AT&T Call Management System Supervizor's Manual

585-214-071 Issue 1 October 1991

Call Management System

for MERLIN LEGEND Communications System

Supervisor’s Guide

AT&T 585-214-071 Issue 1 October 1991

Notice

Every effort was made to ensure that the information in this book was complete and

accurate at the time of printing. However, information is subject to change.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Interference Notice

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits of a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable

protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference, in which case the user will have to correct the interference at his or her own expense. For additional FCC interference, registration, and repair information, see the information located at the back of this book.

This

equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy

Trademarks

MERLIN LEGEND is a trademark of AT&T. MERLIN is a registered trademark of AT&T. MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Warranty

AT&T provides a limited warranty to this product. Refer to the “Limited Use Software

License Agreement” card provided with this package.

Ordering Information

The order number for this book is 585-214-071. TO order additional books, call

1800432-6600 in the U.S. and 1800255-1242 in Canada. For more information

on how to order this and other system reference materials, see “About This Guide.”

Support Telephone Numbers

AT&T provides a toll-free customer helpline 24 hours a day. In the U.S. call the AT&T Helpline at 1800628-2888 if you need assistance when installing, programming, or using your system. In Canada, call one of the following Technical Assistance Centers for service or technical assistance:

Eastern Canada and Ottawa: Ontario: Central and Western Canada:

1800363-1882 1800387-4268 1800663-9817

Contents

About This Guide

■

Documentation Conventions

■ Related Documentation

How to Order Documentation

Introduction to CMS

■

CMS Supervisor’s Responsibilities

■ Basic Terms and Key Concepts

Automatic Call Distributor

Lines and Line Groups Agents and Agent Splits Shift Configuration

Main Splits and Secondary Splits

lntraflow and Intraflow Threshold

Logged Out State and Available State After-Call-Work (ACW) State Automatic After-Call-Work (Auto ACW) State

Supervisory Login/Logout

Call Management Answer Delay, Force Delay, and Pri

■ A Typical CMS Application

CMS and Bon Voyage Travel Bon Voyage Travel’s Other Call

CMS and Other Businesses

Day-to-Day Operation of CMS

Traffic

ority Lines

xiii xiii

xiv xv

1-1 1-2

1-3 1-3 1-3 1-3 1-4

1-4 1-4 1-4 1-4 1-5

1-6 1-6 1-7

1-7

1-10 1-11 1-11

iii

Contents

Using Your PC with CMS

Starting CMS Setting the Date and Time

Set the Date

Set the Time 2-4 CMS Screen Layouts 2-5 Entering and Editing Data

Editing Prompt and Function Keys

Guidelines for Entering

Alternate Editing Keys Simple Editing Procedures Getting Help

Leaving CMS

Data

2-1 2-1

2-3 2-3

2-8 2-9 2-10 2-11 2-11 2-12 2-12

Programming CMS Shift Configurations

■

Creating or Changing Shift Configurations

Assigning Splits

Add Agent Remove Agent Move Agent Replace (Substitute) Agent New Agent Change Split ID

Agent Directory

Assigning Line Group Options

Changing Answer Delay

3-1 3-3

3-8 3-9

3-10 3-11 3-11 3-12 3-13 3-14 3-17 3-18

Contents

Changing Force Delay Programming Automatic After-Call-Work (ACW)

Programming Call Flow

How Intraflow Works Programming Considerations Programming Instructions Assigning Splits Turning Flow On/Off Setting the Intraflow Threshold Turning All-Ring On/Off

■ Clearing Agents

■ Saving a Changed Configuration .

