Call Queues

1. Call Queues allow you to create an environment in which your customers will never hear a busy signal and are routed in a proper method, according the the rules you configure.
   

What Types of Call Queue Options Are There?

Clarity Call Queues offer an array of strategies allowing you to choose what works best for your business.

• Round Robin (Longest Idle) – Routes the caller to the agent that has been idle longest.
• Ring All – Routes the caller to all available agents at the same time.
  
• Round Robin (Longest Idle) – Routes the caller to the agent that has been idle longest.
• Tiered Round Robin -  Routes the caller to groups of Tiered Agents and routes the caller to the agent who has been idle longest. 
• Linear Hunt – Routes the caller to the available agents, always in the same predefined order.
• Linear Cascade – Routes the caller to groups of available agents in a predefined order.
• Call Park – Places the caller on hold, on all phones, until an agent retrieves them.
  
  

Adding an Agent/Extension to a Call Queue

1. Click the Call Queues Tab. 
   
1. You must be an Admin/Manager permission level to access Call Queues. To switch to your Manager View, click Manage Organization or Manage Call Center. 
   
   
2. You will see a list of all Call Queues.   You may edit the Agents by either clicking on the number of Agents (in blue) or clicking the Edit Agents person icon.
   
   
1. You will see a list of the Agents and their current status.   Green is logged in and in a status available to take calls, Red is busy, and Gray is unavailable (not able to take calls).
   
   
3. You will also be able to see their current Settings, including Wrap-up Time and Max Calls.
   
1. You may Edit or Delete an Agent from the Call Queue entirely.  Hover over the Agent and both options will appear.
   
   
   
4. To add an Agent/Extension, click Add Agent. 
   
   
   
5. You may add an Agent by their Device or User.   Click inside the field and choose the correct User/Device from the available list. 
1. For an internal Agent, you will generally leave the initial Status as Online. 
2. Leave Request Confirmation unchecked.  Only External numbers will need to receive a "press one confirmation" message prior to being connected.  Choose Save Agent.
   
   
   
6. You may add an External Agent by typing in their 11-digit phone number.  This is generally a manager or work-from-home Agent who is using their cell phone number, rather than a Device or User to take calls. 
   
1. As you type the phone number, you will see the system auto-filling the phone number below the field. Click the auto-filled number.  The phone number will be added.
   
   
2. Choose the Status.  If the External Agent will always need to be available to take a call when the Call Queue is scheduled to be in the Routing, then set them to Online.  If they will be joining the Call Queue as needed, then set them to Offline, then you can toggle them to Online when they are needed. 
3. Checkmark Request Confirmation.  This setting will ensure that the External Agent receives a "press one to confirm that you would like to take this call" message before the call connects.  This not only notifies the External Agent that the incoming call is a business call, but also prevents the call from being taken by their personal cell phone's voicemail. 
   
4. Choose Save Agent. 
   
   
   
7. Click Done once all Editing/Adding is complete. 
   
   

Agent Configuration Options

• Status – You can set the Agent's initial Status to Online or Offline.  The agent will be allowed to update their own status once they are in the Queue by logging in/out.
  
• Wrap Up Time – The number of seconds before an Agent is made available to take a call again.  This is sometimes known as "after-call work". 
  
• Max Simultaneous Calls – The maximum number of calls the User can be on at one time.  For Call Center environments, this is generally set to (1).  For small offices, this is sometimes set higher, depending on business needs. 
  
• Queue Priority for Agent – The priority for the Agent in the queue. Lower numbers are prioritized higher. This allows you to set agents with the higher skill level to be prioritized when a call comes in.
  
• Request Confirmation – An agent can ‘Confirm’ receiving a call once they pick up the phone and press ‘1’.  This is generally used for External Agents only who are using cell phones to answer business calls. 
  
• Auto Answer – Will answer the call automatically based on queue type. For a Round Robin queue, this will be the first agent to ring. For Ring All or Call Park, it will be the longest idle agent.
  
  

Advanced Queuing

As different business needs arise, you may have a primary group of Agents that you would like in a Queue and another group that rings (in addition to the first) after a given period of time.

Queue Callback is a feature that allows a caller in the Queue to request a callback from the next available agent.

1. This feature holds the caller’s place in the queue until an Agent is available. 
   
   
2. When the next Agent is available their phone will ring. The Agent will hear “We are connecting you to a customer.  To accept this call, press ‘1’”.   
   
   
3. When the Agent presses ‘1’,  an automatic outbound call is made to the customer's callback number.
   

Need More Specific Information?

Admin/Manager Guides

1. "Office Manager" Admin Guide
   
2. "Advanced User" Admin Guide
   
3. "Call Center Supervisor" Admin Guide
   
4. "Site Manager" Admin Guide