Create a call queue
Hold callers in line until an agent is free.
| What you need | Affects |
|---|---|
| Admin access to the 3CX Admin Console | Calls sent to the queue, and the agents in it |
| Use a queue when | Use a ring group instead when |
|---|---|
| Callers may have to wait, you want hold music and position announcements, or you need statistics on waiting and answered calls. | A small team should all hear the phone at once and callers rarely wait. |
1. Create it
- Log in to the Admin ConsoleSign in with an admin account and switch to the Admin view if needed.
- Add a call queueChoose Call Handling, then Add Call Queue.
- Number and nameKeep the suggested extension number or enter your own, and give it a name such as Support.
- Choose a polling strategyThis decides which agent gets the next call. See the table below.
| Strategy | How it works |
|---|---|
| Ring All | All logged-in agents ring at once. |
| Prioritized Hunt | Agents ring one at a time in the order listed. |
| Round Robin | Calls take turns around the agents. |
| Longest Waiting | The agent who has been free the longest rings first. |
| Least Talk Time / Fewest Answered | Spreads the work evenly across agents. Some strategies need a higher 3CX edition. |
2. Agents and timing
- Add agentsAdd each extension that should answer queue calls.
- Ring time per agentHow long each agent rings before the queue tries the next, for example 15 to 20 seconds.
- Maximum wait timeHow long a caller can wait in the queue, for example 3 to 5 minutes.
- Destination if no answerWhere callers go after the maximum wait: voicemail, another queue or a mobile.
- Music and announcementsChoose hold music and an optional intro prompt, then click Save.
3. Agents log in and out
Agents only get queue calls while logged in. They can log in and out from the 3CX app or Web Client status, or by dialling *62 to log in and *63 to log out on a desk phone.
4. Send calls to it
Point a phone number, an IVR option or a ring group's no-answer destination at the queue's extension number. Test from a mobile, including what happens when nobody answers.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause and fix |
|---|---|
| Queue calls never reach an agent | No agents are logged in to the queue. Check their status or have them dial *62. |
| Callers wait while agents are free | Agents are on Do Not Disturb or already on a call. Check the queue's wrap-up time too. |
| Callers hang up quickly | Lower the maximum wait time or add an intro prompt so they know they are in a queue. |
Feature codes like *62 and *63 are 3CX defaults. Your administrator may have changed them.