Hierarchical service level remediation for competing classes based upon achievement of service level goals

• US 6,560,649 B1
• Filed: 02/10/1999
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Mullen, David C., Clippinger, Joyce A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Glenton B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FIELDS, KENNETH WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US09/248,047
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709/204
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5027 the resource being a machine, e.g. CPUs, Servers, Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution

Abstract

Hierarchical remediation on the unmet service needs associated with work items queued in a work processing facility is used in order to maximize the achievement of service level goals. A hierarchical remediator and corresponding hierarchical remediation method may each be employed in a work distributor or an automatic call distributor (“ACD”). The hierarchical remediator determines which work item among pending work items of different types will be distributed to an available server. The hierarchical remediator and its corresponding hierarchical remediation method ensure that more important jeopardized service levels receive greater remedial compensation than the less important ones. The hierarchy of distinct service classes associated with jeopardized service levels may comprise one input to the hierarchical remediator. The hierarchical remediator may also consider a skill preference profile for the available server as another input. The hierarchical remediator generates a composite preference value for each alternate work item from among the work items queued in the work processing facility. The hierarchical remediator selects which work item to assign to the available server by identifying the work item having the highest composite preference value. The hierarchical remediator and the corresponding hierarchical remediation method may be directed to apply one of a variety of user-supplied functions in order to complete the calculations associated with the composite preference values.

Claims

1. A method in a computer system for assigning a server to a work item of a plurality of work items, each of the plurality of work items corresponding to a plurality of service classes and each work item and corresponding service class being related to a respective client, comprising:

selecting each work item of the plurality of work items;

determining a corresponding server'"'"'s preference value for each selected work item, at least two of the plurality of work items having differing server preference values;

determining, for each selected work item, a corresponding preference value for at least one service class incorporated within the selected work item;

providing, for each selected work item, a user-selectable composite preference value function that is useable to generate a composite preference value corresponding to the selected work item;

providing, for each selected work item, the determined server'"'"'s preference value for the selected work item and the determined preference value for the at least one service class incorporated within the selected work item to the user-selectable composite preference value function to generate the composite preference value for the at least one work item;

determining which work item of the plurality of work items has the highest composite preference value; and

assigning the server to the work item determined to have the highest composite preference value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the user-selectable composite preference value function during an initialization procedure by one of a default selector or a user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the server'"'"'s preference value for the selected work item, comprises:

examining the selected work item to identify at least one corresponding work type for the selected work item; and

locating the server'"'"'s preference values for the identified at least one corresponding work type.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising assigning the server to a work item of the plurality of work items having a highest priority if the plurality of work items contain at least one of the same service classes and the same work type.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

providing the server'"'"'s preference value for the identified corresponding work type as the server'"'"'s preference value for the selected work item.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the selected work item has at least another corresponding work type such that the at least one corresponding work type and the at least another corresponding work type are elements of an identified set of work types for the selected work item, the method further comprising:

for each work type of the identified set of work types, identifying the server'"'"'s preference value for the work type;

providing a user-selectable server preference function that is useable to generate a server preference value; and

providing the server'"'"'s preference values for the identified set of work types to the user-selectable server preference function to determine the server'"'"'s preference value for the selected work item.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein if a work type of the identified set of work types does not have a preference in the server'"'"'s preferences, then the work item is withdrawn from a server queue.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the user-selectable server preference function comprises:

determining which work type of the identified set of work types has the highest server'"'"'s preference value; and

selecting the work type determined to have the highest server'"'"'s preference value as the server'"'"'s preference value for the selected work item.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the user-selectable server preference function comprises:

calculating an average of server'"'"'s preference values for the work type of the identified set of work types; and

selecting the average as the server'"'"'s preference value for the selected work item.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the server'"'"'s preference value for the selected work item comprises:

examining the selected work item to identify a corresponding set of work characteristics associated with the selected work item;

locating the server'"'"'s preference values for the corresponding identified set of work characteristics;

for each work characteristic of the corresponding identified set of work characteristics, identifying the server'"'"'s preference value for the work characteristic;

providing a user-selectable server preference function that is useable to generate a server preference value; and

providing the server'"'"'s preference values for the corresponding identified set of work characteristics to the user-selectable server preference function to determine the server'"'"'s preference value for the selected work item.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the preference value for the corresponding at least one service class incorporated within the selected work item, comprises:

examining the selected work item to identify the corresponding service classes incorporated within the selected work item;

determining preference levels for the corresponding identified service classes, wherein the preference levels reflect a prioritization of unmet needs;

providing a user-selectable service class preference function useable to generate a preference value for a service class incorporated in a work item; and

