Creating Common IVR Outbound Call Tasks or Intelligent Robot Outbound Call Tasks

Prerequisites

• To create a common IVR outbound call task, you have configured and published a main IVR flow. For details about how to configure a common IVR flow, see Getting Started. To create an intelligent outbound call task, you have configured and published a main intelligent IVR flow. For details about how to configure an intelligent IVR flow, see Operator: Configuring an Intelligent Robot.
  

  In independent deployment mode, you have configured the IVR flow on the web configuration console.

• To create an outbound call task, you have completed the operations in Preparations for Creating Outbound Call Tasks.
• If the tenant space is in trial commercial use, you have contacted O&M personnel to add the numbers used for making outbound calls to the tenant space trustlist.
• To send SMS notifications for failed outbound calls, you have configured an SMS template on the Configuration Center > Workbench Configuration > Notification Template page. For details about how to configure an SMS notification template, see Configuring Notification Templates as an Administrator.
• To configure a callback URL, an application has been submitted to the system administrator and approved to add the callback URL to the address trustlist.

Context

In a common IVR outbound call task, the system makes an outbound call to a customer and the call is transferred to a specified IVR flow after being connected. The IVR flow then plays a voice and collects digits from the customer.

Select a configured outbound call template where certain outbound call task parameters are preset. For details, see Creating Outbound Call Templates.

You can modify, start, or delete a task in draft state, and configure outbound call data for the task.

Business Scenario

The following describes how to configure an automatic outbound call task for a call center to notify customers of major product changes by playing voices. The outbound call task is executed in working hours on workdays and also on weekends. If a customer is busy, the call is made to the customer for another two times.

Procedure

1. Sign in to the AICC as a tenant administrator and choose Outbound Call > Call Mgmt.
2. Click Create and choose Robot Outbound Call.
   Figure 1 Page for creating a common IVR outbound call task
   

3. Configure basic information.
   • Task Name: Enter a customized task name.
   • Caller Number: Select an existing calling number of the current tenant space. A maximum of 100 calling numbers can be added.
   • Task Start And End Time: The start time cannot be later than the end time.
   • Task Type: Select Common IVR Outbound Call or Intelligent Robot Outbound Call.
   • Common IVR: Select an IVR flow that has been configured and published.
   • Smart Robot: Only robots bound to the main flow can be selected.
   • Questionnaire: An IVR survey needs to be used together with the questionnaire diagram element in an IVR flow. A manual and IVR survey can be used on the outbound call workbench or used together with the questionnaire diagram element in an IVR flow.
   • SMS Template for Failed Outbound Call: Select a configured SMS notification template. For details about how to configure an SMS notification template, see Configuring Notification Templates as an Administrator.
   • Priority: Select a value from 1 to 5. A smaller value indicates a higher priority. If tasks are started at the same time, the task with a higher priority is called preferentially.
   • Transfer to Skill Queue: After a skill queue is selected, the Variable assignment diagram element in the IVR flow is used to obtain the value of SkillQueueName (skill queue name) in the call-associated data. The skill queue name is used to transfer a call to a skill queue when Transfer Type is set to Skill Queue (Name) for the Call Transfer diagram element.
     1. Variable assignment

        Click the Flow Attribute tab and create the FLOW.chuichui variable in the Flow Variable area.

        Click the Node Attribute tab, click the Obtaining Associated Data tab, and create the FLOW.chuichui=iSales.SkillQueueName variable.

     2. Call Transfer

        Set Transfer Type to Skill Queue (Name).

        Set Route Value to FLOW.chuichui.

        Set Associated Data to IVRREQUEST.transin_data.

        Figure 2 Variable assignment
        

        Figure 3 Call Transfer
        
   • Associate Business Result: This field is displayed only after Transfer to Skill Queue is set for an intelligent robot outbound call task. If a business result is associated, only the associated business result and its sub-business results can be selected for outbound calls.
   • Manual Questionnaire: This field is displayed only when Transfer to Skill Queue is set. Only manual surveys and manual and IVR surveys are available. If a manual survey is selected, the survey is displayed on the outbound call workbench. If a manual and IVR survey is selected, the survey can be used on the outbound call workbench or used together with the questionnaire diagram element in an IVR flow.
   • Callback Address: Enter the URL for callback upon call connection or release on the customer side.
     

     The callback URL is a third-party URL and can carry data. The carried parameters include dataId, taskId, sessionId, calledNo, beginTime, vdnId, failCode, callId, filePath, and customFiled.

