[asterisk-users] Skill based routing

[Alex Balashov]

The simplicity of this approach is elegant, but in that case, why use a
queue?  Why not just perform this logic straight in the dial plan when
processing the received call?

The benefit of queues arises from their ability to keep state;  they can
retry agents, carry out different ring strategies, etc.  I understood the
original question to be implicitly about incorporating weights for skills
into queue or queue-like call distribution mechanisms, since that is how
it is done in call center products.  If the question is simply how to make
Asterisk consider certain outside information when choosing to whom to
route a call, the answer would be that it is identical to the process for
embedding any other kind of logic and/or outside data source into call
processing.

> Another simple way is to add local/foo/n as the only "agent" on the
> queue. In the dialplan for local/foo , interrogate a database for the
> most appropriate "agent" and then call that agent's extension.
>
> Julian
>
> 2009/7/17 Matt Florell <astmattf at gmail.com>:
>> On 7/17/09, Alex Balashov <abalashov at evaristesys.com> wrote:
>>> Rupert Utteridge - Digital Techniques (Austalia) Limited wrote:
>>>
>>>  > We are trying to implement skill based routing for agents in a
>>> support
>>>  > centre based on the agent login. Has anyone had any experience with
>>> this
>>>  > and what was the outcome?
>>>
>>>
>>> It can't really be done using Asterisk queues, unless you want to
>>> create
>>>  a large number of queues for every relevant skill factor and have
>>> agents
>>>  join various combinations of these simultaneously--which would take
>>>  quite a bit of dial plan and/or AGI logic to pull off.  Plus, that
>>>  doesn't scale any given queue beyond one host.
>>>
>>>  I suggest you look into using FastAGI[1] to simulate the queue
>>>  experience by generating hold music and announcements without actually
>>>  using Asterisk queues per se.  This is quite possible to do, and, this
>>>  allows you to distribute queues across multiple hosts, as well as
>>>  distribute calls within those queues by whatever logic you choose.  No
>>>  shoehorning--just write it yourself.
>>>
>>>  -- Alex
>>>
>>>  [1] Yes, FastAGI.  Not local AGI.  And most especially not in PHP;
>>>      contrary to a lot of the info out there, PHP could not possibly
>>>      be a less suitable language in which to write AGI scripts.  I
>>>      don't know who comes up with these lavish heights of mediocrity.
>>
>> If you are not looking to write it yourself you could always try
>> ViciDial which has skills-based routing built in, and it's free and
>> Open Source.
>>
>> MATT---
>>
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-- 
Alex Balashov
Evariste Systems
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