Customize Proactive Voice Dialing

Complete these configuration tasks as needed for your environment.

Enable Preview Dialing

Preview dialing requires agents to accept a contact before Personal Connection dials the call. You can enable preview dialing for any agent-handled proactive voice ACD skillClosed Used to automate delivery of interactions based on agent skills, abilities, and knowledge. Follow the steps in this section to fully enable and customize preview dialing for your organization. There are some differences to the setup depending on how you set up screen popsClosed A configurable pop-up window with information about the contact. It appears on an agent's screen after a certain event, usually when the agent connects to a contact..

There are two methods:

  • You can set up screen pops in the proactive voice ACD skill. If you choose to do this, do not enable the Use on Preview setting on the Parameters tab of the ACD skill.
  • You can alternately set up screen pops using the PAGE Studio action in your custom script.

    • Use the ONPREVIEW Studio action.

    • Enable the Use on Preview option on the Parameters tab of the proactive voice ACD skill.

    Enabling Use on Preview without correctly configuring custom scripting can result in orphaned contacts.

  1. If you haven't already done so, configure your tenantClosed High-level organizational grouping used to manage technical support, billing, and global settings for your CXone environment preview dialing settings.

    1. Click the app selector and select ACD.

    2. Go to ACD ConfigurationBusiness Units.

    3. In the Details tab, click Edit.

    4. Scroll down to the Outbound Strategy section.
    5. Scroll down to the Enabled Preview Modes section and select all dialing modes you want to be allowed for preview dialing calls. Each type you enable becomes available in the ACD skill settings so you can specify the preview dialing mode for an ACD skill.

    6. If you have more than one preview dialing mode enabled for your tenant, select the Default Confirmation Required Delivery Mode that you want an ACD skill to use for preview dialing calls when it doesn't have another dialing mode specified.
    7. If you want to set the ACD skill Preview Required Default Action field to Requeue for all ACD skills, select Show Preview Timeout. This setting causes all compliance-required calls to requeue automatically when the agent doesn't accept or dial the call within the specified timeout window. When this setting is enabled, you cannot change the setting at the ACD skill level.
    8. Click Done.
  2. Click the app selector and select ACD.

  3. Go to Contact SettingsACD Skills.

  4. Click the outbound Personal Connection skill you want to modify.

  5. Choose how you want to set up the screen pop for preview dialing:

    • Use default screen pops in the ACD skill:

      1. Click Edit in the Details tab.
      2. Select Use Screen Pops.
      3. Click Done.
    • Set up screen pops in your Studio script:

      1. In the properties of the proactive voice ACD skill, click the Parameters tab.
      2. Select Use On Preview.
      3. Have your Studio script writer include the ONPREVIEW and PAGE action in your custom script.
  6. Click the Parameters tab.
  7. Locate the Delivery Preferences section and click Configure or Edit.

  8. Under Preview Settings, select the Process Contacts as Preview Required checkbox.

  9. Configure any optional settings you want for your preview dialing ACD skill.

  10. Click Done.

  11. If you selected Snooze as an Options to Display to Agents and want to change the default snooze setting of 15 minutes, do the following:

    1. In the ACD skill settings, click Parameters. Click Configure or Edit for Retry Settings.

    2. Click Retry - Snooze in the Retry Management section.

    3. In the Edit Retry Settings window, set the Time Delay Before Retry boxes to the period of time you want to pass before PC redelivers a snoozed call. You can use any of the three boxes or a combination of them to configure the rest period. Click OK.

    4. Click Done.
  12. If you selected Disposition as an Options to Display to Agents, create the preview dispositions and assign them to the ACD skill. To do so:

    1. Click the app selector and select ACD.

    2. Go to Contact SettingsDispositions.

    3. Click Create New.
    4. Give the disposition a descriptive Disposition Name and select the Preview Disposition checkbox.

    5. Select a Classification for the disposition.

    6. Click Create Disposition.
    7. Continue creating all the preview dispositions you want available for agents with this ACD skill.
    8. If you don't already have one, create an unavailable code to apply to the agent during after-contact work.

