Techniques for behavioral pairing model evaluation in a contact center system

• US 10,142,478 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2017
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afiniti Europe Technologies Limited (Afiniti Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Afiniti Europe Technologies Limited (Afiniti Ltd)
• Inventors: Chishti, Zia
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quynh H
• Application Number:
  US15/785,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20180167512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 37926501, 37926601, 379309, 705 713
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/556 Statistical analysis and interpretation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms

Abstract

Techniques for behavioral pairing model evaluation in a contact center system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for behavioral pairing model evaluation in a contact center system comprising determining an ordering of a plurality of agents, determining an ordering of a plurality of contact types; analyzing, historical contact-agent outcome data according to the orderings of the pluralities of agents and contact types to construct a pairing model; and determining an expected performance of the contact center system using the pairing model.

Claims

1. A method for behavioral pairing model evaluation in a contact center system comprising:

determining, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to perform behavioral pairing operations in the contact center system, an ordering of a plurality of agents;

determining, by the at least one computer processor, an ordering of a plurality of contact types;

analyzing, by the at least one computer processor, historical contact-agent outcome data according to the orderings of the pluralities of agents and contact types to construct a pairing model;

applying, by the at least one computer processor, a behavioral pairing correction factor to the pairing model based on an expected distribution of contact-agent pairings for the pairing model;

determining, by the at least one computer processor, an expected performance of the contact center system using the pairing model;

outputting, by the at least one computer processor, the expected performance for comparison to at least one other expected performance of the contact center system determined using at least one other pairing model to optimize performance of the contact center system; and

establishing, by the at least one computer processor, in a switch module of the contact center system, a communication channel between communication equipment of a contact and communication equipment of an agent based at least in part upon the pairing model.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting, according to the pairing model, by the at least one computer processor, at least one agent-contact type pairing for connection in the contact center system to optimize performance of the contact center system attributable to the pairing model.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pairing model is a behavioral pairing model.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pairing model is based on a diagonal pairing strategy.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the at least one computer processor, a second expected performance of the contact center system using a FIFO pairing strategy; and

determining, by the at least one computer processor, an expected gain of the contact center system using the pairing model instead of the FIFO pairing strategy.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

constructing, by the at least one computer processor, a second pairing model based at least on a second ordering of a second plurality of contact types different from the first plurality of contact types;

determining, by the at least one computer processor, a second expected performance of the contact center system using the second pairing model;

comparing, by the at least one computer processor, the second expected performance based on the second pairing model with the expected performance based on the pairing model; and

selecting, by the at least one computer processor, one of at least the pairing model and the second pairing model based on the comparing of the expected performance and the second expected performance.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the at least one computer processor, new contact-agent outcome data;

updating, by the at least one computer processor, the pairing model based on the new contact-agent outcome data; and

determining, by the at least one computer processor, an updated expected performance of the contact center system using the updated pairing model.

8. A system for behavioral pairing model evaluation in a contact center system comprising:

at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to perform behavioral pairing operations in the contact center system, wherein the at least one computer processor is configured to;

determine an ordering of a plurality of agents;

determine an ordering of a plurality of contact types;

analyze historical contact-agent outcome data according to the orderings of the pluralities of agents and contact types to construct a pairing model;

apply a behavioral pairing correction factor to the pairing model based on an expected distribution of contact-agent pairings for the pairing model;

determine an expected performance of the contact center system using the pairing model;

output the expected performance for comparison to at least one other expected performance of the contact center system determined using at least one other pairing model to optimize performance of the contact center system; and

establish, in a switch module of the contact center system, a communication channel between communication equipment of a contact and communication equipment of an agent based at least in part upon the pairing model.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to:

select, according to the pairing model, at least one agent-contact type pairing for connection in the contact center system to optimize performance of the contact center system attributable to the pairing model.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the pairing model is a behavioral pairing model.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the pairing model is based on a diagonal pairing strategy.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to:

determine a second expected performance of the contact center system using a FIFO pairing strategy; and

determine an expected gain of the contact center system using the pairing model instead of the FIFO pairing strategy.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to:

construct a second pairing model based at least on a second ordering of a second plurality of contact types different from the first plurality of contact types;

determine a second expected performance of the contact center system using the second pairing model;

compare the second expected performance based on the second pairing model with the expected performance based on the pairing model; and

select one of at least the pairing model and the second pairing model based on the comparing of the expected performance and the second expected performance.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to:

determine new contact-agent outcome data;

update the pairing model based on the new contact-agent outcome data; and

determine an updated expected performance of the contact center system using the updated pairing model.

15. An article of manufacture for behavioral pairing model evaluation in a contact center system comprising:

a non-transitory processor readable medium; and

instructions stored on the medium;

wherein the instructions are configured to be readable from the medium by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to perform behavioral pairing operations in the contact center system and thereby cause the at least one computer processor to operate so as to;

determine an ordering of a plurality of agents;

determine an ordering of a plurality of contact types;

analyze historical contact-agent outcome data according to the orderings of the pluralities of agents and contact types to construct a pairing model;

apply a behavioral pairing correction factor to the pairing model based on an expected distribution of contact-agent pairings for the pairing model;

determine an expected performance of the contact center system using the pairing model;

output the expected performance for comparison to at least one other expected performance of the contact center system determined using at least one other pairing model to optimize performance of the contact center system; and

establish, in a switch module of the contact center system, a communication channel between communication equipment of a contact and communication equipment of an agent based at least in part upon the pairing model.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the at least one computer processor is further caused to operate so as to:

select, according to the pairing model, at least one agent-contact type pairing for connection in the contact center system to optimize performance of the contact center system attributable to the pairing model.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the pairing model is a behavioral pairing model.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the pairing model is based on a diagonal pairing strategy.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the at least one computer processor is further caused to operate so as to:

determine a second expected performance of the contact center system using a FIFO pairing strategy; and

determine an expected gain of the contact center system using the pairing model instead of the FIFO pairing strategy.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the at least one computer processor is further caused to operate so as to:

construct a second pairing model based at least on a second ordering of a second plurality of contact types different from the first plurality of contact types;

determine a second expected performance of the contact center system using the second pairing model;

compare the second expected performance based on the second pairing model with the expected performance based on the pairing model; and

select one of at least the pairing model and the second pairing model based on the comparing of the expected performance and the second expected performance.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the at least one computer processor is further caused to operate so as to:

determine new contact-agent outcome data;

update the pairing model based on the new contact-agent outcome data; and

determine an updated expected performance of the contact center system using the updated pairing model.