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Enhanced Agent Groups

Using an enhanced agent group allows you to:

  • create daily and recurring schedules for the agent group
  • manage multiple outbound sub-campaigns with a single agent group
  • use the system hold queue
  • access an automatically managed hold queue, ensuring that the requested number of simultaneous calls is delivered
  • use remote and at-home agents
  • access an outbound ACD
  • improve campaign performance by enhancing the customer experience and reducing abandoned calls
  • allow agents to remain connected between calls when contacts are in the messaging system hold queue so that they can handle the next call without hanging up
  • decrease hold time for call recipients
  • improve agent utilization
  • assign each agent a unique phone number
  • access the Contact Center Control Panel with individual agent view
  • create detailed reports and statistics on individual agents

Create or Edit an Enhanced Agent Group

Important
The agent group type (standard, enhanced, portal or transfer) cannot be changed. You must delete the group and configure a new one.

When you create an enhanced agent group, you add a schedule group to the agent group, then add individual agent/phone number combinations to it. Once the agent group is created, you can add additional schedule groups to it. Each schedule group contains one or more agents. A given agent/phone number can be assigned to only one schedule group. As you hire new agents, you can create a new schedule group or add them to an existing one.

  • To create an enhanced agent group, click New from the Agent Groups tabbed page.
  • To edit an enhanced agent group, from the Agent Group list, select the agent group from the Agent Group list and click Edit.

Now enter or edit the following:

  1. In the Name box, enter a unique name for the agent group.
  2. From the Time Zone list, select the time zone in which the agents will be operating.
  3. Select Enhanced as the Agent Group Type when creating the agent group.
  4. Select from the Hang-up after call options.
  5. Select the Maximum after call duration option, which is the amount of time to allow agents for after call work. Note that this will limit the amount of time the agent has to enter custom Disposition Codes, possibly resulting in the code being lost. Select Unlimited to allow agents unlimited time to do after call work.
  6. Select the Pause before dialing extension option, which is the amount of time to allow before dialing an extension. Select None in order for the connection to an agent to take place without a pause. To play a disclaimer message before connecting clients to an agent, select the amount of time needed to play the disclaimer before dialing the agent's extension. For example, if it takes 20 seconds for the disclaimer to play, select at least 20 seconds so that the disclaimer can play completely.
  7. If the ability to record a call has been contractually enabled, select from the Recording and Retention options.
  8. In the Skill(s) field, enter the associated skills, separated by commas.
  9. Click Create Agent Group to create the agent group or Save Agent Group to save the edits.

See Agent Group Schedule to learn how to create and edit an agent group schedule.

Hang-up After Call Options

The following hang-up after call options are available:

  • Always - Select this option to disconnect the line after each client call. This forces all calls to be routed through your ACD or PBX. (This may increase the amount of time it takes a client to connect to an agent.)
  • Never - Select this option to keep the phone line open between client calls. Leaving the phone line open may significantly decrease the time a client remains on hold, as the system does not dial in to an ACD or PBX for each call. The first call an agent receives comes through the ACD or PBX but, assuming there are clients in the messaging system hold queue, the agent presses a telephone key to receive the next call. Note that this Hang Up option must be selected in order for agents using the Direct Bridge feature of Agent Voice Portal.
  • When no work - Select this option to disconnect if there is no call in the queue.

Recording and Retention Options

If call recording has been contractually enabled, the following recording and retention options are available when creating or editing an agent group:

Recording

  • Enabled - Select this option to enable the recording function in this agent group. To disable recording for the agent group, clear the check box.
  • Agent Delete Permitted - Select this option to allow the agent to delete recordings.
  • Agent Pause/Resume enabled - Select this option to allow the agents to pause and resume recordings in progress.

