Queues

The default view for the queues page is the queue overview, which includes queue name and status, queue performance, and agent states. This high-level view can be sorted by all, active, or paused queues and can also be searched.

Note

An agent will see the queues they are assigned to, a manager will see all the queues they manage, and an admin will see all of the queues in the account.

Click any queue in the overview list so see the real time queue information; a list of all calls in the queue, a list of all agents in the queue, and an activity log for the queue.

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• Longest Waiting: Indicates the duration that the longest caller was waiting. "Longest Wait" is only updated when the longest call waiting in queue is delivered to an agent. If the longest wait for a queue is currently 10 seconds and a new call waits in a queue for 6 minutes and 49 seconds before being answered, then the longest wait is 6.49.

• Calls in Queue: Total number of calls waiting in the queue.

• Abandoned Calls: A call is considered abandoned when the following occurs:

  • The caller hung up the call while waiting in the queue
  • The caller pressed 0 for added options (voicemail, etc.); this only available if the "Zero Out" configuration is configured in the queue settings.

• Agents Ready: Indicates the number of agents available to answer calls. An agent is considered ready when they are active in a queue and "Ready" as a global status. If agent is "Paused" in the queue but "Ready" it will not count towards "Ready".

• Agents Busy: An agent is considered "Busy" if the agent answered a call from that specific queue. The "Busy" counter will increment by 1.

• Agents Away: Indicates the number of agents marked as "Away". An agent is considered away if they are logged in but "Paused" in that queue or if the agent is "Active" in the queue but "Away" globally.

• Missed Calls: A call is considered a missed call when the call times out for any reason. This includes if a call enters the queue and that call reaches the "Call Limit" as set in the queue configuration. Each time a call is offered to an agent and the agent does not answer, the call is considered missed and the count will increment. If a call rings the agent again, the count will increase if the agent does not answer the call. Abandoned calls are not considered a missed call while a call is offered (ringing).

• Handled Calls: Number of calls that were answered by agents in the queue.

Calls in queue

Shows a list of the calls in queue - from here you can answer or clear the call

Members

The "Members" tab allows you to add agents to the queue, as well as see list of all agents in the queue that can be sorted according to name, role, status, call handling, session duration, time marked as away, and skills.

Activity Logs

The "Activity Logs" presents a visual representation of everything that has happened in the queue and can be filtered by activity type and/or agent.

Creating queues

Users with admin permission can create queues.

Before you start

• Verify that your agents and members are listed with correct phone numbers
• Create a list of extensions to reserve for the call center
• Decide on your “hold” message: music, message, or queue time
• Decide routing strategies and how agents should be assigned

1. Go to Call Center > Queues.
2. Select “+ New Queue”.
3. The queue creation wizard will guide the you through the 7-step process to easily create a queue.

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Basic Info

1. Enter a queue name
2. Select a number or extension for the queue from your available numbers list.

General settings

1. Call limit: enter a call limit for the queue or leave it at 0

   • If the call limit is 1, any new call that tries to enter the queue will be terminated (dropped)
   • If the call limit is 0, the number of calls that can enter the queue is infinite (or limited to incoming trunk settings)
   • Any incoming call that is dropped will be counted toward "Missed Calls" for that queue, because it has entered the queue and subsequently terminated

2. Queue timeout: enter the number of seconds that the call should wait in the queue before timing out.

   • If escalation handling is configured, the call will timeout to the specified escalation handling destination
   • If "No Escalation" is configured, the call will terminate or drop
   • Maximum queue timeout is 7200 seconds

3. Timeout immediately if empty: enable or disable

   • If enabled and the queue is "Empty" (meaning no agents are logged in), the call will be routed to the callflow process; for example, the escalation queue or voicemail
   • The queue is not considered "Empty" if an agent in the queue is in an "Away" state or on a call

4. Immediate timeout if no agents are ready: enable or disable immediate timeout

5. Record all calls in this queue: enable for queue recording

   • If enabled, all calls will be recorded by default
   • Alternatively, admins can enable call recording for individual agents in the Members section
   • Transferred calls will be recorded up until the point that the agent who answered the call from the queue is no longer on the call
   • Hold music is not recorded if the agent puts the caller on hold
   • The maximum length of call that can be recorded is three hours
   • View and download recorded calls from the Call Recording app at the end of the call

6. Display agents to others/agents: allows agents to see other queue agents

7. Disable timeout for callback calls: (ignore - not currently supported)

8. Escalation Handling: calls that reach the "queue timeout" can be routed to an "Escalation" callflow.

   Escalation handling must be configured if you intend to use the skills-based call routing feature for your agents. If "No Escalation" is configured, the call will terminate or drop.

