Live Agent Configuration

Administrators can enable or disable the Live Agent and Live Agent Transfer (LAT) features directly from the Workbench settings. This allows for efficient management of Live Agent and LAT features across different locations and workgroups, optimizing customer support operations.

By configuring these settings, organizations ensure that the most qualified Live Agents are available for chat transfers, streamlining customer inquiries. This approach improves the effectiveness of support interactions by directing customers to the most suitable resources, enhancing overall customer service.

Note:

The minimum required version for LAT functionality in Workbench is Apex Prelude.

User persona:

Admin

Enable/disable Live Agent and Live Agent Transfer

Configure and manage Live Agent and Live Agent Transfer configurations directly from the Workbench.

To enable/disable Live Agent and Live Agent Transfer functionality, perform the following steps:

1. Log in to Workbench application.

2. Click > Live Agent.
   Figure: Workbench - settings
   Live Agent configuration screen is displayed. Refer the following screenshot:
   
   Figure: Live Agent configuration screen

3. Turn the Enable Live Agent toggle to enable Live Agent. Once you turn on the Enable Live Agent toggle, other fields in the configuration screen are displayed. Refer the following screenshot:
   
   Figure: Enable Live Agent - turned on
   

After enabling Enable Live Agent toggle switch, configure settings in the following two sections described as under:

• Live Agent

• Live Agent Transfer

Live Agent

Configure the Locations and Workgroups for which you want to enable Live Agent under the Live Agent section.

• Location: Type in the desired location in the field and select it from the dropdown menu. Refer the following screenshot:
  
  Figure: Type in location
  
  You can select and add multiple locations. Refer the following screenshot:
  
  Figure: Multiple locations added
  

• Workgroup: Once you select a location, the corresponding Workgroups are displayed in a multi-select dropdown. Select the Workgroups to be added for the chosen location. You can select multiple multiple Workgroups for one location. Refer the following screenshot:
  
  Figure: Select Workgroups

Click to add the selected Location and Workgroup.

All the selected Locations and Workgroups are displayed in a tabular format. Refer the following screenshot:

Figure: Added Locations and Workgroups

Click to delete any specific added Location and Workgroup.

Click to edit the Location and Workgroup configuration.

Upon clicking edit icon, the Edit Workgroups pop-up is displayed as follows:

Figure: Edit Workgroups pop-up

Make the necessary changes in the configuration and click Save.

Live Agent Transfer

Turn on the Enable Agent Transfer toggle switch in the Live Agent Transfer section to allow Live Agents to transfer chats. Refer the following screenshot:

Figure: Enable Agent Transfer - toggle switch

After enabling the Enable Agent Transfer toggle, choose from the options below under Transfer For to specify who can transfer chats:

Figure: Transfer for

• All Agents: Select this option to enable chat transfer functionality for all the Live Agents. This option will be the default selection.

• Selected Agents Only: Select this option to enable chat transfer functionality for only a specific set of Live Agents.

  • Use the search bar under Agents to find a specific Live Agent by name in the dropdown. The dropdown displays all LAT-enabled Live Agent names filtered according to the selected Workgroup and Locations.
    Figure: Select Live Agents - dropdown
    
    Upon performing a search, the Live Agent name - if found in the dropdown - is filtered and highlighted for easy identification.

  • Select multiple Live Agents. All the selected Live Agents are displayed in the Agents field.
    Figure: Select multiple Live Agents

  • Click to add the selected Live Agents.

  • The added Live Agents are displayed in a tabular format, which has three columns: Agent, Email ID, Action.

  • Click under Action column to delete the corresponding Live Agent.

  Note:

  The table displays up to 5 rows, with a scroll feature enabled if the number of entries exceeds this limit.

• Everyone Except: Select this option to enable the chat transfer functionality for everyone except a specific set of Live Agents.

  • Use the search bar under Agents to find a specific Live Agent by name in the dropdown. The dropdown displays all LAT-enabled Live Agent names filtered according to the selected Workgroup and Locations.
    Figure: Select Live Agents - dropdown
    
    Upon performing a search, the Live Agent name - if found in the dropdown - is filtered and highlighted for easy identification.

  • Select multiple Live Agents. All the selected Live Agents are displayed in the Agents field.
    Figure: Select multiple Live Agents

  • Click to add the selected Live Agents.

  • The added Live Agents are displayed in a tabular format, which has three columns: Agent, Email ID, Action.

  • Click under Action column to delete the corresponding Live Agent.

