[asterisk-users] Re: Queues and multiple lines

[David Cook (Canada)]

Michael Sampson wrote ..
> Say I have agents using a softphone like eyebeam that has 6 lines.
> They
> log in to the queue. Say there are 3 agents in my queue. 3 calls come
> in
> and all three agents are on a call. Now a fourth call comes in. Is it
> possible to have it setup so that the 4 call rings on line 2 of one
> of
> my agents, if they don't get it within the time limit it rings on
> line 2
> of another agent and so on. An agent can then put their current call
> on
> hold and go to the new call, say something like "thanks for calling
> please hold", then go back to their first call, finish it up and then
> go
> back to the second call.

Michael, I don't think you want to do this in a Contact Centre
environment. Remember that once the agent has answered the call you
have now locked the caller to that agent. If another agent becomes
available first, they will no longer get the call. The free agent will
sit idle (or get the next call in queue which is NOT the caller who was
answered). The caller who was answered on line "x" by the other agent
must wait in perpetuity for the agent to become available, yet their
TALK TIME clock is running as the call WAS ANSWERED and ASSIGNED to the
agent.

You are better to play announcements during the queue wait time to say
whatever you want communicated to the people in queue. This way they
maintain their position in queue, the availability to be assigned to
any available agent that becomes available and their call stats work
out.

The call stats are really important as this is how you are going to
measure you agents. Even if you can separate the hold/talk times, your
stats for the agents will become meaningless and hurt your Work Force
Management (WFM) programs and seriously impair you ability to
manage/measure your people.

dbc.