■

Naming or Renaming a Shift Configuration

■

Selecting a Startup Configuration

■

Backing Up and Restoring Shift Configurations

Backing Up Shift Configurations Restoring Shift Configurations

3-20 3-20 3-22 3-22 3-23

3-24 3-25 3-26 3-26 3-27 3-29 3-30 3-32 3-33 3-34 3-34 3-35

Changing System Options and

Programming Exceptions

■ Changing System Options

Adjusting the Service Level Limit Adjusting the Abandoned Call Threshold Setting the Audible Alarm Adjusting the Delay Message Length Entering Your Business Name

■ Programming Exceptions

Instructions for Selecting Exceptions

4-1

4-3 4-5 4-6 4-7 4-7 4-8 4-9 4-10

Contents

Agent Exceptions

Talk Time ACW (After Call Work) ACW Time Limit Refused Call

Split Exceptions

Abandon Calls (Number of Abandoned Calls) Calls Waiting (Number of Calls Waiting) Oldest Call (Oldest Call Waiting)

Avg Speed (Average Speed of Answer)

Line Group Exceptions

Lines Busy (All Lines Busy) HoldTime Maximum (Maximum Line Holding Time) HoldTime Minimum (Minimum Line Holding Time)

Assigning External Alerts to Exceptions

Conditions for Assigning Alerts Assigning Alerts to Line Buttons

4-13 4-14 4-15 4-16

4-17 4-17 4-18 4-19 4-20 4-21 4-22

4-23 4-24

4-25 4-26 4-28 4-29

Changing or Removing Line Button Assignments Assigning Exceptions and External Alerts

Simultaneously

4-31

4-32

CMS Telephones and Telephone Programming 5-1

■

CMS Supervisor’s Telephone

Supervisor’s Mode Changing Agent Status Group Page Barge-In Lights

5-2 5-6 5-7

5-7 5-8 5-8

Contents

■ Agent Phones

Line Buttons

Work State Buttons (Available, ACW)

Announcing Availability

Automatic ACW

■ Call Handling

Answering CMS Calls Answering Non-CMS Calls Answering Extension Calls

Placing Outside Calls

Placing Extension Calls

Conferencing a Call Transferring Calls

■

Optional Headset and Headset Adapter

Headsets with MLX Telephones

Headset Buttons

5-10 5-10 5-11 5-11 5-12 5-13 5-14 5-15 5-15 5-15 5-16 5-17 5-18 5-19 5-19 5-19

Headset Operation Considerations Feature Interactions

Headsets with Analog Phones

Optional Headset Button

■

Using MERLIN LEGEND Features with CMS

Feature Button

inside Auto Dial

Notify

Manual Signaling

Agent Assist Transfer to Split or Queue . All-Ring Operation Ghost Telephones and Cover Buttons

Ringing Options

5-20 5-20 5-21 5-21 5-21 5-22 5-23 5-23 5-24 5-24 5-25 5-25 5-26 5-27 5-28

vii

Contents

Personalized Ringing

■ Telephone Programming

Telephone Programming Instructions

Supervising CMS

■ Startup Procedures

■

Making Agents Available for CMS Calls

Agent Telephone Button Requirements Agent Telephone Work States Changing Agent Status

■ Monitoring Call Management

Using the System Status Screen

Line Group Information Split Information Function Keys

Using the Split Status Screens

Agent Status Split Status Call Flow Information

Function Keys

Using the Line Status Screen

Line Status

Line Group Summary Split Status Call Flow Information Function Keys

Using the Events Log Screen

Function Keys

5-29 5-31 5-31

6-1

6-3 6-7 6-7 6-8 6-10

6-11 6-13 6-14 6-15

6-17 6-18 6-20 6-21 6-22

6-22 6-24 6-25

6-26 6-27 6-27 6-28 6-29

6-30

viii

Contents

Multiple View Only Monitors

■ Dynamic Reconfiguration

Beginning Dynamic Reconfiguration

Function Keys

Reconfiguring Splits

Add Agent

Remove Agent Move Agent Replace Agent New Agent Change Split ID Go to Configuration Screen

