Campaign management

Campaign Manager

Admins can set up Outbound Dialer using Campaign Manager.

The Campaign Manager allows for the manual control of campaigns (start and pause buttons in the Action column).

Creates campaigns in the Campaign Manager by:

  • uploading a contact list,

  • setting the dialing mode, and

  • selecting the target queue.

When a campaign starts, it reserves Available agents in the selected target queue and sends them contacts from its contact list, following the flow defined for the selected dialing mode. 

To access the Campaign Manager, go to Campaigns.

The Campaign Manager includes the following columns:

  • Campaign Name

  • Assigned Queue

  • Mode (Preview or Progressive)

  • Status (Ready, Running, Paused, or Completed)

  • Action (Play, Pause)

  • Total Volume

  • Progress

Start a campaign

To get a campaign to progress be sure the following consideration have been met.

Configuration considerations

Action Column - Play/Pause

The Action column is used to start, pause, or restart campaigns. The Action buttons available are based on the current status of the campaign.

  • For new campaigns, click the Play button to begin the campaign. The Status for this campaign will be updated to "Running" and the refresh cycle for the Progress bar will begin.

  • If the campaign needs to be placed on hold, click the Pause button in the Action column. The Status is set to "Paused" and the Progress bar will stop refreshing.

  • To resume a paused campaign, click the Play button again to restart the campaign. The Status will return to "Running" and the refresh cycle for the Progress bar will be reset.

Once a campaign has completed, no buttons will be displayed in the Action column for that campaign.

Campaign Progress

The Progress column indicates the list position of the next contact to be called.

When the green Progress bar is full, the campaign has reached the end of the list and the campaign status is updated to Completed. If the campaign is manually paused, the Progress bar will also be paused until the campaign is restarted.

Campaign data is processed in real-time and automatically updates the Progress bar, the campaign metrics, campaign status, and the Action buttons as calls are made.

You can also click the Refresh icon (to the right of the Progress column header) to see new campaigns that have been added since your last refresh.

Campaign Call Status

The Call Status window shows the number of calls from the campaign by status.

These metrics provide real-time feedback that allows managers to quickly adjust their strategies for upcoming campaigns and ensure agent productivity. These metrics also provide insight into any data quality issues in their .csv file.

To access the Call Status window, hover over the campaign for which you want to view stats and click the External Link icon to the right of the Progress bar to bring up the call status.

In the Call Status window, you can see the volume of calls by status.

The status types available in this window will vary by campaign type.

Preview Campaigns

In a Preview Dialer campaign, agents make the dial manually, but the calling list is generated automatically from the campaign list. Agents have an unlimited amount of time to read or preview information about the contact before initiating the outbound dial.

When running a Preview Campaign, the Agent will see the contact information for the next customer in the list and any other relevant information that was uploaded for that customer. The Agent can dial that customer when they are ready or they can choose to skip that customer.

Agents are automatically provided a preview of the customer's CRM record in the background when the call is dialed. The Agent can also preview the customer information provided in the campaign file by clicking the downward arrow to the right of the customer's name in the Agent Adapter. The Adapter also provides a link to view the customer's account in the CRM if the initial preview is no longer displayed in the background.

If the customer answers the call, the Agent can complete the call, enter their notes, and then close the call. At this point they will receive the information for the next customer in the Campaign and repeat the process. If the call is not answered or the line is busy, the Agent will close the call and then receive the information for the next customer in the Campaign.

Requirements for Campaign Files

Campaign Files contain a list of end-users (consumers) being called and their phone numbers. These files are uploaded to your campaigns and the information is displayed in the Agent Adapter during campaign calls.

The Campaign Files must meet the following requirements:

  • Files must be in CSV file format.

  • Files must contain no more than 10,000 rows.

  • Each file must contain the following two columns:

    • Name_required. The name of the end-user.

    • Phone_required. The phone number of the end-user.

    Additional columns are permitted. The values in additional columns display in the adapter but are not validated.

  • All phone numbers must be in E.164 format—for example, +12223334444.

If any of these requirements are not met, the validation process returns an error message during processing and the file is not uploaded.

Creating a Preview Campaign for Outbound Dialer

All lists must be scrubbed against national and company do-not call registries prior to upload.

  1. Go to Campaigns.

  2. On the Campaign Manager screen, click the Add Campaign button.

    The Add Campaign window opens.

  3. In the Campaign Name field, enter the campaign name.

  4. To upload a Campaign List, click the Choose Files button.

    Your file explorer opens. Select the file to upload and click Open.

  1. In the Assign Queue field, select the queue you want to assign this campaign to, from the drop-down. You can also start entering the name of the queue to narrow the available options in the drop-down list.

