6.3.3 Agents logged in

Agents logged in

In this section, you can add or delete queue members. The process is similar to that described under Groups.

Under Queues, however, there is an additional option, Penalty.

Within a queue, you can penalise members to lower their preference for being called when there are people waiting in a particular queue. For example, you could penalise queue members when you want them to be a member of a queue, yet to be used only when the queue gets full enough that all of the preferred agents are unavailable. The higher the penalty, the lower the preference.

By defining different penalties for each member of the queue, we can help control the preference for where calls are delivered, yet still ensure that other queue members will be available to answer calls if the preferred member is unavailable.

The default value for the penalty is 1, and the maximum value is 10.

There are a few very important rules regarding the use of penalty in conjunction with call distribution:

  • In most cases, the ACD will not attempt to deliver calls to members with the higher penalty whilst members with a lower penalty are available, even if these members have not answered the call

  • If the ACD has started to deliver calls to members with a higher penalty, but a member with a lower penalty becomes available, it will stop and try the lowest priority members again (this happens only if the timeout per member option is set to anything other than 0).

Where are calls distributed to?

There is a difference in the way the ACD distributes calls to members, when compared to a group service. A group service will deliver calls to all members simultaneously and on all their devices. In contrast, the ACD will only deliver calls to a members' primary device.

You can set ot change the primary device using:

  • Admin Portal

  • A function code (star code) from the device the end user wants to make their primary device

  • The XML menu of the device the end user wants to make their primary device, if supported by the device

  • The DFN VoIP Centrex app.

Call forwarding configuration on queue members' phone extension

Same as the group services, the ACD will ignore any call forwarding or parallel ringing (forking) configuration when placing calls to queue members. Instead, you will define how long the ACD will try for in the Agent options section.

Important

When is an agent available?

To be available, the agent's primary device must not be on a call.

If the device is already on a call, even if that call didn’t come via the queue, the ACD will see that the device is busy and will consider it not to be available.

In contrast, if the agent is in the middle of dialling a number, but hasn’t yet placed the call, the ACD will consider the device to be available.

If the device is on DND, the ACD will consider the agent to be available. Please bear in mind that the ACD is not aware of the status and that the DND information is device-based and the central telephone system or server has no view of it.

In short, the ACD doesn’t monitor the phone extension, but rather checks if there is a call in progress on the primary device to determine if the agent is available or not.

If the device is not currently registered, or not reachable, the ACD is not aware of this information and will consider the agent to be available.

If the agent is on a call, but using another device than their primary device, for example, the DFN mobile client, the ACD checks if there is an active call on the primary device to determine if an agent is available or not. So, if an agent is making a call from another device, the ACD will consider the agent to be available.

Device status

Agent availability

Primary device is on a call

Not available

Primary cevice is ringing

Not available

Primary device is dialling a call, but has not yet placed it

Available

Device other than primary is on a call

Available

Primary device is on DND

Available

Primary device is not registered

Available