Agent Directory

Changing Line Group Options

Answer Delay

Changing Force Delay Changing Automatic ACW

Reconfiguring Call Flow

Assign Splits

Flow On/Off Set Intraflow Threshold All-Ring On/Off

Using the Stored Shift Configurations Screen

Select Configuration

Save Configuration

Rename Configuration

Choose Startup

■

Selecting Day or Night Service

Change to Night Service Change to Day Service

■ Printing CMS Screens

6-30 6-31 6-32 6-33 6-34 6-35 6-35 6-36 6-37 6-37 6-38 6-38 6-38 6-39 6-40

6-41 6-41 6-42 6-43 6-44 6-45 6-46 6-47 6-48 6-49 6-50 6-50 6-51 6-52 6-53 6-54

Contents

Generating Reports

■ Keeping Historical Data Accurate

■ Types of CMS Reports

Daily Agent Split Summary

Daily ACD Calls Other Daily Calls Additional Data

Cumulative Agent Split Summary Daily Split Report

Time ACD Calls Other Calls

Additional Data for Daily Calls

Cumulative Split Report By Day Cumulative Split Report By Hour Daily Line Group Report

Time ACD Calls Traffic Num Delay Anne Other Calls

Additional Data for Daily Calls Cumulative Line Group Report By Day Cumulative Line Group Report By Hour Events Log Report

■ How to Generate Reports

Generating Reports Summary on Generating individual Reports Summary on Generating All Reports

7-1

7-2 7-4 7-5 7-6 7-7

7-8 7-8

7-10 7-10 7-10

7-12 7-13

7-14 7-16 7-18 7-20 7-20

7-20

7-21 7-21 7-22 7-22 7-24 7-26

7-28 7-28 7-32 7-32

Contents

Report Screen Messages Exiting from Reports

Archiving and Restoring Data

■

Transferring Historical Data onto Diskettes

Saving the System Tables File Saving Historical Data Files Erasing Files from the Hard Disk

■

Generating Historical Reports

Saving the Current System Tables Restoring the Historical System Tables Restoring the Historical Data Files

■ Resuming Data Collection

Erasing the Historical Data from the Hard Disk

7-33

7-34

8-1

8-2 8-4 8-5 8-6 8-6 8-7 8-7

8-8 8-9 8-9

Restoring the Current System Tables

Troubleshooting

■ Error Messages

■ Warning Messages

■ System Errors

What They Mean What to Do

If CMS is Managing Calls Correctly If CMS has Stopped Managing Calls

■ Other Messages

8-10

9-1 9-2

9-7 9-17 9-17 9-17 9-18 9-18 9-18

Contents

■ Other Problems

Call Management Problems Agent Problems External Alert Problems

■ Fallback Plan

MERLIN LEGEND CMS Factory Settings

GL Glossary

9-21 9-21 9-25 9-26 9-28

A-1

GL-1

IN Index

xii

IN-1

About This Guide

This guide assumes the Call Management System (CMS) has been initially installed and programmed. It provides the CMS Supervisor with information on each aspect of CMS operations and CMS programming for effective management, maintenance, and customization of CMS.

Documentation Conventions

Several special symbols and typefaces appear in this manual. For example,

keys that appear on your

[F1]

(function key

(up arrow)

[^]

[ v ] (down arrow)

[< ] (left arrow)

[ >] (right arrow)

[ ] (tab key)

[ ] (enter key)

When two keys must be pressed simultaneously, it is shown like this:

[^] +[ ] press the up arrow and tab key simultaneously).

keyboard are shown like this:

F1)

xiii

About This Guide

Different typefaces are used throughout this guide:

This typeface represents information the system displays,

This bold typeface represents information you enter.

This italic typeface represents a system response:

such as prompts.

Sample screens from Bon Voyage Travel (a hypothetical business) are used throughout this guide. Explanatory material is often “keyed” to these screens with circled numbers (callouts) such as:

Refer to the callouts on the

screens as you read the explanatory text.

In some instances, prompts that take up only one line on the display are represented in the text on two lines. When this is the case, a backslash (\) is used to show the break occurs in the text but not on the screens.

Prompt lines on screens show blanks (and a cursor) where you need to enter information. In the text, an underscore is used to identify where you enter information, as shown below.

