Workload distribution with resource awareness

• US 10,298,766 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2018
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ristock, Herbert Willi Artur, Pigott, Bob, Rosen, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoque, Nafiz E
• Application Number:
  US15/912,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20180198917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/402 Agent or workforce management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5234 Uniform load distribution

Abstract

A method for workload distribution for a contact center includes identifying a work item for distribution based on an assigned distribution criteria; identifying a target for routing the work item; determining availability of the target; in response to determining that the target is available, transmitting a routing request for the work item to a routing server, and in response to the request, the routing server is configured to independently determine availability of the work item for routing the work item to the target; and in response to determining that the target is not available, refraining from transmitting the routing request for the work item to the routing server.

Claims

1. A method for workload distribution for a contact center, the method comprising:

receiving, by an interaction server coupled to a data communications network, non-real-time interactions, and generating work items for processing the non-real-time interactions;

storing, by the interaction server, the generated work items in a first data structure;

determining, by the interaction server, priorities of the work items stored in the first data structure;

identifying, by the interaction server, a work item from the first data structure for distribution based on the determined priorities;

determining, by the interaction server, availability of at least one target capable of handling the work item;

in response to determining, by the interaction server, that the at least one target is not available, refraining, by the interaction server, from transmitting the routing request for the work item to a routing server;

in response to determining, by the interaction server, availability of the at least one target transmitting, by the interaction server, a routing request for the work item over the data communications network, wherein the transmitting of the routing request removes the work item from the first data structure and stores the work item in a second data structure;

receiving, by the routing server, the routing request for the work item from the interaction server, the routing server being coupled to the interaction server over the data communications network, the routing server being configured to receive requests for routing real-time interactions and non-real-time interactions;

executing, by the routing server, a routing strategy in response to receiving the routing request for the work item from the interaction server;

identify, by the routing server, a specific target for handling the work item based on the executed routing strategy;

removing, by the routing server, the work item from the second data structure; and

routing, by the routing server, the work item to the identified specific target.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the interaction server determines a distribution criteria for transmitting the routing request, wherein the distribution criteria comprises at least one of a business value, a creation date, or a due date for the work item.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the at least one target for routing the work item comprises receiving, by the interaction server, a request for a particular target.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the at least one target for routing the work item comprises evaluating, by the interaction server, information about occupancy, skills, or location of targets.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising assessing, by the interactions server, the determined availability to identify the at least one target for routing of the work item.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the availability of the at least one target comprises identifying capacity of the at least one target to handle the work item.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the work item is in a queued state in the interaction server, and wherein in response to the request, the work item is removed from the queued state in the interaction server and is placed in a queued state in the routing server.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the interaction server and the routing server are coupled over a local area network.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein in response to determining that the target is not available, modifying, by the interaction server, the distribution criteria for the work item.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the modifying the distribution criteria includes modifying, by the interaction server, priority of the work item.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the work item is a non-telephony interaction with an end user.

12. A system for workload distribution for a contact center, the system comprising:

an interaction server coupled to a data communications network, the interaction server comprising;

a processor; and

a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive non-real-time interactions and generate work items for processing the non-real-time interactions;

store the generated work items in a first data structure;

determine priorities of the work items stored in the first data structure;

identify a work item from the first data structure for distribution based on the determined priorities;

determine availability of at least one target capable of handling the work item;

in response to determining availability of the at least one target, transmit a routing request for the work item over the data communications network, wherein the transmitting of the routing request removes the work item from the first data structure and stores the work item in a second data structure; and

in response to determining that the at least one target is not available, refrain from transmitting the routing request for the work item; and

a routing server coupled to the interaction server over the data communications network, the routing server being configured to receive requests for routing real-time interactions and non-real-time interactions, the routing server being configured to;

in response to receiving the routing request for the work item from the interaction server, execute a routing strategy;

identify a specific target for handling the work item based on the executed routing strategy;

remove the work item from the second data structure; and

route the work item to the identified specific target.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the interaction server determines a distribution criteria for transmitting the routing request, wherein the distribution criteria comprises at least one of a business value, a creation date, or a due date for the work item.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to receive a request for a particular target.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to evaluate information about occupancy, skills, or location of targets.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to assess the determined availability to identify the at least one target for routing of the work item.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the determining the availability of the at least one target comprises identifying capacity of the at least one target to handle the work item.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the work item is in a queued state in the interaction server, and wherein in response to the request, the work item is removed from the queued state in the interaction server and is placed in a queued state in the routing server.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the interaction server and the routing server are coupled over a local area network.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein in response to determining that the at least one target is not available, the instructions further cause the processor to modify the distribution criteria for the work item.