Method and system for scheduling a customer service callback

• US 20060167729A1
• Filed: 10/08/2003
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alvaria Cayman
• Original Assignee: Aspect Software Incorporated
• Inventors: Lewis, Donald C., Rafter, John, Artemieff, Suzanne, Rawle, Jerry David, Irwin, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,761,323 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities

Abstract

A method and system for scheduling a callback time for customer service. The system calculates estimated handling resources for a customer interaction system (14) and forecasts a customer service transaction workload for the estimated handling resources of the customer interaction system (14). The system then determines the scheduled callback time based upon the estimated handling resources and the forecasted customer service transaction workload.

Claims

1. A method of scheduling a callback time for customer service, the method including:

calculating estimated handling resources for a customer interaction system;

forecasting a customer service transaction workload for the estimated handling resources of the customer interaction system; and

determining the scheduled callback time based upon the estimated handling resources and the forecasted customer service transaction workload.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculating and the forecasting includes using a predetermined forecast time interval for the estimated handling resources and the customer service transaction workload.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculating of the estimated handling resources includes projecting resource availability based on times resources are scheduled.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculating of the estimated handling resources includes determining net staffing at the callback time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculating of the estimated handling resources includes an apportionment of handling resources to specifically handle callbacks.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the forecasting of the customer service transaction workload for the handling resources includes calculating periods of positive net staffing of resources.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein positive net staffing is if a current number of resources staffed exceeds a required number of resources staffed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the forecasting of the customer service transaction workload for the handling resources includes calculating periods of maximum net staffing of resources.

9. The method of claim 1, including setting a confidence level, wherein the confidence level is a probability that a length of time a customer would wait in queue is less than a wait for the scheduled callback time.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the scheduled callback time includes using the confidence level and a probability distribution for the wait in the queue.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the probability distribution for the wait in queue is based upon at least one of an analysis of customer service transaction forecasts, estimated handling resources, and historical data regarding actual wait times.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein a customer provides the confidence level.

13. The method of claim 1, further including:

offering the callback time for customer service to a customer; and

receiving and storing a decision by the customer to accept the offered callback time.

14. The method of claim 13, including receiving an alternate callback time from the customer.

15. The method of claim 14, including offering a new callback time based upon the received alternate callback time.

16. The method of claim 13, including scheduling and storing a callback time for customer service if the customer accepts the offered callback time.

17. The method of claim 13, including collecting customer contact information for the callback.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the customer contact information includes a communications network address.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the communications network address is an identifier associated with a telephone number obtained from an automatic number identification service.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the communications network address is an identifier associated with an instant messaging service.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein after collecting the customer contact information, the callback information is verified with the customer.

22. The method of claim 1, including initiating a first callback on a media switch approximately at the scheduled time of the callback.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first callback is placed on an optimal media switch.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the first callback is placed on the media switch that minimizes cost.

25. The method of claim 22, including reserving at approximately the scheduled time of the first callback resources for handling the first callback.

26. The method of claim 25, including verifying a customer'"'"'s identity if the first callback is answered.

27. The method of claim 26, including connecting the customer to the reserved resources after verifying the customer'"'"'s identity.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein after the verifying the customer identity, placing the customer in a queue for customer service.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein a customer in the queue has a priority ranking.

30. The method of claim 22, including scheduling a second callback if the customer does not respond to the first callback.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein the workload and available handling resources at approximately the scheduled time of a callback influence, the initiation time of the callback.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein a confidence level and probability distributions of workload and available handling resources at approximately the scheduled time of a callback, influence the initiation time of the callback.

33. The method of claim 1, further including:

receiving a customer service request; and

offering the callback time if an estimated wait time associated with servicing the customer service request exceeds a configurable threshold value.

34. The method of claim 33, including calculating the estimated wait time based upon customer service factors including at least one of, the number of calls in a service request queue, the number of currently scheduled callbacks or the projected resource availability.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein calculating the estimated wait time includes using a confidence wait time based upon a confidence level and a probability distribution.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the probability distribution for the wait time is based on historical wait times.

37. The method of claim 33, including receiving the customer service request on a media switch through a communications network.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the communications network is a public switched telephone network.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the media switch is an automatic call distributor.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the communications network is a data network.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein the media switch is a network server supporting instant messaging.

42. The method of claim 37, wherein the media switch is a network server supporting voice over Internet.

43. A system for scheduling a callback time for customer service, the system including:

a tracking module to calculate estimated handling resources for a customer interaction system;

a forecasting module to forecast a customer service transaction workload for the estimated handling resources of the customer interaction system; and

a callback module to determine the callback time based upon the estimated handling resources and the forecasted customer service transaction workload.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the tracking module uses projected resource availability based on times resources are scheduled to calculate the estimated handling resources.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the tracking and forecasting module use a predetermined forecast time interval for the estimated handling resources and the customer service transaction workload.

