Comm100 Live Chat supports auto distribution which allows you to distribute chats to the agent you want automatically. The advanced rule-based auto distribution allows you to distribute chats to the most suitable agent using a combination of basic distribution rules, preference rules, and backup rules. 

This article introduces the routing mechanism of advanced chat distribution.

Basic Distribution Rules

Basic Chat Distribution Rules define how chat requests are distributed to agents within a department. Basic distribution rules include Load Balancing, Round Robin, and Capability Weighted.

Load Balancing

Load Balancing distributes chats to the agent who has the least number of concurrent chats. This balances the workload among each agent and prevents that one agent from being overwhelmed by too many chats.

• If agents are taking the same number of concurrent chats, the new incoming chat goes to the agent whose last allocation time was earliest.
  For example, the maximum concurrent chat number of Agent A and B is three, and both of them are taking two chats, last time Agent A gets allocated a chat at 10:00, and Agent B gets allocated at 10:02, then the incoming chat goes to Agent A.
• If none of the agents are taking chats, then the chat goes to the agent who has longest idle time. For agents who have been allocated a chat, the idle time starts from when they ended last chat; for agents who have not been allocated a chat, the idle time starts from when they get online.
  For example, among Agent A, B, C, Agent A and B get online at 9:50, 9:51, Agent C gets online at 10:00.
  • When none of Agent A, B, C has been distributed a chat, the new chat goes to Agent A (who gets online earliest).
  • When Agent A, B have been distributed a chat and ended the chat at 10:01, 10:02 respectively, and Agent C got online at 10:03, the new chat goes to Agent A (who has the longest idle time).

Round Robin

Round Robin distributes chats to agents in the sequence of time when they get online. This ensures equal chatting opportunities for all your agents, which is especially useful to sales teams who need equal opportunities to close deals.

• Agents who have reached their maximum concurrent chat number are skipped.
• The distribution order remains the same if an agent gets Away or offline.
• If a new agent joins after auto-distribution starts, the sequence of the agent is after current round of distribution completes. For example, Agent A, B, C gets online in time order, Agent A gets distributed a chat, and Agent D joins, then Agent D will be allocated after current round completes (ended by Agent A), and the sequence becomes B > C > A > D.

Capability Weighted

Capability Weighted distributes chats to agents with the lowest capacity utilization ratio. Agent’s capacity utilization ratio = Ongoing chat number / maximum concurrent chat number. Capability Weighted allows you to distribute more chats to agents with higher chat capability.

If two agents have same capacity utilization ratio:

• If they are both taking chats, the chat goes to the agent whose last allocation time was earlier.
• If neither of them are taking chats, then the chat goes to the agent who has longest idle time. For agents who have been assigned a chat, the idle time starts from when they ended last chat; for agents who have not been assigned a chat, the idle time starts from when they get online.

Preference Rule

You can enable Last Chatted Agent Preferred for each department. When enabled, the chat goes to the agent who has chatted with the visitor if the agent is online and has not reached the maximum chat number. The preference rule helps you provide a more personalized service and increases chat efficiency.

Backup Rule

You can choose multiple backup departments for routing to each department. Chats can be distributed to agents in the backup department when all the agents in the original department are offline or have reached their maximum chat number. The backup rule allows you to deliver nonstop customer service in special occasions, for example, when the sales department is overwhelmed by visitors in peak seasons, you can set your support team as the backup to balance the workload. 

The backup department works when the primary department reaches its maximum capacity or goes offline. Multiple backup departments can be added to assist the main department. Based on the order, the first selected department will be assigned to new overflowed chats first.