ANSWER DELAY :

Group Letter: _

How Many Seconds:

PC responses may differ from the ones printed here, depending on the ver-

sion of the MS-DOS® program you are using.

Introduction to CMS

This section provides a brief overview of the Call Management System (CMS), and the responsibilities of the CMS supervisor. A typical CMS application is shown using the example of an imaginary business called Bon Voyage Travel.

CMS is an automatic call distributor (ACD) that answers calls and connects them to available agents. When there’s more than one agent available for a call, CMS connects the call to the agent who has been idle the longest. If no agent is available, CMS connects the call to a delay message and then places the call on hold until an agent becomes available.

Your MERLIN LEGEND Communications System and CMS work together to meet your call management needs. Your AT&T account manager or authorized dealer configured MERLIN LEGEND and CMS configurations based on your particular call management needs. The implementor installed and initially programmed your system based on these configurations.

You, the CMS supervisor, should become familiar with the basic configuration of your system. As you observe how CMS manages your incoming call traffic on a day-to-day basis, you can begin to fine-tune your system for more efficient call management and more useful call-management reports. As your needs change, you will want to change the system’s option settings to meet

these needs.

1-1

Introduction to CMS

CMS Supervisor’s Responsibilities

In many cases the MERLIN LEGEND system manager and the CMS supervisor are the same person; in other cases, the two roles may be assigned to different people. However, if different people are assigned to each role, the MERLIN LEGEND system manager and the CMS supervisor must work closely together to define the needs of both the MERLIN LEGEND system and CMS.

While the MERLIN LEGEND system manager is responsible for systemwide CMS options and features (such as line types, line assignments, and System Speed Dial codes), most of the CMS operation is the responsibility of the CMS supervisor. The primary function of CMS is to distribute incoming calls to available agents. If agents are not available, CMS cannot perform its primary function. Therefore, keeping agents available to answer calls is one of your main duties as the CMS Supervisor. Anything you can do to ensure agents are actively taking calls, not placing calls or doing anything other than CMS activities, is in the best interests of your call handling goals.

The CMS Supervisor’s responsibilities include:

Creating shift configurations of line groups and agent splits. (See Chapter 3, “Programming CMS Shift Configurations.”)

Changing system options and programming exceptions as business

needs change. (See Chapter

“Changing System Options and Pro-

gramming Exceptions.)

Programming the attendant console and agent telephones and assist-

ing agents in the use of the MERLIN LEGEND system features that they use to handle CMS calls. (See Chapter 5, “CMS Telephones and Telephone Programming.”)

Monitoring line status, split status, call traffic, and system problems during call management. (See “Monitoring Call Management” and “Dynamic Reconfiguration,” in Chapter 6.)

Generating reports. (See Chapter

“Generating Reports.”)

Using system status information and the Management Information System (MIS) data in the CMS reports to maintain efficient call

1-2

CMS Supervisor’s Responsibilities

Introduction to CMS

management and agent productivity (See Chapter 7, “Generating Reports,” for ongoing data collection and Chapter 8, “Archiving and Restoring Data,” for storing CMS report data.)

■

Troubleshooting (See Chapter 9, “Troubleshooting.”)

Basic Terms and Key Concepts

The terms and descriptions in this section provide the key to understanding

how CMS works. More information about each of these aspects of CMS is included in the relevant sections of this manual. Additional CMS terms are included in the glossary.

Automatic Call Distributor

CMS is the automatic call distributor (ACD) for the MERLIN LEGEND system. CMS distributes calls that come in on the MERLIN LEGEND system telephone lines assigned to CMS.

Lines and Line Groups

The MERLIN LEGEND system telephone lines assigned to CMS are organized

into line groups. Usually the incoming calls for a line group are of the same type. For example, the lines for incoming sales calls are in one line group and the lines for service calls in another. CMS accommodates up to a total of 28 lines assigned to up to four line groups.

Agents and Agent Splits

Incoming calls are answered by agents who are assigned to agent splits. A split is a team of agents who handle the same type of incoming calls. Each split is assigned to answer calls for one or more line groups. There can be up to six splits, with a maximum of 28 agents in a split. However, no more than 28 agents can be active in CMS at any one time.