providing the determined preference levels to the user-selectable service class preference function and applying the user-selectable service class preference function to determine the preference value for at least one of the corresponding service classes incorporated within the selected work item.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the prioritization of unmet needs of the preference levels includes at least one of present needs and predicted future unmet needs.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the unmet needs comprise at least one of service levels, service measures, average performance, and designated remediation subjects.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein if a preference level for one of the identified work types for the server cannot be located, then the work type for the server is withdrawn from a server queue.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the user class preference function comprises:

determining which preference level of the determined preference levels for the identified service classes has a highest preference value; and

selecting the highest preference value of the preference level determined to have the highest preference value as the preference value for the corresponding at least one service class incorporated within the selected work item.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the user-selectable service class preference function comprises:

calculating an average for the determined preference levels for the identified service classes corresponding to the selected work item; and

selecting the average for the determined preference levels as the preference value for the at least one service class incorporated within the selected work item.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the server is one of a human agent or a robotic agent and the user-selectable preference function is configured to operate with one of human agent data or robotic agent data.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of work items pertain to tasks performed within a call center and the user-selectable preference function is configured to operate with call center data.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the user-selectable preference function is configured for operations within an application-specific integrated circuit (“

ASIC”

).

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the user-selectable preference function is configured for operations within an automatic call distributor (“

ACD”

) in a call center.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning the server to the selected work item if the server is qualified to perform tasks associated with only the selected work item of the plurality of work items.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising not assigning the server to a work item if the server is not qualified to perform tasks associated with any work item of the plurality of work items.

23. A method for generating a composite preference value for at least one work item of a plurality of work items with respect to a server in a work processing facility, the method comprising:

determining the server'"'"'s preference value for the at least one work item, at least two of the work items having differing server preference values;

determining the preference value for a service class incorporated within the at least one work item, the at least one work item and corresponding service class being related to a respective client;

providing a user-selectable composite preference value function that is useable to generate a composite preference value; and

providing the determined server'"'"'s preference value for the at least one work item and the determined preference value for the service class incorporated within the at least one work item to the user-selectable composite preference value function to generate the composite preference value for the at least one work item.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

providing the composite preference value to at least one of a hierarchical remediator, an automatic call distributor (“

ACD”

), or work distributor that assigns a work item of the plurality of work items to the server based on the composite preference value.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein determining the server'"'"'s preference value for the at least one work item, comprises:

examining the at least one work item to identify at least one work type for the at least one work item; and

locating the server'"'"'s preference values for the identified at least one work type.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

providing the server'"'"'s preference value for the identified work type as the server'"'"'s preference value for the at least one work item.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the at least one work item has at least another work type such that the at least one work type and the at least another work type comprise an identified set of work types, the method further comprising:

for each work type of the identified set of work types, identifying the server'"'"'s preference value for the work type;

providing a user-selectable server preference function that is useable to generate a server preference value; and

providing the server'"'"'s preference values for the identified set of work types to the user-selectable server preference function to determine the server'"'"'s preference value for the at least one work item.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the user-selectable preference function comprises:

determining which work type of the identified set of work types has a highest preference value; and

selecting the work type determined to have the highest preference value as the server'"'"'s preference value for the at least one work item.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the user-selectable preference function comprises:

calculating an average of the preference values for the identified set of work types; and

selecting the average for the identified set of work types as the server'"'"'s preference value for the at least one work item.

30. The method of claim 25 wherein if a preference value for a work type of the identified set of work types cannot be located, then the work type is withdrawn.

31. The method of claim 23 wherein determining the preference value for the at least one service class incorporated within the at least one work item, comprises:

examining the at least one work item to identify a set of service classes incorporated within the at least one work item;

determining preference levels for the identified set of service classes, wherein the preference levels reflect a prioritization of unmet needs;

providing a user-selectable service class preference function useable to generate a preference value for service classes incorporated in a work item; and

providing the determined preference levels to the user-selectable service class preference function and applying the user-selectable service class preference function to determine the preference value for the at least one service class incorporated within the at least one work item.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein if a preference level for one of the identified service classes cannot be located, then the service class is withdrawn.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the user-selectable service class preference function comprises:

determining which preference level of the determined preference levels for the identified service classes has the highest preference level; and

selecting the value of the highest preference level as the preference value for the at least one service class incorporated within the at least one work item.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein the user-selectable service class preference function comprises:

calculating an average for the determined preference levels for the identified service classes; and

selecting the average for the identified preference levels as the preference value for a service class incorporated within the at least one work item.

35. The method of claim 23 wherein the server is one of a human agent or a robotic agent and the user-selectable preference function is configured to operate with at least one of human agent data or robotic agent data.

36. The method of claim 23 wherein the plurality of work items pertain to tasks performed within a call center and the user-selectable preference function is configured to operate with call center data.

37. The method of claim 23 wherein the plurality of work items pertain to tasks performed within a work processing facility automated with a work flow system and the user-selectable preference function is configured to operate with data from the work flow system.

