Managing skills

Skills are used to select the most qualified agent from an inbound group to handle a particular call. They allow you to utilise agent attributes more efficiently. For example, an agent might be able to handle interviews in a specific language or have an informed conversation with workers in a given profession. By defining these skills and applying them to the relevant agents, you can ensure that the sample will be assigned to the correct agents, as long as the QES file and sample list are set up to do so.

The skills window displays all existing skills currently managed by AskiaField.

In this topic:

• Opening the skills window
• Skills window fields
• Ribbon commands
• Context (right-click) menu
• Preparing a survey to make use of skills
  • Preparing the sample file
  • Preparing the QES file
  • Defining skills in Supervisor
  • Associating skills for the survey task

Opening the skills window

To open the skills window:

1. In the ribbon, click view.
2. Then, in the ribbon, click skills.

Skills window fields

The fields in the skills window are as follows (note that you can right-click in the column headings to specify which columns are shown):

• ID: The unique ID number of the skill.

• Name: The name of the skill.

• Dynamic: Indicates whether a skill is dynamic or not. Dynamic skills are updated by the system (e.g. skills that keep track of agent free time).

• Default value: The skill's default value, from 0 to 100, which will be assigned in this skill to all new agents that are created.

• Default weight: The skill's default weight, from 0 to 100. The weight of a skill signifies its importance. Weights will be applied by CCA when trying to qualify the most skilled agent based on two or more necessary skills. This default value will be used in the skill's weight field for all new inbound numbers and e-mail boxes that are created.

• Default minimum: The skill's minimum value, from 0 to 100, (i.e. the minimum value an agent must possess in this skill to be considered qualified). This default value will be used in the skill's minimum skill value field for all new inbound numbers and e-mail boxes that are created.

Ribbon commands

The skills tab of the ribbon (available when the skills window is active), contains the following commands:

Icon	Name	Function
	Properties	View or edit the properties of the selected skill.
	Duplicate	Create a copy of the selected skill. This is given the same name as the selected item, but with "- Copy" appended to the name.
	Delete	Delete the selected skill.
	Run Report	Run one of askia field's Crystal Report statistics. In the sub-menu, select the specific report you wish to run for this skill. Depending on the report type, you may be prompted to specify information, such as a date or group name. When the report has finished running, it appears in the Crystal Reports viewer.

Context (right-click) menu

The context (right-click) menu contains the following commands:

• New: Create a new skill.

• Delete: Delete the selected skill.

• Properties: View or edit the selected skill's properties.

Preparing a survey to make use of skills

When you want to use skills with your survey, you need to ensure the following things:

• the sample list has a field corresponding to each agent skill you wish to use
• the survey's QES file contains a question containing the relevant categories
• the appropriate agent skills are defined in Supervisor
• in the survey task, the agent skills are associated with the appropriate categories in the QES

Preparing the Sample File

It is important that particular care is taken with the sample file, as it determines what each record represents (gender, age, region etc.). This ensures the correct agent calls the correct respondent.

In the example below, which has been taken from an Excel file, we have records covering two different groups of people; women in the 18-24 age group (Type 1) and women in the 25-34 group (Type 2).

Preparing the QES File

The QES file should be set up as if you are importing sample information in the usual way.  Create a Closed Question and add in your various groups for interviewing.

The import button is used. In our example, the option is set like this:

In our example, we will select use response numbers as we want Women 18-24 to be referenced by a 1, as it is first in the list, Women 45-54 to be referenced by a 4, etc.

Defining skills in Supervisor

You need to define appropriate skills in Supervisor. In the ribbon click view, then skills.  The skills window opens, allowing you to add the new skills, or in this case, respondent types.  Right-click, select new and then create a skill by simply adding a caption, as follows:

We leave default value (agent) left at 0, as well as  default weight and default minimum; these are mainly used for inbound calls. Go through this process for as many respondent types as you will need for interviewing. Note that you can add new ones as and when required.

Create your task and add your sample in exactly the same way you usually do.  When you create a group and add in some agents, you will notice that they will now have the skills you have created in their respective properties. Right-click agent, select properties and click the skills tab.

All that you need to do is to determine whether you want an agent to receive specific sample as defined by you.  This is done by simply giving an agent skill a value of 1 (true) if you want them to receive the sample or left at 0 (false) if you do not want them to receive the sample.

Associating skills for the survey task

In Supervisor, right-click the task and select associate skills. You are presented with a window listing all the skills you have created:

You now need to make a direct link with the caption and the skill itself.  In this example, we select Women 18-24 and then click Ins.  You are then presented with another window:

Double-click the relevant skill, in this case Women 18-24, and then the association is complete.  Repeat the process for the remaining skills in your list.