Comdial QuickQ Automatic Call Distributor Instructions Manual

							October, 02 Comdial 3
QuickQ System Manager’s Guide
•  Telephone Agents.
The System Manager is directly responsible for the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the 
ACD center. 
 In smaller systems, the System Manager’s task may be combined with the Group Super-
visor’s responsibilities. The System Manager can monitor the overall performance of the ACD center 
and has several responsibilities including the following items:
•  Control of systems configuration, such as the number of groups and overflow between groups.
•  Assign personnel based on the traffic demands of the various groups for maximum operating 
efficiency of the ACD center.
The Group Supervisor is directly responsible for the following responsibilities:
•  Moving, adding and deleting Agents required for the call center.
•  The telephone service provided by Agents in their respective groups.
•  Monitoring the activity of the Agents.
•  Evaluating the performance of the Agents.
•  Providing assistance on calls beyond the capability or training of the Agents.
The Telephone Agent is often referred to as a Customer Service Representative (CSR) and is mainly 
responsible for a particular group of telephone lines or a certain type of call; however, the system 
allows assignment of multiple group agents that are a part of more than one group.
1.4  Describing The System Components
NOTE:  You can ensure continuous QuickQ operation by adding an uninterruptable power  
 source to both the digital voice announcer and central call processor, and an optional 
 battery backup assembly to the digital communications system.  Wireless devices may need additional 
backup.
1.4.1  CALL PROCESSOR
The  call processor is the brain of the QuickQ.  It consists of the QuickQ software and a personal com-
puter with a WindowsNT operating system.  The call processor monitors and controls all activities 
within the boundaries of the call center.
1.4.2  DIGITAL VOICE ANNOUNCER
The Digital Voice Announcer (DVA) is a stand-alone voice processing system designed to directly 
interface with the digital communications system. 
 Two models are available—the DVA01 can store up 
to four digitized voice announcements for playback under control of the central call processing unit 
while the DVA16 can store up to 16 announcements. 
 In a busy call center when all Agents are busy, 
the DVA intercepts incoming calls and plays prerecorded voice announcements.
When using the DVA01 with QuickQ, the following limitations apply. 
						

							Introducing The  QuickQ ACD System
4 Comdial October, 02
1.  QuickQ cannot support more than two DVA01 units.
2.  You must record four messages and they must be assigned to message numbers 1 through 4 in 
QuickQ which correspond to 44 through 47 in the Digital Communications System. These mes
-
sage numbers are reserved for QuickQ. You must record all four messages even if you are not 
using them all.
3.  QuickQ cannot support both DVA16 and DVA01 at the same time.
4.  You must control all DVA01 functions, like recording or deleting messages, from the attendant’s 
station (station 10) through DCS attendant voice programming.
5.  You can record messages on the DVA01 while QuickQ  is active; however, if you are recording 
at the same time the system is receiving a call, the caller may not hear any recorded message.
6.  The installer must know where the QuickQ messages reside and program the appropriate exten-
sion    numbers using the voice port programming screen.
7.  Neither the QuickQ technician nor the supervisor can record or play messages on the DVA01 
using the QuickQ message playback/record.
8.  QuickQ cannot display message limits for the DVA01.
9.  The DVA status, displayed in the CLOCK window, always shows DVA when the system is using 
the 
  DVA01.
10.  The announcement (message) backup feature is disabled.
1.4.3  TELEPHONE EXTENSIONS
The Agent’s and Supervisor’s stations are typical proprietary telephones (12 or 24 Button LCD Sets) 
or optionally Scout II cordless phones can be used by Supervisors and/or Agents.
1.5  Understanding The Wallboards
QuickQ can support up to 16 optional wallboards. Both mono and color wallboards are functional in 
version 3.1. The color wallboards have a 40-character display (two rows of 20 characters) consisting of 
red, yellow, and green LEDs. 
 The mono wallboards display a single row of 20 characters in red.
1.5.1  MODES OF OPERATION
QuickQ wallboards are allowed two modes of operation—parameter mode and text mode.  In the 
parameter mode they display operational parameters and in the text mode they display text messages.
Parameter Mode
Wallboards display several parameters—six for the color version or three for the mono version as 
shown in the example below. 
 See Table 3-1 for the wallboard parameters.  
When a summary is selected, every hour the wallboard displays the totals for the past hour and the 
totals of the day up to display time. 
 When the system goes into the night mode, the totals for the past 
hour (or part of an hour) together with the final totals for the day are displayed. 
 For 24-hour sites, 
QuickQ 
 is reset to a new day at 00:00 (midnight).  As a result, the last summary of the day is displayed 
at 00:00 (midnight). 
 When the first agent signs in, the wallboard is initiated into the day mode. 
						

