Methods and apparatus for processing of communications in a call center based on variable rest period determinations

• US 6,563,920 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Taylor, John Z., Mathews, Eugene P., Kohler, Joylee E., Foster, Robin H., Flockhart, Andrew Derek
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, KAREN L
• Application Number:
  US09/461,904
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.12, 379/265.02, 379/265.04, 379/266.02, 379/266.03
• US Class Current: 379/265.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/402 Agent or workforce management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5234 Uniform load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5238 with waiting time or load prediction arrangements

Abstract

A call center is configured to determine variable rest periods for one or more agents, based at least in part on factors such as call center service state and agent occupancy. The call center service states may include a number of designated service states associated with a particular skill or type of communication supported by one or more agents of the call center. A particular one of the states represents a branded service level, while other states represent over-service and under-service conditions. The rest period determined for one or more of the agents can be used to implement features such as many-to-many work assignment, just-in-time (JIT) delivery of work, next opportunity for service (NOS) indicators, thereby facilitating the processing of communications in the call center.

Claims

1. A method of processing communications in a call center, the call center providing for a given agent, in addition to scheduled breaks, variable rest periods for the given agent between servicing of communications by that agent, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a rest period for the given agent, based at least in part on one or more of (i) an agent occupancy level and (ii) which of a plurality of designated service states is associated with at least one of a particular skill and a particular type of communication supported by the agent, a set of rest periods being associated with each of the service states and including at least one specified rest period for each of a plurality of agent occupancy levels, a given one of the rest periods thereby being determinable based on agent occupancy level and service state, wherein the plurality of service states comprise at least first, second and third service states corresponding to a first service level, a second service level representative of an over-service condition relative to the first service level, and a third service level representative of an under-service condition relative to the first service level, respectively; and

processing the communications in the call center such that communications are not handled by the given agent for at least a portion of the determined rest period.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a subset of the service states are characterized at least in part by at least one of a waiting time measure, an average speed of answer measure, and a percent in service level.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the agent occupancy levels comprise one or more of a below target range level, a within range level, and an above target range level.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of designated service states comprises two or more of an over threshold state, a current jeopardy state, a future jeopardy state, a within-range state, an over served state, a queue empty state and an agents idle state, wherein the within range state is representative of the particular service level.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the rest period is determined for the given agent based on both the agent occupancy level and at least one of the service states for one or more skills supported by the agent.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the particular one of the service states corresponds to a worst-case one of the service states for a plurality of skills supported by the agent.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein a different set of rest periods is associated with each of the service states for each of the plurality of agent occupancy levels, such that the rest period is determined for the given agent by determining a particular agent occupancy level and a worst-case service state among the service states corresponding to skills supported by the agent.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining step further includes adjusting a selected rest period based at least in part on a difference between a target occupancy and an actual occupancy for the given agent.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining step further includes determining rest periods for a plurality of agents associated with the call center.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the rest periods determined for the plurality of agents are utilized to implement a many-to-many work assignment process in which multiple agents are each considered simultaneously for handling multiple communications.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the determined rest period for the given agent is used to determine a precise time of future availability of that agent.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the precise time of future availability of the agent as determined based on the rest period is used to schedule at least one event prior to delivery of a particular communication to that agent.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one event comprises at least one of a call selection event, a data retrieval event and a call connection event.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one event is scheduled such that data required to process the particular communication is provided to the agent substantially simultaneously with the communication.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the precise time of future availability of the agent is used to determine a next opportunity for service (NOS) indicator for each of at least a subset of the skills supported by the agent.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein NOS indicators are generated for a plurality of agents associated with the call center.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the NOS indicators for at least a subset of the plurality of agents associated with the call center are arranged in a visual display comprising a time line of NOS indicators for a given skill supported by the agents.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the visual display comprises a plurality of NOS time lines each including NOS indicators for a particular skill supported by at least a subset of the agents.

