Call Centre BCM400 3.6

[CyberX666]

I have an issue where calls are being sent to the call centre queue with 9 agents in waiting, first agent picks up the call then another call comes in but the calls can’t be picked up by the other agents as soon as the agent with the first call hangs up the other agents can get calls.

Anyone got any ideas?

 

[3Sixty]

How is the queueing set up on the system. Is it set as prefered.

Marshall

http://www.nortelsupport.net

 

[BrokenIT]

I have exactly the same problem.
Our maintainer has been working with Nortel on this but it isn't looking too promising. We have installed all of the latest patches advised and have even removed a corrupt skillset, rebooted the BCM and reapplied the skillset as apparently this was preventing the patch applying cleanly.

We have multiple skillsets with variable numbers of agents. Some agents are across multiple skillsets as well.
Occassionally a single call will hold all other calls behind it. The Call Manager shows the agents as logged in and ready for action, the queue also shows inbound waiting calls but the phones do not ring until the remaining agent on the affected call terminates.

There has been a mention by the maintaining company that the Nortel manual has a warning about not using the Call Pick Up function when operating within a Call Manager environment.
I can't get the customer to agree to deactivate Call Pick Up as they
1. seem h*ll bent on intercepting calls rather than disciplining staff to use the Busy Out button
2. like their managers to butt into the workload before the Call Manager sends it around the distribution chain.

Incidentally we operate a "least utilised" approach rather than round robin for call distribution within the skillsets.

Can anyone confirm the Nortel warning or advise how to cure the problem please. Users are getting tetchy and quoting system is "unfit for purpose" despite having been using (abusing) it since Jan 05.

 

[biv343]

There are a few things that should not be done within call center:

1. Call Forward - forwarding your phone to anything but the voicemail DN will log the agent out or make the agent not ready.
2. DND - automatically logs the agent out or makes the agent not ready.
3. Agent telephones can't be members of any hunt groups.

There isn't anything specifically mentioned about not using pickup, but it does mention that if you use pickup to get a call, you can't enter an activity code. That being said, using the pickup button defeats the purpose of having ACD.

It's hard to say what might be causing the issue without seeing the system, but it's possible one of the above mentioned items could be causing some problems.

 

[BrokenIT]

Thanks BIV343. The lockup happened again this afternoon so it looks like I'm going to have to trawl throughthe handset button options to see if there is a rogue one about.

 

[BrokenIT]

OK guys - here's the advisory from Nortel
================================================
Solution Detail

Intercom key locks up intermittently.

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Problem Description

Fact:
Business Communications Manager
BCM
BCM (any version)
Call Center
Calls are incoming to the AA or CCR Tree.
Calling party selects option x which is a transfer to the skillset cdn.


Symptom:
Intercom key locks up intermittently.
Set has to be power-cycled in order to free up the intercom key.
Agents use Call Pickup to retrieve calls that are ringing on another Agent's set.


Cause:
One cause may be that the Call Center Agent or Agents reporting the problem may be using call pickup.

CallPilot documentation states that agents should not use "call pickup" to receive calls that have been transferred to the skillset DN. In this case the calls were being transferred to the Skillset CDN via the CCR Tree.

Use of call pickup in the Call Center not only causes the intermittent intercom key lockup but also skews the Call Center Reporting Data.


Problem Resolution

Fix:
Agents should not use Call Pickup to retrieve calls that are ringing on another Agent's set.

It is recommended that the Call Center be used properly. For example, advise the Call Center Agents to utilize the "not ready" key when they leave their work position so that calls will not be presented to that agent set while they are away. This will avoid the need for another Agent to "pickup" a call that is ringing on another Agent's set.
======================================================

I also checked the active DN settings.
Call Forwarding was only set for key managerial users and only active for forwarding to the 471 mailbox if the call went unanswered.
DND is enabled for approx 50% of the agent base but only 2/44 DNs have the button enabled on their handset - i will remove these 2 button settings and remove DND for everyone.
This was probably a hangover from the early days when the customer insisted that part of the call centre acts as hunt groups - a decision they quickly reverses 3 months later when presented with a report listing 75% calls missed or not answered.
I will also try to negotiate the removal of call pickup from core agent handsets. I still need some PA functionality to intercept DDI calls outside the Call Manager facility.

I now have to book this lot in through Change Control and get it past the customer. Will let you know what happens.