When to use a Remote Agent instead of a standard agent login

A standard agent is a person logged into the VICIdial agent screen in a browser, with every control in front of them. A Remote Agent has no screen at all; VICIdial forwards calls to a phone or extension and the worker answers there. Both are valid, and the choice comes down to whether the person needs the screen. This post lays out the trade-offs so you pick the right one instead of defaulting to whichever you set up first.

What the standard agent screen gives you

A standard Agent sees the lead record, the dial pad, the hangup and transfer buttons, and the disposition list, all in the browser. They set a Disposition on every call with a click, transfer to a Closer when needed, and read the Lead details while they talk. It is the full cockpit. If your team handles complex calls, updates records as they go, or needs to manage their own transfers, the screen is what makes that possible.

What a Remote Agent trades away

A Remote agent forwards each call to an outside number, so there is no screen and none of those buttons. That is the trade. Hangup, transfer, and dispositions still happen, but through the agent API rather than a click. If you want calls recorded, the Campaign recording setting has to be ALLFORCE and recording has to be enabled on the user, because the agent is not there to start it on demand. None of this is a flaw; it is the cost of letting someone answer on a plain phone.

flowchart TD
  A["Does the worker need the screen?"] --> B{"Browser and full controls?"}
  B -->|Yes| C["Standard agent login"]
  B -->|No| D{"Why no screen?"}
  D -->|No computer available| E["Remote Agent"]
  D -->|Hunt-group forwarding| E
  D -->|Broadcast or survey run| E

When the Remote Agent wins

Reach for a Remote Agent in three situations. The first is when the person has no computer in front of them and only a phone to answer on. The second is hunt-group style forwarding, where an inbound number should ring a group of people on a traditional phone system and let whoever is free pick up. The third is outbound broadcast and survey campaigns, where a message plays and no live operator is needed. In all three, a screen would just be in the way.

Making the call

Put simply: if the worker needs to see and touch the call, use a standard login. If they only need a phone to ring, a Remote Agent is cleaner. For a refresher on what the account actually is, read what a VICIdial Remote Agent is, and when you are ready to set one up follow how to add a new Remote Agent. The full remote agents and mobile guide connects every piece. If standing up and tuning the server is more than you want to take on, our managed VICIdial plans give you a ready dialer in under 40 seconds so you can focus on how your agents work, not on the box.