Agent only call backs on auto schedule

[kwatson]

Hi, In a previous dialler project that I have worked on we setup through software a agent only callback routine that automatically dialled the callback for the agent and only passed through the call if there was a connect.

This has the benefit of the agents never having to pause from the live campaign increasing productivity and keeping things simple from the agent side.

What happened was there was a routine that checked the logged in agents and any callbacks that they had set every minute. If the agent was logged in and had a callback set it would wait until the agent came of any call that they were on and dial the callback with the agent autopaused. If the call connected the call was passed to the agent and they went through the callback. If the call did not connect (busy etc) the agent is resumed and the callback rescheduled for 10 mins time (for the routine to pickup and reprocess).

Has anyone looked at this type of thing with vicidial?

If not do you think this would be hard to achieve (I know some coders that maybe able to help).

From looking at the db all this info is readily available within vicidiall...


Thanks

Kenny

[mflorell]

That could certainly be added, I would suggest adding a ticket to the issue tracker for it so progress can be tracked if someone wants to work on it.

[kwatson]

FYI
Tracker Issue Number:-

0000201

[kwatson]

Hi Matt, we are going to start work on this....

Would you be able to answer a few questions to get rolling or would we be better buying some of your time for a quick consult (do you have an hourly rate for a conference call).

Is there a way in the hopper to direct a call to a particular agent, I asked previously what the user field was for (which you stated a manaul call).

Also experementing I have found that if I change an agents status to paused the get a pop saying that they have been paused but then if I set them to ready the client does not look for this automatically.

We would need something like this to remove the agent from getting another call whilst the callback progresses

Thanks

Kenny

[mflorell]

Yes, a conference call might be a good idea some time next week, I'm at a conference through the end of the week so I don't really have much time until Monday.

As for the hopper, no there is no way to reserve a lead in the hopper for only one agent while putting it in the hopper.

As for Agent pause/resume, have you looked at using the Agent API to do this?

What version of VICIDIAL are you working off of?

[kwatson]

Hi Matt, Myself and my developer are available today, thursday and friday for a call if any of these days suite.

We will be working of the SVN version (as i guess this makes sense to be running with the current code base).

I'll PM you my contact details...

Thanks

Kenny

[kwatson]

Hi Matt, we've done a bit of looking through the php/perl scripts and have the following plan....

A time check from manual agentonly call back (poss js/php on client side)
B Pause agent if callback due else continue
C do manual callback process via script to get to stage where lead has been dialled.
D complete call, ready agent.

I'd also like to use the callback pop that is used with the group callback to display the comments.

Do this sound like the way to do this in your opinion?

Thanks

Kenny

[mflorell]

That should work, the pausing part can be a bit tricky if you are doing a MANUAL dial campaign or an INBOUND_MAN campaign because of the special steps that you have to take for those.

Are you working off of the latest SVN trunk snapshot?

[kwatson]

Hi, we are on almost the latest trunk (I need to make the sql changes to the db for the latest, which ill try and do today).


Do you have any docs on the process required for the pause for the different campaign types?

Thanks

Kenny

[mflorell]

No docs for that, unfortunately I don't really document every internal process in the programming or I wouldn't get anything done. You have to just look at the code in all of the agc scripts to see how pausing works.

[arpit.modi]

Hello Everyone,
let me introduce my self first,

I am arpit from india.

Vicidial is the best opensource call center i have ever seen, So i am using it and it works great without any issue.

thanks to mflorell and others for such great opensource.

Well let me come to the point,
I want to setup callback exactly as kenny has explained in the starting of this post.

Kenny can you please give me status, i mean had you done with it ?

Can i have the code you modified to fulfill it, please?
i know its not good to ask directly for the code, but because of shortage of time, hope you can understand.


any type of help will be appreciated,


Thanks, in advance.
waiting for your reply....
thanks again

[kwatson]

Hi, Havent completed this yet. We are looking to start on this, this week...

Our Idea has change slightly on how to implement this, Matt if you read this could you let me know if this sounds reasonable...

We are still looking at the client triggering the agent only callback after the last call has been dispositioned and the agent has not paused. Place the agent in a custom state.

Check for past due agent only call back on campaign, if this exists write to a table to initiate the call back.

Either vdautodial.pl or a similar running script will pick this up and start the call and pass to either a modified or standalone vdoutbound.agi script via the dial plan which will lookup who to pass the call to on connect to the agent who's call back it is (instead of working out who the next availble agent is). The call will then progress as a normal call with a standard disposition.

If the call is unsuccessful the vdauto dial should look for when cleaning up if the call is a callback, if so rescedule the call back and set the agent state back to ready to join the auto dialling cycle(also write to the call history that an attempt has been made).


We will be looking at predictive dialling initially with a single server then work or other diallling methods and multi server installs.

Ideally we will do as much as possible in the standard auto dial and transfer scripts/


Ill post back progression on this..

Thanks

Kenny

[mflorell]

That sounds like it could work. I've only ever done USERONLY callbacks as manual calls since there is no mechanism to do an auto-dial call for only one agent, although I'm sure that too could be added.

[Op3r]

any news about this?

It seems it didint get implemented?

