The Calling Cycle
For outbound campaigns, where numbers are automatically dialed or presented to agents for dialing, the following pattern is normally followed:
1) Agents Available (to take calls)
In Predictive and Progressive modes, the agents have either just completed a call, or have just joined a campaign by use of the Agent Available [AA] message.
2) Call Initiate
The pattern for the Call Initiate [CI] message depends on the dialing mode:
Predictive mode
There is no fixed link between any agent and any specific numbers being dialed. The availability of agents will normally lead to new dialing instructions being issued by Softdial CallGem™, using the Call Initiate [CI] message. Then as soon as Softdial CallGem™ receives a Line Connected [LC] message in response, indicating a connect, it responds instantaneously with 2 messages:
- a Call Transfer [CT] message to the telephony layer asking it to transfer the call to the agent who has been waiting longest
- an Agent Connect [AC] message for the CRM application, asking it to screen pop details for that call to the same agent.
Progressive mode
Softdial CallGem™ selects the agent who has been waiting the longest, and issues a Begin Preview [BP] message for him to the agent application, effectively asking it to screen pop details for the number contained in the message to that agent. At the same time, Softdial CallGem™ sends a Call Initiate [CI] message to the telephony layer asking for the number to be dialed immediately.
Preview mode
See the Preview Campaign topic for a full description of the Preview call cycle process.
3) Call Completion
When the called party and the agent have finished talking, if the agent goes into wrap, the agent application sends a Start Wrap [SW] message to Softdial CallGem™ immediately.
If there is no wrap, or at the end of it as the case may be, the agent application sends a Transaction Complete [TC] message immediately, and the agent is then available to take another call.
If the agent application wants the agent to go Unavailable, then it must issue an Agent Unavailable [AU] message request for that agent. See Changing Agent Status for how Softdial CallGem™ makes agents unavailable.
Handling Non-Connects
If a call does not result in a connect to an agent, then Softdial CallGem™ will receive a Call Failed [CF] message from the telephony layer, for that telephone number.