SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADAPTIVE MULTIPLE CONTACT ASSIGNMENT

• US 20120084111A1
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: AGGARWAL, Pawan Kumar, KOHLER, Joylee E., SWADI, Kedar
• Granted Patent: US 10,467,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/01 Customer relationship services

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a system and method for adaptively assigning multiple contacts to an agent determined by that agent'"'"'s current metrics data or effectiveness measure. In one embodiment, there is provided a method for adaptively assigning multiple contacts to an agent in a contact center, comprising providing a reporting engine containing an agent'"'"'s metrics; providing an assignment engine for assigning multiple contacts to the agent based upon the agent'"'"'s metrics received from the reporting engine; storing each contact being served by the agent with at least one agent metrics element to be measured by the reporting engine; updating the agent'"'"'s metrics in the reporting engine based upon the measured at least one metrics element; comparing the agent'"'"'s updated metrics with stored target metrics; and assigning multiple contacts to the agent when the agent'"'"'s metrics is within the target metrics.

Claims

1. A method for adaptively assigning multiple contacts to an agent in a contact center, comprising:

providing a reporting engine containing an agent'"'"'s metrics;

providing an assignment engine for assigning multiple contacts to the agent based upon the agent'"'"'s metrics received from the reporting engine;

storing each contact being served by the agent with at least one agent metrics element to be measured by the reporting engine;

updating the agent'"'"'s metrics in the reporting engine based upon the measured at least one metrics element;

comparing the agent'"'"'s updated metrics with stored target metrics; and

assigning multiple contacts to the agent when the agent'"'"'s metrics is within the target metrics.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one metrics element of the storing step comprises the number of contacts substantially simultaneously being scripted and processed by the agent.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one metrics element of the storing step comprises the number of media types substantially simultaneously being scripted and processed by the agent.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the number of media types is selected from a group consisting of voice, text, email, chat, and instant messaging.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one metrics element of the storing step comprises the number of different queues substantially simultaneously being scripted and processed by the agent.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the number of different queues is selected from a group consisting of customer identity, customer needs, contact center needs, current contact center queue lengths, customer value, and the agent skill required for the proper handling of the contact.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing step further comprises obtaining a ratio for each measured at least one metrics element by comparing the average metrics value when an agent scripts and processes one contact with when the agent scripts and processes more than one contact.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein when the ratio of the averages is approximately equal to one, then the agent is assigned multiple contacts.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating step occurs directly after each contact is scripted and processed by the agent.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising reporting updated agent metrics data to the assignment engine so the assignment engine can adapt in real time to the updated agent metrics, whereby if the updated agent metrics now fall outside the target metrics, the agent will be assigned a single contact.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the agent metric is weighted based on the most recent contacts scripted and processed by the agent.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the metrics parameters for measuring each at least one agent metrics element are selected from a group consisting of average quality score, average customer satisfaction score, average revenue, average handle duration, percentage of first contact resolution, and any combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining if a conditional contact is present from the group of the multiple contacts, the conditional contact having a restriction on substantially simultaneous assignments of agents, and if so, removing the conditional contact as a candidate for assignment to the agent until that agent is available to script and process the conditional contact.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the conditional contact is removed based upon a predetermined criteria selected from a group consisting of customer value, customer satisfaction, customer willingness to be put on hold, and potential revenue.

15. A method for adaptively assigning multiple contacts to an agent in a contact center, comprising:

providing a reporting engine containing an agent'"'"'s historical metrics data;

providing an assignment engine for assigning contacts to the agent;

storing each contact being served by the agent with at least one agent metrics element;

receiving a new contact;

retrieving the agent'"'"'s current contacts group;

retrieving the agent'"'"'s particular historical metrics data with the current contacts group plus the new contact;

comparing the agent historical metrics data of the current contacts group and the new contact

determining if the agent'"'"'s metrics will be within an acceptable range if the agent scripts and processes the new contact; and

assigning multiple contacts to the agent when the agent'"'"'s metrics is within the acceptable metrics range.

16. A system for adaptively assigning multiple contacts to an agent in a contact center, comprising:

a contact center computer server, comprising;

a reporting engine having a database for storing historical and updated the agent'"'"'s metrics data and target metrics data;

an assignment engine for adaptively assigning multiple contacts to the agent based upon the agent'"'"'s metrics data received from the reporting engine,

whereby when the agent'"'"'s metrics is within the target metrics, the assignment engine assigns multiple contacts to the agent and when the agent'"'"'s metrics is not within the target metrics, the assignment engine assigns one contact to the agent.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a contact manager for receiving the assignment from the assignment engine and accordingly managing the contacts and agents.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the database of the reporting engine stores at least one agent metrics element.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one agent metrics element is the number of contacts substantially simultaneously being scripted and processed by the agent.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one agent metrics element is the number of media types substantially simultaneously being scripted and processed by the agent.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one agent metrics element is the number of different queues substantially simultaneously being scripted and processed by the agent.

22. A system, comprising a computer server, computer server comprising a tangible computer readable medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implement:

storing and reporting agent historical and updated metrics data;

storing target metrics data;

assigning contacts to agents based upon agent historical and updated metrics data;

storing each contact being served by the agent with at least one agent metrics element;

updating the agent'"'"'s metrics based upon the measured at least one metrics element;

comparing the agent'"'"'s updated metrics with stored target metrics; and

assigning multiple contacts to the agent when the agent'"'"'s metrics is within the target metrics.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one metrics element comprises the number of contacts substantially simultaneously being scripted and processed by the agent.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one metrics element comprises the number of media types substantially simultaneously being scripted and processed by the agent.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one metrics element comprises the number of different queues substantially simultaneously being scripted and processed by the agent.