How to determine which queued chats are assigned first (Urgency)

When there are more incoming chats than operators can handle, a chat queue is formed. Urgency determines which queued chats will be assigned first.

Urgency can be applied in two ways:

  • At the department level as part of Automatic Chat Distribution (ACD)
  • At the chat level as part of the Chat Rules Engine

Chat rule urgency prevails over department-level urgency.

  1. To set urgency at the department level as part of Automatic Chat Distribution (ACD):
    1. Create a department at Setup > Account Setup > General > Departments.
    2. On the New Department window, go to the Chat Distribution tab.
    3. Click Override account-level automatic distribution settings for this department.
    4. Under Chats queued for assignment, select an Urgency level.
    5. Save your changes.

    Incoming chats for a department with a higher urgency setting are distributed before those for a department with a lower setting. When departmental urgency is the same for multiple chats in the queue, operators receive the chat from the department for which they have the highest priority.

  2. To set urgency at the chat level as part of the Chat Rules Engine, refer to the instructions for managing chats according to rules: How to manage incoming chats according to rules (Chat Rules Engine).
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