     In the integrated environment, the callback URL can be configured only in the outbound call task.

4. Configure the outbound call period.
   Figure 4 Outbound Call Duration
   
   1. In Regular Date Time Period(UTC+08:00), set the start time and end time of the working period. Examples are as follows:

      9:00–11:30

      14:00–18:00

   2. In Special Date, click add special date to add days such as holidays and weekends as special dates.
   3. In Special Time Period(UTC+08:00), click add time period and set Start Time and End Time to 00:00 and 23:59, respectively.
      

      If calls do not need to be made on some special dates, for example, weekends, you can set Regular Date Time Period(UTC+08:00) to 00:00–23:59, set weekends as special dates, and set Special Time Period(UTC+08:00) to 00:00–00:00, as shown in the following figure.

      

5. Click Next and configure the task policy.
   Figure 5 Task Strategy
   

   Table 1 Parameters in the Task Strategy area

   Parameter	Description
   Max. Response Duration	If the response duration exceeds this value, the current call ends and the next call is to be made. The value ranges from 5 to 120. The default value is 20.
   Outbound Call Interval	Interval for starting an outbound call. Enter an integer ranging from 1 to 9999.
   Number of Outbound Calls at a Time	Number of outbound calls each time. The default value is 1. The value cannot exceed the number of purchased IVR channels in the tenant space. If the value of Outbound Call Interval is greater than 3, the number of outbound calls initiated by the system is calculated as follows: Value of Number of Outbound Calls at a Time/Value of Outbound Call Interval x 3.
   Outbound Call Data Attribute Filtering	You can customize data attributes on the Configuration Center > Call Config > Data Attr page. Enable this parameter to customize filter criteria. The system initiates an outbound call only when the pre-called customer number meets the criteria. Encrypted attributes cannot be used as filter criteria.

   

   Outbound Call Interval and Number of Outbound Calls at a Time should be configured to make a fixed number of outbound calls on average with proper intervals rather than make all outbound calls at once.

   For example, if you want to make 60 outbound calls in one minute, you are advised to set both Outbound Call Interval and Number of Outbound Calls at a Time to 3 instead of 60.

   For a key robot outbound call or intelligent outbound call task, the number of outbound calls is calculated as follows: (Value of Number of Outbound Calls at a Time/Value of Outbound Call Interval) x 3, rounded up. Outbound calls are made only when the result is greater than 1. If the value of Outbound Call Interval is greater than 3, 3 is used for calculation. If the value of Outbound Call Interval is less than 3, the actual value is used.

   • Q1: If the value of Outbound Call Interval is greater than 3, 3 is used for calculation. If the value of Outbound Call Interval is less than 3, the actual value is used. What is the meaning?

     A1: If the outbound call interval is set to an interval greater than 3 seconds, the OBS still uses 3 seconds as the call interval. If the outbound call interval is set to an interval less than 3 seconds, the configured call interval is used.

   • Q2: If I set Outbound Call Interval to 10 and Number of Outbound Calls at a Time to 100, how many outbound calls are made every 10 seconds? 100 or 30?

     A2: The outbound call interval configured for the outbound call task is used only to calculate the number of calls made each time. When the value is greater than 3, it does not indicate the actual call interval. If you set Outbound Call Interval to 10, the actual call interval is 3 seconds. In this case, the number of calls made each time is 30 based on the formula: (Value of Number of Outbound Calls at a Time/Value of Outbound Call Interval) x 3. That is, 30 outbound calls are made every 3 seconds.

   • Q3: If I set Outbound Call Interval to 1 and Number of Outbound Calls at a Time to 10, will 30 outbound calls be made every second?

     A3: In this case, 10 outbound calls are made every second.

   • Q4: What will happen if the calculated number of outbound calls is less than 1?

     A4: In this case, no outbound call is made at the first interval. An outbound call is made until the decimal part of the value of Number of Outbound Calls at a Time accumulates to greater than 1.

6. Configure the call policy.
   1. In the Call Strategy area, customize the pre-called customer numbers. Set parameters based on Table 2.
      Figure 6 Call Strategy
      

      Table 2 Parameters in the Call Strategy area

      Parameter	Description
      Call Sequence: Customize the call sequence of pre-called customer numbers.
      Unordered call	-
      By No	-
      By data attribute	Click Add, select attributes, and set the sorting type. You can adjust the attribute sequence after adding the attributes.
      Multi-number customer call rounds: Mode for calling multiple numbers of a customer.
      In sequence	Call multiple numbers of a customer in sequence.
      By number type	You can select Existing number type or New number type. After the configuration, the number with the specified type placed ahead is called first.
      By sequence number	You can enter the sequence numbers of numbers. After the configuration, the number with a smaller sequence number is called first.

