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Handling Multiple Simultaneous Siebel Chat Sessions

Agents can handle multiple chat sessions simultaneously, up to a limit set by the administrator in Oracle Contact On Demand Administration Manager. For more information about setting the maximum number of simultaneous chat sessions for an agent (the default is 5), see Setting Up User Accounts in Oracle Contact On Demand Administration Manager.

Where multiple chat sessions are ongoing, agents can move between each chat session without losing context. If multiple chat sessions are open, they are represented by tabs across the top of the chat pane where:

• Each chat tab shows the first name of the customer.
• A number appears after the customer name (for example, John: 3) representing the number of messages sent by the customer since the chat was last viewed by the agent.
• If you hover the mouse over the tab, the last message received is shown without making the agent switch to the chat.

If multiple chat sessions are ongoing, you can switch between chat sessions using either the chat tabs or the communications toolbar; however, the behavior in each case is different as described in the following procedures:

• Switching Between Chat Sessions Using Chat Tabs
• Switching Between Chat Sessions Using the Communications Toolbar

NOTE:  It is recommended that you use chat tabs to switch between chat sessions and avoid using the communications toolbar, which is less efficient and prone to error.

Switching Between Chat Sessions Using Chat Tabs

By default, all open chat sessions are automatically put on hold except for the chat session that is currently active. When an agent moves away from the currently active chat session by clicking another chat tab, the previously active chat is automatically placed on hold and the previously suspended chat is resumed.

Where all chat sessions are on hold and an agent manually accepts a new incoming chat, then that new chat becomes the active chat session and all other chat sessions remain on hold.

To switch between chat sessions using chat tabs

1. In the chat pane, click the chat tab belonging to the chat session that you want to move to.
2. Resume work on the active chat session as described in, for example, Responding to an Incoming Chat and Reviewing Inbound Siebel Chat Activities.

Switching Between Chat Sessions Using the Communications Toolbar

Agents can manually switch between chat sessions using the drop-down list of currently open chats, the Hold Work Item button, and the Resume Work Item button on the communications toolbar. If you put a chat session on hold using the communications toolbar, then you must use the communications toolbar to resume another chat session as well. Switching between chat sessions using the communications toolbar is a two-step process described in the following procedure.

To switch between chat sessions using the communications toolbar

1. Put the active chat session on hold by selecting it from the drop-down list of currently open chats, then click the Hold Work Item button.

   At this point, all chat sessions are on hold because no chat has been resumed yet. In addition, all chat tabs are disabled and remain disabled until you resume another chat session using the communications toolbar.

2. Resume a different chat session by selecting it from the drop-down list of currently open chats, then click the Resume Work Item button.