Call Queues
Overview:
Call Queues is the functionality that helps you manage incoming call traffic when all lines are busy or representatives are unavailable.
When a caller tries to reach a business and all agents are occupied, the call queue places the caller in line, playing hold music or promotional messages while they wait. Call queues allow you to handle high volumes of calls efficiently without losing potential clients due to dropped calls or excessive waiting times. They often include options for prioritizing certain calls or providing callers with information about their expected wait time.
Table of Contents
Introduction to Call Queues
Configure the way calls are allocated to match your business needs and agent capabilities. Leverage PBX.IM ’s advanced features to distribute calls based on time routing, team availability, agent skill sets, or simply use a round-robin method. Set time limits for customers to be on hold, have their questions answered, and be transferred to another available agent.
Access Call Queues
- Log into PBX.IM Dashboard
- Go to "Call Routing"
- Select "Call Queues" from the drop down menu
Set up a Call Queue
Click on "Add Call Queue".
Complete the form by following the next steps:
General tab
Type
Purpose
How to use
Name
Input the name of the call queue. This helps in identifying and managing different queues based on their purpose or department.
Write the name and press Enter
Call Distribution
This dropdown menu allows you to select the method by which calls are distributed to agents.
Choose between:
- Ring All
- Longest Idle Agent
- Round Robin
- Top Down
- Agent with least talk time
- Agent with fewest calls
- Sequentially by agent order
- Sequentially by next agent order
Here’s what each of them means:
.1Ring All: This option rings all available agents simultaneously. The first agent to answer takes the call. This can ensure quick response times but might overwhelm agents if call volume is high.
.2Longest Idle Agent: With this setting, the system routes calls to the agent who has been idle the longest since their last call. This helps balance the workload among agents by ensuring that all agents have roughly equal idle times between calls.
.3Round Robin: This method distributes calls in a cyclical order among the agents, ensuring each agent gets a turn before the cycle repeats. It’s a straightforward way to evenly distribute calls.
.4Top Down: Calls are distributed starting from the top of a predefined list of agents and moving downwards. Once the bottom is reached, it starts at the top again. This can prioritize more experienced agents if they are placed higher on the list.
.5Agent With Least Talk Time: This option sends calls to the agent who has accumulated the least amount of talk time, helping to equalize the amount of time each agent spends on calls.
.6Agent With Fewest Calls: Similar to the previous option but based on the number of calls handled rather than talk time. It routes calls to the agent who has handled the fewest calls.
.7Sequentially By Agent Order: Calls are routed to agents based on their position in a list. Once an agent receives a call, the next call goes to the following agent in the list, and this continues sequentially.
.8Sequentially By Next Agent Order: This method also follows a list but starts from the agent next in line after the last agent who received a call, continuing sequentially from there.
.9Random: Calls are distributed randomly among available agents. This can be useful to prevent any pattern in call distribution that might inadvertently burden certain agents more than others.
Labels
You can assign specific labels to the queue for better organization and filtering
Write the name and press ENTER.
Max Wait Time
This setting determines the maximum amount of time a caller will wait in the queue before being redirected or disconnected.
Press the arrows UP or DOWN to increase or decrease the waiting time. Setting this to '0 Seconds' means there is no upper limit on waiting time.
Max Wait Time - No Agents
Similar to Max Wait Time, but specific to scenarios where no agents are available. It shows how long a caller will have to wait when there are no agents in the queue before being directed to the exit destination.
Press the arrows UP or DOWN to increase or decrease the waiting time. Setting this to '0 Seconds' means unlimited time.
Auto-answer calls for available agents
If checked, this option allows incoming calls to be automatically picked up by available agents, bypassing the need for them to manually answer.
Check the box if you want this option to be available.
Leave the box unchecked if you don’t want this option to be available.
Agent Ring Time
Sets how long the system will try ringing an agent before moving on to the next available agent.
Press the arrows UP or DOWN to increase or decrease the waiting time. Setting this to '0 Seconds' means unlimited time.
Service Level Agreement (SLA)
It represents the expected level of service for a Queue defined by the strategy and target interval.
You can choose between the following options:
- Abandoned Calls Ignored
- Abandoned Calls Negative Impact
- Abandoned Calls Positive Impact
Here’s how you can use them:
.1Abandoned Calls Ignored: Selecting this option means that abandoned calls (calls where the caller hangs up before being connected to an agent) do not affect the SLA metrics. This setting can be useful if abandonment rates are high due to factors outside the control of the agents, such as long waiting times.
