Consolidate return-call destinations

The main integration guide assumes that each Call Target is configured with a Call Center Phone Number leading to a single group of agents in your call center. However, in some ACD environments, the same group of agents are spread out across multiple queuing destinations. Since a Call Target is intended to serve a particular agent group, there needs to be a way to deliver callbacks and return-to-hold calls to a single destination that can ultimately route calls throughout the entire agent group.

You can configure a Call Target to send calls to a Call Center Phone Number that leads to a shared disposition destination, then make further routing decisions based on data attached to the call. This form of queue consolidation allows you to route return calls among multiple destinations representing the same group of agents.

How it works

Using a consolidated callback destination requires custom data to be passed to Mindful with inbound calls to identify their ultimate return destinations. This can be done in two ways:

• Send the destination to Mindful via SIP Headers. This requires that you configure additional Metadata Items for each affected Call Target. Or...

• Post the destination to Mindful Datastore using the customer's ANI as the key. This method can be used even when calls are delivered via the PSTN rather than SIP.

In either case, Mindful will re-attach the custom data to the return call (whether it is a callback or a customer returning to hold) and deliver the call to a single return-call disposition destination. From there, you can use the custom data to route the call to the appropriate agent groups.

Example

Consider the following example. Let's say you have the same agent skill assigned to different queuing destinations labeled 111, 222, and 333. You have a single disposition destination for callbacks and another for return-to-hold calls. In this case, the routing path for a callback could look like this:

1. You identify that a particular new inbound call should ultimately be delivered to 333, so you attach that destination number to the call as custom data when sending it to Mindful for treatment.

2. When the time comes, Mindful delivers the return call (a callback in this case) with the destination number still attached.

3. When the call arrives at the callback disposition destination on your ACD, additional routing logic ensures that the call ends up with agents at 333.

4. The appropriate priority is set, and the call is delivered to an agent.

Offer second chance callbacks

Second chance callback is a best-practice methodology that can increase the take-rate of callback offers and lower the abandon rate in your call center's holding queues. With a few updates to your routing logic, you can provide additional callback offers to customers waiting on hold who have already declined an initial offer.

There are a variety of reasons that customers might appreciate a second chance to accept an offer of a callback. For example, perhaps something has come up that requires their attention and they can no longer wait on hold. Perhaps the quoted wait time was low when they declined the first offer but queue conditions later changed and resulted in a longer hold time. Regardless of the scenario, second chance callback ensures that customers have the callback option available when they need it.

Benefits

Our research shows positive results for call centers offering second chance callback, including:

• Keeping customers in control with additional options while holding

• Reducing abandoned calls in the holding queue by offering an alternative option

• Fully controlling second chance offers in your ACD with no integration constraints

• Adding another tool to address unexpected increases in hold time

• No additional requirements for customers — they are not required to respond to second chance prompts, but can instead simply continue to wait on hold if they choose.

ACD configuration

Most configuration for second chance callback is done on your ACD, so the technical implementation will vary based on your integration. In all integrations, the following logic must be introduced to interact with customers in the holding queue.

1. Whether offers are made in your ACD or Mindful, the process begins with the first offer. If the initial offer is accepted, then a callback is registered and no second chance offer is needed.

2. If the initial offer is not accepted, callers are routed to a holding queue.

3. A timer begins in the holding queue. When the specified time expires, another callback offer is made.

4. If the customer declines the second chance offer, then the timer is reset, and another offer will be made when it expires again.

5. If the customer accepts the second chance offer, the call is sent to Mindful for treatment.

Note that you can add logic into the routing script to limit the total number of offers made per call.

Mindful configuration

There are two alternatives for preparing your Mindful organization for second chance callback. Each alternative introduces its own advantages and drawbacks.

• Option 1 (best practice) — Use separate Call Targets for normal inbound calls and second chance calls.

• Option 2 — Use a single Call Target for both normal inbound calls and second chance calls.

If you wish to use a single Call Target for normal inbound calls and second chance calls, you will need:

• Two phone numbers provisioned for the same Call Target

• The Offer Choose Hold Call Target setting disabled (offering a hold option in Mindful after a customer has already chosen to leave the holding queue can negatively impact the customer experience)

If you wish to use separate Call Targets for normal inbound calls and second chance calls, you will need:

• Two Call Targets configured with the same Call Center Phone Number targeting the same group of agents

• The Offer Choose Hold setting disabled for the second chance Call Target. The setting can still be enabled for the normal inbound Call Target

For either method, you will also need:

• The ability to capture DTMF input from customers in your holding queue

• The ability to play audio prompts to customers in your holding queue based on a timer

Option 1 (best practice) — Use separate Call Targets

This option uses the first Call Target to service normal inbound callback requests with a second Call Target dedicated to servicing second chance callback requests. For an initial offer, send the call to the first Call Target. For a second chance offer, send the call to the second Call Target. This option separates the two types of calls for ease of reporting and real-time analysis.

Option 2 — Use a single Call Target

The second option uses a single Call Target to service both normal inbound callback requests and second chance requests. This method is easier to configure and maintain, but it introduces a few additional drawbacks to consider.

Reporting with separate Call Targets

As noted in the lists of advantages and drawbacks, reporting on second chance interactions varies depending on whether you use one or two Call Targets.

On the Callback Overview, Executive Summary, and Call Detail pages, use the Call Target filter to view data only for the second chance Call Target. This will exclude any data from initial offers and callers that chose to hold. If you offer second chance for multiple lines of business, you can add all of your second chance Call Targets into a shared reporting category to view all second chance interactions.

On the Callback Status page, review real-time statistics for the second chance Call Target or use the Category filter to limit the view to only second chance Call Targets.

Reporting with a single Call Target

When using a single Call Target, additional configuration is required and the reporting capabilities are limited.

Preparation:

1. Provision two phone numbers in the Mindful user interface, and assign both phone numbers to the same Call Target.

   

2. In your routing scripts, send normal inbound calls for callback treatment to the first phone number.

3. Send second chance calls for treatment to the second phone number.

Reporting:

1. On the Call Detail page, export the reporting data to CSV. In the exported CSV file, the Call Target Phone Number to which each call was sent will be noted in the Source column.

2. In the CSV file, filter the Source column for all records matching the second chance phone number. The remaining data will include only second chance interactions.

When using a single Call Target, the Callback Status, Callback Overview, and Executive Summary pages will combine second chance interactions with initial offers and callers that chose to hold.