MULTIPLE SIMULTANEOUS CONTACT CENTER OBJECTIVES

• US 20140081687A1
• Filed: 09/20/2012
• Published: 03/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Flockhart, Andrew D., Steiner, Robert C., Kohler, Joylee
• Application Number:
  US13/623,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20140081687A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Methods, devices, and systems are provided such that multiple contact center objectives can be simultaneously analyzed and normalized by a single algorithm. A solution is provided for executing an algorithm that is able to consider multiple objectives simultaneously rather than serially. By considering multiple objectives in parallel when making work assignment decisions instead of considering single objectives, decisions and contact center adjustments are made with more efficiency and with a minimal use of resources.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a work item at a work assignment engine, the work assignment engine comprising processor-executable instructions stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium of a contact center;

simultaneously analyzing, by a processor executing the work assignment engine, a plurality of objectives, wherein simultaneously analyzing the plurality of objectives comprises;

normalizing a first objective in the plurality of objectives with a second objective in the plurality of objectives, wherein normalizing the first objective with the second objective comprises determining the-time-adjusted target ratios for both the first and second objectives;

determining, based on the simultaneous analysis by the processor of the plurality of objectives, an optimal resource to receive the work item; and

causing the work item to be routed to the optimal resource.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the optimal resource satisfies the first objective in the plurality of objectives better than any other resource in the contact center.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a second resource satisfies the second objective in the plurality of objectives better than the optimal resource.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first objective is assigned a greater weight of importance as compared to the second objective.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the optimal resource satisfies the second objective in the plurality of objectives better than any other resource in the contact center.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first objective is a long-term objective, wherein the second objective is a short-term objective, and wherein the target ratios of the first and second objectives have varying time windows requiring time-adjusted target ratios.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the time-adjusted target ratio of both the first and second objectives comprise a target ratio divided by logN of time remaining, wherein N is between or equal to 2 and 10.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each objective in the plurality of objectives comprises at least one key performance measure, wherein key performance measures comprise metrics for wait time, efficiency of contact center agent and contact center state, and wherein observation of rate of change of one or more metrics influence objective priority.

21. A method of claim 9, wherein the first and second objective in the plurality of objectives is simultaneously satisfied, and wherein the analyses of the objectives are performed in parallel.

6. (canceled)

10. A contact center, comprising:

a work assignment engine configured to receive a work item, the work assignment engine comprising processor-executable instructions stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium of a contact center, wherein the work assignment engine, is then executed by a processor of the contact center, simultaneously analyzes a plurality of contact center objectives, by normalizing a first objective in the plurality of objectives with a second objective in the plurality of objectives, wherein normalizing the first object with the second object comprises determining time-adjusted target ratios for both the first and second objectives,

then determines, based on the simultaneous analysis, an optimal resource to receive the work item, and

causes the work item to be routed to the optimal resource.

11. The contact center of claim 10, wherein the optimal resource satisfies the first objective in the plurality of objectives better than any other resource in the contact center.

12. The contact center of claim 11, wherein a second resource satisfies the second objective in the plurality of objectives better than the optimal resource.

13. The contact center of claim 12, wherein the first objective is assigned a greater weight of importance as compared to the second objective.

14. The contact center of claim 13, wherein the optimal resource satisfies the second objective in the plurality of objectives better than any other resource in the contact center.

16. The contact center of claim 10, wherein the first objective is a long-term objective, wherein the second objective is a short-term objective and wherein the target ratios of the first and second objectives have varying time windows requiring time-adjusted target ratios.

17. The contact center of claim 16, wherein the time-adjusted target ratio of both the first and second objectives comprise a target ratio divided by logN of time remaining, wherein N is between or equal to 2 and 10.

18. The contact center of claim 17, wherein each objective in the plurality of objectives comprises at least one key performance measure, wherein key performance measures comprise metrics for wait time, efficiency of contact center agent and contact center state and wherein observation of rate of change of one or more metrics influence objective priority.

22. The contact center of claim 18, wherein the first and second objective in the plurality of objectives is simultaneously satisfied, and wherein the analyses of the objectives are performed in parallel.

15. (canceled)

19. A method, comprising:

determining, by a work assignment engine, comprising processor-executable instructions stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium of a contact center, that a resource has become available;

simultaneously analyzing, by a processor executing the work assignment engine, a plurality of objectives by normalizing a first objective in the plurality of objectives with a second objective in the plurality of objectives, wherein normalizing the first objective with the second objective comprises determining the time-adjusted target ratios for both the first and second objectives,

determining, based on the simultaneous analysis by the processor of the plurality of objectives, an optimal work item to be assigned to the resource; and

assigning, by the processor executing the work assignment engine, the optimal work item to the resource.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the optimal work item satisfies the first objective in the plurality of objectives better than any other work item in the contact center, wherein a second work item satisfies the second objective in the plurality of objectives better than the optimal resource, and wherein the first objective is assigned a greater weight of importance as compared to the second objective.