Configure percent allocation

You can distribute incoming contacts to allocation groups based on percentages that you specify. For example, you might have multiple contact centers or teams that have varying levels of expertise. Using allocation groups, you could specify that team 1 gets 60% of incoming calls for a queue, while team 2 gets 40% of incoming calls for that queue. Another use case for allocation groups is directing a contractually mandated amount of traffic to a third-party support team.

You can configure a timer for how long an incoming contact can sit in an allocation group of a queue. If the timer expires and the incoming contact remains unanswered, then the incoming contact becomes available to all allocation groups of the queue. You can apply timers globally or at the queue level.

Configure allocation groups

To configure allocation groups, follow these steps:

  1. In the CCAI Platform portal, click Settings > Queue. If you don't see the Settings menu, click Menu.

  2. Click Edit / View for IVR (Interactive Voice Response), Mobile, or Web, depending on the channel you want.

  3. Click the queue that you want to edit.

  4. In the Settings pane, go to Channel Settings.

  5. For Human Agents, click Edit Human Agent Assignments.

  6. Click Percent Allocation Group

  7. To configure Allocation Group 1, do the following:

    1. For Allocation Group 1, enter the percentage of incoming contacts that you want to allocate to this group.

    2. To add the teams or agents that you want in this group, follow these steps:

      1. In the Enter agent or team name field, enter a team or an agent that you want in this group. As you type, a list of valid team names or agent names appears.

      2. Click the team or agent that you want. The team or agent that you click resolves in the field.

      3. Optional: To add more teams or agents, repeat these steps.

  8. To add Allocation Group 2, do the following:

    1. Click Add New Allocation Group.

    2. For Allocation Group 2, enter the percentage of incoming contacts that you want to allocate to this group.

    3. To add the teams or agents that you want in this group, follow these steps:

      1. In the Enter agent or team name field, enter a team or an agent that you want in this group. As you type, a list of valid team names or agent names appears.

      2. Click the team or agent that you want. The team or agent that you click resolves in the field.

      3. Optional: To add more teams or agents, repeat these steps.

    4. Optional: to add more allocation groups, repeat these steps.

  9. Click Save.

Set an allocation group timer globally

To set an allocation group timer globally, follow these steps:

  1. In the CCAI Platform portal, click Settings > Operation Management. If you don't see the Settings menu, click Menu, and then click Settings > Operation Management.

  2. In the General pane, go to Group Settings.

  3. Click the Percent Allocation Group toggle to the on position.

  4. Under Percent Allocation Group, set the number of seconds after which all groups are offered the call.

  5. Click Save General.

Set an allocation group timer at the queue level

To set an allocation group timer at the queue level, follow these steps:

  1. In the CCAI Platform portal, click Settings > Queue. If you don't see the Settings menu, click Menu, and then click Settings > Queue.

  2. Depending on the type of queue you are editing, click either IVR (Interactive Voice Response), Mobile, or Web.

  3. Click the queue that you want to edit.

  4. In the Settings pane for your queue, go to the Routing section, and then click Configure.

  5. Click the Percent Allocation Group Timer toggle to the on position.

  6. Under Percent Allocation Group Timer, set the number of seconds after which all groups are offered the call.

  7. Click Save.

Routing details

Call routing rules apply to groups first based on percentages that you set.

Example: Two groups are set up for a queue, Group 1 (60%) and Group 2 (40%).

  • 60% of calls will be routed to Group 1.

  • 40% of calls will be routed to Group 2.

Percent allocation is the first leg of the call routing journey. After a group is chosen based on the percent, then calls are routed using the Deltacast and Multicast settings you have configured.

After percent allocation

Depending on your call routing settings, the following might take place after the initial percent allocation of incoming traffic occurs:

Example 1: Deltacast Timeout is before the Percent Allocation timeout.

  • The call gets routed to the longest-idle agent in the chosen group (Deltacast)

  • If the agent does not pick up the call before the assigned Deltacast timeout the call will stay in the Deltacast queue and broadcast to the rest of the selected group for the duration of the percent allocation timer.

  • If none of the agents from the selected group pick up the call and the setting is enabled, the call will then be Multicast to all groups.

Example 2: Deltacast Timeout is after the Percent Allocation timeout.

  • The call gets routed to the longest-idle agent in the chosen group (Deltacast).

  • If the agent does not pick up the call before the assigned Deltacast timeout set in Operation Management it will stay in the Deltacast queue and broadcast to the longest idle agent of each group assigned to the queue for the duration of the Deltacast timer.

  • If none of the Deltacast agents from the assigned groups pick up the call, the call will be Multicast to all members of all groups.

Example 3: Deltacast is not enabled.

  • The call will be Multicast to all agents assigned to the selected group.

  • If none of the agents pick up the call before the configured timeout, the call is then broadcast to all members of all assigned groups.

Example 4: Percent Allocation > Routing Options is not enabled.

  • The call gets Deltacast or Multicast as configured within the assigned group.

  • The call is not broadcast to any other groups assigned to the queue.