      1. Click the app selector and select ACD.
      2. Go to ACD SettingsUnavailable Codes.
      3. Click Create New.
      4. Enter the name of the code in the Unavailable Code Name field.
      5. Select Post Contact.
      6. If you want to change the default period of time (120 minutes) an agent can spend in an unavailable state before it automatically changes, enter the number of minutes in Agent Timeout (Min).
      7. Click Create Unavailable Code.

    9. Click the app selector and select ACD.

    10. Go to Contact SettingsACD Skills.

    11. Click the Post Contact tab.
    12. Select Disposition as the Post Contact Setup.
    13. Select a State and either Required or both Timeout State and Max Time Limit.

    14. Under Dispositions Assigned to This Skill, click the Preview tab.
    15. In the Select Dispositions to Use with This Skill list, select each preview disposition you want to enable for this ACD skill and click Add.
    16. Click Save.

Enable Screen Pops

For Personal Connection (PC) proactive voice predictive and progressive dialing modes, you can configure the default PC screen pop experience. It displays all mapped calling list fields in a pre-defined order. You can assign user-friendly names to the selected field names. Each subsequent screen pop uses the same window rather than creating a new window each time.

You can also design a custom screen pop in Studio. See the Studio help or contact your NICE CXone account representative if you need help creating that script.

If you assign a script to your PC ACD skillClosed Used to automate delivery of interactions based on agent skills, abilities, and knowledge, you cannot use the default screen pop experience. You must create a custom screen pop experience in the ACD skill custom script instead.

  1. Click the app selector and select ACD.

  2. Go to Contact SettingsACD Skills.

  3. Click the ACD skill you want to edit.

  4. On the Details tab, click Edit.

  5. In the Screen Pops section, select Use Screen Pops and select a Trigger Event from the drop-down. The Trigger Event specifies when the screen pop appears. You can select Linked, which is before the contact answers the phone; Connect, which is when the contact answers the phone but before call progress analysis determines whether the contact is a live person or a machine; or Active, which is after CPA has determined the contact is a live person.

  6. Click Done.

  7. If you want to have up to 2 custom fields appear in the screen pops, do the following:

    1. If you have not already done so, create the custom fields you want to appear in screen pops and map them to columns in your calling lists.

      1. Click the app selector and select ACD.

      2. Go to ListsCustom Data Definitions.

      3. Click Create New.

      4. Enter a Field Name. Don't give a custom field the same name as a system field. If you plan to make the field visible to agents, make the name readable by adding spaces. If you're using this field as a script variable, you cannot use spaces. If you want the field to be both a script variable and visible to agents, you can use underscores to improve readability or create two mappings to the same field.

      5. Select a field Type.
      6. If you want to set a default field value and your selected Type supports it, enter the Default value. The value you entered applies to all records that don't specify a value for that field.

      7. If your selected Type supports it and you want to prevent the system from assigning a default value to contacts without an assigned value for the field, select Value Required.

      8. Click Add.

    2. Click the app selector and select ACD.

    3. Go to Contact SettingsACD Skills.

    4. Click the ACD skill you want to edit.

    5. Click the Parameters tab.

    6. Click Edit or Configure for List Management.
    7. Use the drop-down to select the custom field you want to display for Display Field 1. If you want to configure a second custom field, select another field for Display Field 2.

    8. Click Done.

Set Up Priority-Based Blending

Required permissionsExternal Business Unit Edit and Skills Edit

Priority-based blendingClosed The ability for agents to receive interactions from all eligible CXone ACD skills, Personal Connection dialer, and Digital Experience skills assigned to them, based on the relative skill priority. Personal Connection skills work the same way they normally would, no matter the dialing ratio. Each skill you want to blend with others must be configured with priority-based blending. enables agents to receive calls from all eligible CXone ACD, Personal Connection (PC) dialer, and Digital Experience skillsClosed Used to automate delivery of interactions based on agent skills, abilities, and knowledge assigned to them, based on the relative skill priorityClosed Skill-based designation of the importance of contacts that determines delivery order.. For PC skills configured in a predictive dialing mode, agents can be assigned to more than one call, just as they would with a non-blended predictive dialing skill.