							October, 02 Comdial 5
QuickQ System Manager’s Guide
When an alarm condition is met, the color wallboard either displays a scrolling message or it shows the 
display parameters in red. 
 The audible alarm (buzzer) will also sound, if that option is programmed.
Figure 1-1  Wallboard Display
Text Mode
A total of 32 messages can be stored in the QuickQ message library.  Each message can contain a 
maximum of 70 characters with up to six parameter tokens (see Table 3-1). 
 A parameter token is a 
two-letter abbreviation, enclosed in brackets, representing a parameter; for example, [IH] means 
incoming calls received in the current hour.  The tokens are embedded within the text and are replaced 
at display time by the actual value. 
 Invalid parameters will be displayed as text on the wallboard.
A text message can be initiated by a manual request via the keyboard of the QuickQ’s PC.  Alternately, 
users can program the wallboard to display messages at a specified time of the day and on a specified 
day of the week. 
 Text messages can also be initiated on an event basis, as when a threshold condition 
is met.
Scrolling text messages always appear in red with their titles (if used) in green.  Text messages scroll 
continuously for three times. 
 To alert agents of a new text message, users can activate the audible 
alarm option. 
 The color wallboard example below illustrates how parameter tokens SH and SD are 
converted to actual values in the scrolling text message.
Figure 1-2  Scrolling Text Message
Priorities
When more than one message is sent to a wallboard or a group of wallboards at the same time, prior-
ities are used to determine the sequence in which these messages will be displayed.  The order of pri-
ority to display messages are as follows:
1.  Scheduled messages (triggered by time).
2.  Alarm messages (triggered by an alarm threshold).
3.  General messages (manually sent).
4.  Parameter mode information (parameters and group titles). 
						

							Introducing The  QuickQ ACD System
6 Comdial October, 02
Parameters are the only kind of displayed information that can be over-written.  All other messages 
will remain on the wallboard until their preset duration expires. 
 Not until then will another set of mes-
sages appear on the wallboard.
1.6  Describing QuickQ System Features
1.6.1  ANSWER BIN
An Answer bin is the length of time between when a call arrives in the queue and when it is answered 
by an Agent. There are six answer bins in the system. 
 The system answer bin default time is zero.  By 
setting the time frames in the answer bins, the Manager can look at one factor in the total customer 
service picture. 
 An example of a typical answer bin record is shown below.
1.6.2  ABANDONED BIN
Abandoned bin is the time between when a call arrives in the queue and when the caller hangs up 
without being connected to an Agent. There are six abandoned bins in the system. The system aban
-
doned bin time defaults are zero. By setting time frames in the abandoned bins, the Manager can 
determine how tolerant customers are of the waiting time to which they are being subjected. An 
example of a typical abandoned bin is shown below.
1.6.3  CALL QUEUING
The QuickQ manages incoming calls in a logical sequence.  The number of incoming calls arriving at a 
call center at any one time is random. 
 The calls are queued on a first in first out principle. Call queuing 
ensures that calls are handled in a timely and efficient manner. Priority can be assigned to preferred 
lines such as Inwats (800 lines).
1.6.4  EVEN DISTRIBUTION
The QuickQ effectively shares the incoming call workload evenly among agents. This ensures the 
optimum productivity of all agents by distributing calls to the agents who have been idle the longest.
Answer 
BinNumber 
of CallsTimeDefinition
Bin 01000:20The number of calls answered between 0 and 20 seconds, (0)
Bin 02500:40The number of calls answered between 20 and 40 seconds, (5)
Bin 03201:00The number of calls answered between 40 seconds and  1 minute, (2)
Abandoned 
BinNumber 
of CallsTimeDefinition
Bin 01000:10The number of calls abandoned between 0 and 10 seconds, (0)
Bin 021100:30The number of calls abandoned between 10 and 30 seconds, (11)
Bin 031500:50The number of calls abandoned between 30 and 50 seconds, (15) 
						

							October, 02 Comdial 7
QuickQ System Manager’s Guide
1.6.5  DELAY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Delay announcements are important money-saving features that help keep the queue working in an 
efficient manner. 
 Since telephone traffic is random, there will be occasional bursts of calls to any 
ACD. 
 Such sporadic increases in volume may force callers to wait for connection longer than they 
would like. 
 By recording delay announcements (such as, Hello you have reached XYZ Company.  All 
of our operators are busy at the moment, but please hold and our next available operator will be with 
you momentarily) you assure the callers they are important and that their call will be answered in 
sequence, and that they should wait and not hang up. 
 Without this announcement most people will 
hang up after five or six rings.
Note: Be creative with your messages, provide important information, advertise special promotions 
and in general, keep your customers entertained and informed while they are waiting.
1.6.6  UNDERSTANDING THE MESSAGES
The QuickQ system can store up to 16 messages. The Message window (refer to Setting Announcement 
Titles on Page 3-9) allows you to view the length and number of these messages. You can enter a 
description to label each one if you wish.
The Current setting shows the length of the message in minutes and seconds. The Limit setting shows 
the time available for the message. QuickQ allows a total of 320 seconds of message recording time. 
						

							Introducing The  QuickQ ACD System
8 Comdial October, 02
The recording medium is a random access memory (RAM) chip; however, a cassette tape was used in 
the following figures to illustrate for you the recording technique you can use to create buffers. These 
buffers allow you to replace messages with new ones of longer length without disturbing other stored 
messages.
Figure 1-3  Typical Recording Technique
1.7  Management Information System (MIS) Reporting
The QuickQ system provides both real time and historical statistical information on the performance of 
the call center (Agent or line activity).
Real-time screens are shown for System Managers and for Groups in Section 5 under the heading 
Selecting The Real Time Report. 
						

							October, 02 Comdial 9
QuickQ System Manager’s Guide
Historical information is described in details in Section 5 under the heading Selecting Historical 
Reports.
1.7.1  DESCRIBING QUICKQ AGENT FEATURES
Account Codes
The system can provide a table of account codes arranged so that a unique number corresponds to a 
specific call type (for example, call content, product type, and so forth). For example, a software help 
desk may wish to use account codes to categorize its calls as follows:
Agents can enter the account code that corresponds to the type of call they have just dealt with.  This 
information is stored in the systems statistics. System Managers can use the Management Information 
Report System to analyze the types of traffic and the topics of that traffic. 
 Account codes can be 
optional, forced and verified. 
 This is a QuickQ feature—do not confuse this with the Digital Commu-
nications System’s Account Code feature.
Calls Waiting Indication
The calls waiting indication details the number of calls waiting in the queue.  The system displays this 
information on both the Agents and Supervisors telephones. 
 The calls waiting indication prompts 
Agents to quickly complete their present activity and answer the calls waiting in the queue. It alerts 
Supervisors to release available Agents who had been assigned to other tasks. 
 Map this button as 
OAI61 on the agent’s or supervisor’s set.
Log-in / Log-out
Agents move in or out of the system on an individual basis. Each Agent has his or her own three-digit 
user ID and password. Agents log into the system at the start of their day and log out of the system at 
the end of their day. When they take lunch or coffee breaks, they use the make set busy feature.
Make Set Busy
An Agent can manually make their telephone busy by pressing the BUSY interactive button.  This 
allows the Agent to temporarily leave the system (during lunch or breaks).
Supervisor Help and Monitoring
The Supervisor uses the help and monitoring capabilities to provide expert advice to Agents on dif-
ficult calls. Supervisors can listen to Agent/customer conversations to ensure courteous and efficient 
service. 
 The Help function allows the Agents to request help without interrupting the call in progress.
CodeCall CategoryCodeCall Category
100Help with Setup300Help with Word Processing
200Help with MS NT301Help with Databases
201Help with Networked NT302Help with Spreadsheets 
						

