A call flow is a series of interconnected call flow elements. By linking these elements logically, a streamlined communication path is created, directing calls to specific endpoints such as a queue or an external transfer.

Consider the following call scenario:

1. A caller dials the number of a contact centre.
2. The caller hears a welcome announcement message ("Welcome to our company...").
3. The company's opening hours are checked using a Clock element.
4. If the company is open, the caller is presented with a menu, offering several options: “If you are calling to place a new order, press 1; if you are calling about a delivery, press 2; for the operator, press 3…”.
5. The caller selects option 1, and the UCS system prompts the caller to enter their identification (PID code).
6. Based on the identification, the caller may be recognised as a VIP customer, in which case the UCS system routes the call with high priority to the appropriate router. A router module is selected.
7. If all agents assigned to this router are busy, the caller is placed in a queue until an agent becomes available, or until the maximum queue time is reached.
8. When an agent becomes available, the VIP customer’s call is offered to the agent with high priority, regardless of other queued calls. The agent’s extension rings, and the agent answers the call with a personal greeting, as the customer’s name is displayed in the client application.

Several important points can be noted regarding the call scenario described above.

Before the call is offered and answered by an agent, the call flow elements are responsible for ensuring the correct routing of the call. 

In this scenario, the following call flow elements are involved:

1. The call enters the UCS system via an IVR module. Based on the number dialled, one of the voice channels is activated.
2. The announcement prompt is played.
3. The next module, the Clock element, checks the company’s opening hours. If the call is made outside of working hours, the system will disconnect the call (End Call module). Alternatively, the call may be transferred to a 24/7 support partner (Transfer module).
4. If the company is open, the Clock element routes the call to the next module, and the Menu module presents the caller with options.
5. Based on option 1, the corresponding Menu Item within the Menu module routes the call to the Identification module, where the caller is prompted to enter their identification.
6. If the caller is identified as a VIP customer, a specific next module is assigned to this customer, and the call is routed to the highest-priority router. Other callers, who are not identified, are also placed in the same router but with lower priority.
7. The Router module is responsible for routing the call to an available agent.
8. When an agent becomes available, the router offers the VIP call to the agent, regardless of other calls in the queue. Once the call is answered, the UCS system updates the agent's status to "Working" and tracks the call duration. Once the call ends, the agent’s status is automatically changed to "AfterCallWork" (ACW) for a pre-defined period (e.g. 30 seconds). The status is updated to "Available" once the ACW period ends.

Throughout these steps, various data points are collected, both in real-time and as historical data, and are available in a range of reports. Supervisors can view this information within the Supervisor application. Additionally, by setting threshold values in the Supervisor application, supervisors are alerted when these thresholds are reached—such as when a VIP customer has been waiting too long in the queue, or when the queue becomes too lengthy—and can take appropriate action.

Here is a professionally rewritten version of your text, using UK English spelling and grammar, and structured for improved clarity and flow:

Considerations When Designing a Call Flow

Various factors can influence the configuration of the call flow. Below are some key considerations to take into account:

General Call Routing Strategy

Single Contact Number

• Do you intend to advertise a single contact number for the entire contact centre?
• Customers only need to remember one number.
• Only one voice channel is required for external access.
• A Menu module may be necessary to route calls to the appropriate services.

Multiple Contact Numbers

• Do you wish to advertise a different number for each service?
• Customers must be aware of the specific number for each service.
• A separate voice channel is required for each number.

Contact Centre Orientation

Is the contact centre inbound, outbound, or mixed-mode?

• If inbound only, all media resources can be allocated to incoming communications.
• If both inbound and outbound activities are supported, the configuration must account for this. Typically, a portion of media resources should be reserved for outbound communications.

Capacity and Workload Planning

How many agents will be handling calls, and what call volumes are expected?

• The ratio of calls to agents influences configuration settings such as:
  • Maximum queue length
  • After-Call Work (ACW) time
  • Maximum queue time

Are there peak periods (rush hours)?

• If yes, the call flow should account for increased volume during those times:
• You can manually assign additional agents during peak hours.
• Alternatively, configure automatic overflow to a standby agent group using additional router groups with activation delays.
• Offer callers the option to request a callback. The system can be configured to schedule these during quieter periods.

Operating Hours

What are the contact centre's opening hours?

• Use Clock modules to define operating hours, holidays, and special events.
• Alternative call paths can be configured for out-of-hours routing (e.g., disconnect, voicemail, or external transfer).

Do all services within the contact centre operate on the same schedule?

• If not, each service/router must use its own Clock module with a tailored schedule.

Call Routing and Agent Assignment

Are calls only routed to agents, or should they be routed to other destinations (e.g., operators or external numbers)?

• The Transfer module allows calls to be redirected to internal or external extensions.

Should calls be distributed to all agents in a group or only to highly skilled agents?

• If selective routing is preferred, consider implementing Skill-Based Routing:
• This affects router configuration, call data passed between modules, and agent settings (skills must be assigned to agents).
• Skill-Based Routing requires careful planning and ongoing tuning for optimal performance.

Will the contact centre use a single router or multiple routers?

• Multiple routers can be useful to reflect departmental structures or service offerings.
• This approach can provide simplified Skill-Based Routing without requiring defined skills, easing configuration and maintenance.

Interactive Options and Caller Identification

Will callers be given options upon reaching the contact centre?

• If so, a Menu module can be used to present up to nine options per menu.
• Multiple menus can be combined to create a decision tree, routing calls based on caller selections.

Would you like to identify callers?

• The Identification module enables this:
• Identification may be required to distinguish between known and unknown customers, or to determine the caller’s region.
• You can prompt for an identification number or use the caller’s CLI (Calling Line Identification).
• Identified callers can be routed differently within the call flow.

Agent Workflow and Technology

Should agents be given time after a call to complete administrative tasks?

• The After-Call Work (ACW) time setting ensures no new calls are routed to the agent during this period.

Will agents be phone-based or screen-based?

• Phone-based agents require a dedicated voice channel for logging on/off and changing status.

Multichannel Communication

Will the contact centre support additional communication channels (e.g., email, social media, web chat)?

Email Integration:

• Configure the Email module for email routing.
• Two options are available:
  • Foreground Email: Handled via the client interface, with notifications and responses managed within the application.
  • Background Email: Managed through standard email applications (e.g., Outlook), with notifications received outside the UCS client.

Social Media and Web Chat:

• If these channels are to be supported, additional configurations will be required.

Prompt Management

Prepare a list of all prompts needed within the call flow.

• Typical prompts include:
  • Welcome messages
  • Queue position or delay announcements
  • Attendant messages
• Prompts can be professionally recorded or generated using text-to-speech technology, which now offers acceptable quality.

We recommend the following approach:

1. Create a graphical representation of the call flow
2. Start with defining the call flow from the top to the bottom and forth again
3. Make a rough setup and discuss with stakeholders
4. Test the call flow on paper
5. Only after this process is completed, start building the call flow (from the bottom to the top)