Articles on: MyOperator

What is a Sticky Agent and what happens if a Sticky Agent turns Call Availability Off in MyOperator?

Tip

Quick answer — Sticky Agent ensures that when a customer calls multiple times, they are connected to the same agent who handled their previous call (within a set time frame). This continuity improves the customer experience, reduces the need for repeated explanations, and enables faster resolution.


Types of sticky agents:


  • Strict Bind – call stays with the assigned agent; if the agent is Away, the caller goes straight to your fallback (voicemail, prompt, disconnect).
  • Loose Bind – system skips the Away agent and routes to the next available agent per queue rules.


When should I use this guide?


Read this if you’ve enabled Sticky Agent routing and need to understand how the Call Availability toggle ("Available / Away") affects caller experience.



1. Key terms


Term

Meaning

Sticky Agent

Re-routes returning callers to the same agent as last time

Call Availability

Agent toggle: On (Available) or Off (Away)

Strict Bind

Always stick; no fallback to others

Loose Bind

Prefer agent; if unavailable, fall back to queue



Watch the video walkthrough



2. Behaviour matrix


Bind type

Agent availability

Does the queue try the agent?

If agent unavailable

Caller experience

Strict

On (Available)

Yes

N/A

Agent’s phone rings

Strict

Off (Away)

No

No fallback

Caller hits your fallback (voicemail/prompt/disconnect)

Loose

On (Available)

Yes

Falls back if no answer

Rings agent, then the next agent per the rules

Loose

Off (Away)

Skipped

Routes to others

The caller is offered next available agent


Other rules (Business Hours, Holidays, DND, overflow numbers) can still override the above.



3. Best-fit guidance (Strict vs Loose)


  • Strict Bind – use for VIP or named-owner queues where customers expect “their” agent.
  • Loose Bind – use for Sales / Support teams where answer speed outranks continuity.



4. Will the sticky agent feature work for outgoing calls?


No, it is only for incoming calls that have landed on a user through IVR.



5. How to configure Sticky Agent bind type


Prerequisites:


  • Role: Admin (needs Department > Edit permission).
  • Path: Manage → Departments → {Department} → Call Flow.


Steps:


  1. Go to Manage → Departments in the Web Panel.




Alt text: Web panel - Manage - Accounts


  1. Add a new department or click Edit on an existing one.



Alt text: Adding a new department


  1. In Call Flow, toggle Sticky Agent = On.



Alt text: Toggle sticky agent ON


  1. Choose Bind type: Strictly bind or Loosely bind.



Alt text: Choose the sticky agent type


  1. Click Save.



6. Success checklist


  • Department shows Sticky Agent = On.
  • Bind type reads “Strict” or “Loose”.
  • Test call from a repeat caller follows the chosen behaviour.



7. Edge cases & limitations


  • Routing changes may need 1–2 min to propagate.
  • Direct transfers ignore Sticky logic.
  • A paused agent (admin “Pause”) overrides the Call Availability toggle.



8. When this won’t behave as expected


  1. Fallback branch is Disconnect – caller gets silence; switch to Voicemail if you need messages.
  2. The queue is configured with a ring group “Always include” – the agent still rings even when away.
  3. Caller number not recognised – sticky rule doesn’t trigger for first-time callers.



9. Benefits of Sticky Agent


  • No Repetition for Customers: Customers avoid repeating their concerns with new agents.
  • Consistency in Interaction: Ensures follow-up with the same agent familiar with the issue.
  • Faster Resolution: Saves time for both customers and agents.



10. Troubleshooting & escalation


Issue

Likely cause

Fix / who to contact

Caller hears busy tone when the agent is away

Strict Bind + fallback = Disconnect

Change fallback to Voicemail / switch to Loose Bind

Sticky ignored; call jumps to others

Department set to Loose Bind

Change to Strict or ensure agent = Available

Routing didn’t update after the toggle

Cache/propagation delay

Wait 2 min, refresh; retest


Escalation template (copy-paste):


Subject: Sticky Agent routing issue

Dept: Sales – Inbound
Bind type: Strict
Fallback: Voicemail
Call example: UID c_250822_1045

Observed behaviour: Caller routed to other agent while owner Away.



Keywords: sticky agent, strict bind, loose bind, call availability off, queue fallback, MyOperator

Updated on: 24/02/2026