Definition
Consult Call is a service feature in Salesforce that helps organizations deliver efficient customer support. It provides tools for managing customer inquiries, tracking resolution progress, and optimizing the support experience across multiple channels.
Real-World Example
When a support manager at QuickAssist needs to streamline operations, they turn to Consult Call to improve response times and customer satisfaction scores. After implementing Consult Call, agents have the tools and context they need to resolve issues on the first contact. Average handle time decreases by 20% and CSAT scores climb to an all-time high of 94%.
Why Consult Call Matters
A Consult Call in Salesforce Service Cloud is a telephony feature that allows a support agent to bring a third party, such as a subject matter expert, supervisor, or partner, into an active customer call without disconnecting the customer. The agent can have a private conversation with the consultant before merging the call into a three-way conference or transferring the customer to the consultant. This feature is critical for resolving complex issues on the first contact, because it eliminates the need to put the customer on hold, take notes, hang up, and call back after consulting internally.
As support organizations handle increasingly complex products and services, the ability to consult an expert in real time becomes a major driver of first-call resolution and customer satisfaction. Without Consult Call, agents either attempt to resolve issues beyond their expertise, risking incorrect advice, or transfer the customer to another department, forcing the customer to re-explain their problem. Both scenarios erode trust and inflate handle times. Organizations that implement Consult Call alongside skills-based routing can connect agents to the right expert quickly, keeping the customer engaged and resolving issues in a single interaction rather than multiple callbacks.
How Organizations Use Consult Call
- QuickAssist Insurance — QuickAssist Insurance agents use Consult Call when a policyholder has a complex claim involving multiple coverage types. The agent initiates a consult with a senior claims adjuster to clarify coverage details privately, then brings the adjuster into the call to explain the resolution directly to the customer. First-call resolution for complex claims improved from 45% to 78%.
- Meridian Medical Devices — Meridian Medical's support agents consult with biomedical engineers when a hospital reports a device malfunction. The agent gathers initial symptoms, then uses Consult Call to bring in the engineer for real-time diagnosis. The customer hears the expert recommendation without being transferred, reducing the average resolution cycle from 3 days to under 1 hour.
- Cascade SaaS Solutions — Cascade SaaS agents use Consult Call to loop in the customer success manager when a trial user has questions about enterprise features during a support call. The CSM joins the call, addresses the prospect's concerns, and transitions the conversation into a sales opportunity. This workflow has generated 15% of the team's upsell pipeline.