How to reduce the number of priority queue timeouts

Troubleshooting Scenario

If you are seeing PriorityQueueTimedOut alerts for one or more Call Targets, it can be helpful to understand why the timeouts are happening and what you can do to reduce them.

You may see these alerts more or less frequently depending on how the Priority Queue Timeout setting is configured, and timeouts can occur for several different reasons. A combination of configuration changes, troubleshooting, and communication with agents can help to reduce the number of these alerts over time.
Important: If a Call Target is experiencing a high number of Priority Queue Timeouts, Mindful's Return Call Hold Time (RCHT) metric will be unreliable, as the system sees a Priority Queue Timeout as an agent answer event. When addressing high RCHT, raise the Priority Queue Timeout timer (described below) to eliminate as many timeouts as possible before adjusting any other settings.

What is Priority Queue Timeout and Why Do We Use It?

The Priority Queue Timeout slider sets a limit on the length of time that a callback can remain in the high-priority holding queue without being accepted by an agent.

The slider is only accessible in the UI when First Party Called is set to Customer and the Wait for Live Agent setting is enabled. Depending on how the Agent Answer Recognition setting is configured, agents must accept callbacks by pressing 1 or speaking in reply to a voice prompt in this scenario.image of the priority queue timeout setting

Setting the Priority Queue Timeout is not required. The slider can be left at the default value of infinite, which would eliminate the alerts altogether but would not address the potential for callbacks to be left in the high-priority holding queue unanswered.

There are two primary reasons that you might want to set a value for Priority Queue Timeout:

  • An unresolvable technical issue in the telephony environment, such as an inability to accept DTMF input from agents
  • An issue with agents not accepting callbacks when prompted

In the case of a known technical issue, the Priority Queue Timeout can ensure that callers reach agents in a timely manner when things go wrong. If agent training or behavior is the issue, then the timeout can mitigate any attempts to let callbacks sit in queue without being answered.

How Does It Work?

After a callback is launched, Mindful Callback tracks how long the call remains in different states until the interaction is complete. Priority Queue Timeout starts a timer at a specific point in the interaction to ensure callers do not remain in the high-priority holding queue too long. The following Call Detail timeline shows the triggering events.example of a priority queue timeout event

  1. When the Connecting:PromptAgent event occurs, a timer begins based on the Priority Queue Timeout setting.
  2. If the Connecting:AgentAnswered event is not detected before the timer expires, then a PriorityQueueTimedOut event is logged and the alert is triggered.
  3. After the timeout, the call is placed with the next available agent. This time, the agent will not be prompted to accept the call and instead will be immediately connected with the caller.

The call flow diagram below illustrates the process further:diagram illustrating the priority queue timeout flow

Best Practice Recommendations

We recommend setting a conservative value for Priority Queue Timeout and making only slight adjustments to test the impact. When a PriorityQueueTimedOut event occurs, the lack of a precise agent answer event can have negative impacts on important metrics, including:

  • ECBT
  • Average Wait
  • Average Talk

If you continue to see PriorityQueueTimedOut alerts after conservatively adjusting the timeout, the next step is to consult with your agents to learn more about their experience. Ask questions such as:

  • Are agents having trouble with DTMF input or speech recognition when they attempt to accept a callback?
  • Do agents understand what they need to do to accept callbacks?
  • Can you incentivize agents to accept callbacks more quickly?
  • Do agents need more time to read Screen Pop information?