19. An apparatus for processing communications in a call center, the call center providing for a given agent, in addition to scheduled breaks, variable rest periods for the given agent between servicing of communications by that agent, the apparatus comprising:

a processor operative to determine a rest period for the given agent, based at least in part on one or more of (i) an agent occupancy level and (ii) which of a plurality of designated service states is associated with at least one of a particular skill and a particular type of communication supported by the agent, a set of rest periods being associated with each of the service states and including at least one specified rest period for each of a plurality of agent occupancy levels, a given one of the rest periods thereby being determinable based on agent occupancy level and service state, wherein the plurality of service states comprise at least first, second and third service states corresponding to a first service level, a second service level representative of an over-service condition relative to the first service level, and a third service level representative of an under-service condition relative to the first service level, respectively, such that communications are not handled by the given agent for at least a portion of the determined rest period; and

a memory coupled to the processor and operative to store information regarding at least one of the agent occupancy level and the service states.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein at least a subset of the service states are characterized at least in part by at least one of a waiting time measure, an average speed of answer measure, and a percent in service level.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the agent occupancy levels comprise one or more of a below target range level, a within range level, and an above target range level.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the plurality of designated service states comprises two or more of an over threshold state, a current jeopardy state, a future jeopardy state, a within-range state, an over served state, a queue empty state and an agents idle state, wherein the within range state is representative of the particular service level.

23. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the rest period is determined for the given agent based on both the agent occupancy level and at least one of the service states for one or more skills supported by the agent.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the particular one of the service states corresponds to a worst-case one of the service states for a plurality of skills supported by the agent.

25. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein a different set of rest periods is associated with each of the service states for each of the plurality of agent occupancy levels, such that the rest period is determined for the given agent by determining a particular agent occupancy level and a worst-case service state among the service states corresponding to skills supported by the agent.

26. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein a selected rest period is adjusted based at least in part on a difference between a target occupancy and an actual occupancy for the given agent.

27. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the processor is further operative to determine rest periods for a plurality of agents associated with the call center.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the rest periods determined for the plurality of agents are utilized to implement a many-to-many work assignment process in which multiple agents are each considered simultaneously for handling multiple communications.

29. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the determined rest period for the given agent is used to determine a precise time of future availability of that agent.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the precise time of future availability of the agent as determined based on the rest period is used to schedule at least one event prior to delivery of a particular communication to that agent.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the at least one event comprises at least one of a call selection event, a data retrieval event and a call connection event.

32. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the at least one event is scheduled such that data required to process the particular communication is provided to the agent substantially simultaneously with the communication.

33. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the precise time of future availability of the agent is used to determine a next opportunity for service (NOS) indicator for each of at least a subset of the skills supported by the agent.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein NOS indicators are generated for a plurality of agents associated with the call center.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the NOS indicators for at least a subset of the plurality of agents associated with the call center are arranged in a visual display comprising a time line of NOS indicators for a given skill supported by the agents.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the visual display comprises a plurality of NOS time lines each including NOS indicators for a particular skill supported by at least a subset of the agents.

37. An article of manufacture containing one or more software programs for processing communications in a call center, the call center providing for a given agent, in addition to scheduled breaks, variable rest periods for the given agent between servicing of communications by that agent, wherein the one or more software programs, when executed in a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of:

determining a rest period for the given agent, based at least in part on one or more of (i) an agent occupancy level and (ii) which of a plurality of designated service states is associated with at least one of a particular skill and a particular type of communication supported by the agent, a set of rest periods being associated with each of the service states and including at least one specified rest period for each of a plurality of agent occupancy levels, a given one of the rest periods thereby being determinable based on agent occupancy level and service state, wherein the plurality of service states comprise at least first, second and third service states corresponding to a first service level, a second service level representative of an over-service condition relative to the first service level, and a third service level representative of an under-service condition relative to the first service level, respectively; and

processing the communications in the call center such that communications are not handled by the given agent for at least a portion of the determined rest period.