Treatment Sequences

Treatment sequences allow you to apply different treatments to each consecutive instance of the same call result. For example, if a Busy call result is received four times in sequence, you might want to apply a different action to each occurrence. Each treatment in the sequence must have a unique treatment name, an Apply to Record action, and a unique, consecutive sequence number. Treatments are linked by assigning the same call result to each treatment in the sequence.

Note:

Campaign sequences are not the same as treatment sequences. See Campaigns for more information about campaign sequences.

Rules for Treatment Sequences

Apply these general rules to treatment sequences.

• Treatment sequences are compatible with next-in-chain Apply to Record actions. Next-in-Chain treatments should be the last one in a sequence. When OCS dials the next record in a chain and receives the same call result for this record as it did for the previous record, the whole treatment sequence will be repeated.
• Always assign consecutive numbers to treatment sequences and always begin with 1. If you use non-consecutive numbers -- such as 1, 2, and 4 the treatment sequence stops at the first non-consecutive number, which in this example is 4. The first two treatments would apply, but not the fourth.
• OCS applies each treatment in sequential order until a successful call result is received, a dialing attempt generates a different unsuccessful call result, or the number of dialing attempts equals the Maximum Attempts value assigned in the calling list object.
• If a treatment sequence for one call result (for example, Busy) is interrupted with a different call result (No Answer), the sequence is broken and the Number in Sequence value for Busy resets to one 1. If the Busy call result is received again, the treatment sequence restarts at the beginning.

Note:

Treatments using the Apply to Call action cannot be sequenced. Set the Number in Sequence value to 1, as OCS always identifies this action with a sequence value of 1 even if another value is specified.

Treatment Object List

The following table shows Treatment objects that will be used in Examples 1 and 2, which follow.

Treatment Objects List

Treatment Object Name	Call Result	Number in Sequence	Treatment Action (Apply to Record)
Busy1	Busy	1	Redial
Busy2	Busy	2	Retry in (60 min.)
AnsMach1	Answering Machine Detected	1	Retry in (60 min.)
AnsMach2	Answering Machine Detected	2	Retry at specified date
NoAnswer	No Answer	1	Retry in (60 min.)

Example 1: Treatment Sequence Exhausted

In this example, the Maximum Attempts value in the Calling List object is 8, and a record is dialed five times. The results are shown in the following table.

Example 1, Treatment Sequence Exhausted

Call Result	Treatment Action (Apply to Record)	Reached Party?
Busy	Redial	No
Answering Machine Detected	Retry in (60 min.)	No
Busy	Redial	No
Answering Machine Detected	Retry in (60 min.)	No
Answering Machine Detected	Retry at specified date	No
Answer	No treatment	Yes

In Example 1, the call did not reach its intended party and, on the fifth dial attempt, the second number in the Answering Machine Detected treatment sequence is executed.

Example 2: Record Reaches Maximum Attempts Value

When the number of times the telephone number is dialed matches the Maximum Attempts value from the calling list, the final outcome of the last attempt is applied and logged in the database. In this example the calling list object's Maximum Attempts value is 8. Using the same Treatment objects from Example 1, a record is dialed eight times, with the results shown in the following table.

Example 2, Record ReachesMaximum Attempts Value

Number of Attempts	Call Result	Treatment Action (Apply to Record)	Reached Party
1	Answering Machine Detected	Retry in (60 min.)	No
2	Busy	Redial	No
3	Answering Machine Detected	Retry in (60 min.)	No
4	Busy	Redial	No
5	Answering Machine Detected	Retry in (60 min.)	No
6	Busy	Redial	No
7	Answering Machine Detected	Retry in (60 min.)	No
8	Busy	Redial	No

In Example 2, the call did not reach its intended party after eight attempts. Because the Maximum Attempts value is 8, dialing stops and OCS applies the final outcome.