[asterisk-users] Skill based routing

[Julian Lyndon-Smith]

We use a queue so that we can have all the benefits of the queue
whilst finding an agent : music on hold, periodic announcements etc
etc.

You are right - with a little more effort we could probably remove the
need for the queue. But why would I do that if I can use the queue for
the bits I want ;)

Julian

2009/7/17 Alex Balashov <abalashov at evaristesys.com>:
>
> 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
> Web    : http://www.evaristesys.com/
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