Introduction

Twilio Flex UI v2 was released in December of 2022 and in this guide we will explore some of the exciting updates and enhancements to the user interface. Whether you’re a developer, supervisor, or agent, this walkthrough will provide you with an in-depth understanding of the new UI and help you unlock the full potential of Twilio Flex.

Admin Dashboard

Flex UI v2 brings an updated design and improved usability that is noticeable as soon as you log into Flex. The admin dashboard in Twilio Flex 2.0 has some new features and changes compared to Flex 1.0. One of the main differences is the addition of the Plugin Library tab, where you can browse and install ready-to-use Flex plugins built by Twilio or the community. Another difference is the Versioning and updates page, where you can upgrade your Flex UI version to 2.0 or higher and access the release notes. The admin dashboard also has some minor changes in the layout and design of the panels, such as the Numbers panel, which now shows more information about each number.

Flex 1.0

Flex 2.0

Plugin Library

Twilio Flex 2.0 introduces a new plugin library that simplifies the discovery and installation of quality Flex plugins. You can install a plugin directly from the Manage Plugins page of the Flex UI without having to use the Flex Plugins command line interface (CLI). The plugin library offers a collection of Twilio Plugins built by the Twilio product teams and Community Plugins built by the Twilio community of developers. The plugin library also allows you to update your plugins to the latest version with a single click and customize the plugins to fit your specific business needs and workflows.

For example, the Supervisor Barge and Coach plugin is a Flex plugin that enables contact center supervisors to observe and coach agents on live calls with customers. The plugin enhances the supervisor’s UI with three buttons for barging in, coaching, and monitoring, and a coaching mode that can be toggled between normal and private. The plugin also adds a coach status panel to the agent’s UI, which can be enabled or disabled by the supervisor. The benefits of using this plugin are:

  • It allows supervisors to join the call between an agent and a customer, and to mute and unmute themselves as needed.
  • It allows supervisors to talk to the agent without the customer hearing it, and to mute and unmute the coaching mode as well.
  • It allows supervisors to listen to the call in incognito mode, by hiding their name from the agent’s UI.
  • It allows supervisors to provide real-time feedback and guidance to agents, improving their performance and customer satisfaction.
  • It allows supervisors to customize the plugin’s behavior and appearance by modifying the source code2 or using environment variables.

Consider the following use case:

A sales call center that handles inbound and outbound calls from potential and existing customers. The sales agents need to have the skills and knowledge to handle different types of customer inquiries, objections, and negotiations, and to close deals effectively. The supervisors need to monitor the quality and outcome of the calls, and to provide timely and relevant coaching to the agents.

Using the Supervisor Barge and Coach plugin, the supervisors can listen to the live calls and observe the agent’s behavior and performance. They can also intervene in the call if needed, by joining the conversation with the customer or by talking to the agent privately. This way, they can help the agent overcome any challenges, answer any questions, or reinforce any best practices. The plugin also allows the supervisors to switch between normal and private coaching mode, depending on whether they want the agent to know who is coaching them or not.

You can access a variety of plugins from the plugin library that are created by Twilio or the community, and use them to add new features or integrations to your Flex application. For example, you can use the Flex Dialpad Plugin to add outbound calling capabilities to your agents. It is important to note that some plugins in the plugin library require further configuration to your Twilio environment by customizing functions on the Twilio console or otherwise. By using the quick deploy feature and the plugin library, you can leverage the power and flexibility of Twilio Flex 2.0 to create a customized and scalable contact center solution.

Next Steps

Twilio Flex 2.0 is a powerful platform that enables contact centers to customize and optimize their communication channels, workflows, and user interfaces. With Flex 2.0, contact centers can leverage the benefits of artificial intelligence, web accessibility, and programmability to deliver value to their customers across different stages of the customer journey. Learn more about how flex administrators can explore new possibilities with Twilio Flex 2.0 here.

Author

Jake Davis

Business Process Technology Consultant at Vision Point Systems

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