38. A system for assigning a server to a work item of a plurality of work items in a work processing facility, comprising:

a work examiner that selects each work item of the plurality of work items and generates a composite preference value for the work item;

a preference value comparator that receives the generated composite preference values from the work examiner and determines which work item of the plurality of work items has the highest composite preference value;

a work assignor that assigns the server to the work item determined by the preference value comparator to have the highest composite preference value; and

a composite preference calculator used by the work examiner to generate the composite

preference value for the work item, the composite preference calculator comprising;

a server preference examiner that examines the server'"'"'s preference value for the work item, at least two of the work items having differing server preference values;

a service class examiner that examines a preference value for a service class incorporated within the work item, the work item and corresponding service class being related to a respective client;

a function provider that provides a user-selectable composite preference value function that is useable to generate a composite preference value; and

a processor that receives the server'"'"'s preference value for the work item from the server preference examiner and receives the examined preference value for the service class incorporated within the work item from the service class examiner, and applies the examined server'"'"'s preference value for the work item and the examined preference value for the service class incorporated within the work item as inputs to the provided user-selectable composite preference value function to generate the composite preference value for the work item.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the server preference examiner comprises:

a work item examiner that examines the work item to identify a set of work types associated with the work item;

a preference provider that provides the server'"'"'s preference values for the identified set of work types;

a preference examiner that identifies the server'"'"'s preference value for the set of work types by examining each work type of the identified set of work types;

another function provider that provides a user-selectable server preference function; and

a processor that receives the server'"'"'s preference values for the set of work types from the preference examiner and applies the user-selectable server preference function to determine the server'"'"'s preference value for the work item.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein the set of work types contains one work type.

41. The system of claim 39 wherein the server preference examiner is configured to designate the work type as withdrawn if the preference examiner cannot locate a preference value for the work type of the identified set of work types.

42. The system of claim 39 wherein the processor in applying the user-selectable server preference function is configured to determine which work type of the identified set of work types has a highest preference value and to select the preference value of the work type having the highest preference value as the server'"'"'s preference value for the item.

43. The system of claim 39 wherein the processor in applying the user-selectable server preference function is configured to calculate an average preference of server'"'"'s preference values for the work types of the identified set of work types and to select the average as the server'"'"'s preference value for the work item.

44. The system of claim 38 wherein the service class examiner comprises:

a work item examiner that examines the work item to identify a set of service classes associated with the work item;

a preference determiner that determines preference levels for the identified set of service classes, wherein the preference levels reflect a prioritization of unmet needs;

another function provider that locates a user-selectable service class preference function; and

a processor that receives the determined preference levels from the preference determiner and applies the determined preference levels as inputs to the user-selectable service class preference function to determine the preference value for a service class incorporated within the work item.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the unmet needs comprise at least one of service levels, service measures, average performance, and designated remediation subjects.

46. The system of claim 44 wherein the preference determiner is configured to designate the service class as withdrawn if preference determiner cannot locate a preference level for one of the identified service classes.

47. The system of claim 44 wherein the processor in applying the user-selectable service class preference function is configured to determine which preference level of the determined preference levels in the identified service classes has a highest preference value and to select the highest preference value of the preference level determined to have the highest preference value as the preference value for the service class incorporated within the work item.

48. The system of claim 44 wherein the processor in applying the user-selectable service class preference function is configured to calculate an average for the determined preference levels for the identified service classes and to select the average for the determined preference levels as the preference value for the service class incorporated within the work item.

49. The system of claim 38 wherein the server is one of a human agent or a robotic agent and the user-selectable preference function is configured to operate with at least one of human agent data or robotic agent data.

50. The system of claim 38 wherein the plurality of work items pertain to tasks performed within a call center and the user-selectable preference function is configured to operate with call center data.

51. The system of claim 38 wherein the user-selectable preference function is configured for operations within an application-specific integrated circuit.

52. The system of claim 38 wherein the user-selectable preference function is configured for operations within an automatic call distributor (“

ACD”

) in a call center.

53. The system of claim 38 wherein the work examiner is configured to send an indication that the server should be assigned to a work item of the plurality of work items having a highest priority if the plurality of work items contain at least one of the same service classes or the same work types.

54. The system of claim 38 wherein the work examiner is configured to send an indication that the server should be assigned to the one work item if the server is qualified to perform tasks associated with only one work item of the plurality of work items.

55. The system of claim 38 wherein the work examiner is configured to send an indication that the server should not be assigned to a work item if the server is not qualified to perform tasks associated with any work item of the plurality of work items.

