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Warm Transfers to Queues?

  • 1.  Warm Transfers to Queues?

    Level 2 Contributor
    Posted 09-10-2023 18:13

    Reviewing reports from 8x8 has revealed an issue in our company's Call Transfer process.

    Up until now, Agents have been using the Company Directory to both Cold and Warm Transfer calls. This process results in the transfer being tagged as an Outbound Call, making call tracing painful (as transfers are linked against our internal number and not the customer) and incorrect reports (repeat caller report is flooded with internal numbers)

    From what I can see, the correct method is to use the Transfer (https://docs.8x8.com/8x8WebHelp/VCC/agent-guide-general/Content/transfer-phone-interactions.htm with incorrect images) however this only has a Warm Transfer button for Agent Transfers.

    When attempting to transfer to a Queue, only Transfer (blind) exists as an option. A messy round about option is to Transfer > Agent > Search for the group > Choose the Agent with the longest available time > Warm transfer > leave but the Transferring agent may choose their buddy instead of the longest waiting. Stats and all. 

    a) Do you warm transfer calls to queues at your company or just dump? What method do you use?

    b) Do you use the company directory to transfer calls? Do they appear as Outbound or Internal calls? (A recent calls report will show all queues if it was internal or queue and outbound if Outbound) If they are internal is there a setting somewhere?

    Thanks!



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    Ben Fischer
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  • 2.  RE: Warm Transfers to Queues?

    Level 2 Contributor
    Posted 09-11-2023 18:55

    Feature Request added to include Warm Transfer to Queue Option



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    Ben Fischer
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  • 3.  RE: Warm Transfers to Queues?

    Posted 09-11-2023 19:01
    Transferring directly to a queue is the wrong approach in my opinion.
    If you have any script in front of your queues (which controls the caller in queue experience), then it is bad practice to transfer a call directly to a queue.

    If you forward directly to a queue, there is a risk the caller stays on hold in the queue indefinitely, whereas all the caller's processed by the scripts before reaching the queue will experience the treatment as intended by design.


    Otherwise, the mitigate this, you need to create a dummy queue forwarding to a channel number which has a script assigned.





  • 4.  RE: Warm Transfers to Queues?

    Level 2 Contributor
    Posted 09-19-2023 16:04

    Aye, but the current only way to do this is to create another channel with a script, add to company directory and treat all queue transfers as additional outbound/inbound calls? Or is there a better way for reporting?



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    Ben Fischer
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  • 5.  RE: Warm Transfers to Queues?

    Level 2 Contributor
    Posted 09-11-2023 19:58

    When transferring to a queue, the Agent can see if there are available agents (blue) or calls waiting (red) prior and can make the informed decision on wait times prior to warm transferring.



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    Ben Fischer
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  • 6.  RE: Warm Transfers to Queues?

    Posted 09-19-2023 12:06

    A) Dump - it is a queue for a reason the agent should not wait.

    B) Transferring to contact center queues for contact center agents should always be through the contact center queues. If an agent needs to transfer to an individual then the directory is appropriate for Non- Contact Center agents. Transferring outside of contact center circumvents the point of a contact center. If an agent is not in the queue but is accepting calls "working offline" they can take these calls and should show up in the list to transfer to. 

    Agree with Jonathan on creating the forwarding queue. This prevents the user from going directly to the intended queue without any treatment such as scheduling options to dial a different department or call back offers.  Example If you send a call directly to queue it could be after that department hours=stuck in queue.



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    Clint Vogt
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  • 7.  RE: Warm Transfers to Queues?

    Posted 09-19-2023 12:10
    In an ideal world there would be a "transfer to queue" script where an agent transfer was handled by a script.
    It should never really be possible to transfer a call directly to a queue as that customer could effectively stay on hold indefinitely and that is a very bad idea.





  • 8.  RE: Warm Transfers to Queues?

    Posted 09-19-2023 22:54

    We have  created separate "internal xfer" channels and scripts that are in the directory which agents transfer calls into rather than direct to the queues. Seems to work ok, bit of extra admin though. 



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    Lee Heppenstall
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  • 9.  RE: Warm Transfers to Queues?