You must set up priority-based blending for each skill you want to blend together for your agents. Agents cannot log in to PC ACD skills with priority-based blending enabled they same way they would log in to the non-blended PC ACD skill. Instead, CXone delivers calls as the ACD skill priorities dictate. CXone prompts the agent to manually log in to those non-blended skills. Otherwise, it assigns the agent outbound calls when they are the next highest priority work. If an agent logs in to a non-blended ACD skill, the agent cannot use priority-based blending.

When the agent application switches between inbound and outbound calls, agents receive a visual cue. The two modes have differences in color and the agent can see queue levels for inbound ACD skills while handling outbound calls.

  1. To enable priority-based blending for Personal Connection skills, do the following:

    1. Click the app selector and select ACD.

    2. Go to ACD ConfigurationBusiness Units.

    3. In the Details tab, click Edit.

    4. In the Outbound Strategy section, select the Enable Priority-Based Blending of Outbound Skills with Inbound Queues checkbox.

    5. Click Done.

  2. Configure priority settings for the CXone ACD skills you want to include in blending. These do not include Personal Connection or Digital Engagement skills. You'll configure those in later steps.

    1. Click the app selector and select ACD.

    2. Go to Contact SettingsACD Skills.

    3. Locate the skill you want to include in priority-based blending. Click to open it.

    4. Click Edit.

    5. Set the Initial Priority, Acceleration rate, and Maximum Priority fields as needed. Not every field will be available for every skill type.

    6. Use the Priority Comparison tool at the bottom of the skill's Details tab as needed.

    7. Click Done.

    8. Return to the ACD Skills page and repeat these steps for all other CXone ACD skills you want to include in priority-based blending.

  3. Configure priority settings for the Personal Connection skills you want to include in blending.

    1. If the PC skill you want to enable for blending is currently running, stop the skill.

      1. Click the app selector and select ACD.

      2. Go to OutboundSkill Control.

      3. Click the ACD skill. Click Stop.
    2. Still in the ACD application, go to Contact SettingsACD Skills.

    3. Locate the PC skill you want to include in priority-based blending. Click to open it.

    4. Click Edit.

    5. Select Priority-Based Blending. Click Done.

    6. Click Edit again.

    7. Set the Initial Priority, Priority Initial Priority, and Reschedule Priority fields as needed.

    8. Use the Priority Comparison tool at the bottom of the skill's Details tab as needed.

    9. Click Done.

    10. Return to the ACD Skills page and repeat these steps for all other PC skills you want to include in priority-based blending.

  4. Configure priority settings for the Digital Experience skills you want to include in blending.

    1. Still in the ACD application, go to DigitalRouting Queues.

    2. Locate the Digital Experience queue you want to include in priority-based blending. Click Filters next to it. On the filter's page, click Edit.

    3. Set the Filtered case priority you'd like to apply to this queue.

    4. Click Save.

    5. Return to the Routing Queues page and repeat these steps for all other Digital Experience skills you want to include in priority-based blending.

Enable Dialing by Proficiency

Personal Connection (PC) distributes calls to agents based on several factors, including the agent's wait time, current number of simultaneous calls, and, optionally, ACD skillClosed Used to automate delivery of interactions based on agent skills, abilities, and knowledge proficiency level. You can change the weight of these factors to control how PC determines which agent receives the next call.

  1. Click the app selector and select ACD.

  2. Go to ACD ConfigurationBusiness Units.

  3. In the Details tab, click Edit.

  4. In the Outbound Strategies section, select the Enable Dialing by Proficiency checkbox. You may modify the default call distribution factor settings, but use caution. You should consult your CXone Account Representativebefore adjusting the default values.
  5. Click the app selector and select ACD.

