Call Queue

This article is a companion document for the Switchvox Call Queue video and will guide you through how to create a Call Queue extension, an Agent Login extension, and an Agent Logout extension. 

• Where to Find

Call Queue extension settings may be accessed in the Switchvox Administration portal under Set Up -> Extensions -> Manage.

• Creating a Call Queue

Click on Create Extension (first photo). From the Extension Type drop-down menu, select Call Queue, then click Create Extension (second photo). 

• Queue Information and Members

Here you will enter all of the information for the queue and its members. Enter a number for the Queue Extension, give the queue a name, then select the Ringing Strategy, which includes:

• Ring All

• Round Robin

• Least Recently Answered

• Fewest Answered Calls

• Random

• In Order

To add member to the queue, you may either click the Add Members icon, or search for a name (or extension) using the search field. When using the Add Members icon, you may add members from Extension Groups or Phone Extensions. You may also determine whether the extensions will be permanent or login members (meaning that may log in and out of the queue). When adding members from the search field, they will automatically become permanent members. To change the login method or re-arrange the order of the members, highlight the entry and use the buttons on the right to make changes.

• Queue Member Settings

Under Queue Member Settings, you may configure how calls will be made in the queue. Settings include:

• Seconds to Ring Each Member- the maximum time a queue member's phone may ring before Switchvox stops ringing that member's phone and moves the to next member.

• Seconds Between Members- the maximum number of seconds a queue member's phone may ring before Switchvox begins ringing the next member in the queue. 

• Seconds for Wrap Up- the minimum amount of time after disconnecting a call before the agent may receive a new call from the queue. 

• Pickup Announcement- alerts a member that the call they just answered was from a queue. After the prompt plays, the member is then connected to the call. 

• Acknowledged Call- requires members to press 'One' to accept a call. If a member hangs up without pressing 'One', then the call goes to the next member. 

• Auto Log Off After Missed Calls- controls when login members are automatically logged out of this queue. 

• Receive Calls While On a Call- This setting allows members to receive calls when they're already on a call.

 Note: You do not have to save your changes until you have gone through all of the tabs. 

• Caller Experience

Allows you to configure the settings for what happens when a caller is waiting in the queue, as well as what they will hear.

• Queue Callers Hear- allows you to select whether callers hear 'Ringing' or 'Music On Hold'.

• Music On Hold-  if you selected 'Music On Hold', you may choose the group that contains the music that will be played.

• Announce Position in Queue- if you select 'Yes', the caller hears an announcement when they enter the queue letting them know their position in the queue. If you select 'No', the caller hears 'Music On Hold' with no position announcement.

• Announce Estimated Hold Time- If you select 'Yes', the caller hears an announcement with their estimated hold before they can speak with someone.

• Announcement Frequency- the number of seconds between announcements.

• Manage Queue Announcements

Under Manage Queue Announcements, there are pre-defined announcements that you may choose to play for callers while they wait. For each announcement, there is a drop-down menu that allows you to select the sound file to be played. Silence, or empty sounds, may be selected if you want to exclude specific messages. Note: all files are stored in the in the sound manager located in the tools section. 

• In Queue Call Routing

This contains pre-defined call redirect scenarios. These scenarios include:

• Redirecting a call if it has been waiting in a queue for a set period of time.

• If there are no members logged in. 

• If there are already unanswered calls waiting.

• If a queue call has passed through a Ringing Strategy a set number of times.

• If the caller has dialed 0.

To utilize one of these rules, simply fill in the blanks with where you want the call routed or when it should be routed.

• Permissions

The last tab is where you can set the permission level for an extension to see queue information on a Digium phone or the Switchboard. The options are: 

• My Status- allows to open this queue and see his or her call information. 

• Overview- allows the extension to open this queue and see his or her call information, as well as an overview of all the queue information for today. 

• Detailed View- allows an extension to open this queue and see his or her call information, an overview of all the queue information, each member's active calls and queue status, and all calls waiting in the queue. 

• Call Control- allows the extension to used Switchboard widgets to move a waiting call to the top of the queue, giving it the highest priority. Assign a waiting call to a specific member so the call goes directly to that member as soon as they are available, log any member out of the queue, and answer a waiting call, taking it out of the queue. This action may be initiated by a non-member, or a member who is not logged into the queue. Note: this action removes the call from the queue data. 

• Save Call Queue

Now that all of the queue configuration information has been entered, click Save Call Queue. 

Note: if you designated any extensions as login members, you may create an extension for the members to log in and out of the queue, or they may use the Switchboard to log in and out. Reference the Switchboard training module to see how queue members may use the Switchboard Widgets to log in and out of the queues.
 

• Creating Agent Login Extensions

Go to Set Up -> Extensions -> Manage. Click Create Extension, and from the Extension Type drop-down menu, select 'Agent Login', then click Create Extension (second photo). 

The Agent Login Settings include:

• Extension Number- enter a unique number for this extension. Note: if you'd like the members to call from their desk phone, and automatically be logged in to every queue, you may save at this time.  

• Require Password to Log In- when set to 'Yes', members are required to enter a password before logging into the queue. 

• Log In/Log Out Toggle- when set to 'Yes', members are allowed to use a single extension to both log in and out of the queue.

• Always Prompt Agents to Enter Their Extension- when set to 'Yes', members are required to enter their Switchvox extension number when entering the queue.

• Affect Virtual Extension Login/Logout Status- should be set to 'Yes' if you are using a virtual extension to log into a phone, as well as a call queue. This setting ensures when agents log out, it will apply to both the phone and the queue. 

When set to 'Yes', Affect All Queues allows the member to be logged in or out of all queues for which they are a member. If you want the members to be able to log in or out of specific queues, set to 'No' and specify the queues in the collector box by using the search field or the find queues icon. When finished, click Save Agent Log in Extensions. 

• Create Agent Log Out Extension

If you prefer separate extensions for logging in and out, then you will need to create an Agent Log Out Extension. To do so, go to Set Up -> Extensions -> Manage. Click Create Extension, and from the Extension Type drop-down menu, select 'Agent Log Out', then click Create Extension.

Note: Agent Log Out Extensions are create the same way as Agent Log In Extensions, they only have two of setting options: Require Password to Log Out and Affect Virtual Extension Login/Logout Status.

Title

Switchvox Call Queue Admin Training