ASAI Application Planning and Design
Data Screen Delivery Application Considerations
■Prior to the use of data screen delivery applications, a host application typ- ically waits for input from agents before performing an operation. Thus, the agent’s input generally controls the application. With data screen delivery applications, a new input to the application is provided. While this input enables agents to work more quickly, it means that the host application must be modified. In particular, the call events provided by a monitoring script on the VIS must be used by the host to drive the screens on agent’s terminals. The interface to the VIS serves as a “control” link while the inter- face to the agent operates traditionally as an “inquiry/response” link. The interactions between these two properties of the application must be con- sidered carefully.
Suppose, for example, that a call arrives for an agent before that agent has finished entering data from the previous call. This scenario can be handled in one of two ways:
—Agents can be trained to use Aux Work or After Call Work feature buttons on their phones to make themselves unavailable for calls until they have finished entering data from the previous call.
—There is typically a point in the application’s sequence of operations (for example, base transaction screen) where the agent is waiting for a new call and begins interaction with the application. The appli- cation could look for information from the VIS only at this point. The agent’s phone will alert the agent to the new call, and the agent can quickly finish work on the previous call. You may wish to provide a quick way for the agent to move to this place in the interactions with the application.
■In data screen delivery applications, phone extensions are used to identify agents receiving calls. The host application must therefore be able to asso- ciate extensions with particular data terminals.Three possible ways of doing this are:
—The agent can be queried for the phone extension when the applica- tion is started. This is the most flexible arrangement and handles the situation where data terminals and terminal ID’s are not permanently associated with the same phone. Agents do make mistakes in pro- viding the phone extension to the system. You should plan for these occasional mistakes and make sure agents understand what must be done to properly use the system. Discuss this issue with the per- son responsible for the company’s agent operations.
—If an agent is always assigned to the same work position and hence extension, the extension information could be added to an agent profile.