Method for telephony call blending

• US 6,389,133 B1
• Filed: 11/18/1999
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kamen, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, BING Q
• Application Number:
  US09/442,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20020041674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.22, 379/112, 379/265, 379/266, 379/309, 379/265.02, 379/265.03, 379/265.1, 379/266.06, 379/266.07, 379/266.08
• US Class Current: 379/266.07
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5231 with call back arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5234 Uniform load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13107 Control equipment for a part of the connection, distributed control, co-processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13164 Traffic (registration, measurement,...)
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13224 Off-net subscriber, dial in to/out from network, teleworking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13395 Permanent channel, leased line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/64 Distributing or queueing

Abstract

An automated dialer for a call center maximizes agent efficiency in two different ways. In a first method overdial probability is expressed as a probability function of number of agents and total traffic volume; the probability function is set equal to a maximum allowable overdial probability; and the resulting equation is solved for maximum total traffic volume producing the maximum overdial probability. The maximum total traffic volume is then used to determine a new dialing rate by dividing the difference between the calculated maximum traffic volume and known inbound traffic volume by the product of average call length and hit rate, where hit rate is the percentage of connected calls to total dialed outbound calls. In a second method a maximum total traffic volume is calculated from total number of agents times a desired agent utilization factor, and the total traffic volume is used as in the first method to calculate and set a new dialing rate for outbound calls.

Claims

1. A telephony dialing system for use with a call center, comprising:

a list of telephone numbers to be dialed;

a dialing rate controller; and

sensors adapted for monitoring activity of the call center, including call volume, call characteristics, and agent availability;

wherein the dialing rate controller determines and sets dialing rate for the dialing system based on at least a maximum allowed overdial probability, and

wherein the determination and setting of dialing rate is a repeatable and repeated function of the dialing system.

2. The telephony dialing system of claim 1 wherein the dialing rate controller sets the dialing rate based on a maximum allowed overdial probability by expressing overdial probability as a function of number of agents and total traffic volume, wherein overdial is a condition when an outdialer contacts a customer and no agent was available to take the call, setting the probability function equal to the maximum allowable overdial probability, solving the resulting equation for maximum total traffic volume producing the maximum overdial probability, and determining and setting a new dialing rate by dividing the difference between the calculated maximum traffic volume and known inbound traffic volume by the product of average call length and hit rate, where hit rate is the percentage of connected calls to total dialed outbound calls.

3. A call center adapted for automatically accomplishing outbound calls, comprising:

a telephony switch connected to a trunk and to a plurality of telephones at agent stations; and

an automated telephony dialing system having a list of telephone numbers to be dialed, a dialing rate controller, and sensors adapted for monitoring activity of the call center, including call volume, call characteristics, and agent availability;

wherein the dialing rate controller determines and sets dialing rate for the dialing system based on at least a maximum allowed overdial probability, and the determination and setting of dialing rate is a repeatable and repeated function of the dialing system.

4. The call center of claim 3 wherein overdial is a condition when the automated telephony dialing system contacts a customer and no agent is available to take the call, and the dialing rate controller sets the dialing rate based on a maximum allowed overdial probability by expressing overdial probability as a function of number of agents and total traffic volume, setting the probability function equal to the maximum allowable overdial probability, solving the resulting equation for maximum total traffic volume producing the maximum overdial probability, and determining and setting a new dialing rate by dividing the difference between the calculated maximum traffic volume and known inbound traffic volume by the product of average call length and hit rate, where hit rate is the percentage of connected calls to total dialed outbound calls.

5. In a call center operation including an automated call dialer, a method for setting the dialing rate comprising steps of:

(a) expressing overdial probability, wherein overdial is a condition when the automated call dialer contacts a customer and no agent is available to take the call, as a probability function of number of agents and total traffic volume;

(b) setting the probability function from step (a) equal to a maximum allowable overdial probability; and

(c) solving the resulting equation in step (b) for maximum total traffic volume producing the maximum overdial probability; and

(d) determining and setting a new dialing rate by dividing the difference between the calculated maximum traffic volume and known inbound traffic volume by the product of average call length and hit rate, where hit rate is the percentage of connected calls to total dialed outbound calls, and the determination and setting of dialing rate is a repeatable and repeated function of the dialing system, recalculation occurring more often than once per second.