Timely shut-down of a real-time work center
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of operating a work center comprising:
- determining if a sum of arrival time plus anticipated wait time plus anticipated service time of a work item exceeds a closing time of the work center by a threshold amount;
if the sum is determined to exceed the closing time by more than the threshold amount, rejecting the work item; and
if the sum is determined not to exceed the closing time by more than the threshold amount, accepting the work item.
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Abstract
A call center (100) rejects further calls when the sum of the present time, the anticipated call in-queue wait time (112), and the anticipated call service time (114) for this type (106-108) of call exceeds the closing time of the call center. The call center may redirect the rejected calls to another call center if it determines that the other call center can service them by its closing time.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of operating a work center comprising:
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determining if a sum of arrival time plus anticipated wait time plus anticipated service time of a work item exceeds a closing time of the work center by a threshold amount;
if the sum is determined to exceed the closing time by more than the threshold amount, rejecting the work item; and
if the sum is determined not to exceed the closing time by more than the threshold amount, accepting the work item. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14)
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11. A method of operating a customer contact center comprising:
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in response to arrival of a customer communication of one of a plurality of types of customer communications served by the center, determining if a sum of arrival time plus anticipated wait time plus anticipated service time of the communication of the one type exceeds a closing time of the center for communications of the one type;
in response to determining that the sum does not exceed the closing time, enqueuing the communication of the one type for servicing at the center; and
in response to determining that the sum exceeds the closing time, refusing to accept the communication for servicing at the center. - View Dependent Claims (12, 16)
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15. An apparatus comprising:
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an effector of determining if a sum of arrival time plus anticipated wait time plus anticipated service time of a work item at a work center exceeds a closing time of the work center by a threshold amount; and
an effector, responsive to a determination that the sum exceeds the closing time by more than the threshold amount, of causing the work center to reject the work item, and further responsive to a determination that the sum does not exceed the closing time by more than the threshold amount, of causing the work center to accept the work item.
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Specification