Automatic contact distribution system definable agent log-off reasons

• US 6,654,798 B1
• Filed: 07/07/2000
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Firstpoint Contact Technologies, LLC (Alvaria Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Electronics Commerce Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Eitel, Robert T., Beck, James Lewis III, Skibinski, Jeffrey J., Baker, Daniel F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Geckil, Mehmet B.
• Application Number:
  US09/611,611
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/221, 709/202, 709/203, 713/200, 713/201, 713/202, 379/265.09, 370/352
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6018 Subscriber or terminal logon/logoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

Method and apparatus for configuring agent log-off reasons in connection with an automatic contact distribution (ACD) system. An organization operating an ACD system can define any number of agent log-off reasons, which can be configured for individual agents, for groups of agents, or system-wide. These custom-defined reasons can be incorporated in historical reports and in real-time displays regarding schedule adherence. These custom-defined reasons can be changed at any time. In addition, the order in which the reasons appear for selection by an agent can be changed at any time, and can be reordered automatically in accordance with different algorithms.

Claims

1. A method for configuring agent log-off reasons in connection with an automatic contact distribution system on a real-time basis, the method comprising:

defining a configurable set of agent log-off reasons adapted for display as part of an agent log-off procedure;

redefining the set of reasons on a real-time basis whenever desirable; and

displaying the most recently defined set of agent log-off reasons at an agent station after receipt of a log-off request from the agent station.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising defining a set of agents to whom the set of agent log-off reasons will apply.

3. The method as in claim 2, wherein the set of agents is configurable, and the step of defining the set of agents can be performed as often as desirable, redefining the set of agents on a real-time basis.

4. The method as in claim 2, the set of agents being selected from a group consisting of:

all agents working with the system, an individual agent, a plurality of individual agents, a category of agents, a category of agents based on agent tasks, a category of agents based on agent location, a category of agents based on agent work group, a category of agents based on agent supervisor, a category of agents based on agent assigned class of service, a category of agents based on agent skills, a category of agents based on agent provided services, a category of agents based on agent work time period, and a category of agents based on scheduled agent activities.

5. The method as in claim 1, further comprising setting a configurable parameter on a real-time basis for a maximum number of members of the set of agent log-off reasons.

6. The method as in claim 1, further comprising defining a configurable order in which members of the set of agent log-off reasons are to be displayed, wherein the order defining step can be performed as often as desirable, redefining the order on a real-time basis.

7. The method as in claim 6, wherein the order defining step uses feedback regarding log-off reasons actually selected historically in determining the order in which the members of the set of agent log-off reasons are to be displayed.

8. The method as in claim 6, the order in which the members of the set of agent log-off reasons are to be displayed being selected from a group consisting of:

a same order for every agent, an individual order for at least one agent, a group order for a group of agents, an order in which the reasons have been used most often by an agent to whom the set of reasons is to be displayed, an order in which the reasons have been used most often among a category of agents which includes the agent to whom the set of reasons is to be displayed, an order in which the reasons have been used most often among all agents working with the system, an order in which the reasons have been used most recently by the agent to whom the set of reasons is to be displayed, an order in which the reasons have been used most recently among a grouping of agents which includes the agent to whom the set of reasons is to be displayed, an order in which the reasons have been used most recently among all agents working with the system, an order correlated with scheduled activities of the agent to whom the set of reasons is to be displayed, an order specified by a person, an order specified by a software program facilitating scheduling of agent activities, and an order correlated with a time of the log-off request during a work shift of the agent to whom the set of reasons is to be displayed.

9. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a log-off reason from the set of log-off reasons displayed at the agent station; and

displaying the selected log-off reason on a real-time basis.

10. The method as in claim 1, the method further comprising:

selecting a log-off reason from the set of log-off reasons displayed at the agent station; and

storing a record of the selected log-off reason.

11. The method as in claim 1, the method further comprising storing a collective record of selected log-off reasons, the collective record including a date/time entry for each log-off with a corresponding agent identifier and log-off reason.

12. The method as in claim 1, the method further comprising:

selecting a log-off reason from the set of log-off reasons displayed at the agent station; and

comparing the selected log-off reason with a scheduled activity of an agent identified as working at the agent station.

13. An apparatus for configuring agent log-off reasons in connection with an automatic contact distribution system on a real-time basis, the apparatus comprising:

an agent station;

means for defining a configurable set of agent log-off reasons adapted for display as part of an agent log-off procedure, wherein the set of reasons can be redefined on a real-time basis; and

means for displaying the most recently defined set of agent log-off reasons at the agent station after receipt of a log-off request from the agent station.

14. The apparatus as in claim 13, further comprising means for defining a set of agents to whom the set of agent log-off reasons will apply.