Basic Terms and Key Concepts 1-3

Introduction to CMS

Shift Configuration

A shift configuration is an arrangement of line groups and agent splits for managing calls. You can create up to six different configurations to handle different calling patterns in your business. However, only one shift configuration can be active at a time, and no more than 28 agents can be in

that configuration.

Main Splits and Secondary Splits

In a configuration, some splits are main splits and others are

secondary splits. A main split has primary responsibility for answering calls

for a line group.

secondary split answers calls for a line group only if the

main split for that group is overloaded.

Intraflow and Intraflow Threshold

The sending of calls to agents in a secondary split is called intraflow.

Intraflow can be turned on and off. The number of seconds that the call waits in the main split before it is sent to the secondary split is called the intraflow

threshold.

Logged Out State and Available State

When call management begins for a shift, the agents in the shift configuration are in the logged out state. CMS keeps statistics on other calls made by agents who are logged out, but doesn’t send calls to them, so the agents have to signal CMS that they are ready to receive calls (in available state).

They do so by touching the programmed button labeled

Available

on their

telephones (MERLIN LEGEND system telephones).

After-Call-Work (ACW) State

When agents need time to complete work on their most recent CMS call (such as processing an order or updating a record), they can leave the available state and enter the after-call-work (ACW) state by pressing the programmed button labeled

ACW

on their telephones. CMS does not send calls

to agents who are in this after-call-work state, but it does keep statistics on

1-4

Basic Terms and Key Concepts

Introduction to CMS

them. To return to the available state from the after-call-work state, agents simply touch their

Available

button.

Automatic After-Call-Work (Auto ACW) State

The automatic after-call-work (Auto ACW) feature automatically places agents into the after-call-work state upon completion of an ACD call. During that time, agents receive no calls as they complete their work. The CMS supervi-

sor can program a specific amount of time for this after-call-work state. When the time specified in the Auto ACW parameters elapses, agents are automatically made available. Agents can make themselves available before the specified time elapses by touching their

Available

button.

In addition to using the

Available

and

ACW

buttons on their phones to move from work state to work state, agents in an active shift configuration always know what state they’re in by the status of the lights next to the buttons.

■

Available

■ ACW light on=

■ Both lights off= logged out state

When agents touch the

next to the

light on = available state

after-call-work state

Available

button goes on. When they touch the

button to enter the available state, the light

ACW

button to

move from the available state to the after-call-work state, the light next to the

Available

button goes off, and the light next to the

ACW

button goes on. Agents who plan to be away from their phones for an extended period or who are doing work unrelated to CMS can also log themselves out of CMS. They move from the available state to the logged out state by touching the

able

call-work state to the logged out state by touching the

button and thus turning off its light. Likewise, they move from the after-

ACW

button and turn-

Avail-

ing off its light. Also, agents will be placed in the logged out state if they fail

to answer calls transferred to them by CMS.

Basic Terms and Key Concepts 1-5

Introduction to CMS

Supervisory Login/Logout

The CMS supervisor can change an agent’s work state from the CMS PC or the supervisor’s console. From the Split Status Information screen, the supervisor simply enters the agent’s ID at the appropriate prompt and enters the new status (Logged out/Available/ACW). From the console, the supervisor presses the agent’s Inside Auto Dial button then a programmed feature but-

ton for the desired work state.

Call Management

Call management is the automatic distribution of calls within a shift configuration. When a call comes into CMS, the system goes through this sequence of steps:

1. CMS looks for an available agent in the main split assigned to the line group for the incoming call.

2. If an agent is available, CMS answers the call and transfers it to the agent who has been available the longest.

3. If no agent is available, CMS waits a certain number of seconds, then answers the call and connects it to a delay message. The length of

time CMS waits before answering the call is known as the answer delay.

If an agent becomes available at any time during the answer delay

interval or during the delay message, the call is transferred to the agent.

