Handling Interactions in Sharpen Q

This article covers how to handle inbound interactions in Sharpen Q.

    Topics covered include:

Navigating the Activity Side Panel to view and answer inbound interactions,

Using internal controls to manage a live interaction,

Reviewing relevant customer information of Q agents,

Accessing additional features/functions via Q Tabs, and

Closing / hanging up an interaction.

These items happen to align with the main areas of the Sharpen Q Dashboard and Interaction Window. 

The Activity Side Panel

Once you are all set up, you'll want to watch the Activity Side Panel, found along the left-hand side of the screen.

It consists of three distinct tabs (each of which has quick-search and filtering features to make it easier to find what you're looking for):

• Mine, which shows the interactions specifically assigned to you (by an Admin)

• All, which shows all interactions (and interaction types) that have entered any queues you may be logged into, and

• My History, which shows your personal interaction history.

These are each shown below. 

The All Tab

The All tab is the most commonly used in a day-to-day manner, as it lets you see what all is waiting in the Q.

The general information you see about each caller/interaction includes the interaction type, the customer's name, the number they called from, the Q the interaction went to, and points (if your organization weights different interaction types or criteria).

You can see additional information by either clicking on an interaction's tile, or clicking the diagonal double-arrow in the upper-right corner to expand all interactions' details. 

Incoming Interactions

When an interaction comes into a Q you're logged into, it will slide into the Activity Side Panel, as shown below:

At this point, you can click the Answer button (or pick up your receiver) to answer the interaction, or ignore the interaction (by doing nothing). Until an agent picks up the interaction, Sharpen Q will ring specific agents, one at a time.

When it rings you specifically, then, you'll see a pulsating notification toward the bottom-left corner of the screen.

You'll see who's calling, and have the opportunity to either Answer or Reject the interaction by pressing the appropriate button.

Answering an Interaction

Once you answer an interaction, it will move to the top of the side panel, above a purple line at the top of the panel. This shows that the interaction is now yours.

In addition, you are transitioned to the Interaction Window, which is shown below:

Note that the Activity Side Panel may or may not remain along the left side of the screen.

• If you are working in a Q with Interaction Switching enabled, the side panel will remain in view. 

• If Interaction Switching is not enabled, the Activity Side Panel will disappear until the interaction has concluded.

Also note that if you are logged into multiple Qs, one or more with switching enabled and one or more without switching enabled, whether or not the side panel remains in view will vary from interaction to interaction—just depending on whichever Q the interaction came from.

The Interaction Window

Customer Information

Once you are engaged with a customer, the Customer Information section of the Interaction Window serves up relevant, customer-specific information and history.

For each listed interaction with a specific customer, the Customer Information includes:

• the Q the customer interacted with

• the customer's name

• how long ago the interaction occurred

You can also search for specific customers or interactions, and filter the listed interactions by one or more communication type. Note that this section of the Interaction Window shows that customer's interaction history (not your own interaction history).

To see the granular details of specific past interactions, clicking on any of them will open the Record Details.

Internal Controls

While on an interaction, you can use the items in the Internal Controls section of the Interaction Window in order to:

• put an interaction on hold,

• transfer the interaction (to another agent, queue, or external contact—depending on the interaction type),

• make an outbound dial,

• enter Interaction Notes and disposition the interaction (Interaction Type, End Result), and

• hang up the interaction.

Q Tabs

Over the course of a live interaction, Q Tabs add extra types functionality to the Interaction Window.

Q Tabs are added and managed by an admin, meaning you may different tabs within different interaction types.

Some of these include tabs (which you can see along the top of the screenshot, below) that enable you to

• Send an outbound SMS/MMS message to the customer while speaking with them on the phone,

• Send an outbound Email to the customer while they're on the line, and

• Securely collect customers' payment information via Sharpen Payments, which you can read more about here. 

Closing an Interaction / Wrap Up

When an interaction is finished, click the Hangup button to transition to Wrap Up. During wrap up, you can finish any Interaction Notes, and disposition the interaction.

While the length of allotted wrap up time is customizable by your Admin, clicking the Extend Wrap Up button resets the Wrap Up timer to 30 seconds. Considering this, it's best to not click that button until you have less than 30 seconds remaining and are sure you need more time.