Call selection and agent selection in a call center based on agent staffing schedule

• US 6,356,632 B1
• Filed: 12/31/1998
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Gourlay, William E., Mathews, Eugene P., Foster, Robin H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Creighton
• Application Number:
  US09/224,043
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265, 379/266, 379/309, 379/201, 379/216, 379/214, 379/212, 379/213
• US Class Current: 379/265.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution

Abstract

A call center is configured such that call selection and/or agent selection processes may be based at least in part on stored information regarding agent schedules, such as scheduled break times, training sessions, ends of shifts or other events for the agents. In an illustrative embodiment, schedule information is stored for at least one of the call center agents, and a communication is selected for delivery to the agent based at least in part on the stored schedule information for that agent. For example, a call selection process in the call center may be modified for a designated period of time before a scheduled break of a given agent such that the call selected for delivery to that agent is likely to be completed in the time remaining until the scheduled break. As another example, an agent selection process in the call center may be modified for a designated period of time before a scheduled break such that the agent selected to process a given call is one likely to complete the call in the time remaining until the scheduled break. The designated time period may vary depending on factors such as the type of scheduled event, or the type of agent. As another example, the modified selection process may run continuously, such that the stored agent schedule information is always active as a consideration in call selection and agent selection. The call center may be configured to select a call or other communication without reference to the stored agent schedule information under specified conditions, such as, for example, a staffing shortfall or an unusually heavy call volume.

Claims

1. A method of selecting communications for delivery to one of a plurality of agents in a call center, the method comprising the steps of:

storing schedule information for at least one of the agents; and

selecting a communication for delivery to the agent based at least in part on the stored schedule information for the agent;

wherein the storing step includes storing schedule information which includes at least one of a scheduled break for the agent, an end of a scheduled shift for the agent, a scheduled training session for the agent, and a scheduled period of non-call work for the agent.

2. A method of selecting communications for delivery to one of a plurality of agents in a call center, the method comprising the steps of:

storing schedule information for at least one of the agents; and

selecting a communication for delivery to the agent based at least in part on the stored schedule information for the agent;

wherein the selecting step includes modifying a communication selection process in the call center such that the communication selected for delivery to a given agent is likely to be completed in an amount of time which is not substantially greater than an amount of time remaining until a scheduled event for the agent as indicated in the stored schedule information.

3.The method of claim 2 wherein an amount of time for which the communication is permitted to extend beyond a start time of the scheduled event is user-defined based on at least one of a type of skill involved in handling the communication, a characteristic of the agent and the type of scheduled event.

3. A method of selecting communications for delivery to one of a plurality of agents in a call center, the method comprising the steps of:

storing schedule information for at least one of the agents; and

selecting a communication for delivery to the agent based at least in part on the stored schedule information for the agent;

wherein the selecting step includes modifying an agent selection process in the call center such that the agent selected to process a given communication is one likely to complete the communication in an amount of time which is not substantially greater than an amount of time remaining until a scheduled event for the agent as indicated in the stored schedule information.

4. The method of claim 4 wherein an amount of time for which the communication is permitted to extend beyond a start time of the scheduled event is user-defined based on at least one of a type of skill involved in handling the communication, a characteristic of the agent and the type of scheduled event.

5. A method of selecting communications for delivery to one of a plurality of agents in a call center, the method comprising the steps of:

storing schedule information for at least one of the agents;

selecting a communication for delivery to the agent based at least in part on the stored schedule information for the agent; and

designating a time period prior to a scheduled event for which communications will be directed utilizing the stored agent schedule information.

6. The method of claim 6 wherein the time period varies depending upon the type of scheduled event.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the time period is different for different agents.

8. A method of selecting communications for delivery to one of a plurality of agents in a call center, the method comprising the steps of:

storing schedule information for at least one of the agents;

selecting a communication for delivery to the agent based at least in part on the stored schedule information for the agent; and

continuously modifying at least one of a communication selection process and an agent selection process in the call center to reflect changes in the stored agent schedule information.

9. A method of selecting communications for delivery to one of a plurality of agents in a call center, the method comprising the steps of:

storing schedule information for at least one of the agents; and

selecting a communication for delivery to the agent based at least in part on the stored schedule information for the agent;

wherein the selecting step includes selecting based at least in part on a function involving an expected handling time determined using at least one of an average across a given number of the agents and an average for a given type of communication.

10. The method of claim 10 wherein the function is a designated percentage of the expected handling time.

11. A method of selecting communications for delivery to one of a plurality of agents in a call center, the method comprising the steps of:

storing schedule information for at least one of the agents; and

selecting a communication for delivery to the agent based at least in part on the stored schedule information for the agent;

wherein the selecting step includes selecting based on an expected handling time determined for individual ones of the agents.