4. If no agent has become available and the delay message is finished, CMS puts the call on hold.

5. As soon as an agent is available, CMS transfers the oldest waiting call to the agent.

6. If the call has waited a certain amount of time (the intraflow threshold), it may be sent (intraflowed) to an avail

able agent in the secondary split (if

intraflow is on).

1-6

Basic Terms and Key Concepts

Introduction to CMS

Answer Delay, Force

Delay, and Priority Lines

The CMS supervisor can modify the basic call management sequence by

using the CMS answer delay and force delay options, and by making one or more CMS lines priority lines. When no agent is available to answer the call, the answer delay setting determines how long a call rings before CMS answers and connects it to the delay message. With force delay active, all calls are connected to the delay message whether or not there are available agents, and callers hear the entire message before being connected to an agent. Calls coming in on lines that have been designated priority are answered before any other waiting calls.

Typical CMS Application

The following example shows how Bon Voyage Travel Agency, an

business, uses CMS to manage revenue-producing incoming call

CMS and Bon Voyag

At Bon Voyage Travel, agents plan and book trips for several types of customers. Most of the travel agency’s orders are placed by phone, so CMS is an .

important part of the agency’s daily business transactions. In general, Bon Voyage’s customers fall into one of three groups: those who

plan personal travel, those who plan charter group travel, and those who plan corporate travel. To handle these three types of calls and to manage the frequent overflow of calls, the agency divides the customer telephone lines into

four line groups and organizes agents into four splits, as shown in Figure 1-1.

e Travel

imaginary

traffic.

A Typical CMS Application 1-7

Introduction to CMS

Public Line Group

555-1816 555-1808 555-1818 555-8515

Special Line Group

555-8532 555-8518 555-8531

Charter Line Group

555-0911 555-0912

555-1913

555-0914 555-0915 555-0916

Corporate Line Group

555-0917 555-1918

Calls routed to main split

Calls intraflowed to secondary split

Figure 1-1. Bon Voyage Travel’s CMS

The following description of each split and its line groups is keyed to the figure with circled numbers (callouts).

1-8 A Typical CMS Application

Introduction to CMS

Personal Travel Split

The Personal Travel split and book their personal vacations. There are seven agents in this split.

Calls come into this split on two line groups: the Public line group

and the Special line group

lines (555-1 816, 555-1808, 555-1818, and 555-851 5), which are advertised in the Yellow Pages, local newspapers, and national travel magazines.

The Special line group has three lines (555-8532, 555-8518, and 5558531 ), which are reserved for valued repeat customers who may book several trips with Bon Voyage Travel each year.

Charter Travel Split

The agents in the Charter Travel split arrange trips for groups and fre-

quently book trips for local and national holiday clubs. There are

seven agents in this split.

Calls to this split come in on the Charter line group of six numbers: 555-0911,555-0912, 555-1913, 555-0914, 555-0915,

and 555-0916. Occasionally a customer who has previously made

travel arrangements through a holiday club may call one of these

numbers to make personal travel arrangements. In such cases the

agent in the Charter split who receives the call transfers it to an agent

in the Personal Travel split. (This feature, called Transfer-to-Split, or

Transfer-to-Queue, is explained in detail later in this guide and in the

CMS Installation and System Programming Guide.)

handIes calls from customers wanting to plan

The Public line group consists of four

which consists

Corporate Travel Split

The Corporate Travel split handles business trips for large corpora-

tions, This split, consisting of two agents, is the main split for the Cor-

porate line group

group are 555-0917 and 555-1918.

Since both the Personal Travel split and the Corporate Travel split han-

dle individual trips, the Corporate Travel split serves as a secondary

split (a backup split) to handle call overflow from the Personal Travel

split.

The telephone numbers for the Corporate line

A Typical CMS Application 1-9

Introduction to CMS

Support Split

The number of agents available for CMS calls in Bon Voyage Travel’s fourth split, the Support split, varies according to the incoming call traffic. The employees who staff this split have primary responsibilities that do not involve CMS, such as bookkeeping, advertising, and trip packaging. But since these people have some experience as travel agents, they are often asked to back up the Charter Travel split when call traffic is heavy on the lines in the Charter line group the Support split becomes a secondary split covering the Charter line group.

