Configuring advanced settings for an email queue

When configuring email queues there is an advanced settings tab where company administrators can configure additional parameters that determine how emails are queued.

Timer settings #

The timer specifies the recommended amount of time that an agent should take to answer an email. It is started once the agent accepts the email. If the timer is exceeded, there is a visible indication to the agent that the email is taking longer than expected. For example the timer turns red. If an email is parked, the current time is stored and the timer restarts when the email is made active again.

Configure advanced settings: #

1. Click Email > Email Queues on the menu bar and a list of the email queues that are currently defined is displayed
2. Select (or add) the appropriate email queue
3. Click the Advanced tab
4. For Timeout, specify the recommended number of seconds within which an agent should answer an email
5. For Extension Time, specify the (maximum) extra number of seconds that an agent has in which to answer the email
6. For Number Of Extensions, specify the (maximum) number of times that an agent can extend their email extension time
   • If this limit is reached, the Extend button on the Agent Portal is disabled
7. (Mandatory) For Importance Weighting, specify the priority value of the email queue
8. Click Add or Save Changes, as appropriate

Definitions #

• Timeout: The recommended number of seconds within which an agent should answer an email. The timer is started once the agent accepts the email. If the timer is exceeded, there is a visible indication to the agent that the email is taking longer than expected. For example the timer turns red. If an email is parked, the current time is stored and the timer restarts when the email is made active again. Agents can extend the time by a fixed increment defined by the administrator (Extension Time) or end the task phase early via their web interface.
• Extension Time: The (maximum) extra number of seconds that an agent has in which to answer an email.
• Number Of Extensions: The (maximum) number of times that an agent can extend their timeout. If this limit is reached, the Extend button on the Agent Portal is disabled.
• Importance Weighting: The priority value of the email queue. The importance weighting assigned to email queues determines the queues that are served first when multi-skilled agents (those who belong to multiple agent groups and therefore may serve multiple email queues) become available. For example, a queue with an importance weighting of 10 will be prioritised over a queue with an importance weighting of 1. Queues of equal importance have the same value.

Additional information #

• The email channel is a licensable feature of the system.
• This feature is available only if the Contact system is configured to push email.
• Company administrators must have the Email Queue Configuration: Modify privilege to configure advanced queue parameters.