Suggestion..... employ more staff to answer tickets and phones

[#1]

I was going to add that Mark's explanation was fair comment, although some may dispute that all agents are multi-skilled  until training is completed 
However jelv's comment un-eased me a bit, Mark could you please explain a bit more about how it works with the different queues, thanks.
Edit: spelling!

[#2]

@Mark

Quote

We spent a lot of time looking at the options, but the downside way way outstripped the benefit and in fact there was no benefit, for us or our customers, from this solution.

So, when did the customer have the opportunity to chip in their views? Queue information systems are used in many parts of Europe, have been since the eighties!

[#3]

Quote from: Mark

Lets say your calling to report a problem with email, no other higher priority calls in the queues and your number 3 in line to be answered, suddenly 2 adsl faults hit the queue and a home phone fault. Next thing you know you've gone from 3 to six with no understanding why.

That just seems plain wrong. As shutter so eloquently put it, PN is more analogous to a supermarket, not A&E, and we're just queueing for service, not medical treatment.

[#4]

But calls need prioritising don't they? or are we suggesting that all calls are placed in a single queue regardless.

[#5]

I think I'd much rather just listen to hold music, regardless of adverts and the VERY annoying 'Your call is number X in the queue' messages that everyone else most people seems to be advocating...
Also, if someone is calling to report the fact that their Home Phone line is down, then I'd think they deserved more priority than someone phoning up to ask a question on what email server to use - not having a working Home Phone line is probably much more important than someone not being able to get their email...

[#6]

Not everyone Colin
The practicalities are far more complex than the theories.
Inbound call traffic has to be prioritised in order to provide a reasonable service and therefore a single queue is simply not practicable.

[#7]

Quote from: Strat

But calls need prioritising don't they?

I don't think they do, Strat. ISTM the priority is how long you've been holding.

Quote from: Strat

or are we suggesting that all calls are placed in a single queue regardless.

If the max answer time is reasonable (and why shouldn't it be?) then yes, why not?

[#8]

Quote from: 4Candles

If the max answer time is reasonable (and why shouldn't it be?) then yes, why not?

Presumably because you can't do Skills Based Routing if all the calls are in one queue.

[#9]

Exactly.

[#10]

We simply have to prioritise some calls - Notably home phone faults ones.  Having a single queue is not an option.

[#11]

Ok. so calls have to be "prioritised".... is there some kind of "mystic meg" telephone operator, sitting in the basement, in front of a PABX with a crystal ball (sorry LCD screen) who can determine that (for example) Strat is on the phone, with a call about his email, and just before he called up  Asbo Dog called in and is now talking to CS about his broadband fault, when I come along with my call, and hear the "all our operators are busy, we will answer your call as soon as possible "  while Strat is waiting (and listening to the same message(s) ....
I want to speak to CS about my Home Phone . 
Now this "mystic meg" has not spoken to either me or Strat, (because "all our operators are busy........")  yet she decides that my call is more important than Strat`s call...? ? ? ? and connects me before Strat?
How can you "prioritise" a call, and the service to be rendered, without speaking to the person calling first? and how can you not be "in a queue" even if it does not say you are, you must be, by virtue of the fact that you are "patiently" waiting  ? ? ?

[#12]

You get put in a queue based on the numbers you key in response to the prompts.

[#13]

Gerry,
Every single path you choose in the IVR will go into a different Huntgroup.  The Huntgroups are prioritised based on the type of call.
There are lots of huntgroups!  We just can't do it.

[#14]

Quote from: 4Candles

Quote from: Strat But calls need prioritising don't they? I don't think they do, Strat. ISTM the priority is how long you've been holding. Quote from: Strat or are we suggesting that all calls are placed in a single queue regardless. If the max answer time is reasonable (and why shouldn't it be?) then yes, why not?

I tend to agree that calls do need prioritising, but if the system really does work that you go back down the queue, if a higher priority comes in, then it should also prioritise a call that's been holding for more than 10mins so it doesn't go down the queue.
However, as has been said the practicalities are more complex that the theories, but to me that doesn't sound like a complex algorithm.

[#15]

Quote from: Jameseh

Gerry, Every single path you choose in the IVR will go into a different Huntgroup.  The Huntgroups are prioritised based on the type of call. There are lots of huntgroups!  We just can't do it.

Hmm OK...    so It can`t be done.....          as they say in the "Carlsberg adverts................ Probably..."