People assigned to the Support split are often away from their desks, so calls coming into the Support split on the Charter lines ring at all phones in the split. Then the Support person who is free to answer the call can pick up the nearest telephone. (This feature, called All-Ring

operation, is explained in more detail later in this guide and in the CMS

Installation and Programming Guide.)

Bon Voyage Travel’s Other Call Traffic

That is,

All of Bon Voyage Travel’s phones and outside telephone lines are part of the agency’s MERLIN LEGEND Communications System. However, some

phones and outside lines are not assigned to the Call Management System.

They operate outside of CMS. Agents and non-agents use the lines not assigned to CMS for all outgoing

calls and all non-revenue-producing incoming calls. It is recommended that CMS lines not be used to place outgoing calls or to accept non-revenue producing incoming calls.

Because this guide focuses on the operation of CMS, it refers to the components of Bon Voyage Travel’s MERLIN LEGEND system that are not assigned to CMS only when necessary to clarify some point about CMS

operation.

1-10

A Typical CMS Application

Introduction to CMS

CMS and Other Businesses

Bon Voyage Travel’s line groups and agent splits are typical for a travel agency. Other businesses would have other names for their line groups and

splits. For example, a wholesale distributor might have line groups and splits for inside sales and customer service (such as order tracking), while a bank may have line groups and splits dedicated to specific types of loans and customer services (credit card and billing inquiries). A brokerage firm may have line groups and splits for stock quotes and customer orders.

Day-to-Day Operation of CMS

Your day-to-day interaction with CMS primarily involves monitoring system status during call management and using dynamic reconfiguration to make any needed changes in the configuration being used to manage calls.

The following example illustrates how the CMS supervisor at Bon Voyage Travel interacts with the system during a typical day.

9 a.m. each business day, Pat P. switches on Bon Voyage’s PC and starts managing calls with the weekday configuration. All agents are automatically in the logged out state when call management begins. Pat uses the MERLIN LEGEND system Group Page feature to ask the agents in some splits to touch the

Available

button on their telephones to signal they are available to begin answering calls. Another split is using a line group with Auto After Call Work; they automatically become available when the calls start coming in.

Pat makes several changes to the current configuration during the day. First, Pat removes Tom Baker from his position in the Personal Travel split because he is on vacation. He moves a new agent into Tom’s position in that split, and

tells the agent to move himself to the Available state. As the peak calling hour approaches, Pat turns on intraflow for the Charter

line group. Pat uses the Group Page feature to tell the agents in the Support split that they may now receive calls for the Charter line group. The Support split is a secondary split for the Charter line group.

Throughout his shift, Pat takes time out from other work to monitor the System Status screen, the Line Status screen, and the Split Status Information

A Typical CMS Application 1-11

Introduction to CMS

screen. He can use the [^] + [Prt Sc] keys to print any of these screens if he

wants to. The screens provide a detailed picture of activity throughout the system. Using different screens, Pat can tell when to turn intraflow on or off,

when a new agent may be having trouble handling calls, or when all lines in

line group are busy. Pat can use Dynamic Reconfiguration to correct these

situations as they occur.

Pat has set an external alert to be triggered whenever more than three calls are waiting. This way he can be immediately aware of this condition no matter where he is in the room. Also, agents are immediately aware of this condition and know, without Pat telling them, that they have to move on to the next calls quickly.

When Pat notices that three calls are waiting in the Personal Travel main split, and there have been several abandoned calls, he turns on intraflow to allow waiting calls to be sent to the Corporate Travel split (the secondary split for the Personal line group). Pat also increases the answer delay (the length of time calls ring before CMS answers them) so callers spend a little less time on hold and any long distance charges on their line could be reduced.

