Before setting up Virtual Assist, it'll be useful for you and your organisation to understand the components that make up Virtual Assist and the requirements. Understanding these features will minimise time spent on set-up, testing and training and enable better implementation.
Web Access
Does your company use Firewalls to secure your connections? Many corporate networks will have security in place to prevent real-time connections as a safety measure, so you may need to talk to your IT department about white-listing Unity before getting started. A common tell of a Firewall affecting VA performance is when the assessor cannot view the video live stream on their side, but the customer can see VA streaming video on their side with a strong/medium signal. If you see this happen, contact support@codafication.com to talk about getting Unity white-listed.
What about connectivity requirements for the customer?
Customers can use a WiFi connection at home to stream video to the assessor, however this signal can fluctuate depending on how far away the customer is from their modem. For that reason, we recommend that the customer turns off their Wifi and use their mobile data where possible.
If you'd like to know more about data usage, check out our FAQ's here.
Typically, customers will receive the best results when using a 4G mobile connection, while a 3G connection might result in lower quality video streaming due to a lower bandwidth. If you are experiencing poor connectivity, ask the customer to take snapshots of the subject for you, and we will be able to send high quality images from the customer's phone to Virtual Assist.
Unfortunately, Codafication can't guarantee that a customer will have a strong mobile data connection due to external variables such as location, carrier and phone settings.
Web-browser
Your assessors will access the Virtual Assist application via the Unity Platform through their web-browser. While there are many browsers to choose from, Codafication recommends using Google Chrome. You can also use Mozilla Firefox if you wish. We advise against Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer. Google Chrome will load your page faster, and offers greater security when browsing the internet.
SMS
You can send a text message to the customer's nominated number directly through Virtual Assist. We use a third party provider called Bitly to shorten the URL inside the text message and help keep the content secure. You can learn more about Bitly on their official website here.
VOIP Calls
Virtual Assist provides an in-app calling feature that is known as a "VOIP" call. VOIP, or "Voice Over Internet Protocol" allows you to dial and conduct calls directly from your web-browser. The customer will not be able to hear you through this feature unless if you have an external microphone plugged into your PC. Additionally, if you would like your Virtual Assist videos to playback audio, you will need to use the VOIP call feature.
Headset/Microphone
As mentioned above, the customer will not be able to hear the assessor without an external microphone being plugged into the assessor's PC.
Codafication recommends using a headset that combines a microphone with the audio input, so that you only need to worry about plugging the headset into one port.
Click here to see a recommended headset for Australian customers. We like this headset as it is comfortable for extended use and has great quality on both input and output audio.
When accessing Virtual Assist for the first time, your web browser will ask for permission to use your microphone via a pop-up window. It look similar to this:
Please note, we advise against using wireless earbuds.
Think we missed something? Feel free to reach out to support@codafication.com if you'd like to give feedback or ask another question.
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