Whisper Announcement

Capabilities

Whisper Announcement plays a brief, prerecorded message to an agent just before the agent connects with each caller. The announcement plays only to the agent; the caller hears ringing (based on existing ring tone patterns) while the announcement plays.

The content of the announcement can contain information about the caller that helps prepare the agent to handle the call. The information can include caller language preference, choices the caller made from a menu (Sales, Service), customer status (Platinum, Gold, Regular), and so on.

After Whisper Announcement is enabled, the played announcements are specified in the call routing scripts. The determination of which announcement to play is controlled in the script and is based on various inputs, such as the dialed number, a customer ID look up in your customer database, or selections you made from a VRU menu.

While a Whisper Announcement Is Playing

Only one Whisper Announcement can play for each call. While a Whisper Announcement is playing, you cannot put the call on hold, transfer, conference, or release the call, or request supervisor assistance. These features become available again after the whisper is complete.

Whisper Announcement Call Flows

Figure 1. Whisper Announcement Call Flow

The standard call flow with Whisper Announcement is as follows:

  1. Incoming call arrives at CVP from the carrier.

  2. CVP sends the call to Unified CCE.

  3. Unified CCE instructs CVP to queue the call.

  4. CVP sends the call to the Voice Browser.

  5. Unified CCE sends the agent label with the whisper announcement prompt.

  6. CVP sends the call to Unified CM.

  7. Unified CM sends the call to the agent phone.

  8. The caller continues to hear ringback. The agent hears the whisper announcement.

  9. When the whisper announcement ends, the caller connects to the agent.

Whisper Announcement Design Impacts

Whisper Announcement has these limitations:

  • Announcements do not play for outbound calls made by an agent. The announcement plays for inbound calls only.

  • For Whisper Announcement to work with agent-to-agent calls, use the SendToVRU node before you transfer the call to the agent. Transfer the call to Unified CVP before you transfer the call to another agent. Then, Unified CVP can control the call and play the announcement, regardless of which node transfers the call to Unified CVP.

  • Announcements do not play when the router selects the agent through a label node.

  • CVP Refer Transfers do not support Whisper Announcement.

  • Whisper Announcement supports Silent Monitoring. However, for Unified Communications Manager-based Silent Monitoring, supervisors cannot hear the announcements themselves. The supervisor desktop dims the Silent Monitor button while an announcement plays.

  • Only one announcement can play for each call. While an announcement plays, you cannot put the call on hold, transfer, or conference; release the call; or request supervisor assistance. These features become available again after the announcement completes.

  • The codec settings for Whisper Announcement recording and the agent's phone must match. For example, if Whisper Announcement is recorded in G.711 ALAW, the phone must also be at G.711 ALAW. If Whisper Announcement is recorded in G.729, the phone must support or connect using G.729.

  • In an IPv6-enabled environment, Whisper Announcement might require extra Media Termination Points (MTPs).

Whisper Announcement Media Files

You store and serve your Whisper Announcement audio files from the Unified Contact Center Enterprise (Unified CCE) media server. This feature supports only the wave (.wav) file type. The maximum play time for a Whisper Announcement is subject to a timeout. Playback terminates at the timeout regardless of the actual length of the audio file. The timeout is 15 seconds. In practice, you may want your messages to be much shorter than that, 5 seconds or less, to shorten your call-handling time.

Whisper Announcement with Transfers and Conferences

When an agent transfers or starts a conference call to another agent, the second agent hears an announcement if the second agent's number supports Whisper Announcement. For consultative transfers or conferences, while the announcement plays, the caller hears whatever generally plays during hold. The first agent hears ringing. In the case of blind transfers, the caller hears ringing while the announcement plays.

Whisper Announcement Sizing Considerations

The impact of Whisper Announcement on solution component sizing is not as significant as the impact caused by Agent Greeting.

Configure Whisper Announcement

Complete the following procedures for Whisper Announcement configuration:

Configure Gateway

Gateway uses two different dialed numbers for Whisper Announcement.