Pat has a new agent in the Corporate Travel split. Yesterday, Pat spent time with the new agent, explaining the telephone features he’ll be using. As the new agent answers CMS calls for the first time, Pat watches the Split Status screen to see when the new agent is on a call, and then joins the call using the Barge In feature or by pressing the line button for the agent’s call. (A tone is heard when the call is joined.) In this way, Pat is able to give the agent advice on handling calls.

Pat also looks at the Management Information System (MIS) reports to determine if Bon Voyage Travel has an efficient number of lines and agents. He prints some of the daily reports to review hourly call activity for the day and prints cumulative daily and hourly reports to help develop a CMS profile for

the business.

If the Events Log Report lists many occurrences of the all lines busy exception, it signifies that many people hear a busy signal when they call. Pat can use exception information like this to decide if more lines should be added to some line groups.

1-12

A Typical CMS Application

Using

This chapter gives instructions for using your PC for the CMS Supervisor’s

activities. The basic operations described here are starting CMS, setting the time and date, and entering and editing data. For further information about the operation of your PC, refer to the manuals provided with your PC.

Your PC with CMS

Starting CMS

The first step in using CMS is to start the program. The first CMS screen that appears is the CMS Main Menu (Figure 2-1). This menu is the gateway to CMS programming and to running call management. To start CMS and display the CMS Main Menu:

1. Turn on the computer.

CMS starts automatically from the autoexec.bat file, and displays the CMS

Main Menu

2. To select an item from the Main Menu, press the appropriate function key (for example, [F4] to program, or administer, CMS).

Starting CMS 2-1

Using Your PC with CMS

Bon Voyage Travel

CALL

FOR

F Start

lCall Mgt

MANAGEMENT

THE AT&T MERLIN

MAIN MENU

F1 -

Start Call Management

- Administer CMS (Agents, Lines,

Print Reports

F5 -

F8 -

Exit to DOS

F Admin F Print 4 CMS

SYSTEM

Configurations )

5Reports

CMS

LEGENDS

CMS R3.O 5:47p 03/04

(C MS)

F1O -

Help F Exit 8 to DOS

Figure 2-1. CMS Main Menu

2-2 Starting CMS

Using

Your PC with CMS

Setting the Date and Time

CMS uses the date and time from MS-DOS. The date and time are important parts of your daily CMS statistics and must be represented correctly on your PC screen. To change either the date or the time, follow the procedures below. (When in CMS, you can check the time and date by looking at the

upper right-hand corner of any CMS Menu screen).

NOTE:

The date must be changed at the beginning of each year, and the time must

be adjusted for daylight savings time.

Set the Date

To check or change the date on your PC:

. When the CMS Main Menu appears upon starting CMS, press [F8] (Exit

to DOS).

2. When the DOS prompt appears, type date then press [ ] .

The following message appears on your screen:

(Example):

Current date is mm - dd – 19yy Enter new date: (mm-dd-yy)

The current date is displayed, where Day= day of the week, mm = month, dd = day, and yy = year.

3. If the date is correct, press [ ].

If the date is incorrect, type in the correct date (for example,

4-08-19XX) then press [ ]. XX represents the year.

4. To return to CMS, at the prompt, type cms.

The CMS Main Menu screen appears.

Setting the Date and Time 2-3

+ 277 hidden pages

AT&T Call Management System Supervizor's Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

About This Guide

Documentation Conventions

Related Documentation

How to Order Documentation

Introduction to CMS

CMS Supervisor’s Responsibilities

Basic Terms and Key Concepts

Automatic Call Distributor

Lines and Line Groups

Agents and Agent Splits

Shift Configuration

Main Splits and Secondary Splits

Intraflow and Intraflow Threshold

Logged Out State and Available State

After-Call-Work (ACW) State

Automatic After-Call-Work (Auto ACW) State

Supervisory Login/Logout

Call Management

A Typical CMS Application 1-7

Bon Voyage Travel’s Other Call Traffic

CMS and Other Businesses

Day-to-Day Operation of CMS

Starting CMS

Setting the Date and Time

Set the Date