    Level 2 Contributor
    Posted 09-19-2023 23:05

    Does that result in an additional outbound and inbound call for you?



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    Ben Fischer
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  • 10.  RE: Warm Transfers to Queues?

    Posted 09-20-2023 07:39

    Unfortunately I believe so. Each Agent will show an inbound call presented to them in the call summary. The agent initiating the transfer will show an outbound call as well. The queue summary report will also show multiple calls offered/accepted etc.

    As 8x8 VCC and Work are still essentially two different systems the outbound call element is unavoidable as using Auto Attendants it goes out, to come back in.

    We don't normally transfer direct to queues for the obvious reasons but I will test that tomorrow and see what the reporting shows but as the queue is in VCC then wouldn't expect it to show as an Outbound call.

    For someone from a legacy PBX and it's native reporting to go to 8x8's reporting I do find it quite tricky to circumnavigate. Not sure If that's just me!



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    Lee Heppenstall
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  • 11.  RE: Warm Transfers to Queues?

    Level 2 Contributor
    Posted 09-20-2023 14:56

    I have raised the inbound/outbound shenanigans with 8x8 and they're looking into solutions for me, with the aim to transfer to a queue with a script without adding duplicate call records. 



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    Ben Fischer
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  • 12.  RE: Warm Transfers to Queues?

    Posted 09-21-2023 05:47

    Interested to see what they say Ben. Just out of curiosity I have just made three test calls and transferred each differently (one to Auto Att, one to the Queue and one direct to the agent). Based on the below results in terms of analytics transferring direct to the queue would make the most sense in my opinion but each scenario has issues and reporting is tricky to explain.

    Call 1 - 11:15.
    Call from Mobile to channel DDI, Queued to 8x8 Test Queue, answered by Agent 1.
    Call transferred to Int Xfer 8x8 auto attendant (goes to script, then 8x8 test queue).
    Call answered by Agent2.
    Both agents show as receiving 1 call.
    Agent 1 shows as making an outbound call.
    Agent 1 shows as transferred 1 call.
    Agent 2 does not show as receiving a transferred call.

    Call 2 - 11:30.
    Call from Mobile to channel DDI, Queued to 8x8 Test Queue, answered by Agent1.
    Call transferred direct to 8x8 test queue.
    Call answered by Agent2.
    Both agents show as receiving 1 call.
    Agent 1 does not show as making an outbound call.
    Agent 1 shows as transferred 1 call.
    Agent 2 does not show as receiving a transferred call.


    Call 2 - 11:45.
    Call from Mobile to channel DDI, Queue to 8x8 Test Queue, answered by Agent1
    Call transferred directly to Agent2.
    Call answered by Agent2.
    Both agents show as receiving 1 call.
    Agent 1 shows as a initiating a transfer.
    Agent 2 shows as receiving a transfer.
    Agent 1 shows as making an internal call.
    Agent 2 shows as receiving an internal call.


    Queue Report shows 5 inbound calls (from 3 separate phone calls).



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    Lee Heppenstall
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  • 13.  RE: Warm Transfers to Queues?

    Posted 09-21-2023 05:57

    Is your "Transfer Queue" a dummy Queue with a "Forward to..." Number set of the channel and script used to handle transferred calls?



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    Jonathan Lynn
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  • 14.  RE: Warm Transfers to Queues?

    Posted 09-21-2023 06:07

    Ours are simple Auto Attendants with a forward to a vcc channel & Script, that then queue to the relevant agent queues. We don't have any dummy queues.



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    Lee Heppenstall
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  • 15.  RE: Warm Transfers to Queues?

    Posted 09-21-2023 06:36

    I believe that the Analytics tools can differentiate between "Transfer to Queue" and "Transfer to Agent" but only if the transfer's are carried out within the Agent Workspace GUI.

    e.g.

    Agent clicks on Queue and clicks transfer

    Or

    Agent clicks on Agent and clicks transfer

     

    If the transfer is done to a DID or extension number via the Agent Workspace Dial-Pad or the Contact record under the Directory Tab (if you use it) in Agent Workspace then I don't think the analytics can determine the "type" of transfer otherwise.