  • 91919191 number calls the ring tone that the caller hears while the whisper plays to the agent

  • 9191919100 number calls the whisper itself

Configure a dial peer for incoming number 9191919100 and 91919191 as follows: 

dial-peer voice 919191 voip
description CVP SIP ringtone dial-peer
service ringtone
incoming called-number 9191T
voice-class sip rel1xx disable
dtmf-relay rtp-nte
codec g711ulaw
no vad

Configure Unified CVP

Create Whisper Announcement Audio Files

You must create audio files for each different Whisper Announcement you want to use on your system; for example, "Sales, English" or "Soporte Técnico en Español." Create the files using the recording tool of your choice.

When recording your files, follow these rules:

  • The media files must be in wave (.wav) format. Your wave files must match Unified CVP encoding and format requirements (G729, CCITT G.711 A-Law and U-law 8 kHz, 8 bit, mono).

  • To avoid cutting off files when they are played, make sure they do not exceed the Whisper Announcement play limit (15 seconds).

  • Test your audio files. Ensure that they are not cut off and that they are consistent in volume and tone.

  • To reduce the likelihood of scripting errors, decide ahead of time on a file-naming convention that is easy for you and others to remember. For example, en_sales.wav, sp_support.wav.

Deploy Whisper Announcement Audio Files to Media Server

Deploy your whisper audio files to your Unified CVP media server using whatever file-transfer method you prefer. The most important consideration is where on the server to place the files. HTTP requests for media server audio files are constructed as 
http://<media_server>/<locale_directory>/<application_directory>/<file_name>.
The CVP defaults for the locale and application directories are en-us/app. Unified CCE automatically adds en-us/app to the server name when making HTTP requests for media files.

For example, if:

  • The script node that defines the media server has a value of http://myserver.mydomain.com and

  • The script node that defines the audio file to play has a value of en_sales.wav

Then the HTTP request for the file is automatically constructed as 

http://myserver.mydomain.com/en-us/app/en_sales.wav

If you store your files in a different locale and application directory, your routing scripts must include variable nodes that define those alternate locations. Make note of the directories in which you place your files and communicate the locations to your script authors.

Make sure that the directories in which you deploy your files have the appropriate permissions to allow Read access.

CVP with the Streaming Audio (Helix) and Whisper Announcement

You must set the user.microapp.media_server variable, to point to the whisper announcement .wav file, for the CVP Whisper Announcement feature to work while Streaming Audio feature (using Helix) is also on. This is achieved by setting the Call.WhisperAnnouncement variable to the complete URL of the whisper announcement wav file. The Call.WhisperAnnouncement variable should be put in using the http://<VXMLserverip>:7000/CVP/audio/XXX.wav URL format.

Using a Default Media Server

Optionally, CVP lets you define a default media server. (You do this in the CVP Operations Console; see your CVP documentation for more information.) If a default media server is defined in CVP, script authors need not identify the media server in their call routing scripts provided the files that they request are available from that server.

Configure the Whisper Announcement Service Dialed Numbers

Unified CVP uses two different dialed numbers for Whisper Announcement:

The first number calls the ring tone service that the caller hears while the whisper plays to the agent. The Unified CVP default for this number is 91919191.

The second number calls the whisper itself. The Unified CVP default for this number is 9191919100.

For Whisper Announcement to work, your dial number pattern must cover both of these numbers. The easiest way to ensure coverage is through the use of wild cards such as 9191*. However, if you decide to use an exact dialed number match, then you must specify both 91919191 and 9191919100.

Configure Dialed Numbers

You configure the dialed numbers for Whisper Announcement in the Unified CVP Operations Console at System > Dialed Number Pattern > Add new. For the Dialed Number Pattern Types, select Enable Local Static Route. Once Enable Local Static Route is checked, select either Route to Device or Route to SIP Server Group for VXML gateways. Then save and deploy the dialed number.

It may be necessary to override the dialed number plan for the default Whisper DN, if the default DN conflicts with the overall dial number plan.

Change the Whisper Announcement Default Dialed Number

To override the DN pattern from the SIP subsystem level in CVP OAMP:

Procedure

Step 1

Select Device Management > Unified CVP Server.

Step 2

Select the Call Server on which to override the default whisper DN.

