Method and system for tracking employee productivity via electronic mail

• US 6,141,649 A
• Filed: 10/22/1997
• Issued: 10/31/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mei California, Inc. (Micron Technology, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Micro Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Bull, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESFAMARIAM, MUSSIE
• Application Number:
  US08/956,180
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 705/32, 705/9, 705/11, 705/10, 364/468.18, 364/705.06, 235/377
• US Class Current: 705/7.42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1091 Recording time for administrative or management purposes

Abstract

A method and system in a computer system for tracking the productivity of technical support specialists in a call center environment. The system displays on a display device a form for entry of normal activity and exceptions to normal activity. The system receives from the technical support specialist indications of normal activity and exceptions. Each indication of an exception includes its type and its length. The system stores indications of the normal activity and exceptions. Upon receiving a request to transmit an exception report, the system retrieves the stored indications and formats the stored indications into an electronic mail message. The system then presents the formatted electronic mail message to the technical support specialist so that modifications to formatted electronic mail message can be made. Finally, the system sends the electronic mail message to a central location so that electronic mail messages from multiple technical support specialists can be collected and processed.

Claims

1. A method in a computer system for contemporaneously tracking the productivity of technical support specialists in a call center environment, the method comprising:

displaying on a display device a form for entry of exceptions to normal activity;

using a timer to time the length of the exception to normal activity;

receiving from the technical support specialist indications of at least one exception, each indication including a type of the exception and the time length of the exception;

storing each of the indications of the plurality of exceptions;

receiving a request to transmit an exception report; and

in response to receiving the request to transmit an exception report,

retrieving the stored indications;

formatting the stored indications into an electronic mail message;

presenting the formatted electronic mail message to the technical support specialist so that modifications to formatted electronic mail message can be made;

sending the electronic mail message to a central location so that electronic mail messages from multiple technical support specialists can be collected and processed; and

analyzing the indications to determine productivity.

2. The method of claim 1 including receiving from the technical support specialist indications of timecard entries, each of a timecard entry including an associated time and wherein the formatted electronic mail message includes the indications of the timecard entries.

3. The method of claim 1 including displaying types of exception so that the technical support specialist can select the type of an exception.

4. A method in a computer system for contemporaneously tracking the productivity of representatives in a call center, the method comprising:

timing the length of time the representative is engaging in an exception to normal activity;

receiving from the representative an indication of exceptions to normal activity that includes indicating a type and a time length of each exception;

preparing an electronic mail message that includes an indication of each of the received exceptions, each indication indicating the type and length of the exception; and

sending the electronic mail message to a central location for analysis of productivity.

5. The method of claim 4 including presenting the prepared electronic mail message to the representative for modification.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the sending sends the modified electronic mail message.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the central location is a computer system of a supervisor of the representative.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the preparing is in response to receiving an indication from the representative to send the electronic mail message.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the preparing automatically occurs at predefined times.

10. The method of claim 4 including storing each received exception in an exception table.

11. The method of claim 4 including receiving timecard entries and wherein the prepared electronic mail message contains an indication of each timecard entry.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the timecard entries indicate periods of normal and exceptions to normal activity.

13. A computer system for tracking the productivity of representatives in a call center, comprising:

a timer component for timing the length of time the representative is engaging in an exception to normal activity;

a track time component for receiving from the representative indications of exceptions to normal activity that include a type of exception and a length of time for each exception to normal activity;

a time storage component for storing the received exceptions; and

an electronic mail interface component for preparing an electronic mail message that includes the indication of each of the received exceptions and for sending the electronic mail message to a central location for analysis of productivity.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the electronic mail interface component presents the prepared electronic mail message to the representative for modification.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the electronic mail interface component sends the modified electronic mail message.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the electronic mail interface component sends the electronic message to a supervisor of the representative.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the electronic mail interface component prepares the electronic mail message in response to receiving an indication from the representative to send the electronic mail message.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the electronic mail interface component prepares the electronic mail message automatically at predefined times.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the time storage component includes an exception table.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the track time component receiving timecard entries and wherein the prepared electronic mail message contains an indication of each time entry.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the timecard entries indicate periods of activity.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein the track time component displays a list of types of exceptions.