46. The system of claim 43, wherein the callback module calculates net staffing in order to determine the callback time.

47. The system of claim 43, wherein the tracking module includes an apportionment of handling resources to specifically handle callbacks.

48. The system of claim 46, wherein positive net staffing is when a current number of resources staffed exceeds a required number resources staffed.

49. The system of claim 43, wherein the forecast module of the customer service transaction workload for the handling resources includes calculating periods of maximum net staffing.

50. The system of claim 43, wherein the callback module determines the callback time including setting a confidence level.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the callback module sets a confidence level based upon a probability that a length of time a customer would wait in queue is less than a wait for the scheduled callback time

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the determining the scheduled callback time includes using the confidence level and a calculated probability distribution for the wait in the queue.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the probability distribution for the wait in queue is based upon at least one of an analysis of customer service transaction forecasts, estimated handling resources, and historical data regarding actual wait times.

54. The system of claim 50, wherein a customer provides the confidence level.

55. The system of claim 43, wherein the callback module offers the callback time for customer service to a customer and receives and stores a decision by the customer whether to accept the offered callback time.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the callback module receives an alternate callback time from the customer.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the callback module offers a new callback time based upon the receiving the alternate callback time.

58. The system of claim 55, including a scheduling module to schedule and store a callback time for customer service if the customer accepts the offered callback time.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the scheduling module collects customer contact information for the callback.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein the customer contact information includes a communications network address.

61. The system of claim 58, wherein the scheduling module triggers the callback module to initiate a first callback on a media switch at approximately the scheduled time of the callback.

62. The system of claim 60, wherein the communications network address is a telephone number obtained from an automatic number identification service.

63. The system of claim 60, wherein the communications network address is an identifier associated with an instant messaging service.

64. The system of claim 61, wherein the callback module places the firstcallback on an optimal media switch.

65. The system of claim 61, wherein the callback module places the firstcallback on the media switch that minimizes cost.

66. The system of claim 61, wherein the scheduling module at approximately the scheduled time of the first callback reserves resources for handling the first callback.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein the callback module verifies the customer identity if the first callback is answered.

68. The system of claim 67, wherein the callback module connects the customer to the reserved resources after verifying the customer'"'"'s identity.

69. The system of claim 67, wherein the callback module after verifying customer identity places the customer in a queue for customer service.

70. The system of claim 69, wherein the customer in the queue has a priority ranking.

71. The system of claim 61, wherein the scheduling module schedules a second callback if the customer does not respond to the first callback.

72. The system of claim 71, wherein the callback module accepts input from the customer for another callback time.

73. The system of claim 72, wherein the callback module offers a new callback time based upon the entered callback time, the estimated handling resources and the forecasted customer service transaction workload.

74. The system of claim 43, wherein prior to scheduling the callback time, the callback module receives a customer service request and offers the callback time if a measure of wait time associated with servicing the customer service request exceeds a configurable threshold value.

75. The system of claim 74, wherein the callback module calculates the estimated wait time based upon customer service factors including at least one of, the number of calls in a service request queue, the number of currently scheduled callbacks or the projected resource availability.

76. The system of claim 75, wherein the callback module calculates the estimated wait time using a confidence wait time based upon a confidence level and a probability distribution.

77. The system of claim 76, wherein the calculation of the probability distribution for the confidence wait time is based on historical wait times.

78. The system of claim 74, wherein the callback module receives the customer service request on a media switch through a communications network.

79. The system of claim 78, wherein the communications network is a public switched telephone network.

80. The system of claim 78, wherein the media switch is an automatic call distributor.

81. The system of claim 78, wherein the communications network is a data network.

82. The system of claim 78, wherein the media switch is a network server supporting instant messaging.

83. The system of claim 78, wherein the media switch is a network server supporting voice over Internet.

84. A machine readable medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

calculate estimated handling resources for a customer interaction system;

forecast a customer service transaction workload for the estimated handling resources of the customer interaction system; and

determine the callback time based upon the estimated handling resources and the forecasted customer service transaction workload.

85. A system to schedule a callback time for customer service, the system including:

a first means for calculating estimated handling resources for a customer interaction system;

a second means for forecasting a customer service transaction workload for the estimated handling resources of the customer interaction system; and

a third means for determining the callback time based upon the estimated handling resources and the forecasted customer service transaction workload.