Real-Time Enterprise Workforce Management

• US 20110015963A1
• Filed: 07/15/2009
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mukherjea, Sougata, Dasgupta, Koustuv, Mittal, Sumit, Kumar, Anant, Nagar, Seema, Chakraborty, Dipanjan, Chafle, Girish Bhimrao
• Granted Patent: US 9,378,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration

Abstract

Techniques for enabling real-time enterprise workforce management over a telecom network are provided. The techniques include receiving real-time workforce information from one or more telecom networks, and using the real-time information for dynamic load optimization to enable real-time enterprise workforce management.

Claims

1. A method for enabling real-time enterprise workforce management over a telecom network, wherein the method comprises:

receiving real-time workforce information from one or more telecom networks; and

using the real-time information for dynamic load optimization to enable real-time enterprise workforce management.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-time workforce information comprises at least one of agent location, agent routes, off-hook and on-hook status of each agent, and on-call duration of each agent.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein real-time enterprise workforce management comprises at least one of task assignment policy, task re-assignment policy, attendance management, and agent tracking.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein using the real-time information for dynamic load optimization to enable real-time enterprise workforce management comprises integrating the real-time information with at least one of a workforce management system, a service delivery platform, and a customer relationship management system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein using the real-time information for dynamic load optimization to enable real-time enterprise workforce management comprises assigning a customer request for appointment to an agent based on live location and proximity to the requested service of each agent and current work load of each agent.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein using the real-time information for dynamic load optimization to enable real-time enterprise workforce management comprises dynamically optimizing one or more prescheduled requests and corresponding agent assignments based on a real-time view of location and assignment of each agent.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein using the real-time information for dynamic load optimization to enable real-time enterprise workforce management comprises managing a jeopardy case on a real-time basis via utilizing live location and proximity of each agent to a requested service and current workload of each agent, wherein a jeopardy case comprises a potential violation of a service level agreement that exists between an enterprise and one or more customers.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising triggering an alert based on the real-time information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein triggering an alert comprises triggering an alert upon at least one of identification of a jeopardy case, suggestion of a task reassignment, detection of a deviation of an agent from a specified route and detection of a deviation of an agent from a specified region.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising augmenting a workforce management system with live communication capability between one or more agents and an enterprise operator.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the live communication capability comprises at least one of short message service (SMS) and call control.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is run on a system, wherein the system comprises one or more distinct software components, each of the one or more distinct software components being embodied on a tangible computer-readable recordable storage medium, and wherein the one or more distinct software components comprise an agent finder component, a request manager component, a profile manager component, an availability manager component, a feedback manager component, a location manager component, an administrative console component and a network component executing on a hardware processor.

13. A computer program product comprising a tangible computer readable recordable storage medium including computer useable program code for enabling real-time enterprise workforce management over a telecom network, the computer program product including:

computer useable program code for receiving real-time workforce information from one or more telecom networks; and

computer useable program code for using the real-time information for dynamic load optimization to enable real-time enterprise workforce management.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer useable program code for using the real-time information for dynamic load optimization to enable real-time enterprise workforce management comprises computer useable program code for assigning a customer request for appointment to an agent based on live location and proximity to the requested service of each agent and current work load of each agent.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the computer useable program code for using the real-time information for dynamic load optimization to enable real-time enterprise workforce management comprises computer useable program code for managing a jeopardy case on a real-time basis via utilizing live location and proximity of each agent to a requested service and current workload of each agent, wherein a jeopardy case comprises a potential violation of a service level agreement that exists between an enterprise and one or more customers.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer usable program code comprises one or more distinct software modules, and wherein the one or more distinct software modules comprise an agent finder component, a request manager component, a profile manager component, an availability manager component, a feedback manager component, a location manager component, an administrative console component and a network component executing on a hardware processor.

17. A system for enabling real-time enterprise workforce management over a telecom network, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and operative to;

receive real-time workforce information from one or more telecom networks; and

use the real-time information for dynamic load optimization to enable real-time enterprise workforce management.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor coupled to the memory operative to use the real-time information for dynamic load optimization to enable real-time enterprise workforce management is further operative to assign a customer request for appointment to an agent based on live location and proximity to the requested service of each agent and current work load of each agent.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor coupled to the memory operative to use the real-time information for dynamic load optimization to enable real-time enterprise workforce management is further operative to manage a jeopardy case on a real-time basis via utilizing live location and proximity of each agent to a requested service and current workload of each agent, wherein a jeopardy case comprises a potential violation of a service level agreement that exists between an enterprise and one or more customers.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising a tangible computer-readable recordable storage medium having one or more distinct software modules embodied thereon, the one or more distinct software modules comprising an agent finder component, a request manager component, a profile manager component, an availability manager component, a feedback manager component, a location manager component, an administrative console component and a network component executing on a hardware processor.