Step 3

Select the SIP tab.

Step 4

Override the default value of 91919191 configured under the DN on the Gateway to play the ringtone field.

Step 5

Click Save & Deploy.

Configure Unified CCE

Create Whisper Announcement Script

It is very important to deploy Whisper Announcement with the Call. Whisper Announcement variable and to set .wav file in your Unified CCE routing scripts.

Figure 2. Whisper Announcement Script

Specify WhisperAnnouncement Call Variable

To include Whisper Announcement in a script, insert a Set Variable node that references the WhisperAnnouncement call variable. The WhisperAnnouncement variable causes a whisper to play and specifies the audio file it should use. Typically, you use a single whisper prompt for a single call type. As a result, you use only one WhisperAnnouncement set node for each script. However, as needed, you can set the variable at multiple places in your scripts to allow different announcements to play for different endpoints. For example, for skills-based routing, you can specify the variable at each decision point used to select a particular skill group or Precision Queue.


Note

Only one Whisper Announcement can play for each call. If a script references and sets the WhisperAnnouncement variable more than once in a single path through a script, the last value to be set is the one that plays.

Use these settings in the Set Variable node for Whisper Announcement:

  • Object Type: Call.

  • Variable: Must use the WhisperAnnouncement variable.

  • Value: Specify the filename of the whisper file. For example: "my_whisper.wav" or "my_whisper".

    • Specify the filename only, not its path.

    • You must enclose the filename in quotation marks.

    • The filename is not case sensitive.

    • The filename cannot include spaces or characters that require URL encoding.

    • The .wav extension is optional. If you omit it, Unified CVP adds it automatically in the HTTP request.

Specify Whisper File Locale and Application Directories

CVP uses a default storage directory for media files: <web_server_root>/en-us/app. To take advantage of this, Unified CCE call routing scripts automatically add "en-us/app," to the server name when constructing HTTP requests for media files. For example:

  • If the script node that defines the media server has a value of "http://myserver.mydomain.com" and...

  • The script node that defines which audio file to play has a value of "en_sales.wav," then...

  • The HTTP request for the file is automatically constructed as

http://myserver.mydomain.com/en-us/app/en_sales.wav

If your whisper audio files are stored in a different locale directory, you must add a Set Variable node to your script that identifies the locale directory. Similarly, if your whisper files are stored in a different application directory, you must add a Set Variable node that identifies that directory.

Specify Locale Directory

Use these settings in the Set Variable node to specify your locale directory:

  • Object Type: Call.

  • Variable: Must use the user.microapp.locale ECC variable.

  • Value: Specify the directory name. For example: "pt-br," You must enclose the path in quotes.

Specify Application Directory

Use these settings in the Set Variable node to specify your application directory:

  • Object Type: Call.

  • Variable: Must use the user.microapp.app_media_lib ECC variable.

  • Value: Specify the directory name. For example: to use a directory "wav_files" in place of the default directory "app," enter "wav_files." To use a sub-directory "wav_files" "app," enter "app/wav_files." You must enclose the path in quotes.

Variable Length for Media Server Locale and Application Directory Variables

If you do include Set Variable nodes for the media server, locale, or application directories, ensure that the values you set for them do not exceed the Maximum Length settings for their corresponding ECC variables.

For example, if you include a Set Variable node for the media server with a value of "http://mysubdomain.mydomain.co.uk," the string is 33 characters long. Therefore, the Maximum Length setting for the user.microapp.media_server ECC variable must be 33 or greater. If it is not, you must increase the Maximum Length setting. Otherwise, the server name is truncated in the HTTP request for the file and the file is not found. You configure ECC variables in the Unified CCE Configuration Manager at List Tools > Expanded Call Variables List.

