The following information in question and answer format is provided
to help you determine which ACD readerboard, from the numerous choices
available, is most appropriate for your Call Center. These questions
and answers will focus your attention on the important characteristics
and features to consider:
- One Color or Multicolor: Do you want your readerboards to
display characters in one color (normally, red only, although green
and yellow LED's are also available), or do you want your readerboards
to be able to display characters in a choice of multiple colors (red,
green, yellow and combinations of these)?
- Character Height: Do you want to see 2" high characters,
3" high characters, 4" high characters or larger? Some readerboards
will display only one size character. Other models can display any
size character.
- Number of Characters Per Line: How many characters do you
want to see on one line at one time? The shortest models will usually
display at least ten characters at once. Longer models can display
53 characters on one line at once. All models can store many thousands
of characters.
- Number of Lines: How many lines of information do you want
the readerboard to display at one time? Various models display from
one to 24 lines of text at a time.
- Number
of Readerboards:
How many readerboards will it take to display all queues to all agents.
Questions:
- Do
you need single color or multicolor readerboards?
One
color readerboards can be red or green or yellow. Multicolor readerboards
let you specify red, green or yellow colors for your messages and
ACD statistics. Single color readerboards are usually less expensive
than multicolor readerboards.
In the
Alpha Call Center application, changing colors are used to draw
attention to changing conditions. On a multicolor readerboard, the
colors of the displayed fields change when the thresholds set by
the Supervisor are reached. For example, the number of "Calls In
Queue" (CIQ) normally displays in green numbers. As the number of
waiting calls increases to the preset threshold, the color of the
CIQ number on the readerboard changes from green to amber. If the
number of waiting calls increases to the next threshold, the CIQ
number changes color from amber to red.
When
single color readerboards are used, other techniques are used to
indicate threshold activity. Two such techniques are flashing the
statistic on the readerboard and beeping the audible alert.
Another
use of color is to distinguish messages of a certain type. For example,
a hot message, such as "Managers Meeting at 3 PM," could be displayed
in red letters. Advisory messages, such as "Don't forget to say
Thank You!," could be displayed in green letters. Personal messages,
such as "Welcome Back, Maria!," could be displayed in multicolor
letters.
- What
height must the characters be?
This depends
on three factors: (a) distance, (b) emphasis needed, and (c) length
of message.
Distance:
The character height you require is dictated primarily by the distance
at which the readerboard will be read. 2" characters may be seen clearly
up to approximately 75' away. 4" characters may be seen clearly up
to 125' away. If the readerboard displays both 2" and 4" characters,
then the readerboard should be no farther than 75 feet away from the
most distant agent.
Emphasis:
If the readerboard can display both 4" and 2" characters, character
height can be used for emphasis. The large 4" characters can be used
to emphasize important messages. 4" characters can distinguish
the ACD statistics from the Supervisor messages. For example, the
Alpha Call Center system normally displays ACD statistics in 4.8"
hign characters and supervisor messages in 2" high characters.
Length
of Message: When 2" characters are used, more of the message can
be read at one time. For example, while the Alpha 4160C can display
sixteen 4" characters at once, it can display fifty-two 2" characters
at once.
- How
many characters do you need to display at one time?
To answer
this question, you have to look at both statistics and messages.
You must count the number of character and spaces used by your ACD
statistics. You must also anticipate how long your messages might
be.
Calculating
the space required by your ACD statistics:
Your
readerboard has to be long enough to display all the statistics
you want to see at one time. Here's an example:
ACD
Field
|
Biggest
Number
|
Number
of Positions
|
Calls
Waiting |
99
|
2
|
Space
Needed |
|
1
|
Longest
Wait |
99:59
|
5
|
Space
Needed |
|
1
|
Agents
Available |
99
|
2
|
Space
Needed
|
|
1
|
Service
Level |
100%
|
4
|
Total
Positions |
|
16
|
To display
the ACD fields in this example on one line, you would need a readerboard
that is at least 16
character positions wide.
If you
also want a two-character department code at the beginning of the
line (e.g.."CS" for Customer Service or "OP" for Order
Processing, etc.) followed by a space, then the readerboard would
have to be at least 19 characters positions wide.
If you
wanted to use special effects, such as double-wide characters to emphasize
a specific field, such as "Calls In Queue", then your display would
have to be one or two character positions wider still.
Calculating
the space required by your Supervisor messages:
On a two-line
readerboard, you can format your text on one line, using large characters,
or you may format your text in two-line format using smaller characters.
Our customers typically display their ACD statistics using the larger-sized
characters, and they display their messages using the smaller-sized
characters. This allows long messages to display quickly.
The readerboard
must also be wide enough to display the longest word you will type.
For example, the word "Congratulations" is 15 characters long. To
display this word on the readerboard in "hold" mode, the
readerboard must be at least 15 positions wide.
Messages
may be any length on any readerboard, but longer messages will be
read in phrases and in groups of words, according to the size of the
readerboard display area and according to the display mode that you
have selected -- hold, rotate (march by), roll up or down, etc.
Visualize
how your ACD statistics and Supervisor messages will be displayed
on alternating screens. In the simplest design, only the ACD statistics
are displayed as in the example below. Note: The titles below the
readerboard are for your information only. The different colors indicate
the threshold level of each statistic -- green is normal, yellow is
the first warning level, and red means "Let's get this call answered
right now!"
When
a message has been transmitted, the ACD statistics display for two
or three seconds, then the message displays as in the following
example:
Then
updated ACD statistics display again:
The
messages display, alternating with the updating ACD statistics until
the messages are cleared. Then only the ACD statistics screen is
displayed.
The above
examples illustrate the use of a one-line, one-color readerboard.
If the readerboard were a two-line model, the sequence might look
like this:
06
-3:22-
11
|
Congratulations!
|
06
-3:24-
11
|
We
are 100% YTD!
|
A two-line
readerboard can display one line at a time or two lines at a time.
It can display both large and small characters. Your ACD statistics
and your messages may use small or large characters and may use one-line
or two-line format.
- How
many lines do you want to display at one time?
Most
Call Centers choose two-line or three-line readerboards, so that they
can display more than one line at a time. Readerboards with up to
24 lines are available. Display widths range from 10 to 53 characters
per line, depending on character size.
If you have a situation in which it is important to display the ACD
statistics for more than one queue, as well as messages, all at the
same time, then you should choose a readerboard with multiple lines.
For example, if you want to show ACD statistics for three queues,
and two lines of messages, then you need to order a five-line readerboard.
You have probably seen this type of readerboard at airports. Airlines
use multi-line signs to display each arriving and departing flight
on a separate line.
- How
many readerboards do you require?
This depends
on several factors:
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