  2. Click Set. The new campaign saves and returns to the Campaign Manager screen.

Start a campaign

To get a campaign to progress be sure the following consideration have been met.

Configuration considerations

Editing a Preview Campaign

  1. Go to Campaigns.

  2. Hover over the campaign you want to update and click the pencil icon in the far right column.

  3. In the Edit Campaign window, make any necessary changes to the current settings.

  4. Click Set.

Deleting a Preview Campaign

  1. Go to Campaigns.

  2. Hover over the campaign you want to delete and click the Delete icon in the far right column. The selected campaign will be removed.

Progressive Campaigns

In a Progressive campaign, an Agent is reserved for the consumers on the campaign list. Since the Agent is reserved, there is no overdialing ratio or adjustments required since the Agent is always in a 1:1 ratio with the consumers. Progressive mode replaces the now deprecated Power Dialer.

When utilizing a Progressive campaign, Agents are automatically provided a preview of the customer's CRM record in the background when the call is dialed. The Agent can also preview the customer information provided in the campaign file by clicking the downward arrow to the right of the customer's name in the Agent Adapter. The Adapter also provides a link to view the customer's account in the CRM if the initial preview is no longer displayed in the background.

  • If the end-user answers the call, the Agent completes the call, enters their notes, and then ends the call. The next end-user in the campaign is then dialed and the Agent is provided a preview of the end-user's information.

  • If a call is not answered, the next end-user in the campaign is dialed and the Agent is again presented with a preview of the end-user's information.

Requirements for Campaign Files

Campaign Files contain a list of consumers (NAME column) being called and their phone numbers (PHONE column). These are required columns.

These files are uploaded to your campaigns and the information is displayed in the Agent Adapter during campaign calls.

The Campaign Files must meet the following requirements:

  • Campaign files must be in .csv file format

  • Maximum 10,000 rows

  • Each file must contain a NAME column and Phone column.

    The header names need to be exact: NAME (REQUIRED) and PHONE (REQUIRED)

    • Additional columns can be included. These values will display in the Adapter but will not be validated.

  • All phone numbers are entered in E.164 format (eg +12223334444)

If any of the above requirements are not met, the validation process will return an error message during processing and the file will not be uploaded.

Creating a Progressive Campaign

All campaign lists must be scrubbed against national and company do-not call registries prior to upload.

  1. Go to Campaigns.

  2. Click Add Campaign.

    The Add Campaign window opens.

  3. In the Campaign Name field, enter a unique campaign name.

  4. To upload a Campaign List, click Choose Files.

    Your file explorer opens. Select the .csv, .xls., or .xlsx file to upload and click Open.

  1. In the Assign Queue field, use the drop-down to select the queue to which you want to assign this campaign. You can also start entering the name of the queue to narrow the available options in the drop-down list. When you assign a campaign to a queue, the campaign is not limited to the queue's hours of operation.

  2. Click Save. The new campaign saves and returns to the Campaign Manager screen.

Start a campaign

To get a campaign to progress be sure the following consideration have been met.

Configuration considerations

Editing a Progressive Campaign

  1. From the CCAI Platform portal, go to Campaigns.

  2. On the Campaign Manager screen, hover over the campaign you want to update and click the pencil icon in the far right column.

  3. In the Edit Campaign window, make any necessary changes to the current settings.

  4. Click Save.

Deleting a Progressive Campaign

  1. Go to Campaigns.

  2. Hover over the campaign you want to delete and click the Delete icon in the far right column. The selected campaign will be removed.

Outbound Dialer Campaign Call Status Window

The Call Status window shows the number of calls from the campaign that fall into each of the various statuses. These metrics provide real-time feedback that allows managers to quickly adjust their strategies for upcoming campaigns and ensure agent productivity. These metrics also provide insight into any data quality issues in their campaign file.

To access the Call Status window, hover over the campaign for which you want to view stats and click the External Link icon to the right of the Progress bar.

Call Status Window

In the Call Status window, you can see volumes by status for various metrics. The metrics available in this window will vary by campaign type.

Reached

  • Finished: Agent connected to end-user.

  • Call transferred: Agent connected to end-user, then transferred the end-user to another agent.

Not Yet Reached

  • Queued Calls in a queue waiting to be called.

  • Dialing Contacts that are currently being dialer.

  • Connected Currently connected calls.

  • Upcoming Number has not yet been called.

  • Skipped Agent clicked Skip which keeps the contact in the campaign (Preview campaigns only).

Not Reached

  • Carrier Error: Dialer experienced a call error, such as prolonged ringing with no pickup.

  • General Error: Any error that does not fall into another error category.