15. The apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the set of agents is configurable, and the set of agents can be redefined on a real-time basis.

16. The apparatus as in claim 14, the set of agents being selected from a group consisting of:

all agents working with the system, an individual agent, a plurality of individual agents, a category of agents, a category of agents based on agent tasks, a category of agents based on agent location, a category of agents based on agent work group, a category of agents based on agent supervisor, a category of agents based on agent assigned class of service, a category of agents based on agent skills, a category of agents based on agent provided services, a category of agents based on agent work time period, and a category of agents based on scheduled agent activities.

17. The apparatus as in claim 13, further comprising means for defining a configurable order in which members of the set of agent log-off reasons are to be displayed, wherein the order can be redefined on a real-time basis.

18. The apparatus as in claim 13, further comprising:

means for selecting a log-off reason from the set of log-off reasons displayed at the agent station; and

means for displaying the selected log-off reason on a real-time basis.

19. The apparatus as in claim 13, further comprising:

means for selecting a log-off reason from the set of log-off reasons displayed at the agent station; and

means for storing a record of the selected log-off reason.

20. The apparatus as in claim 13, further comprising means for storing a collective record of selected log-off reasons, the collective record including a date/time entry for each log-off with a corresponding agent identifier and log-off reason.

21. The apparatus as in claim 13, further comprising:

means for selecting a log-off reason from the set of log-off reasons displayed at the agent station; and

means for comparing the selected log-off reason with a scheduled activity of an agent identified as working at the agent station.

22. An apparatus for configuring agent log-off reasons in connection with an automatic contact distribution system, the apparatus comprising:

memory adapted to store a list of agent log-off reasons which apply to a set of agents;

an agent station, including a computer display screen capable of displaying the list of log-off reasons; and

one or more processors, wherein at least one processor is configured to execute changes to the list of agent log-off reasons stored in the memory, and wherein at least one processor is configured to send the list of log-off reasons to the agent station after receipt of a log-off request from the agent station.

23. The apparatus as in claim 22,

wherein at least one processor is configured to execute changes to the set of agents, and

wherein the at least one processor configured to send the list of log-off reasons to the agent station is configured to send the list to the agent station if an agent identified as working at the agent station is among the set of agents.

24. The apparatus as in claim 22, wherein at least one processor is configured to adjust an order in which the log-off reasons are to be displayed at the agent station.

25. The apparatus as in claim 24, further comprising:

a report generator configured to report a record of log-off reasons actually selected; and

a work management system configured to utilize historical information from the report generator to provide requests to the at least one processor configured to adjust the order in which the log-off reasons are to be displayed.

26. The apparatus as in claim 24, the order in which the log-off reasons are to be displayed at the agent station being selected from a group consisting of:

a same order for every agent, an individual order format least one agent, a group order for a group of agents, an order in which the reasons have been used most often by an agent to whom the set of reasons is to be displayed, an order in which the reasons have been used most often among a category of agents which includes the agent to whom the set of reasons is to be displayed, an order in which the reasons have been used most often among all agents working with the system, an order in which the reasons have been used most recently by the agent to whom the set of reasons is to be displayed, an order in which the reasons have been used most recently among a grouping of agents which includes the agent to whom the set of reasons is to be displayed, an order in which the reasons have been used most recently among all agents working with the system, an order correlated with scheduled activities of the agent to whom the set of reasons is to be displayed, an order specified by a person, an order specified by a software program facilitating scheduling of agent activities, and an order correlated with a time of the log-off request during a work shift of the agent to whom the set of reasons is to be displayed.

27. The apparatus as in claim 22, wherein at least one processor is configured to apply an algorithm for determining an order in which the log-off reasons are to be displayed at the agent station.

28. The apparatus as in claim 27, wherein identification of the algorithm to be applied is stored as an attribute of the set of agents.

29. The apparatus as in claim 22, wherein the memory is initialized with a default list of log-off reasons.

30. The apparatus as in claim 22,

wherein sending the list of log-off reasons to the agent station is an optional event;

and

wherein the at least one processor configured to send the list is configured to send the list only if the event is activated.

31. The apparatus as in claim 22, wherein the at least one processor, configured to send the list of log-off reasons to the agent station, is configured to receive immediate notification when the list is changed and to update the list sent to the agent station if a log-off procedure for the agent station has not been completed.

32. The apparatus as in claim 22, further comprising a data terminal, wherein a log-off reason selected at the agent station can be monitored real-time by access to the data terminal.

33. The apparatus as in claim 22, further comprising a report generator configured to report a record of log-off reasons actually selected.

34. The apparatus as in claim 22, wherein at least one processor is configured to compare a log-off reason selected at the agent station with a scheduled activity of an agent identified as working at the agent station.