Telemarketing complex performance management system

• US 5,164,983 A
• Filed: 01/28/1991
• Issued: 11/17/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malmi, Robert A., Strout, Bernadette M., Stein, Dimitri T., Matula, Valentine C., Conn, Gerard, Casselman, Brenda, Redberg, Margaret H., Brown, Percy B.
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US07/646,922
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265, 379/266, 379/309, 379/207, 379/221, 379/112
• US Class Current: 379/265.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42306 Number translation services, e.g. premium-rate, freephone or vanity number services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5234 Uniform load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems

Abstract

A telemarketing complex is managed by a system that compiles and processes traffic analysis data obtained from customer premises-based information sources as well as public switched telecommunications network-based information sources, such that service levels are automatically and dynamically balanced among telecommunications centers (TCs) in the complex. Typically, the telemarketing complex is comprised of a plurality of ACDs and a plurality of data centers that may be selectively linked to the (TCs) where the telemarketer receives calls. The system includes: (1) an interface to network-based services that report the origin and destination of each of a plurality of calls received by the telemarketer at all locations; (2) an interface to network-based services that enables the telemarketer to affect changes in call processing logic; and (3) a traffic control center processor (TCCP) that accepts input data from all other elements in the system. The system accumulates performance data at the TCCP from each ACD and telemarketer database located at a data center (DC), while contemporaneously monitoring both the origins and destinations of the plurality of calls received at each ACD as well as the initiation of changes in call processing logic. The system analyzes the data to generate signals for implementing call routing changes needed to balance service levels among ACDs or changes in the staffing force levels at selected TCs where calls are received. The process is accomplished in real time, and is repeated at a desired frequency.

Claims

1. A system for managing a telemarketing complex which includes (a) a plurality of ACDs for receiving calls placed to said telemarketing complex via routing patterns established in the public switched telecommunications network (PSTN) by telemarketer definable call processing logic, and distributing said calls to a plurality of agents;

and (b) a plurality of databases containing customer order fulfillment information used by said agents in telemarketing campaigns, said management system comprising

data acquisition means for receiving and collecting data relating to (a) performance of said ACDs, (b) status of said order fulfillment information relating to telemarketing campaigns contained in said databases, and (c) traffic origin and call processing logic status from said PSTN, and

means for processing information in said acquisition means in order to generate control signals for altering the number of said agents receiving calls from said ACDs and/or for altering said routing patterns established by said call processing logic.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said processing means includes means for comparing said data to pre-established alarm limits.

3. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said processing means includes means for using statistical analysis programs to generate said control signals.

4. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said system also includes means for displaying said control signals generated by said processing means.

5. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said system also includes means for displaying the status of said telemarketing complex to said telemarketer.

6. A system for managing a telemarketing complex, said complex including a plurality of telecommunications centers each including at least one ACD and at least one split containing a number of available agent terminals, said system comprising

means for collecting data from said telemarketing complex relating to performance of said ACDs;

means for collecting data from the telecommunications network that routes calls to said telemarketing complex; and

means for jointly processing information collected by both of said data collecting means in order to alter said number of available agent terminals.

7. The invention defined in claim 6 wherein said telemarketing complex further includes a plurality of databases connected to said telecommunications centers, said databases containing information used by agents at said agent terminals in telemarketing campaigns, and

said data collecting means further includes means for monitoring said telemarketing campaigns using information in said databases.

8. The invention defined in claim 6 wherein said processing means is arranged to alter call routing patterns established by said telecommunications network.

9. The invention defined in claim 7 wherein said processing means includes means for comparing said collected data to pre-established alarm limits.

10. In a telemarketing complex including a plurality of automatic call distributors (ACDs) for connecting calls received in said complex to particular attendant stations, and at least one database for storing telemarketing information used at said attendant stations, a control system for managing said telemarketing complex, said system comprising

means for collecting data relating to (a) performance of said ACDs, (b) status of information in said database, and (c) information relating to performance of said attendant stations;

and

means for processing information collected by said data collecting means in order to generate control signals for altering said telemarketing complex.