  • Invalid Number or Name: Number from the .csv file in an unsupported format, isn't the right number of digits, is a duplicate within the campaign, and/or missing a name.

  • Not Picked Up: Calls that were not answered by the end-user.

  • Skip & Close: Agent clicked Skip & Close to take the contact out of the campaign (Preview campaigns only).

  • Abandon by Contact: End-user answered, but hung up (for example, short abandon).

  • Voicemail Hung Up: Dialer encountered voicemail and the agent hung up without leaving a message.

Click the Xin the upper right corner to close the Call Status window.

Outbound number

Outbound number is a feature of the Outbound Dialer that allows you to specify which outbound number to use when dialing out for each contact. With this feature, you can rotate outbound phone numbers for more control over the outbound phone numbers you use to make your outbound calls.

You can specify which outbound number to use when dialing out for each contact by adding a new column named Outbound Number to your Campaign Management .csv. If the Outbound Number column is missing or the value is not committed, the default outbound phone number will be used.

The Dialer will use this number when dialing out if it has been validated on the CCAIP Platform. If the outbound number is not validated, the contact will fail and log an error. The Outbound Number is displayed in the Agent Adapter.

Progressive Campaign Calls (Agent Experience)

In a Progressive campaign, an Agent is reserved by the Campaign and waits on the line to dial a specific end-user. The end-user's information is displayed as the Agent is dialing, allowing the Agent to study the end-user's profile while waiting for the call to be answered. The customer's CRM page is also displayed in the background for the Agent to review.

If the end-user answers the call, the Agent can complete the call, enter their notes, and then close the call. At this point, the Agent will receive the information for the next end-user in the Campaign as the call is dialed and then repeat the process. If the call is not answered, goes to voicemail, or fails, then the Agent is automatically presented with the next end-user in the Campaign and will repeat this process.

  1. Log in to the CCAI Platform Portal.

  2. In the Adapter, select "Available" from the status drop-down.

  3. If there is a reservation call, it will be routed to the agent automatically. Click the Click to Answer button.

  4. The information for the next end-user displays while the call is dialing, allowing the agent to preview the information while waiting for the call to be answered.

    Click the down-arrow to the right of the end-user's name to preview their profile from the .csv.

    Click the View Case link to view the customer's CRM record if it is no longer displayed.

    The agent can click Break to end to call before the end-user answers and move on to the next end-user in the campaign.

  5. If the end-user answers the call, the agent is connected and the status bar turns green.

    If the end-user does not answer the call, the agent starts the process again with the next name in the campaign.

  6. Once the agent has completed the call or transferred the call to another agent, click Done.

  7. On the Wrap-up: Disposition & Note screen, select a disposition code from the drop-down and enter any additional notes regarding the call. Click Save.

  8. Dialer calls the next end-user in the campaign and provides a preview of the end-user's information to the agent as the call is connecting.

Outbound Dialer Campaign Mode Global Settings

To enable Campaign Mode at the global settings:

  1. Go to Settings > Campaign

  2. On the panel, toggle the switch next to which type of campaign you would like to enable.

  3. Click Save.

Preview Campaign Calls (Agent Experience)

A preview campaign selects a customer record from the call list and proposes it to an available agent. The agent can then review the customer record (the Preview phase) and decide to call this customer agent or skip.

When a preview campaign is activated, the dialer makes a reservation call for every available agent in the campaign's target queue. For each agent who picks up a reservation call, the campaign presents them with a preview of the profile for the next end-user on its list. This customer profile is pulled from the CRM, such as Salesforce or Kustomer.

  1. Log in to the CCAI Platform Portal.

  2. In the Agent Adapter, select Available from the status drop-down.

    If there is a reservation call, it will be routed to the agent automatically.

  3. Click the Click to Answer button.

  1. The end-user's name and phone number are displayed. Click the down-arrow to the right of the end-user's name to preview their profile from the .csv file.

  2. Click the View Case link to view the customer's CRM record if it is no longer displayed.

  3. Click Call to dial the next end-user on the list or click Skip to temporarily pass on the end-user and preview the next contact on the campaign list. Click Skip & Close to remove the end-user from the campaign list.

  1. Once the agent clicks Call, complete the call or transfer the call to another agent. Click Done when finished.

  2. On the Wrap-up: Disposition & Note screen, select a disposition code from the drop-down and enter any additional notes regarding the call. Click Save.

  3. Repeat for the next end-user on the campaign list.

Add a Unique ID for campaign reporting

The following instructions outline how to add a Unique ID column to a campaign management .csv file for reporting purposes.