  6. Go to Contact SettingsACD Skills.

  7. Click the ACD skill.

  8. Click the Parameters tab.

  9. Click Edit for General Settings.
  10. Under General Pacing Settings, select the Enable Dialing by Proficiency checkbox. The call distribution factor settings appear. You may modify the default settings, but use caution. You should consult your NICE CXone account representative before adjusting the default values.

  11. Click Done.

Set Up Personal Connection Skill Dispositions

  1. If you haven't already done so, create the dispositionsClosed Result assigned by the agent or system at the end of a voice (disposition) or digital (status) interaction. you want available for agents to apply to interactions from this ACD skillClosed Used to automate delivery of interactions based on agent skills, abilities, and knowledge:
    1. Click the app selector and select ACD.

    2. Go to Contact SettingsDispositions.

    3. Click Create New.
    4. Give the disposition a unique Disposition Name and select a Classification.

    5. Click Create Disposition.
    6. Continue to create dispositions until you have all you want to apply to the ACD skill.
  2. If you haven't already done so, create an unavailable code to be agents' state as they apply dispositions.

    1. Click the app selector and select ACD.
    2. Go to ACD SettingsUnavailable Codes.
    3. Click Create New.
    4. Enter the name of the code in the Unavailable Code Name field.
    5. Select Post Contact.
    6. If you want to change the default period of time (120 minutes) an agent can spend in an unavailable state before it automatically changes, enter the number of minutes in Agent Timeout (Min).
    7. Click Create Unavailable Code.
  3. Click the app selector and select ACD.

  4. Go to Contact SettingsACD Skills.

  5. Click the Personal Connection (PC) ACD skill you want to edit.
  6. Click the Post Contact tab. 
  7. Set Post Contact Setup to Disposition
  8. Set the State to the unavailable code you want your agent to be in during the application of the disposition.
  9. If you don't want to set a time limit on the application of the disposition before the contact is automatically finalized as No Disposition, select Required. Otherwise, set the Max Time Limit to the number of seconds you want agents to have to apply a disposition before it times out, and set the Timeout State to the unavailable code you want agents to enter if they don't disposition a call within the Max Time Limit.
  10. In the Select Dispositions to Use with This Skill table, select each disposition you want the skill to use. Click Add.

  11. If you want to adjust the order the dispositions appear in the Agent interface, click the up and down arrows in the Dispositions Assigned to This Skill table.
  12. Click Save.

Create Attempt-Based Answering Machine Detection (AMD) Outcomes

Screenshot of the CPA Management settings for a skill, found in the ACD application.
  1. Click the app selector and select ACD.

  2. Go to Contact SettingsACD Skills.

  3. Click the PC ACD skillClosed Used to automate delivery of interactions based on agent skills, abilities, and knowledge you want to modify.

  4. Click Parameters. For CPA Management, click Configure or Edit.

  5. Set Call Progress Analysis to Classify with Answering Machine Detection. Configure your Answering Machine Detection Options Default Action from the drop-down. This action applies to all attempt numbers without a configured exception.

  6. If you chose Play Message as the Default Action, specify the sound file you want to use for the message. Click Browse and select the sound file you want to use for the answering machine message. Click OK.

  7. You can add a new exception to the default action with these steps:
    1. Click Add Exception.

    2. From the drop-down on the left, select the dial attempt on which you want the different behavior to occur.

    3. If you chose Play Message as the behavior, specify the sound file you want to use for the message. Click Browse and select the sound file you want to use for the answering machine message. Click OK.
    4. Continue creating any other exceptions you want using the same method.

  8. To remove an exception, click the minus button to the left of the corresponding row.

  9. You can enable the Agent Override Options and set the Answering Machine Override Seconds.

  10. Click Done.

Enable Agent-Scheduled Callbacks

You can enable agents with Personal Connection (PC) agent proactive voice ACD skillsClosed Used to automate delivery of interactions based on agent skills, abilities, and knowledge to schedule a later call with the contact as part of the after-contact work. The agent can specify a date and time for the callbackClosed Holds a customer's place in queue and automatically calls the customer when they move to the front of the queue. based on their time zone or the contact's, and whether the callback is for them or for any agent with the same ACD skill. PC delivers a callbacks as preview contacts, requiring agents to accept the call before dialing.