56. A system for generating a composite preference value for at least one work item of a plurality of work items with respect to a server in a work processing facility, the system comprising:

a server preference examiner that examines the server'"'"'s preference value for the at least one work item;

a service class examiner that examines the preference value for a service class incorporated within the at least one work item, the at least one work item and corresponding service class being associated with a client and at least two of the work items having differing server preference values;

a function provider that provides a user-selectable composite preference value function that is useable to determine a composite preference value; and

a processor that receives the examined server preference value for the at least one work item from the service class examiner and receives the examined preference value for the service class incorporated within the at least one work item from the service class examiner and applies the examined server preference value for the at least one work item and the examined preference value for a service class incorporated within the at least one work item as inputs to the provided user-selectable composite preference value function to generate the composite preference value for the at least one work item.

57. The system of claim 56 wherein the server preference examiner comprises:

a work item examiner that examines the at least one work item to identify a set of work types associated with the at least one work item;

a preference provider that provides the server'"'"'s preferences for the identified set of work types;

a preference examiner that identifies the server'"'"'s preference value for each work type by examining the identified set of work types;

another function provider that provides a user-selectable server preference function; and

a processor that receives the server'"'"'s preference values for the set of work types from the preference examiner and applies the user-selectable server preference function to determine the server'"'"'s preference value for the at least one work item.

58. The system of claim 57 wherein the processor in executing the user-selectable preference function is configured to calculate an average for the identified set of work types and select the average for the identified work types as the server'"'"'s preference value for the at least one work item.

59. The system of claim 57 wherein the identified set of work types contains one work type.

60. The system of claim 57 wherein the preference examiner is configured to designate the work item as withdrawn with regard to further calculations of the preference value comparator if the preference examiner cannot locate a preference value for a work type of the identified set of work types.

61. The system of claim 57 wherein the processor in executing the user-selectable preference function is configured to determine which work type of the identified set of work types has a highest preference value and to select the work type having the highest preference value as the server'"'"'s preference value for the at least one work item.

62. The system of claim 56 wherein the service class examiner comprises:

a work item examiner that examines the at least one work item to identify service classes associated with the at least one work item;

a preference determiner that determines preference levels for the identified service classes, wherein the preference levels reflect a prioritization of unmet needs;

a function provider that provides a user-selectable service class preference function; and

a processor that receives the determined preference levels from the preference determiner and applies the determined preference levels as inputs to the user-selectable service class preference function to determine the preference value for a service class incorporated within the at least one work item.

63. The system of claim 62 wherein if the preference determiner cannot locate a preference level for one of the identified service classes, then the preference determiner marks the service class as withdrawn.

64. The system of claim 62 wherein the processor in executing the user-selectable service class preference function is configured to determine which preference level of the identified preference levels has the highest preference and to select a value of the highest preference level as the preference value for a service class incorporated within the at least one work item.

65. The system of claim 62 wherein the processor in executing the user-selectable service class preference function is configured to calculate an average for the identified preference levels and select the average for the identified preference levels as the preference value for a service class incorporated within the at least one work item.

66. The system of claim 56 wherein the server is one of a human agent or a robotic agent.

67. The system of claim 56 wherein the plurality of work items pertains to tasks performed within a call center.

68. The system of claim 56 wherein the system is configured for operations within an application-specific integrated circuit.

69. The system of claim 56 wherein the system is configured for operations within an automatic call distributor in a call center.

70. The system of claim 56 wherein the system is configured for operations with a work flow automation system.

71. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to assign a server to a work item of a plurality of work items in a server queue by performing the steps of:

assigning a server preference value to each work item of the plurality of work items;

when a work item does not have a corresponding server preference value or when the server preference value corresponding to a work item is deemed to be unimportant, removing the work item from the server queue;

selecting each remaining work item of the plurality of work items and generating a composite preference value for the remaining work item, the composite preference value for each of the remaining work items being a function of the server preference value assigned to each respective work item;

determining which remaining work item of the plurality of remaining work items has the highest composite preference value; and

assigning the server to the remaining work item determined to have the highest composite preference value.

72. The computer-readable medium of claim 71 further comprising:

determining a service class preference value for a service class incorporated within each work item, the work item and the associated service class corresponding to a client; and

wherein the composite preference value for each of the remaining work items is also a function of the service class preference value for the service class associated with the work item.

73. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to generate a composite preference value for each work item of a plurality of work items with respect to a server in a work processing facility by performing the steps of:

determining the server'"'"'s preference value for each work item, at least two of the work items having differing server preference values;

determining the preference value for a service class incorporated within each work item, the

work item and the associated service class corresponding to a client;

locating a user-selectable composite preference value function; and

providing the determined server preference value for the at least one work item and the determined preference value for a service class incorporated within the at least one work item to the user-selectable composite preference value function to generate the composite preference value for the at least one work item.

74. The computer-readable medium of claim 73 further comprising:

when a work item does not have a corresponding server preference value or when the server preference value corresponding to a work item is deemed to be unimportant, removing the work item from a server queue associated with the server.