The process includes adding a Unique ID column to a .csv file using spreadsheet software, uploading the file to a campaign, running the campaign to populate the data, and viewing the Unique ID in the reporting data.

The Unique ID column in the .csv has no restrictions on formatting. It accepts both alphanumeric and special characters, with no maximum length enforced. You can use Unique ID to represent any relevant identifier such as a customer ID in another CRM, a SKU, or any other identifier.

Add a Unique ID column and upolad the .csv file to a campaign

  1. Open the campaign .csv file that you want to upload and add a column called Unique ID. Save the changes to the.csv file.

  2. Go to the Campaign Manager.

  3. Click +Add Campaign. A campaign settings dialogue will display.

  4. Click Choose file and select the file with the Unique ID column added.

  5. Click Open to upload the file.

  6. Select your desired queue.

  7. Click Save.

Populate data through the campaign for reporting purposes

  1. After the .csv file has been uploaded, the campaign status will progress to Ready.

  2. Click Start to run the campaign.

  3. Wait for the status of the file to change to Ready.

  4. Click Start to run the campaign. Allow the campaign to run for a while.

View the Unique ID results in detailed campaign reporting

    1. Go to Reports > Campaigns.

  2. Under Step 1: Select Campaign Mode, choose which type of campaign you want to generate reports on.

  3. Under Step 2: Select Campaigns, choose the campaign associated with the .csv file containing a Unique ID.

  4. In Step 3: Select Reports Desired, choose the reports you would like to download by checking the box next to the report (options appear based on campaign type selected in Step 1). Be sure to select a detailed report.

  5. In Step 4: Choose Filters, configure the filter the reports by timeframe or timezone.

  6. Click Download.

  7. After the file is downloaded, open it to view the Unique ID column.

Company Do Not Call (DNC) list

CCAI Platform allows you to create your own Do Not Call (DNC) registry for campaign calls at the Company level. You can configure the DNC list th block direct, manual, and outbound calls, as well as outbound and scheduled calls created by the Apps API. If an agent attempts to contact an end-user on the list, they will receive a message "This call cannot be placed because the phone number is on the Company DNC list".

The dialer checks the DNC list before dialing each number, and skips blocked numbers. Configured emergency numbers cannot be added to the Company DNC list or blocked from outbound calls.

  • Automated callback scenarios will not be blocked (such as during a dropped call).

  • For outbound calls in Preview mode, the contact is presented to the agent only if it's not on the DNC list.

  • Third party additions will also be blocked if the third party number is on the Company DNC.

Enable the DNC list

  1. Go to Settings > Campaigns > Company Do Not Call (DNC) List and toggle the switch to ON. When toggle is set to ON, additional menu options will appear.

  2. (Optional) Check the box to apply the DNC list check to direct, manual outbound calls made by agents in addition to outbound and scheduled calls created by the Apps API.

  3. (Optional) Enable the Do Not Call Again disposition code to use this code to add end-users to the DNC list. Both the disposition code and the DNC list itself must be enabled in order for the DNC list to work in conjunction with the disposition code.

After both the DNC feature and Do Not Call Again disposition code are enabled, the DNC list will be continually updated with new contacts tagged with the disposition code. The DNC list contains of contact entries with the following fields:

  • Note (a string of 200 characters)
  • Phone number
  • Timestamp: When the contact was added to the list.
  • expires_at: A date/time when number can be removed from the DNC list. Contacts will be removed from the DNC list within an hour of the expiration time. If this parameter is not set, the number remains on the list indefinitely.

View the DNC and blocked numbers in Reporting

  • Attempted calls to a blocked number will be logged in the real-time metrics popup.

  • Attempted calls that were blocked by the DNC are logged as dnc_abandoned with the reason: Company DNC.

  • Numbers on the DNC list are reported in the Campaign Summary Report.

API commands for the Company DNC list

The Company DNC API endpoints allow you to:

  • Add multiple phone numbers to the DNC list simultaneously.
  • Remove phone numbers from the DNC list.
  • Check whether a phone number is on the DNC list.

See the Apps API documentation for complete details.

Time zone list management

Time Zone management simplifies managing different time zones and call time regulations. For example, some regions have strict rules for when telemarketing calls are allowed. You can use Time Zone management settings to configure only calling authorized numbers during permitted time frames.

Time Zone management is based on creating rules and organizing them into schemas:

  • Time Zone Rule: A rule specifying when an outbound call can be placed. Includes Time Zone, Code, and Time Span.

  • Time Zone Schema: A set of time zone rules with a unique name, used to organize and manage time zone settings.

You can access Time Zone management settings under Settings > Campaigns. Click Manage setting to open the Time Zone management settings menu.

