Call Recording

TalkChief can record calls on a per-queue or per-agent basis. Recordings are stored securely and accessible from the **Recordings** section of the dashboard, where you can play them back, download them, or attach them to tickets.

To configure recording:

1. Navigate to **Contact Center > Queues** and open the queue you want to configure.
2. Select the **Recording** tab.
3. Toggle **Enable Call Recording** on.
4. Choose a recording policy:
   * **Always** — record every call in this queue.
   * **On Demand** — agents or supervisors can start and stop recording manually during a call.
   * **Agent-Level Override** — set a default at the queue level but allow per-agent exceptions.
5. Set your **Retention Period** — how long recordings are stored before automatic deletion.
6. Save your changes.

To access recordings, go to **Contact Center > Recordings**. Filter by date, agent, queue, or caller ID to find specific calls. Supervisors and users with the appropriate permissions can download or delete recordings from this view.

<Warning>
  Call recording laws vary significantly by country, state, and jurisdiction. In many regions, you are legally required to inform callers that the call is being recorded before or at the start of the conversation. Before enabling call recording, consult your legal counsel and ensure your IVR or agent greeting includes the required disclosure. TalkChief is not responsible for compliance with local recording regulations.
</Warning>

## Real-Time Dashboard

The **Live Feed** dashboard gives supervisors an at-a-glance view of contact center activity as it happens. The dashboard refreshes continuously and displays:

* **Active calls** — caller ID, assigned agent, queue, and call duration for every call currently in progress.
* **Queue lengths** — how many callers are waiting in each queue right now.
* **Agent statuses** — whether each agent is available, on a call, on break, or offline.
* **Average wait times** — current average hold duration per queue.
* **Service level** — the percentage of calls answered within your target time threshold.

Supervisors can click any active call row to launch a monitor, whisper, or barge session directly from the dashboard.

<Info>
  The real-time Live Feed dashboard is available on the **Professional** plan and above. Users on lower-tier plans can access historical call reports but will not see the live activity view.
</Info>

## Team Supervisors

The **Team Supervisor** role grants elevated permissions within the Contact Center module without providing full administrative access to the entire TalkChief account. Assign this role to team leads and quality assurance managers who need oversight of agents but should not have access to billing, global settings, or other departments.

Supervisors can:

* Monitor, whisper, and barge on any active call within their assigned queues.
* View and export call recordings for agents in their team.
* Access the Live Feed dashboard and all call reports for their queues.
* Update agent schedules and shift assignments in real time.
* Adjust queue settings, routing rules, and agent assignments without restarting queues.

To assign the Supervisor role:

1. Go to **Settings > Team Members**.
2. Locate the team member you want to promote and click **Edit**.
3. Under **Role**, select **Team Supervisor**.
4. In the **Supervised Queues** section, select the queues this supervisor should have access to.
5. Click **Save**.