Automatic Call Distribution - (ACD)

ACD - Automatic Call Distribution

ACD’s are customizable voice applications that “queue callers” when agents are not immediately available to answer calls. As calls enter the queue the application distributes them across an available pool of agents. ACD’s require that at least one agent be logged-in and “ready” to answer calls in order to receive calls from the queue. Supervisors can monitor queue and agent activity from their desktops and listen to live calls. These applications offer a host of real-time and historical reports that can assist the supervisor with day to day call flow management and agent productivity.

 

• Provide your customers with a single telephone number to dial
• Determine how calls are distributed and routed to a pool of agents
• Reduce or eliminate abandoned calls (hang-ups) by providing queuing or announcements
• Process incoming calls more effectively
• Generate real-time and historical reports and agent performance metrics
• Know when to add staff to handle peak calling periods

 

Pricing

FY2023-2024 Specialty Service rates currently excluded from the VOIP rate structure:

• One time ACD setup fee - $715 (per agent / supervisor position)
• ACD annual support fee - $352 (per agent / supervisor position)

 

Lead Time

ACD applications are customizable to fit your individual departmental needs. Be prepared to summarize your business application or what you are hoping to accomplish by using an ACD script as well as the time-frame needed. Budget at least 30 days from final design and approval to implement and “go live” with any new application and all change requests.

 

Call Flows

Call flows are a visual representation of the ACD design. You will be asked to consider how you would like the application to route calls during normal business hours, after hours, during holidays and in emergency situations. OIT can assist you in designing your call flows including on-hold announcements, over flow voice mail boxes, hours of operation etc. Planning your call flows properly ensures that your customers are triaged and handled appropriately.

 

Announcements

These are customizable to fit your work flow and may include a main greeting, menu options, after hours & holiday announcements. Announcements are professionally recorded and applied to the ACD application. OIT can assist you with the wording based on your call flows. * Please note that recordings can take (7-10) business days to complete and are done once weekly.

 

Agents & Supervisors

ACD Agent and supervisor log-in credentials are created based on the number of personnel you wish to answer queued calls. Agents are configured to a specific individuals (NetID). Note that each agent log-in credential can only be used by one individual.

 

Finesse (Agent log-in tool)

Finesse is a Cisco Systems web based tool that ACD agents and supervisors use to log-in and take calls from the application. Users that access Finesse from a Health System PIN station will need to request access via each individuals PIN account through the DHTS service desk. University agents will access finesse via the web URL.

 

• University and Health System Non-PIN station agents may access Finesse via the URL above
• Health System agents will receive access to Finesse through their PIN account. Use the verbiage below when submitting your request to the DHTS service desk requesting access.

"Provide access to Finesse (Cisco ACD agent software) via employee's CITRIX account(s) for (insert name of department). Charge monthly access fee to (insert departmental cost center). Below is the list of user names and NetID's to activate. **Route to Account Management – DHTS **
- Joe User
- Joe Users NetID

 

Finesse agent user guide (see attached PDF)

Reporting Tool (CUIC) - (Cisco Unified Intelligence Center)

Over a hundred different real time and historical reports can be accessed and generated using Cisco’s web based reporting tool CUIC. To Access the reporting tool click on this link CUIC. OIT must provision access rights to users who run reports in CUIC.

• Call traffic peg counts and statistics
• Total number of calls answered
• Number of calls transferred
• Number of calls abandoned (hang-ups)
• Number of calls handled by each agent
• Number of calls sorted by type (define as many types as you like)

ACD Agent Re-Skilling Tool

 Cisco’s web based re-skilling tool allows supervisors to “re-skill” agents at any time to alter their agent profile to answer calls from one or multiple skill groups. You can use this link to access the re-skilling tool. OIT will need to provision access to this site.

Ordering Service

To request, change, or delete select voice services, or to report Telecommunication service issues, please submit a request through either the DHTS or OIT service desks and include this information.

 

• Ten digit telephone number customers will call to reach your ACD
• Department requesting service
• Departmental contact name and telephone number
• Physical address where service is located
• Hours of operation including after-hours treatment, holidays and weekend hours
• Provide a written list of desired announcements including a main greeting, main menu selections, hold announcements, after-hours, holiday and any possible emergency announcements
• Telephone numbers that main menu options will transfer to
• Names of ACD agents & supervisors including their NetID's
• Departmental cost center