Time zone rules

The time zone rules tab allows you to create, edit, and delete time zone rules. Rules can be grouped together to create a time zone schema.

Time zone rules consist of three component parts:

  • Code: A label for the time zone rule)

  • Time Zone: Each rule can only contain one time zone.

  • Time Span: A list of which times apply to which days.

Create a time zone rule

  • Click the Add time zone rule button in the upper right corner.

  • Select a time zone from the dropdown in the Time Zone field. The time zones in the list align with existing hours of operations time zones.

  • Enter a name for your time zone rule in the Code field.

  • Select a time span option:

    • Default time span: This option chooses every weekday by default. You just need to specify the time span for the rule (in 24 hour time).
    • Custom time span: This option allows you to adjust the hours for each day of the week individually (in 24 hour time).

  • Click Save. You will see the new rule in the Time Zone Rules tab.

Edit or delete a time zone rule

  • Select the Options menu (3 horizontal dots) on the right-hand side of the time zone rules list. You will see the option to delete or edit each rule.

  • If you choose to edit the rule, a box will pop up that allows you to make changes.

  • If you delete a rule, the rule will be removed from all schemas that contain it.

Time zone schemas

A time zone schema is made up of one or more time zone rules. You can create up to 100 different schemas.

Create a new time zone schema

  • Go to the Time Zone Schema tab.

  • Click the Add time zone schema button in the upper right corner.

  • Enter a name for the new schema in the Name field. Names must be unique and no longer than 64 alphanumeric characters.

  • Select a time zone from the dropdown in the Time Zone field.

  • Select a time zone option to create a default time zone rule. You must create a default rule for each new schema before you can add additional rules.

    • Default time span: This option chooses every weekday by default. You just need to specify the time span for the rule (in 24 hour time).
    • Custom time span: This option allows you to adjust the hours for each day of the week individually (in 24 hour time).

  • Click Save to save the schema. You can now add additional rules to the schema as needed.

Add new rules to an existing time zone schema

  • Navigate to the Time Zone Schema tab.

  • Select the name of the time zone schema you want to add a rule to. Here you will see a list of all the rules contained within the schema. Click Add time zone rule to add an existing rule, or Create time zone rule to create a new rule.

Edit or delete a time zone schema

To edit the default rule:

  • Select the Options menu (3 horizontal dots) on the right-hand side of the schema you want to edit. You will see the option to delete or edit the schema here.

  • Select Edit Schema. A new box will appear where you can change the name of the schema and the time zone associated with the default rule.

  • Make your selections and click Save. The default rule for the schema is now changed.

To edit a non-default rule in the schema:

  • Navigate to the Time Zone Schema tab and click on time zone schema you want to change. You will see the full list of rules contained in the schema.

  • Select the Options menu (3 horizontal dots) on the right-hand side of the rule you want to change. You will see the option to delete or edit each rule.

  • If you choose to edit the rule, a box will pop up that allows you to make changes. Changes will be applied to all schemas that contain the same rule.

  • If you delete a rule, the rule will be removed from all schemas that contain it.

Apply time zone schema to an existing Campaign

  • Access the Campaign Manager by clicking on Campaigns.

  • Hover over the Campaign you want to add a schema to. A pencil-shaped icon will appear in the far right column of the table. Click the pencil icon to bring up the Edit Campaign window.

  • In the Assign Time Zone Schema, select your desired schema from the drop down selector.

  • Click Save to apply changes.

Apply a schema to a new Campaign

  • Access the Campaign Manager by clicking on Campaigns.

  • Click the Create Campaign button in the upper right corner of the page to bring up the Add Campaign window.

  • In the Assign Time Zone Schema, select your desired schema from the drop down selector.

  • Click Save to apply changes.

Expected behavior for Campaigns with assigned time zone schemas

  • When you upload a Campaign .CSV file, the time zone must be included as its own value. The following is an example of a .CSV file containing the time zone field:

    <image src="image/time-zone.png" width="600"></image>

  • Time zone schemas are NOT applied by default. If none is assigned, the dialer will call all contacts in the list as usual.

  • Time zone schemas apply to all dialer modes.

  • The Dialer compares the value from the contact's time zone field against the name of each rule in the assigned schema. If the values match, the relevant time zone rule is applied, and the dialer will only place a call during the time span in the related rule.

  • If the time zone field of a contact does not match any of the time zone rules in the schema, or is not set, then the default time zone rule for that schema is used.

  • The dialer will skip any over any contacts that the schema prevents it from dialing.

  • After all the contacts in the list have been processed, the dialer will begin the process again to see if there are any skipped calls it can now make.

  • New contacts are added to the list without triggering a list review.