Set Per Call Outbound Caller ID for Amazon Connect

How is Caller ID enable in Amazon Connect

Caller ID in Amazon Connect is determined in two areas.  First, when creating a Queue, you have the option of selecting a phone number on your instance to be associated with an outbound call initiated by an Agent assigned to this CSQ.  Secondly, at the Routing Profile level, you can also select the outbound caller ID.   Routing profiles link an Agent to the Customer Service Queue they are part of.  In a routing profile that contains more than one CSQ, you set the caller ID that should be used should an Agent with that profile initiate an outbound call.

Default Outbound

Each outbound call makes use of the “Default Outbound” contact flow unless you specify another contact flow should be used.  As an aside, in Amazon Connect you will find eight Default contact flows.  You should understand that these all all used unless you “save as” and create a modified contact flow to be used instead of the default.  This is often overlooked , but they are all used and all critical to the operation of the contact flow.   You can modify or create a new “outbound” call flow that would enable you to setup the desired caller ID.   This is done by adding the “call phone number” contact flow step to the existing “default outbound”.  This step enables you to specify the caller ID to use when making an outbound call.  If you want to change this  on a per call basis, you will need to create a contact attribute with a phone number variable that you would retrieve from a database using a lambda function.   Additionally, you would need to create a  modification to the existing CCP including a drop down window that enables the Agent to select the desired number.

ConnectPath features a permission to set CID

ConnectPath has enabled a permission that enables an Agent to select the desired caller ID to be used prior to placing the call.  It should be noted that effectively ConnectPath is allowing you to select the rouging profile to be used for this outbound call!   It is not uncommon for a call center to have more phone numbers than customer service queues.  For example assume a mortgage company that operates in all 50 states.   When an agent makes an outbound call, they want to use an Area Code that appears to the caller to be made from within the state they reside in.  Perhaps they only have one queue and one routing profile.  The solution needs to be able to present all 50 phone numbers that might be associated with our Amazon Connect instance.  ConnectPath enables this functionality.

Summary

You can NOT display a caller ID that is not actually terminated on your Amazon Connect instance!   Additionally, you must take the time to register your Amazon Connect provided phone numbers with the national registry if you want your company name to be displayed and associated with your phone numbers.  ConnectPath is available through the AWS Marketplace.