   2. Configure Outbound Call Result Policy, which indicates the processing method when an outbound call is not connected due to an unallocated number, busy line, or other exceptions. Select Global policy or Contact Policy.
      • Global policy
        • Disable Configure Policy Based On Results.

          Set Max. Call Attempt Days, Maximum number of call attempts per day, and Call-Out Interval (s).

          Click and set Add non-retry result code. When the result of an outbound call to a customer matches a result code configured in Add non-retry result code, the system stops retrying calling all other numbers of the customer.

          Figure 7 Disabling Configure Policy Based On Results
          
        • Enable Configure Policy Based On Results.

          In Results processing strategy, click and set Outbound Call Failure Cause, Retry Times and Call-Out Interval (s). Click for multiple times to add multiple policies one by one. Policies with the same values of Outbound Call Failure Cause cannot be added.

          Click and set Add non-retry result code. When the result of an outbound call to a customer matches a result code configured in Add non-retry result code, the system stops retrying calling all other numbers of the customer.

          Figure 8 Enabling Configure Policy Based On Results
          
        

        If the outbound call interval is set to a large value, outbound call operations indicators, such as the call connection rate, may be affected. You are advised to use the default value.

      • Contact Policy
        • Default number type: Set Whether to configure based on the result to configure the policy.

          If it is set to No, you can set Max. Call Attempt Days and Maximum number of call attempts per day.

          Figure 9 Setting Whether to configure based on the result to No
          

          If it is set to Yes, you can set Outbound Call Failure Cause, Retry Times, and Call-Out Interval (s). Click for multiple times to add multiple policies one by one. Policies with the same values of Outbound Call Failure Cause cannot be added.

          Figure 10 Setting Whether to configure based on the result to Yes
          
        • Added number type: Click to access the Configure Policy Based On Results dialog box. You must set Number Type first regardless of whether Configure Policy Based On Results is enabled, and then set other parameters.

          If Configure Policy Based On Results is disabled, set Number Type to New number type and set Max. Call Attempt Days and Maximum number of call attempts per day.

          Figure 11 Disabling Configure Policy Based On Results
          

          If Configure Policy Based On Results is enabled, set Number Type to New number type, click , and set Outbound Call Failure Cause, Maximum number of call attempts, and Call-Out Interval (s). Click for multiple times to add multiple policies one by one. Policies with the same values of Outbound Call Failure Cause cannot be added.

          Figure 12 Enabling Configure Policy Based On Results
          

7. (Optional) Click Save as Template. In the dialog box that is displayed, enter a template name and click confirm to save the current configuration as an outbound call template.
8. Click Save.
9. Return to the Call Mgmt page, click Contact list in the Operation column corresponding to the new outbound call task, and add outbound call data to the outbound call task. For details, see Configuring Outbound Call Data.
10. Return to the Call Mgmt page and click corresponding to the new outbound call task.

Follow-up Procedure

To modify an outbound call task, click Suspend to suspend it.

After the task is suspended, click Edit to modify the outbound call task. The procedure for changing the calling number is as follows:

1. Click Caller Number. The page for selecting a calling number is displayed. The selected calling number is displayed by default.
   Figure 13 Select Calling Number
   
2. Click Add and select another calling number. The selected calling number cannot be selected again. The number of new calling numbers cannot exceed the Maximum number of calling numbers configured by an administrator.
   Figure 14 Adding a calling number
   
3. Click OK. Return to the Select Calling Number page and click OK.

To view the task result, you can click a task to access the outbound call task details page and click the outbound call result on the outbound call task details page to view the outbound call result for each customer.

To enable the recording function for intelligent robot outbound call results, choose Configuration Center > Chatbot Management > Flow Configuration > System > System Settings, click the System Settings tab, and set FLOWRECORDFLAG (whether to enable the recording function for intelligent IVR call flows) to Enable. In this way, Play is displayed for intelligent robot outbound call results.

On the task result page, you can perform the following operations:

• Click Details to view all outbound call results of all called numbers under the customer.
• Click Business Result to remark the called outbound numbers.
• Click Export to export the task result.
• Click View Export Result to view the export result. On the displayed page, you can download the result.
  

  The exported data contains personal data. Exercise caution when processing the exported data to prevent personal data leakage and abuse.