Example application using a value variable on page 126
Example applications using Global Collect variables on page 128 Example applications using vdn type variables on page 129
Example application using a vector variable in other commands on page 131
Example application using a vector variable in the converse-on command on page 131
Example application using time and day variables
The VIV feature provides time and day variables that you can use to enhance vector functionality and efficiency in many different ways. The following example shows how:
• You can use time of day (tod) and day of week (dow) variables to create flexible vectors that evaluate factors such as hours and days of week so an appropriate call treatment is delivered to customers.
• You can use Global collect variables to define call center start and close times for different days of the week. The collect variables provide threshold values that are tested against tod and dow values to determine appropriate call treatments.
• You can set up special VDNs that give you the ability to reassign variable values for opening and closing time whenever necessary, such as when a change in daylight savings
time occurs. The new variable values are instantly propagated to any number of vectors in which they are used.
Details for the example scenario and the steps required to implement the solution are provided in the Related topics.
Related topics:
Scenario details on page 123
Administering the variables on page 123
Creating a vector to use the time and day variables on page 124
Creating a vector to reassign call center hours of operation on page 125 Scenario details
The example call center has the following daily hours of operation, which must be specified in 24-hour clock time:
Day of week Opening time Closing time
Monday to Thursday 0700 2300
Friday 0700 2100
Saturday and Sunday 0700 1600
Administering the variables
The specifications that you would provide in the for Variables for Vectors screen for the variables used in this example are shown in the following table:
Variable Description Type Scop
e
Lengt h
Start Assignment
Time of day or day of week variables
T current time of day tod G Obtains the
current time of day from the system clock in 0000 - 2359 format.
D current day of the week dow G Obtains the
current day of week in 1- 7 format (1=Sunday).
Start time or Close time variables O opening time, all days of
week
collect G 4 1 0700
Understanding local and global variables
Variable Description Type Scop e
Lengt h
Start Assignment L8 closing time, Monday
through Thursday
collect G 4 1 2300
F closing time, Friday collect G 4 1 2100
W closing time, Saturday and Sunday
collect G 4 1 1600
Creating a vector to use the time and day variables
The following vector example shows how the tod and dow variables can tested against call center business hours so that call processing is controlled in an appropriate manner.
1. goto step 30 if T < O [if tod is earlier than 0700 hours, go to out of hours treatment]
2. goto step 8 if T < W [if tod is earlier than 1600 (earliest possible closing time), working hours apply. Continue with step 8]
3. goto step 30 if D = 1 [if dow is Sunday, go to out of hours treatment]
4. goto step 30 if D = 7 [if dow is Saturday, go to out of hours treatment]
5. goto step 8 if T < F [if tod is earlier than 2100 (Friday close time), working hours apply.]
6. goto step 30 if D = 6
[if tod is later than 2100 (as determined by preceding
step), and dow is Friday, go to out of hours treatment]
7. goto step 30 if T > L
[if tod is later than 2300, go to out of hours treatment]
8. goto step 31 if holiday in table 8
[based on outcome of all preceding steps,
working hours apply unless today is a holiday]
9. announcement 16549
[
Please wait for the next available agent.
]10. consider skill 80 pri m adjust by 0 11. consider location 16 adjust by 10 12. queue-to best
13. goto step 30 if staffed agents in skill 80 = 0 14. wait-time 2 secs hearing silence
........
30. announcement 18465
[
Please call again during regular business hours.
]31. closed for holiday treatment
8 In the current example, the Monday through Thursday closing time defines an upper bound on the latest possible closing time for any day of the week. Therefore, variable designation L is used to signify Latest possible closing time.
In the preceding vector example, the tod, dow and Global Collect variables control the flow of the call process by testing call time and day values against a series of time windows that represent possible ranges of operational hours for the call center.
Steps 1 and 2 determine whether the time is within the minimum window of operational hours common to all work days, which is currently defined as 0700 to 1600 hours.
Step 1 tests whether the time is earlier than the 0700 opening time that is common to every day of the week (T < O). If the time is earlier than 0700, vector processing branches to out of hours treatment at step 30. Otherwise, control passes to step 2.
Step 2 tests whether the time is earlier than the earliest possible closing time for any day of the week, which is 1600 on weekend days (T < W). If so, the call time is within the range of work hours that are common to all days of the week, and processing branches to step 8, which checks for a holiday before processing goes through the series of consider and queue-to best steps that are included in steps 9 through 12. Otherwise, vector processing goes to step 3 for further assessment.
Steps 3 and 4 then test whether the current day is Saturday (dow = 7) or Sunday (dow = 1).
When either case is true, call control passes to the out of hours treatment provided at step 30.
Otherwise, call control passes to step 5 for further assessment.
Step 5 tests whether the time is earlier than the Friday closing time (T < F). If so, the current time is within the normal range of operating hours for Monday through Friday and call processing branches to steps 8 through 12 for in-hours treatment. Otherwise, call vectoring goes to step 6 for further assessment.
Step 6 tests whether the day is Friday (dow = 6). If so, processing goes to out of hours treatment at step 30. Otherwise, call vectoring continues at step 7.
Step 7 completes the assessment of possible time windows by testing whether the tod is later than the latest possible closing time of 2300 hours on Monday through Thursday (T < L). If so, the call is directed the out of hours treatment provided at step 30. Otherwise, the time falls within normal work hours for Monday through Thursday and processing goes to steps 8 through 12 for in-hours treatment.
Creating a vector to reassign call center hours of operation
As described in Creating a vector to use the time and day variables on page 124, tod and dow variables can be tested against collect variables that specify call center opening and closing times for different days of the week. Because Global Collect variables are used to specify these hours of operation, you can create a simple vector that allows the hours of operation to be changed very quickly and which is instantaneously propagated to multiple vectors.
The following example shows a vector that allows the call center opening time, which is specified by variable O in the current example, to be quickly changed by dialing a VDN dedicated for that purpose.
Understanding local and global variables
Note:
You would need to create other vectors like this one for each of the Global Collect variables that you use to set call center opening and closing times.
VDN 1
1. wait-time 0 secs hearing ringback
2. collect 5 digits after announcement 17000 for none [ Please enter your security code.
]3. goto step 6 if digits <> 12345
4. collect 4 digits after announcement 17001 for O [ Please enter your daily opening
time.
]5. disconnect after announcement 17006 [ Your change is accepted.
]6. disconnect after announcement 17010 [ You have entered an invalid
security code.
]