Call Queue

Hello Kirby,

1. What is your Announce frequency setting? queue_holdtime is a path to audio file which replaces defalt "The current est. holdtime is" message.

2. Yes, setting is called "Report hold time to agent".

3. One of the options that I can think of requires good amount of cutomization. You will have to assign context option. This context should have extension by dialing which, system gathers information like CallerID number, queue name and position. After playing back some confirmation annoncements if you would need some and before hanging up, system should create Localchannel which will be placed to the correct position in the queue. This Localchannel should be based on a context which will be playing back some message in the loop. So when it gets connected, agent can figure out that callback call must be placed an confirm this by pressing some key/-s. Then dialplan in this context must dial original caller. CallerID number can be passed by EXTEN.

your third question is near impossible, just an FYI. Ive seen lots of systems that make this claim, but there is no true way to do this right. IF you leave the queue, you leave the queue. Making a system call you back (assuming the caller picks up their phone, which never happens and often results in their Voicemail app sitting in the queue). The biggest problem with this is that it relies on estimated hold times. Unless you consistently have 15 - 20 min hold times throughout the entire day, this metric is NEVER accurate. You would need at least 10 agents and VERY consistent hold times for this to even be viable.

let me explain how these hack workarounds work.....

1. user leaves queue through a digit press and leaves the callback number
2. system creates a timer based on average hold time and at the end of this timer creates a call file to call the user
3. user answers the phone and is re-injected into the queue, but this time with a higher PRIO[rity] giving them head of the line priveleges

but here is the reality, a LOT of people who use this feature. The end result is these people get called back as a priority ONLY to find themselves waiting back in line behind the same people, only this time its 20min later. In fact the persons that don't use this feature wind up getting faster customer service than those trying to do it the other way.

as Volodya said, its a lot of customization, and generally that is discouraged on a MTE because the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Also worth mentioning, any system that requires the agent to create an outbound call based on a placeholder then becomes a call NOT recorded in the Queue Logs. This means no reporting. Hence why the callfile with the origination method is the most common design to a callback scenario.

Next question - is there a way to report on how long callers were on hold?

this is recorded in the queue log as well as appearing on the live monitor.

Thanks for your reply.

1. Currently the announce frequency is set to 30 seconds. I've removed the queue_holdtime option and tested. The queue still does not announce the estimated wait time. The only thing it announces is where the caller is in line. I've attached a screenshot of how it is configured. I do have announce hold time set to yes. If there is something I'm missing, I'd love to know.

2. What I meant to ask is there a built in report that I can run that will show me the hold time of all the calls in the queue. I'm aware of the queue log, but I'd like to put that info into a graph or at least something a little more readable to an executive.

3. As I'm not really an asterisk guru, it sounds like this is something I might have to contract out to a vendor.

Erik,
I appreciate your comments here. It makes a lot of sense, and the voicemail app playing in the queue does sound like a real problem. The director wanting me to look into this is pretty adamant about having a callback feature in the queue, so I will probably have to figure out how to make it happen anyway.

sorry for the late reply... I had a hospital event arise on groundhogs day which put me out for a week. It took a couple more weeks to get caught up. As far as reporting, the thirdlane queue analysis is rather lacking. I would instead suggest using Queuemetrics in conjunction with Thirdlane. There is a way to have thirdlane send the queue entries to a database on a queuemetrics server to collect. In their reports you can literally see every single call, how long they were on hold, who answered the call, who hung up the call and/or if the agent transfered the call and to whom. The agent also has the ability to classify the call if you need to track any sort of campaign or other information such as 'did the call result in a sale?' etc. This, of course, would require setting some wrapup-time on the queue so the agent's phone wont ring for X number of seconds after a call ends, allowing them to finalize specific information.