Agent scheduling system and method having improved post-processing step

• US 6,278,978 B1
• Filed: 04/07/1998
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verint Americas Incorporated (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Blue Pumpkin Software Inc (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Andre, David, Nourbakhsh, Illah
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEINECKE DIAZ, SUSANNA M
• Application Number:
  US09/056,219
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/8, 705/9, 235/376, 364/468.06, 364/468.08, 395/672, 395/826, 395/677, 395/557, 395/670, 706/13
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/402 Agent or workforce management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing

Abstract

A method for improving an agent schedule comprises unscheduling an agent from a shift in the schedule; evaluating a score function for each of a plurality of possible schedules which have the agent scheduled for different possible shifts; and selecting an improved schedule from among the plurality of possible schedules. The improved schedule is characterized by an improved value of the score function. The above steps are repeated until a locally optimal schedule is obtained. The break times in the possible shifts are not necessarily scheduled in the above procedure. In another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for optimal break scheduling. The method includes the steps of unscheduling a break; evaluating a score function for a plurality of possible break times for the break; and selecting an improved break time from the possible break times. The improved break time is characterized by an improved score. In the above procedures, the evaluation of the score function for a possible schedule includes selecting, for each interval in the possible schedule, one of a plurality of predetermined values corresponding to distinct staffing levels.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of optimizing a schedule for scheduling a plurality of agents, the method comprising the following steps:

a) acquiring an initial schedule created by any means;

b) removing a shift from the schedule, thereby creating a shift-reduced schedule, wherein the shift comprises an agent, a time slot, and at least one break offset value, wherein the schedule comprises a plurality of shifts assigning the agents to time slots and to break offset values;

c) adding an array of different possible shifts individually to the shift-reduced schedule, thereby creating a plurality of possible schedules, wherein the possible shifts are break-unspecified shifts and have indeterminate break times;

d) evaluating a score function for each of the plurality of possible schedules, wherein the possible schedules have different possible shifts added, wherein the different possible shifts comprise all time slots in the schedule for which the agent can work;

e) selecting an improved schedule from among the plurality of possible schedules, wherein the improved schedule is characterized by an improved value of the score function; and

scheduling the agents in accordance with the improved schedule.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising repeating steps (b), (c), (d), and (e) until a locally optimal schedule is obtained.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

f) unscheduling at least one break to make the breaks indeterminate, thereby creating at least one break-unspecified shift;

g) for each break-unspecified shift, adding an array of different possible break offset values, thereby creating a plurality of possible break times;

h) for each break-unspecified shift, evaluating a score function for each of the plurality of possible break times; and

i) selecting a schedule having improved break times from the possible schedules having possible break times, wherein the improved break times are characterized by improved scores.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising repeating steps (b) through (i) until a locally optimal schedule is obtained.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the evaluation of the score function for a possible schedule includes the calculation of a stochastic factor.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the evaluation of the score function for a possible schedule includes selecting one of a plurality of predetermined values corresponding to distinct staffing levels for an interval in the possible schedule.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the plurality of predetermined values comprises four values corresponding to whether the interval in the possible schedule is very understaffed, slightly understaffed, slightly overstaffed, or very overstaffed.

8. A computer-implemented method of optimizing a schedule for scheduling a set of agents, the method comprising the following steps:

a) acquiring an initial schedule created by any means;

b) removing a plurality of shifts from the schedule, thereby creating a shift-reduced schedule, wherein the plurality of shifts comprise a subset of agents assigned to a subset of slots and a subset of break offset values;

c) adding an array of different possible shifts individually to the shift-reduced schedule, thereby creating a plurality of possible schedules, wherein the possible shifts are break-unspecified shifts and have indeterminate break times;

d) evaluating a score function for each of the plurality of possible schedules, wherein the possible schedules have different possible shifts added, wherein the different possible shifts comprise a portion of the subset of agents and all time slots in the schedule for which the agents can work;

e) selecting an improved schedule from among the plurality of possible schedules, wherein the improved schedule is characterized by an improved value of the score function; and

scheduling the agents in accordance with the improved schedule.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising repeating steps (b), (c), (d), and (e) until a locally optimal schedule is obtained.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

f) unscheduling at least one break to make said breaks indeterminate, thereby creating at least one break-unspecified shift;

g) for each break-unspecified shift, adding an array of different possible break offset values, thereby creating a plurality of possible break times;

h) for each break-unspecified shift, evaluating a score function for each of the plurality of possible break times; and

i) selecting a schedule having improved break times from the possible schedules having possible break times, wherein the improved break times are characterized by improved scores.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising repeating steps (b) through (i) until a locally optimal schedule is obtained.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the evaluation of the score function for a possible schedule includes the calculation of a stochastic factor.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the evaluation of the score function for a possible schedule includes selecting one of a plurality of predetermined values corresponding to distinct staffing levels for an interval in the possible schedule.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the plurality of predetermined values comprises four values corresponding to whether the interval in the possible schedule is very understaffed, slightly understaffed, slightly overstaffed, or very overstaffed.

15. A computer-implemented method of optimizing a schedule for scheduling a set of agents, the method comprising the following steps:

a) generating a preliminary schedule from an agent list and agent staffing requirements specified by a user, wherein the schedule comprises a plurality of shifts assigning the agents to slots and to break offset values;

b) removing from the preliminary schedule a first shift comprising a first agent;

c) generating a plurality of possible schedules having zero or more different possible shifts added, wherein the different possible shifts comprise the first agent and all time slots in the schedule for which the first agent can work, and wherein the different possible shifts are break-unspecified shifts and have indeterminate break times;

d) evaluating a score function for each of the possible schedules based on the indeterminate break times;

e) selecting an improved schedule from among the plurality of possible schedules, wherein the improved schedule is characterized by an improved value of the score function; and

f) scheduling the agents in accordance with the improved schedule.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising removing from the preliminary schedule a second shift comprising a second agent, wherein the different possible shifts comprise the second agent and all time slots in the schedule for which the second agent can work, and scheduling the second agent.