11. A method of managing a telemarketing complex which includes (a) a plurality of ACDs for receiving calls placed to said telemarketing complex via routing patterns established in the public switched telecommunications network (PSTN) by telemarketer definable call processing logic, and distributing said calls to a plurality of agents;

and (b) a plurality of databases containing customer order fulfillment information used by said agents in telemarketing campaigns, said management system comprising the steps of

receiving and collecting data relating to (a) performance of said ACDs, (b) status of said order fulfillment information relating to telemarketing campaigns contained in said databases, and (c) traffic origin and call processing logic status from said PSTN, and

processing information obtained in said acquisition step in order to generate control signals for altering the number of said agents receiving calls from said ACDs and for altering said routing patterns established by said call processing logic.

12. The method defined in claim 11 wherein said processing step includes comparing said data to pre-established alarm limits.

13. The method defined in claim 11 wherein said processing step includes using statistical analysis programs to generate said control signals.

14. The invention defined in claim 11 wherein said method further includes the step of displaying said control signals generated in said processing step.

15. The invention defined in claim 11 wherein said method further includes the step of displaying the status of said telemarketing complex to said telemarketer.

16. A method of managing a telemarketing complex, said complex including a plurality of telecommunications centers each including at least one ACD and at least one split containing a number of available agent terminals, said method comprising the steps of:

collecting data from said telemarketing complex relating to performance of said ACDs;

collecting data from the telecommunications network that routes calls to said telemarketing complex; and

jointly processing information collected by both of said data collecting means in order to alter said number of available agent terminals.

17. The method defined in claim 16 wherein said telemarketing complex further includes a plurality of databases connected to said telecommunications centers, said databases containing information used by agents at said agent terminals in telemarketing campaigns, and

wherein said data collecting step includes monitoring said telemarketing campaigns using information in said databases.

18. The method defined in claim 16 wherein said processing step includes altering call routing patterns established by said telecommunications network.

19. The method defined in claim 17 wherein said processing step includes comparing said collected data to pre-established alarm limits.

20. In a telemarketing complex including a plurality of automatic call distributors (ACDs) for connecting calls received in said complex to particular attendant stations;

and at least one database for storing telemarketing information used at said attendant stations;

a method of managing said telemarketing complex, said method comprising the steps of;

collecting data relating to (a) performance of said ACDs, (b) status of information in said database, and (c) information relating to performance of said attendant stations; and

processing information collected in said data collecting step in order to generate control signals for altering said telemarketing complex.

21. A system for managing a telemarketing complex which includes a plurality of ACDs for receiving calls placed to said telemarketing complex via routing patterns established in the public switched telecommunications network (PSTN) by telemarketer definable call processing logic, and distributing said calls to a plurality of agents, said management system comprising

data acquisition means for receiving and collecting data relating to (a) performance of said ACDs, (b) status of customer order fulfillment information used by said agents in telemarketing campaigns, and (c) traffic origin and call processing logic status from said PSTN, and

means for processing information in said acquisition means in order to generate control signals for altering the number of said agents receiving calls from said ACDs and/or for altering said routing patterns established by said call processing logic.

22. A method of managing a telemarketing complex which includes a plurality of ACDs for receiving calls placed to said telemarketing complex via routing patterns established in the public switched telecommunications network (PSTN) by telemarketer definable call processing logic, and distributing said calls to a plurality of agents, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving and collecting data relating to (a) performance of said ACDs, (b) status of customer order fulfillment information used by said agents in telemarketing campaigns, and (c) traffic origin and call processing logic status from said PSTN, and

processing information obtained during said last mentioned step in order to generate control signals for altering the number of said agents receiving calls from said ACDs and/or for altering said routing patterns established by said call processing logic.