12. A method of selecting communications for delivery to one of a plurality of agents in a call center, the method comprising the steps of:

storing schedule information for at least one of the agents;

selecting a communication for delivery to the agent based at least in part on the stored schedule information for the agent;

selecting the communication without reference to the stored agent schedule information under specified conditions; and

continuing to direct communications to the agent beyond a starting time of the scheduled event if conditions associated with at least one of a particular skill and the call center exceed a predefined threshold.

13. The method of claim 13 further including the step of limiting a number of communications directed to the agent or an amount of time for which such communications are directed to the agent, beyond the starting time of the scheduled event, in the presence of one of the conditions.

14. An apparatus for processing communications in a call center, the apparatus comprising:

a memory for storing schedule information for at least one of the agents; and

a processor coupled to the memory and operative to select a communication for delivery to the agent based at least in part on the stored schedule information for the agent.

15. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the schedule information includes at least one of a scheduled break for the agent, an end of a scheduled shift for the agent, a scheduled training session for the agent, and a scheduled period of non-call work for the agent.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processor is further operative to modify a communication selection process in the call center such that the communication selected for delivery to a given agent is likely to be completed in an amount of time which is not substantially greater than an amount of time remaining until a scheduled event for the agent as indicated in the stored schedule information.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processor is further operative to modify an agent selection process in the call center such that the agent selected to process a given communication is one likely to complete the communication in an amount of time which is not substantially greater than an amount of time remaining until a scheduled event for the agent as indicated in the stored schedule information.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processor is further operative to designate a time period prior to a scheduled event for which communications will be directed utilizing the stored agent schedule information.

23. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processor is further operative to continuously modify at least one of a communication selection process and an agent selection process in the call center to reflect changes in the stored agent schedule information.

24. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processor is further operative to select the communication based at least in part on a function involving an expected handling time determined using at least one of an average across a given number of the agents and an average for a given type of communication.

26. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processor is further operative to select the communication based on an expected handling time determined for individual ones of the agents.

27. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processor is further operative to select the communication without reference to the stored agent schedule information under specified conditions.

17. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein an amount of time for which the communication is permitted to extend beyond a start time of the scheduled event is user-defined based on at least one of a type of skill involved in handling the communication, a characteristic of the agent and the type of scheduled event.

19. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein an amount of time for which the communication is permitted to extend beyond a start time of the scheduled event is user-defined based on at least one of a type of skill involved in handling the communication, a characteristic of the agent and the type of scheduled event.

21. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the time period varies depending upon the type of scheduled event.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the time period is different for different agents.

25. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the function is a designated percentage of the expected handling time.

28. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the processor is further operative to continue to direct communications to the agent beyond a starting time of the scheduled event if conditions associated with at least one of a particular skill and the call center exceed a predefined threshold.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the processor is further operative to limit a number of communications directed to the agent or an amount of time for which such communications are directed to the agent, beyond the starting time of the scheduled event, in the presence of one of the conditions.

30. An article of manufacture containing software which, when executed in a processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of:

storing schedule information for at least one of the agents; and

selecting a communication for delivery to the agent based at least in part on the stored schedule information for the agent;

wherein the selecting step includes at least one of (i) modifying a communication selection process in the call center such that the communication selected for delivery to a given agent is likely to be completed in an amount of time which is not substantially greater than an amount of time remaining until a scheduled event for the agent as indicated in the stored schedule information, and (ii) modifying an agent selection process in the call center such that the agent selected to process a given communication is one likely to complete the communication in an amount of time which is not substantially greater than an amount of time remaining until a scheduled event for the agent as indicated in the stored schedule information.

31. A method of selecting communications for delivery to one of a plurality of agents in a call center, the method comprising the steps of:

storing schedule information for at least one of the agents; and

selecting an agent for processing a given communication based at least in part on the stored schedule information;

wherein the selecting step includes at least one of (i) modifying a communication selection process in the call center such that the communication selected for delivery to a given agent is likely to be completed in an amount of time which is not substantially greater than an amount of time remaining until a scheduled event for the agent as indicated in the stored schedule information, and (ii) modifying an agent selection process in the call center such that the agent selected to process a given communication is one likely to complete the communication in an amount of time which is not substantially greater than an amount of time remaining until a scheduled event for the agent as indicated in the stored schedule information.

32. An apparatus for processing communications in a call center, the apparatus comprising:

a memory for storing schedule information for at least one of the agents; and

a processor coupled to the memory and operative to select an agent for processing a given communication based at least in part on the stored schedule information.