							Introducing The  QuickQ ACD System
10 Comdial October, 02
Wrap-up Time
Immediately after he or she terminates a call, the system places that Agent’s telephone into the wrap-
up mode. During this wrap-up time, the agent will not be presented any calls. 
 Usually the Agent will 
take this time to finish any paperwork associated with the call just completed. 
 The  Group Supervisor 
programs the wrap-up time for each individual Agent. 
 Experienced Agents may require less time to 
wrap up a call than less experienced Agents.
An Agent can shorten a call’s wrap-up time by pressing the READY interactive button, and similarly 
can extend a call’s wrap-up time by pressing the 
BUSY interactive button.
1.8  Describing QuickQ Group Features
Each Group Supervisor can program these features independently for each group to meet its specific 
requirements.
Alarm Threshold (Time)
Alarm Threshold (Time) is a pre-programmed time parameter to monitor the number of calls waiting 
in queue (default period is 45 seconds). 
Alarm Threshold (Calls in Queue)
Provides an indication to Agents & Supervisors that the number of calls waiting in queue has gone 
beyond the Alarm Threshold (Time). If the Alarm Threshold (Calls in Queue) is set to a number higher 
than zero (0), an audible tone will go off at all Agent’s telephones when that preset number of calls has 
reached the Alarm Threshold (Time). If the Alarm Threshold (Calls in Queue) is set equal to zero (0), 
the alarm will not go off even if calls have reached the Alarm Threshold (Time). Statistics will still be 
collected for MIS Reports and supervisors’ wallboards.
Automatic Day-to-Night Mode
QuickQ switches from night mode to day mode when the first Agent of the group logs into the system 
to take calls. 
 This ensures there is always someone logged in to take calls before the system accepts 
them.
Each Group Supervisor can set their group to automatically switch from day mode to night mode. 
In night mode, the system answers the incoming calls, plays the prerecorded night announcement, and 
releases the call.
The system will automatically log all agents out when all calls holding, prior to night mode are 
answered.
Automatic Answer Mode
An Agent that operates in the automatic answer mode wears a head set.  For incoming calls, the system 
rings the agent’s telephone and connects the call directly to it. 
						

							October, 02 Comdial 11
QuickQ System Manager’s Guide
Manual Answer Mode
An Agent in manual answer mode chooses to answer the incoming call or to reject it using the inter-
active buttons on his or her telephone.
Overflow Group
The overflow group is a secondary group of Agents to whom the system will direct calls after the 
overflow threshold time-out occurs (default is 3 minutes, 30 seconds). The overflow group allows 
agents in more than one group to handle calls. By handling calls from other groups, Agents increase 
the overall call handling efficiency of the system. The system allows up to 16 overflow extensions. 
The overflow groups are set by the System Manager.
NOTE: Overflow level 4 can be set in technician programming to a specific non-ACD  extension.
Example: Agents in Group Two will receive calls from Group One when the pre-programmed period 
of time (default is 210 seconds) has gone beyond the overflow threshold. The overflow threshold is 
preset depending on the group’s requirements. Since the overflowed calls remain in both queues (for 
Groups One and Two), the system will direct each call to the first available agent in either group. This 
feature is known as “look back.”
Overflow Threshold
The overflow threshold is the period of time that the system holds a call before it transfers it to an 
overflow group.
Priority Call Handling
There are four call handling priority levels (01 is the highest priority and 04 is the lowest priority). 
System Managers can assign a priority status to sub-groups of telephone lines. The system will queue 
the calls that arrive on those lines ahead of the calls that arrive on non-priority lines.
Example: Assign 800 numbers a priority of 01 so Agents will answer these calls before they answer 
any other call. 
 This is important, as network billing starts as soon as the QuickQ answers the call.
Individual Agents can have a priority status (01 to 04).  The system assigns calls to Agents with the 
highest priority before it assigns calls to lower priority Agents.
Example: Assign Agent 200 a priority of 01 and Agent 209 a priority of 04. Agent 200 will receive 
incoming calls before Agent 209 receives any calls regardless of idle time. This allows Agent 209 to be 
available for calls yet be less likely to be interrupted from any other assigned work. This means Agent 
209 can do assigned paperwork during a known slack period and still be available to answer calls if all 
other Agents are busy.
Redirect Threshold
If a call is not answered by an Agent (for example, the Agent forgot either to log-out or to make their 
telephone busy before leaving their desk) for a period of time defined as the redirect threshold time, the 
system will redirect the call to another Agent or group and automatically make the Agent’s telephone 
busy. This occurs only in Manual Answer Mode. 
						

							Introducing The  QuickQ ACD System
12 Comdial October, 02
Call Screen Mode
This mode of call routing sends all calls to the digital voice announcer.  Callers hear the complete 
initial delay announcement before their call is directed to an Agent. 
 Usually the message is used to 
provide the caller with certain information (promotional information or instructions such as “Please 
have your credit card number ready”) prior to talking to an Agent.
Notes