Outbound Option on PCCE with variation in dial time after import

[leonardjam1]

We've implemented a dialer configuration where we'd like an import to generate an outbound call as soon as possible.  Right now we're only in PoC but in testing there's a difference from import time to dial time of >1minute.  I know that sounds pretty short but due to purpose of this dialing operation, I've been asked to make as short a delta as possible.  

For testing, using an API import we see anywhere from 15 seconds to 70 seconds from sending the API call with import contacts to when the dialer places the call.

Looking at this, it appears related to the Campaign Manager locking it for 1 minute.

From the Campaign Manager logs

"13:09:31:893 la-CampaignManager Trace: (CM_DB)          SELECT DialingListID, Phone01, Phone02, Phone03, Phone04, Phone05, Phone06, Phone07, Phone08, Phone09, Phone10, PhoneExt01, PhoneExt02, PhoneExt03, PhoneExt04, PhoneExt05, PhoneExt06, PhoneExt07, PhoneExt08, PhoneExt09, PhoneExt10, GMTPhone01, GMTPhone02, GMTPhone03, GMTPhone04, GMTPhone05, GMTPhone06, GMTPhone07, GMTPhone08, GMTPhone09, GMTPhone10, DSTPhone01, DSTPhone02, DSTPhone03, DSTPhone04, DSTPhone05, DSTPhone06, DSTPhone07, DSTPhone08, DSTPhone09, DSTPhone10, CallbackNumber, CallResult, CallResult01, CallResult02, CallResult03, CallResult04, CallResult05, CallResult06, CallResult07, CallResult08, CallResult09, CallResult10, LastNumberDialedZone1, LastNumberDialedZone2, LastZoneDialed, CallsMadeToZone1, CallsMadeToZone2, CallbackDateTimeZone1, CallbackDateTimeZone2, CallbackDateTime01, CallbackDateTime02, CallbackDateTime03, CallbackDateTime04, CallbackDateTime05, CallbackDateTime06, CallbackDateTime07, CallbackDateTime08, CallbackDateTime09, CallbackDateTime10, CallStatusZone1, CallStatusZone2, AccountNumber, LastName, FirstName, ImportRuleDate FROM DL_5004_5004 

13:09:31:893 la-CampaignManager Trace: (CM_DB)          WHERE CallStatusZone1 = 'P' AND ( (GMTPhone01 >= 291 OR GMTPhone01 < 290)  OR ((GMTPhone01 >= 5 OR GMTPhone01 < 5) AND (GMTPhone01 < 24))) AND CallStatusZone2 <> 'A' AND DSTPhone01='Y' order by DialingListID- maxRows:100

13:09:31:893 la-CampaignManager Trace: (CM_DB)          DisplayRecordRetrieval(): Unable to retrieve Pending-Zone1-DST records.

13:09:31:893 la-CampaignManager Trace: (CM_DB)          Campaign ID: [5004], query rule ID: [5004] locking for 1 minute.”

These "locking" periods directly correlate with the longer import to dial times.  In other words, the closer the import time (from the dialer detail table) to the locking time, the longer it is until the dialer places the call.

I assume this is normal Outbound dialer functionality but I'd like to know if that locking time can be shortened (or outright removed) per campaign or globally.

Any insight would be very much appreciate. 

[bill.king1]

If you're asking that from the time of the record being imported to it being dialed out to be 15 seconds (or thereabouts), I doubt you will get it. I don't know about the locking notation as far as the logs, but just as far as general experience, I've never seen it be as quick as you want.

What is the business case in this scenario? I mean I get that the sooner the better, but is there some reason it has to be so quick to the customer?

[leonardjam1]

Thanks, yeah, I know, a bit of an expectation.  I'm using the dialer as basically an outbound hunt group, where we dial numerous contacts at the same time and the first to answer gets connected to an agent.  This is to encourage one of several business partners to answer the call as soon as possible as we'd have an opportunity for them with a customer on the line.  (I'm just the lowly UC engineer trying to offer a solution.)
Honestly, when I proposed it, I told them to expect about a 1 minute. Whether good or bad, the production team has seen it answered quickly (let's say ~15 seconds) as well as over a minute.  Now I just have to explain the difference or try an assure I'm minimizing it.  I may have been better off if it was always ~1 minute but their testing showed the variance.  So now I'm just attempting to make sure I have every setting in place to keep the time at a minimum.  Thanks for the feedback, appreciated.

[bill.king1]

Is their concern that they're not focused on Finesse/answering the call at the right time/for "too long"? If something like that is the concern, maybe have them try and dial with preview/direct preview mode as far as the campaign so that they "only" have to be more focused when the system is about to make the call?
Doesn't really address the time to call scenario from after it was imported, but if they're concerned about multitasking or something, it might help them?

[Marek (gaman-gt.com)]

I the pas I also faced the similar problem where the dialing time calculated from import was not stable (it varied). The main reason was the dialer itself as it has multiple mechanisms that produce delay.
The customer expectation was that that contact that is imported should be called in 10s time period since import. With dialer it was not possible. This is why we had to use alternative solution.

In our case it was a CUCM based dialer that uses CTI Ports. This solution has a gap in functionality as it doesn’t recognize voice mail. But using it we were able to fulfill customer requirements.

[leonardjam1]

Hey Marek,
Interesting, you coded something that uses JTAPI?  Custom or off-the-shelf? I understand if that's proprietary but I'd be interested to hear more.  We weren't successful in coming up with anything, at this point, other than the Outbound Option dialer.  Thanks for the feedback.

[Marek (gaman-gt.com)]

Yes we using a solution thats based on JTAPI and CTI Ports.