Overflow Queues

Sometimes, the currently assigned resources for a queue are unable to keep up with incoming work or they aren't available. You can add overflow or backup queues for every queue so that alternative resources are available in such situations.

Overflow queues contain a reserve pool of agents to handle the workload when required. The waiting time for the customers is minimized by using overflow queues.

You can choose one of the following criteria for setting up an overflow queue:

When no human agent is immediately available
This condition is met if the main queue has even one work item waiting to be assigned.
When actual wait time exceeds threshold
For example: If a work item has waited in the main queue for more than 10 minutes, then assign the work to the agents in the overflow queue.
When number of pending interactions exceeds threshold
For example: If the main queue has more than 10 work items, then assign the work to the agents in the overflow queue.

Here are some key points about overflow queues:

A work item itself always stays in the main queue. Routing only considers the agents in the overflow queue when required, but the work item itself never moves from the main queue.
Routing considers the agents in the overflow queue only if the overflow criteria are met. If any agent from the main queue is available to take the work, then routing selects that agent first because it considers them more suitable.
Routing assigns a work item to the overflow queue agents only if the overflow queue is empty. If an overflow queue already has some pending items, this means that those agents are already busy.
You can add overflow queues to any automatic queue.
You can add any number of overflow queues to a queue.
Overflow queues enable you to bring in additional or backup resources dynamically when required.
If you have added more than one overflow queue, Omnichannel considers them in the priority order in which you've defined or added them. If the first overflow queue isn’t empty, Omnichannel considers the next one, and so on.

Note: If no overflow queue resources are available, the work item remains pending in the current queue. The item remains pending until a resource is available in the current queue or in one of the overflow queues.

Overflow queues are available for a queue only after you complete the following processes in the given order: