Using Virtual Backgrounds for Agents

Virtual backgrounds is no longer a beta feature as of May 2022. Please ensure agents are on plugin version 9.1 on both Windows and Mac desktops to use this feature.

Virtual backgrounds allow the backgrounds of an agent’s video feed to be blurred or replaced by a selected image.

This feature can be enabled by your SightCall admin. By default, this feature is not enabled.

This feature adds several options to the Settings menu in the agent console for blurring the video background or replacing it with an image.

Options available for Virtual Backgrounds

Depending upon the options enabled in the Virtual Backgrounds for your scenario, you may or may not have the options shown in the screenshot above.

You can have one of three scenarios:

• Manual (default) – The agent manually turns on Virtual Backgrounds from the Settings menu in the agent console before or during a virtual support session. The agent has full control over starting and stopping virtual backgrounds and any background images used.
• Auto – Every agent who starts a visual support session using a scenario with Virtual Backgrounds set to auto automatically has the backgrounds either blurred or set to an image. The agent can still disable virtual backgrounds.
• Forced – Every agent who starts a visual support session with a scenario with Virtual Background set to Forced automatically has the background either blurred or set to an image. The agent cannot disable nor change the feature.

The procedures describe all options available for Virtual Backgrounds. If your scenario uses forced settings, then you will not be able to change the options in the same manner as Auto or Manual scenarios.

Using Virtual Backgrounds

You can select a virtual background to use before or during a visual support session from the Settings (gear) menu.

The Virtual Background options in the Settings menu are:

Any of these features can be changed before, during, or after a virtual support session. If changed during a session, then the changes take effect immediately. For example, if you are in the middle of a call and upload a new background image, the background on your video stream changes as soon as the image is uploaded and selected.

Using Virtual Backgrounds with the desktop agent console 

To use this feature before a session:

1. Sign to the agent console, console.sightcall.com.
2. Select the Settings (gear icon) to display the menu.
3. In the Virtual Background section, select the options you wish to use.

Any options you select will take effect once the visual support session connects and the agent’s camera starts.

 To use this feature during a visual support session:

1. Select the Settings (gear icon) to display the menu.
2. In the Virtual Background section, select the options you wish to use.

To disable Virtual Backgrounds, select the Settings > Virtual Backgrounds and select None.

Using Virtual Backgrounds with an integration like Salesforce

Virtual background capabilities and features remain the same when used with an integration like Salesforce or SAP. However, the location of the Settings menu may change. 

For example, to access virtual backgrounds in Salesforce for Lightning: 

1. Select the SightCall icon and wait for the service to connect.
2. Once connected to the SightCall service, select the three vertical dots to display the menus. Select Show Settings.
     
3. From here, scroll down to Virtual Backgrounds and select the option you wish to use. As stated earlier, the options available depend upon how the scenario you are using is configured. In this example, Blurring is selected to blur the agent's background. No background image was configured by the admin, so no option is available to select or upload an image.  
   
4. Select the X at the top of My Settings to close the option and return to the agent console.