Notifying callers of wait time without a VRU

Last Updated : Oct 03, 2012 |
You can use EWT to notify callers of their expected wait time without a VRU. This can be done using recorded announcements and by associating each recorded announcement with a time band, as shown in the following example.
VECTOR 101
1. queue-to split 3 pri h
2. goto step 4 if expected-wait for call <= 600
3. busy
4. wait-time 12 seconds hearing ringback
5. announcement 3001 [Thank you for calling ABC Inc. All agents are busy, please wait and we will get to your call as soon as possible]
6. goto vector 202 if unconditionally
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 
VECTOR 202
1. goto step 13 if expected-wait for call > 280
2. goto step 11 if expected-wait for call > 165
3. goto step 9 if expected-wait for call > 110
4. goto step 7 if expected-wait for call > 55
5. announcement 3501 [Thank you for waiting. Your call will be answered within the next minute.]
6. goto step 14 if unconditionally
7. announcement 3502 [Thank you for waiting. Your call will be answered within approximately one to two minutes.]
8. goto step 14 if unconditionally
9.  announcement 3503 [Thank you for waiting. Your call will be answered within approximately two to three minutes.]
10. goto step 14 if unconditionally
11. announcement 3504 [Thank you for waiting. Your call will be answered within approximately three to five minutes.] 
12. goto step 14 if unconditionally
13. announcement 3505 [We apologize for the delay. Due to heavy call volume, you may have to wait longer than five minutes 
    to speak to a representative. If possible, we suggest that you call between the hours of 8am and 10am for the
    fastest service.]
14. wait-time 120 secs hearing music
15. goto step 1 if unconditionally
In step 1 of the example shown above, the call is queued to split 3 at high priority. If the call fails to get a queue slot in split 3, if split 3 has no working agents, or if the wait time in split 3 at high priority exceeds 10 minutes, step 2 fails and the caller receives a busy signal. If step 2 succeeds, the caller hears ringback and an announcement and is then sent to vector 202.
Steps 1 through 4 of vector 202 determine tests to determine a predicted time band interval for the remaining queuing time for the call. One of five recorded announcements is then played to provide the caller with an expected wait time.
You can program vectors so that few callers experience wait times that exceed the wait time of the announcement. In the example shown above, the EWT thresholds are set lower than the times that are quoted in the recorded announcements.