Test Whisper Announcement File Path

To test the path to the whisper file that you defined in you script variables, enter the complete URL into a browser. The .wav file should play. For example:

  • If your script includes: default media server + default locale + default application directory + whisper.wav, then the path is "http://<default_media_server>/en-us/app/whisper.wav"

  • If your script includes: http://my_server.my_domain.com + default locale + "app/wav_files" + whisper.wav, then the path is "http://my_server.my_domain.com/en-us/app/wav_files/whisper.wav"

Other Script Settings That Are Required for Whisper Announcement

These additional settings are required for Whisper Announcement to work:

  • Enable Target Requery on all script nodes that follow the WhisperAnnouncement variable and target an agent. These include Queue (to Skill Group or Precision Queue), Queue Agent, Route Select, and Select. If Target Requery is not enabled, the Whisper Announcement does not play.

Fail-Safe Timeout for Whisper Announcement in Unified CCE

Unified CVP sends one message to Unified CCE each time a Whisper Announcement begins and a second message when the announcement ends. The time stamps from these messages are used to calculate Whisper Announcement data in Unified CCE reports.

If Unified CVP fails to send a Whisper Announcement end message toUnified CCE, the following occurs:

  • Unified CCE cannot accurately calculate the whisper length, thus skewing report data.
  • The agent cannot control the call (for example, put it on hold or transfer it) because these controls are disabled while a Whisper Announcement is playing.

Whisper Announcement Sample Scripts

Unified CCE includes sample routing scripts that demonstrate Whisper Announcement. You can use them as learning tools and as models for your own Whisper Announcement scripts. They are the following:

  • WA.ICMS—This script plays a Whisper Announcement.

  • WA_AG.ICMS—This script plays both a Whisper Announcement and an Agent Greeting to play on the same call flow.

The script files are located in the c:\icm\bin directory. In Unified CCE Script Editor, they are installed to the application root directory.


Note

To use these scripts you must have a default media server configured in Unified CVP, and have the Whisper file stored in the default location on the media server. For that reason, they do not include variables that specify the media server, locale, or application directories.

WA.ICMS Script

This script sets up a Whisper Announcement by setting the Whisper Announcement variable to the desired wave file and then queuing the call to a skill group or Precision Queue. After an agent is selected from the skill group or Precision Queue and the call routed to the agent, the whisper plays to the agent.

WA_AG.ICMS Script

This script causes both a Whisper Announcement and an Agent Greeting to play.

Import Sample Whisper Announcement Scripts

To view or use the sample Whisper Announcement scripts, you must first import them into Unified CCE Script Editor. Follow this procedure to import the scripts:

Procedure

Step 1

Open Script Editor.

Step 2

Select File > Import Script and select the first of the two scripts to import.

In addition to importing the script, Script Editor tries to map imported objects. Some objects that are referenced in the sample scripts, such as the external Network VRU scripts or the skill groups or Precision Queues, do not map successfully. You must create these maps manually or change these references to point to existing Network VRU scripts, skill groups, and Precision Queues in your system.

Step 3

Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the remaining script.

Reporting and Serviceability

Whisper time is not specifically broken out in Unified CCE reports. In agent, skill group, and Precision Queue reports, the period during which the announcement plays is reported as Reserved agent state time. In the Termination Call Detail records, it is treated as Ring Time.

Serviceability for Whisper Announcement includes system events to indicate reasons for Whisper Announcement failures and counters to track the number of failed whisper events.

Component Failure and Whisper Announcement

Failure to Access CVP Media Server

If the connection to the CVP media server fails, or if a requested whisper audio file cannot be found, the call proceeds without Whisper Announcement.

Whisper Announcement in Agent Desktop Software

No configuration is needed to integrate Whisper Announcement with agent desktop software. While a whisper is playing, software on the agent desktop shows the call in the Ring state. Desk phones show the call in the Talking state.

Using Agent Greeting with Whisper Announcement

You can use Agent Greeting along with the Whisper Announcement feature. Consider the following when you use them together:

  • On the call, the Whisper Announcement always plays first before the greeting.

  • To shorten your call-handling time, you may want to use shorter whispers and greetings than you might if you were using either feature by itself. A long whisper followed by a long greeting means a long wait before an agent handles a call.

  • Usually, agents that use Whisper Announcement handle different types of calls: for example, "English, Gold Member, Activate Card, Spanish, Gold Member, Report Lost Card, English, Platinum Member, Account Inquiry." Ensure the greetings your agents record are generic enough to cover the range of customer calls they handle.