Techniques for behavioral pairing model evaluation in a contact center system

• US 10,348,900 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2017
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afiniti Ltd
• Original Assignee: Afiniti Europe Technologies Limited (Afiniti Ltd)
• Inventors: Chishti, Zia
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quynh H
• Application Number:
  US15/785,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20180167510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 37926501, 37926601, 379309, 37926511, 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 pairing model evaluation in a contact center system comprising:

determining, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to perform pairing model evaluation 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 first pairing model;

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

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

evaluating, by the at least one computer processor, the first expected performance of the first pairing model and the second expected performance of the FIFO pairing strategy to determine an expected gain of the contact center system using the first pairing model instead of the FIFO pairing strategy;

selecting, by the at least one computer processor, one of at least the first pairing model and the FIFO pairing strategy based on the evaluation of the first expected performance and the second expected performance; and

establishing, by the at least one computer processor, in a switch module of the contact center system, a connection between an agent of the plurality of agents and a contact of one of the plurality of contact types.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying, by the at least one computer processor and prior to determining the first expected performance, a behavioral pairing correction factor to the first pairing model.

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

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

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting, according to the first 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 first pairing model.

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

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

selecting, by the at least one computer processor, one of at least the first pairing model and the second pairing model based on the comparing of the first expected performance and the third 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 first pairing model based on the new contact-agent outcome data; and

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

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

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

determine a first expected performance of the first pairing model in the contact center system;

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

evaluate the first expected performance of the first pairing model and the second expected performance of the FIFO pairing strategy to determine an expected gain of the contact center system using the first pairing model instead of the FIFO pairing strategy;

select one of at least the first pairing model and the FIFO pairing strategy based on the evaluation of the first expected performance and the second expected performance; and

establish, in a switch module of the contact center system, a connection between an agent of the plurality of agents and a contact of one of the plurality of contact types.

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

apply, prior to determining the first expected performance, a behavioral pairing correction factor to the first pairing model.

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

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the first 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:

select, according to the first 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 first pairing model.

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

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

select one of at least the first pairing model and the second pairing model based on the comparing of the first expected performance and the third 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 first pairing model based on the new contact-agent outcome data; and

determine a third expected performance of the contact center system using the updated first pairing model.

15. An article of manufacture for 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 pairing model evaluation 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 first pairing model;

determine a first expected performance of the first pairing model in the contact center system;

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

evaluate the first expected performance of the first pairing model and the second expected performance of the FIFO pairing strategy to determine an expected gain of the contact center system using the first pairing model instead of the FIFO pairing strategy;

select one of at least the first pairing model and the FIFO pairing strategy based on the evaluation of the first expected performance and the second expected performance; and

establish, in a switch module of the contact center system, a connection between an agent of the plurality of agents and a contact of one of the plurality of contact types.

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

apply, prior to determining the first expected performance, a behavioral pairing correction factor to the first pairing model.

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

18. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the first 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:

select, according to the first 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 first pairing model.

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

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

select one of at least the first pairing model and the second pairing model based on the comparing of the first expected performance and the third 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 first pairing model based on the new contact-agent outcome data; and

determine a third expected performance of the contact center system using the updated first pairing model.