  Note:

  The table displays up to 5 rows, with a scroll feature enabled if the number of entries exceeds this limit.

Click Save to save the changes and apply the updates. Click Cancel to discard any changes.

Configuration of Chat Assignment & Routing

Chat Assignment & Routing configuration in Workbench allows you to customize how incoming chat transfer requests are assigned and routed to the Live Agents. This setting enables you to define parameters such as assignment type, routing type, maximum number of chats handled by the Live Agents, and prioritization criteria for handling chat requests efficiently.

To configure Chat Assignment & Routing type for Live Agent Transfers, perform the following steps:

1. Login to Workbench.

2. Click Settings from the left menu. Refer the below screenshot:

   

   Figure: Settings - Workbench

3. Click Live Agent to find the Chats Assignment and Routing segment. Refer the following screenshot

   

   Figure: Live Agent - Chat Assignment and Routing

   
   
   

   You can also use the search bar to find Chat Assignment and Routing configuration screen.

   
   
   

   Refer the following table for the different fields and sections present in the configuration screen along with their description:

An asterisk (*) represents a mandatory field.

Each of the above fields has anicon. When you hover over it, it displays more information about the respective field in a tooltip. A sample screenshot is shown below:
Figure: Tooltip information

Click Save to save the changes and configure the Chat Assignment and Routing mechanism for Live Agent chat transfers. The following message is displayed:

Figure: Success message Click Cancel if you do not want to save the configurations and revert to the default changes.

Round Robin Algorithm

Auto Assignment type chat transfer uses Round Robin algorithm to assign the chats automatically to Live Agents. The Round Robin algorithm operates under the principle that incoming chat requests are assigned to available Live Agents in the order they are received.

The chat assignments proceed in a continuous cycle. This ensures equitable distribution of chats among Live Agents and helps maintain efficient handling of customer concerns over time.

How Round Robin Algorithm work?

1. Incoming chat transfer requests are enqueued into the queue based on the order of their arrival.

2. The system checks the availability of Live Agents based on the pre-defined criteria such as maximum chat limit, chat routing mechanism, and other criteria.

3. If a Live Agent is available to accept a chat, then the oldest chat request which arrived first at the queue is assigned to them.

4. In case no Live Agent is available then the chats will wait in the queue.

5. As soon as a Live Agent is free and matches the pre-defined criteria, then the oldest chat transfer request which came to the queue first will be assigned to the Live Agent.

6. The second oldest chat will be assigned to the next available Live Agent.

The Auto Assignment functionality works on the order of the Live Agents' availability. Once a chat transfer request is assigned to a Live Agent, the chat is removed from the queue.

The Round Robin algorithm guarantees that chat assignments follow the chronological order of when the requests are received, regardless of the availability status of the Live Agents at the moment of arrival. Even if some Live Agents are not available when a new request comes in, the algorithm ensures that the next available agent will handle the incoming chat in the sequence it was received.

Example:

Three chats arrive in an empty queue in an interval of 5 minutes. Each of them has a timestamp indicating their time of arrival. There are three Live Agents, out of which two are available and one is busy. The maximum chat limit for all the three Live Agents is one.

Step 1 - Chats arrive in the following order:

• Chat 1 – arrives first

• Chat 2 – arrives second

• Chat 3 – arrives third

Step 2 – The chat order in the queue is:

• Priority 1 – Chat 1

• Priority 2 – Chat 2

• Priority 3 – Chat 3

Step 3 – Check the availability of Live Agents based on pre-defined criteria like maximum chat limit.

Agent 1 and Agent 2 are available. Agent 3 is busy with an ongoing chat.

Step 4 – Chat Assignment to available Live Agents

Chat 1 in the queue is the oldest chat request. So, it is assigned to the first available Live Agent based on the pre-defined criteria.

Step 5 – The chat assigned to Agent 1 is removed from the queue.

Step 6 – Queue resets after the oldest chat (Chat 1) is assigned to a Live Agent. Now the chat order in the queue is:

• Priority 1 – Chat 2

• Priority 2 – Chat 3

Step 7 – The next oldest chat request in the queue (Chat 2) is assigned to Agent 2.

Step 8 – Chat 2 is now removed from the queue.

Step 9 – Queue resets after the oldest chat (Chat 2) is assigned and now the chat order in the queue is:

Priority 1 – Chat 3

Step 10 – Agent 3 is now available after completing the ongoing chat. Chat 3 is assigned to Agent 3.