[kwatson]

Hi, not as of yet. Its something that I'd still like to do.... Just got alot of work on around other systems at the moment and a proprietary dialler that we use. Hopefully in the near future I will get some time to work on vicidial...

Thanks

Kenny

[dspaan]

I am posting here because i think this topic might solve what we are looking for as well. Did anyone code this/make progress on this?

The problem we are having is the following. This year we have decided not to pay agent salaries anymore including their pause time. The reason for this is that many agents abuse toilet, lunch and other breaks. We currently have setup 5 forced pause code options:

1.lunch
2.toiletbreak
3.feeback/coaching
4.training
5.on supervisor request

When an agent has to make an agent only callback they first have to select a pause code in order to do that. That would mean we will have to introduce a new pause code called 'callbacks'.

The problem we are now facing is that agents can abuse this pausecode for doing other things (it has already happened), they take a (long) toiletbreak and abuse the 'callbacks' pause code because they get paid for that time and otherwise they won't.

So i'm looking for a way to force a specific callbacks pause code without the agents being able to select this code by any other way then selecting the view agent log and clicking 'Dial Now'.

Maybe a specific code even for when they are in the agent log and in the preview lead screen called 'pre-callback' pause.

In fact, when manually dialing it isn't technically a pause now is it? It's just working time.

By the way what happens when they click Dial Lead? Is the pause time stopped from that moment on?

I am looking forward to responses, maybe there is another way to achieve what i'm looking for.

[mflorell]

What you describe would take quite a bit of work. Pause codes were not designed in any way to be able to restrict agent behavior.

What we have found works just about everywhere is to tell everyone there is a zero-tolerance policy, then when it happens fire the agent. Then all of the other agents fall in line. You cannot program out all behavior issues, agents will always find a loophole.

When the phone number is dialed(DIAL NOW is clicked) then it is no longer pause time.

[dspaan]

Thanks. I agree.

[williamconley]

set up a script to move the lead to another campaign with 1:1 dialing. then the agent would log in to this campaign when they have a callback (quick logout and back in, takes two seconds). in this campaign, the callbacks would have to be 'anyone' callbacks, of course, to allow them to be dialed automatically (so the agents are still logged in to get the call).

oddly enough, you may also receive the added benefit of "catching" any missed callbacks by any other agent(s) who ignored their callbacks

unfortunately, there would not be a present method to ensure that specific agents get specific calls if multiples come up at once UNLESS you create a campaign for each agent (possible).

[dspaan]

The disadvantage i see of making a separate campaign is that the agents would not get a reminder of LIVE callbacks when they are due.

[williamconley]

so DUPE it instead of just moving it

and set another script that "watches" the new campaign's log ... and deletes the original after the call is made!

[dspaan]

Another disadvantage would be to make reports on separate campaigns each day and exporting the results from separate campaigns.

[williamconley]

You know, sometimes I think you're lazier than I am.

[dspaan]

Perhaps, but isn't that the whole idea of ICT? To let systems do the work for us?

Btw why it's a lot of work is that i can't use the export calls report right now because it won't export custom fields in their own columns right if i select ALL lists.

[williamconley]

consider upgrading to vicibox 3.1.3, in case the bug in question has been fixed (you can just svn upgrade to the latest vicidial if you like, and/or possibly zypper up ... but i'm not sure which version allowed zypper up to work properly)

[dspaan]

Where can i find a ViciBox change log?

I looked in the ViciBox subforum but could not find it.

How is that release related to this topic?

[williamconley]

Release change logs are IN the releases (any other locations may or may not have accurate change logs). Remember that Vicibox modifies settings in the OS and Vicidial will likely be newer, which is a whole other set of change logs. Updating vicibox gets you both, as does reinstall. Given the odds there isn't anything "directly" related, but with system interaction ... any bug that gets fixed could potentially have impact.

I've found in many cases that simple items like this get fixed or tweaked during an update and save clients $$. (They love that part ).

[m101826@gmail.com]

Hi, In a previous dialler project that I have worked on we setup through software a agent only callback routine that automatically dialled the callback for the agent and only passed through the call if there was a connect.

This has the benefit of the agents never having to pause from the live campaign increasing productivity and keeping things simple from the agent side.

What happened was there was a routine that checked the logged in agents and any callbacks that they had set every minute. If the agent was logged in and had a callback set it would wait until the agent came of any call that they were on and dial the callback with the agent autopaused. If the call connected the call was passed to the agent and they went through the callback. If the call did not connect (busy etc) the agent is resumed and the callback rescheduled for 10 mins time (for the routine to pickup and reprocess).

Has anyone looked at this type of thing with vicidial?

If not do you think this would be hard to achieve (I know some coders that maybe able to help).

From looking at the db all this info is readily available within vicidiall...


Thanks

Kenny

Hi did u finish this project ?
If so can u kindly send me script !
Thnx

[williamconley]

that script does not yet exist. it would have to be created.

[sraza1985]

I have a problem. when one of our agent click call back and schedule a call back. the call back is triggered to another agent who didnot schedule this call back. I cant find the solution to it

[garski]

Try to enable "Agent-Only Callbacks" on user account.