Retention

  • Percent recorded - The number entered into the Percent recorded field identifies the percentage of calls that will be recorded. You can select a lower number than the default maximum number which was set at the Account level, but you can not increase the percentage of calls to be recorded.
  • Minimum Duration Saved (0-7200 sec) - The number entered into the Minimum Duration Saved field identifies the minimum number of seconds that a call must continue before the recording is stored. If a call lasts fewer than the minimum number of seconds identified, any recording which was begun will be deleted. You can select a number lower than the default, which was set at the Account level, but you can not increase the percentage of calls to be recorded.
  • Agent Recordings Saved (1-180 days) - The number entered into the Agent Recordings Saved field identifies the default number of days that a recording will be retained in the messaging system. You can select a number lower than the default, which was set at the Account level, but you cannot increase the number of days.

Enhanced Agent Group Menu Options

The agent group command menu for enhanced agent groups contains the following menu options:

  • New - Use this command to create a new enhanced agent group.
  • Edit - See Edit enhanced agent group settings.
  • New Agent - Select this option to add individual agents to the agent group.
  • Import Agents - Select this option to add agents to the agent group by importing their information.
  • Delete - Select this option to delete the agent group, along with all phone numbers and associated schedules. You cannot delete an agent group that is currently assigned to a sub-campaign.
  • View
    • Expand all - Select this option to expand all the agent groups in the list in order to view the assigned sub-campaigns and passes.
    • Collapse all - Select this option to collapse all the agent groups in the list.
    • Archived - Select this option to view the archived campaigns.
  • Pacing
    • Speedup / Slowdown - When the current rate of calling is not resulting in the desired number of Direct Connects, select this option to adjust the calling rate up or down. Note that adjusting the rate up or down may cause an undesirable change to the system defined constant rate per minute of outbound messages when using Auto Pacing.
    • Set Agents / Priority - Select this option to set the priority of each pass (High, Medium or Low) relative to the other passes in the sub-campaign. The number of agents assigned to each pass is adjusted accordingly.
    • Manage Pacing - Select this option to display the Manage Pacing dialog, where you can edit all pacing options in one place.
  • Reporting
    • Create Summary Report
    • Create Detail Report
    • Refresh

Add Enhanced Agents

Add an agent to an enhanced agent group in one of three ways from the Agent Groups tabbed page:

  • Select the Agent Group row and select Edit -> New Agent
  • Select the Agent Group row, right click and select New Agent
  • Select List Agents - New

The New Agent dialog appears with the following options:

  1. In the User ID field, enter the agent's email address as the User ID.
  2. In the First Name field, enter the agent's first name.
  3. In the Last Name field, enter the agent's last name.
  4. In the Skill(s) field, enter the associated skills, separated by commas.
  5. Select the enhanced agent group to which the agent will belong from the Agent Group list.
  6. Select the schedule group from the Schedule Group list.
  7. Select the time zone from the Time Zone list.
  8. In the Channel list, Voice is the only available option and Outbound appears as the connect method.
  9. In the Phone Number field, type the agent's 10-digit phone number (for example, 888 555 0001, 8885550001, or 888-555-0001). If the agent's phone number includes an extension, enter a space following the 10-digit phone number followed by the letter "x" and the extension (for example, 888-555-0001 x1234).
  10. Click Create Agent to add the agent to the agent group and return to the Agent Groups list.

The agent is assigned the user role of Agent, added to the recurring schedule group and becomes available based on the days and times defined in the schedule of the schedule group.

Delete an Enhanced Agent Group

When you delete an enhanced agent group, all agents are moved to the Unassigned list. The agents can then be assigned to another portal agent group, as required.

To delete an enhanced agent group:

  1. On the Agent Groups list, select the agent group to be deleted.
  2. From the menu bar, select Edit > Delete, or right click the selected agent group row and select Delete. The Delete Agent Group Confirmation dialog appears.
  3. Click Yes. The Agent Group list is refreshed, without the deleted agent group.

Related Topics

This page was last edited on August 1, 2017, at 14:44.
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