.2Abandoned Calls Negative Impact: Choosing this option means that abandoned calls will negatively impact the SLA performance metrics. This reflects poorly on the overall service level, indicating that the service might not be meeting customer expectations or that waiting times are too long.
.3Abandoned Calls Positive Impact: With this setting, abandoned calls actually count positively towards SLA metrics. This unusual setting might be used in scenarios where the goal is to minimize the time spent on each call, promoting efficiency or if abandoned calls are viewed as a form of self-filtering by callers who may not require direct assistance.
.4No SLA: This indicates that no Service Level Agreement metrics are being applied or monitored. This setting might be used in less formal environments where SLA metrics are not necessary, or in setups that are in a testing phase or newly implemented.
Agents tab
On this tab you can set the permissions for your agents.
Type
Purpose
How to use
Enable Agents Levels
If this option is available and checked, it allows you to set different priority or skill levels for agents within the queue. This can be used to ensure that more experienced or skilled agents handle more complex calls, or to route calls based on the agent's specific expertise.
Check the box if you want to make this option available.
Leave the box unchecked if you don’t want this option available.
When you make the option available you will have 2 options to choose from:
.1After level wait time, move to next level - When selected, this setting will move a call to the next level of agents after a specified amount of time has passed if the call has not been answered.
.2Skip levels with no available agents: If checked, this option allows the system to bypass any levels that do not have any available agents to take calls. This is useful for maintaining efficiency and reducing caller wait time, as it prevents calls from being routed to levels where no one can answer.
You can check both options at the same time and select the Level Wait Time by pressing UP or DOWN the arrows.
Available Users
This section lists all the users within the organization who can potentially be assigned to handle calls. Each name or email address represents a user who can be selected to become an agent in this specific call queue.
Click on the user name and press Join Options to select how new agents are added to the queue.
You can select 4 options:
- Manual - An agent joins the queue manually
- Auto - An agent joins the queue automatically on check in
- Forced - An agent joins the queue automatically on check in. Can only be removed by the manager.
- Reserved - An manager adds/removes an agent from the queue.
Cancel and Save buttons
These buttons allow you to either cancel the configuration or save the changes you have made.
Click Cancel if you want to discard changes and exit without saving.
Click Save to apply and save all the settings you have configured.
Exit Destinations
This tab is used to define what happens when a call needs to be redirected or handled differently based on specific conditions or inputs from the caller.
Type
Purpose
How to use
Default Destination
This option allows you to set a default action or destination for calls when they exit the queue.
Select, from the drop down menu, the option that suits your needs best.
You can choose from:
- User
- Time Condition
- Endpoint
- Queue
- Announcement
- Forward
- IVR
- Voicemail
- Ring Group
- Conference
Once you have selected the option click on Value. This field allows you to select specific settings or configurations related to the chosen type, such as a specific IVR system or announcement to use
Exit By Digit
Under the Exit By Digit you will have 3 fields to complete:
- Choose Digit
- Choose Type
- Choose Value
Here’s how you can use them:
Choose digit Dropdown: Allows callers to select a digit on their keypad to choose a specific action or route during the call. This is part of the IVR functionality where callers can self-route to different departments or information areas based on their input.
Select type Dropdown: This dropdown complements the digit selection by specifying what action is taken when a particular digit is pressed. You can choose between:
- User
- Time Condition
- Endpoint
- Queue
- Announcement
- Forward
- IVR
- Voicemail
- Ring Group
- Conference
Choose value: Once you select the option from the dropdown you can choose a value. This field allows you to select specific settings or configurations related to the chosen action, such as a specific department’s extension or a particular announcement.
Add Button (+): Allows you to add multiple digit-based actions, enabling callers to have several options during their call, each leading to different destinations or actions based on their choice.
Cancel and Save buttons
These buttons allow you to either cancel the configuration or save the changes you have made.
Click Cancel if you want to discard changes and exit without saving.
Click Save to apply and save all the settings you have configured.
Announcements
This tab is dedicated to setting up and managing audio announcements that are played to callers in various scenarios.
Type
Purpose
How to use
Caller Pre-Join
From the dropdown, select a media file to be played to callers before they are connected to the queue.
You can select from Welcome messages, Christmas greetings, RingTone or anything you add on the Announcement tab.
Agent Pre-Answer
Similar to the 'Caller Pre-Join' setting, but this media file is played to callers just before an agent answers the call.
You can use this to inform the caller about the agent who will be attending to them or to play last-minute notifications. Use the dropdown menu to select the file that best suits your goals.
Audio Playback
This section lets you manage a list of audio files that can be played during the call. You can select each entry from a library of available audio files.