9. Dropout Options: allow a caller to press a digit to leave the queue

   • Add Redirect: Set a zero out option to another device, callflow or voicemail

10. Caller Announcement: used with Initiate Callback (not supported)

Important

To enable queue Call Recording, you MUST enable the Call Recording app in your system and the call recording service on your hosted PBX account. Contact support@iptelecom.ie to set this up.

Routing Strategy

Define how calls will be routed to agents within the queue, setting priorities based on specific metrics.

Type	Description
Round Robin	Offers calls to the agents in a “round robin” system which is the order that agents log in to the queue. In other words, it equally distributes the calls among all agents assigned to the queue. Agent 1, 2, 3, 4 are logged in and Ready. Queue might select agent 2, 3, 4, 1 for call offers order. If agent 1 doesn't answer the call, it would go to call 2, if agent 2 answers the call, any new call is offered to call 3.
Least Calls	Prioritizes routing calls to agents with the least amount of calls handled for their current session. Offers the call to the agent that has the fewest completed calls since logging in. The agent that has handled the least calls during their session is offered a new call. If multiple agents are tied for least handled call offer, queue selects an agent at random. If an agent logs out of session, and logs back in, their handled call count resets and the agent becomes the least calls handled. Changing state from away/available does not impact the count.
Least Offers	Prioritizes routing calls to agents with the least amount of call offers made during their current session.
Most Idle	Prioritizes routing calls to agents with the highest percentage of idle time since the last call handled. Calls continue to be offered to the agent with the most idle until the agent answers the call. After a call is handled, the most idle counter resets. For example, agent 1, 2 and 3 are members of a queue and are on a call. Agent 2 hangs up first, then 3 then 1. Agent 2 is the most idle agent. If a call is rejected by the most idle agent, it continues to try that agent until the agent either answers the call or becomes unavailable.
Ring All	Simultaneously route the call to all agents assigned to the queue.
Skills-Based Loose (pro feature)	Will try send a call to an agent that matches the skill defined. If there are no available agents with the skill, then the call will go to the next available agent.
Skills-Based Strict (pro feature)	Will send a call only to an agent that matches the skill defined. If there are no available agents with the skill, then the call will be escalated (Pro feature)

Important

Selecting a routing strategy other than "Round Robin" can cause calls to be offered to agents multiple times, and this will affect your stats for the queue.

For more info see Routing Strategy

Hold treatment

These settings define what should happen while the caller is on hold.

Select from the list of actions and drag and drop to configure as needed:

• Announce Position: tells the caller their number within the queue.
• Announce Wait: tells the caller their estimated wait time until their call is routed to an agent.
• Pause: allows you to designate a set number of seconds between actions.
• Play Media File: allows you to select a file (an uploaded file or stream URL [either mp3 or shoutcast]).

The hold treatment automatically loops during the hold for as many seconds as you defined in the General Settings, so there’s no need to duplicate an event in the loop.

Agent behaviour

Configure certain actions within the queue depending upon the agent’s behavior and status.

1. Agent connect timeout: set the amount of seconds a call will ring at an agent’s extension before it is sent to another agent or the next event in your callflow
2. Force away on rejected/missed: enable/disable a forced away state if an agent rejects or misses a call.
3. Allow agent recovery time: set how many seconds agents can have between calls
4. Allow recovery time extension: allow agents to extend their recovery time (they can do this using a refresh button within the agent workspace) see agents.

Member assignment

This step is optional at this stage and can be done later in the Members area.

1. Select agent(s) from the list of all Call Center agents on the left
2. Assign each the role of agent/manager, and click “Assign to Queue.”

Review + Confirm

The final page presents you with an overview of all the settings. If everything looks correct, hit “Save” and you’ve built a queue!

Pause queues

Click the "Active" button on a queue and select Pause Queue to prevent incoming calls temporarily. Click it again to reactivate the queue.

Bump a call in queue

1. Go to Queues > Calls in Queue
2. Hover on the call that you want to bump up

3. Click Bump to Next in Queue

   

Set up call recording for a queue

Before you can set up call recording for a queue, your account must have the Call Recording app installed. Contact your administrator to add this application if it doesn't show in your App exchange.

Important

You can only set up call recording after the queue is created.

1. Go to Call Center > Queues
2. Expand the queue you want and select the cog to edit

3. In General Settings, Basic Behaviour, enable "Record all calls in this queue".

   

4. Calls into the queue will be recorded and stored in the Call Recording app.

Note

To turn on/off recording at agent level, go to Members and use the slider to enable or disable call recording per user. - If Queue recording is enabled, then all calls into the queue will be recorded even if the slider is disabled per agent. - If Queue recording is disabled but per agent recording is turned on, recording will only happen for those agents who have recording enabled.

For more information about call recording, see Call Recording.