If an agent schedules an agent-specific callback and that agent ID becomes inactive before the callback, the system removes the agent-specific tag and gives the call to another agent.

Once an agent schedules a callback for a record, the record remains a callback until an agent can reach the contact or the record reaches the maximum attempt limit, which is 10 by default. The phone number used for callbacks is either the destination that generated the callback or a number the agent enters manually. If the agent manually enters a phone number for a callback, the system doesn't check the do not call (DNC) list.

Callbacks have priorityClosed Skill-based designation of the importance of contacts that determines delivery order. in the queue, so PC delivers the callback as soon as possible. If the agent is on a call and using an ACD skill configured for priority blendingClosed Allows you to combine outbound calls with your inbound queue, based on call priority., a placeholder for the callback enters the queue if agent-specific call priority is the highest. If an agent schedules a callback for a day or time the ACD skill isn't running, the callback occurs the next time the ACD skill is running instead.

If you use Proactive XS, you can generate agent-specific call requests using the priority designation. When you do so, you must map an agent field from your data. With Proactive XS, there is not a higher priority for an agent-specific call. You should use the priority record tag for XS records to ensure that agent-specific callbacks are prioritized correctly.

  1. If you haven't already done so, create dispositions with retry Classifications.
    1. Click the app selector and select ACD.

    2. Go to Contact SettingsDispositions.

    3. Enter a Disposition Name. Set the Classification to Retry — Rescheduled Agent Specific or Retry — Rescheduled Specified Date/Time — Any Agent.
    4. Click Create Disposition.
    5. Create another disposition with the other Classification, if you want it available for the agents.
  2. If you don't already have one, create an unavailable code for the agents' state during after-contact work.

    1. Click the app selector and select ACD.
    2. Go to ACD SettingsUnavailable Codes.
    3. Click Create New.
    4. Enter the name of the code in the Unavailable Code Name field.
    5. Select Post Contact.
    6. If you want to change the default period of time (120 minutes) an agent can spend in an unavailable state before it automatically changes, enter the number of minutes in Agent Timeout (Min).
    7. Click Create Unavailable Code.
  3. Apply the callback dispositions to the PC ACD skill.

    1. Click the app selector and select ACD.

    2. Go to Contact SettingsACD Skills.

    3. Click the PC ACD skill you want to edit.

    4. Click the Post Contact tab.

    5. Select Disposition for the Post Contact Setup.

    6. From the State drop-down, select the unavailable code you created for when agents schedule callbacks.

    7. In the Select dispositions to use with this skill table, select the Retry — dispositions you created and click Add.

    8. If you want to change the order of the dispositions in the agent application interface, use the up and down arrows.

    9. Click Save.

  4. If you want to modify your default callback settings to limit the number of callbacks an agent can schedule, the rest time between callbacks, and other callback settings, do the following:

    1. Click the Parameters tab in the PC ACD skill.

    2. Click Configure or Edit for Retry Settings.

    3. Under Callback Settings, customize the field values to meet your needs.

    4. Click Done.

Enable Alternate Outbound Telecom Route for an ACD Skill

You can configure an ACD skillClosed Used to automate delivery of interactions based on agent skills, abilities, and knowledge to send its outbound traffic through a different telecom route from the default. This option gives you more control over how outbound traffic routes in your network. For example, if you were using a third-party product that charges based on traffic volume, you could divert only the network traffic from that skill through another route for the additional processing.

To enable alternate outbound telecom routes, your tenant have at least two outbound telecom routes.

  1. Click the app selector and select ACD.

  2. Go to Contact SettingsACD Skills.

  3. Click the outbound PC ACD skillClosed Used to automate delivery of interactions based on agent skills, abilities, and knowledge you want to modify.
  4. Click Edit.
  5. On the Details tab, select the telecom route you want this skill to use from Telecom Route Override.
  6. Click Done.