Whenever you want to add a new audio follow this steps:
.1Click on +
.2Press Choose an audio playback
.3Select the audio you want to play
.4Check the box under Repeat if you want the audio to play more than once
.5Save the changes
If you want to edit the Audio you have selected click on the cog icon.
You will be able to:
- Language: change the language in which the announcement will be made
- Intro Audio: choose the audio played before the selected media file
- Outro Audio: choose the audio played after the selected media file
Cancel and Save buttons
These buttons allow you to either cancel the configuration or save the changes you have made.
Click Cancel if you want to discard changes and exit without saving.
Click Save to apply and save all the settings you have configured.
Performance Reports
You need to have an Admin role to view these reports.
As an Admin, you can monitor real-time performance, assess the efficiency of call handling, and make adjustments to staffing or procedures based on the data to improve service quality and responsiveness.
Let’s take an example and break it down one by one:
This data is fictive and for exemplification purposes only
Step 1: Choose the ''All Queues'' option
Step 2: Select ''All teams''
Step 3: Choose the dates
After doing this you will be able to see the following information:
Live Calls
Shows the number of calls that are currently active across all queues.
Queue Calls
Total number of calls currently waiting in queues.
- Waiting Calls: 136 is the number of times callers have had to wait.
- Max Wait Time: Longest time a caller has waited is 04:25.
- Answered: Percentage of waiting calls that have been answered (84 or 27%).
- SLA: Percentage of calls answered within the service level agreement (87%).
Inbound Calls
Total incoming calls.
- Answered: Number and percentage of calls answered (55 or 67%).
- No Answer: Calls not answered (27 or 33%).
- Avg. Talk Time: Average duration of a call (07:32).
Outbound Calls
Total outgoing calls.
- Answered: Number and percentage of calls that were answered (18 or 44%).
- No Answer: Calls that were not answered (22 or 56%).
- Avg. Talk Time: Average duration of a call (03:31).
Total Calls
Combined total of inbound and outbound calls.
- Talk Time: Total time spent on all calls (1:45:24).
- Avg. Talk Time: Average talk time across all calls (07:32).
Queue Call Stats (Graph)
The chart shows the distribution of wait time versus average call duration for all calls.
Detailed Queue Metrics
- Name: Lists different queues such as "Returning customers", "Client support", etc.
- Live Calls: Number of active calls in each queue.
- Waiting Calls: Number of callers waiting to be served in each queue.
- Longest Waiting Call: Maximum time a caller has been waiting in each queue.
- Avg. Wait Time: Average waiting time across calls in each queue.
- Available Agents: Number of agents available to take calls in each queue.
- Agents on Call: Number of agents currently handling calls.
- Total Answered: Total calls answered in each queue.
- SLA: Percentage of calls answered within the service level agreement for each queue.
- Total Calls: Total number of calls handled by each queue.
Common Use Cases
Call queues are essential tools in managing large volumes of calls in various settings. They help you distribute calls efficiently among available agents and ensure a smooth caller experience. Here are four common use cases for call queues, including the scenario and solution for each:
1. Customer Support Center
- Scenario: You are a technology company that receives hundreds of calls daily from users needing assistance with their products. The calls often arrive in bursts, leading to potential long wait times and dropped calls.
- Solution: Implementing call queues allows you to manage these bursts efficiently. Calls are distributed based on agent availability and expertise. The queue system can provide callers with estimated wait times and the option to receive a callback instead of waiting on hold, improving customer satisfaction and reducing dropped calls.
2. Healthcare Appointment Scheduling
- Scenario: You own a large clinic that experiences high call volumes during specific hours when patients call to book or reschedule appointments. Patients often face long waiting times, leading to frustration and potential loss of service.
- Solution: Using a call queue system, your clinic can manage incoming calls more effectively by distributing them among a larger pool of available administrative staff. The system can also prioritize calls based on the urgency of the request (e.g., same-day appointments). Automated messages could inform callers about quieter times to call or guide them to an online booking system.
3. Technical Support for IT Services
- Scenario: You are an IT service provider that deals with technical support requests varying widely in complexity, from simple password resets to system outage issues.
- Solution: Call queues are set up with different priority levels; simple issues are routed to less experienced agents while more complex problems are directed to specialized technical staff.
4. Retail Order and Payment Inquiries
- Scenario: You own a retail company during peak shopping seasons (like Christmas or Black Friday) and you receive an influx of calls regarding orders, shipping, and payment issues.
- Solution: Call queues can help manage the increased call load by categorizing calls into different queues based on the query type (orders, payments, complaints, etc.). Introductory announcements can inform customers about expected wait times and frequently asked questions, reducing the burden on live agents.