Call management system using dynamic threshold adjustment

• US 6,741,698 B1
• Filed: 01/27/2000
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Jensen, Roy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deane, Jr., William J.
• Application Number:
  US09/492,513
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.03, 379/265.04, 379/265.05, 379/265.06, 379/265.07, 379/265.08, 379/265.09, 379/265.1, 379/265.11, 379/265.12, 379/265.13, 379/265.14, 379/266.01, 379/266.02, 379/266.03, 379/266.04, 379/266.05, 379/266.06, 379/266.08, 379/266.09, 379/266.1, 379/309
• US Class Current: 379/265.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5238 with waiting time or load prediction arrangements

Abstract

A call center includes functionality for dynamically varying a threshold value associated with each of a number of different call types (i.e., skills) to be handled by the call center. A group of agents and a group of reserve agents are provided within the call center for use in handling incoming calls. A dedicated subgroup of agents is assigned to service each of the call types in the call center. In addition, one or more reserve agents are assigned to service a particular call type when an expected wait time associated with the call type exceeds a threshold value. The threshold value associated with each call type is dynamically adjusted during call center operation based on a measured service level being provided to a corresponding call type. In one embodiment, the threshold value for a call type is adjusted based on a comparison between a measured service level and a predetermined service level target associated with the call type.

Claims

1. A method for managing incoming calls in a call center, comprising:

(a) providing, from a plurality of agents, a first subgroup of agents assigned to service call types in a first set of call types and a second subgroup of agents assigned to service call types in a second set of call types, wherein at least one member of the first and second sets of call types is different and at least one member of the first and second subgroup of agents is different, and wherein each of the first and second sets of call types has a corresponding predetermined service level target;

(b) determining a first level of service being provided to the first set of call types;

(c) comparing the first level of service with a first service level target corresponding to the first set of call types;

(d) when the first level of service exceeds the first service level target, increasing a first threshold value associated with the first set of call types;

(e) when the first level of service does not exceed the first service level target, decreasing the first threshold value;

(f) determining a first wait time associated with the first types of calls;

(g) comparing the first wait time with the first threshold value; and

(h) assigning an additional agent to the first subgroup of agents when the first wait time exceeds the first threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(i) removing an agent from the first subgroup of agents when the first wait time is less than the first threshold value.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of reserve agents, each of said plurality of reserve agents being assignable to any of a plurality of sets of call types, and wherein, in step (i), the removed agent is assigned to the plurality of reserve agents.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of reserve agents, each of said plurality of reserve agents being assignable to any of a plurality of sets of call types, and wherein, in step (h), the additional agent is a reserve agent.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the service level target specifies a quantity of calls to be routed to an agent for servicing within a specified time period.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the level of service is computed using an exponential moving average based on a ratio of the first wait time and the quantity of calls specified in the service level target.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wait time is an expected wait time associated with a first call in the first set of call types.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) is performed only when the the first level of service exceeds the first service level target by a predetermined amount.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) is performed only when the the first level of service is less than the first service level target by a predetermined amount.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein, in step (d), the first threshold value is increased by a selected amount, and, in step (e), the first threshold value is decreased by the selected amount.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (b) and (f) are each performed one of periodically and continually.

12. A computer readable medium comprising executable instructions to perform the steps of claim 1.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein each agent has a corresponding set of skills and wherein each agent in the first subgroup of agents has a common first skill and each agent in the second subgroup of agents has a common second skill different from the first skill and wherein the first set of call types corresponds to the first skill and the second set of call types corresponds to the second skill.

14. A method for managing incoming calls in a call center having a plurality of assigned agents and a plurality of reserve agents, said incoming calls having a plurality of different call types, each of said plurality of assigned agents being assigned to service a specific set of call types while said plurality of reserve agents are assignable to any of a plurality of sets of call types, comprising:

(a) providing, from the plurality of agents, a first subgroup of assigned agents assigned to service call types in a first set of call types and a second subgroup of assigned agents assigned to service call types in a second set of call types, wherein at least one member of the first and second sets of call types is different and at least one member of the first and second subgroup of agents is different, and wherein each of the first and second sets of call types has a corresponding predetermined service level target;

(b) determining a first level of service being provided to the first set of call types;

(c) comparing the first level of service with a first service level target corresponding to the first set of call types;

(d) when the first level of service exceeds the first service level target, increasing a first threshold value associated with the first set of call types;

(e) when the first level of service does not exceed the first service level target, decreasing the first threshold value;

(f) determining a first wait time associated with the first types of calls;

(g) comparing the first wait time with the first threshold value; and

(h) assigning a reserve agent to the first subgroup of agents when the first wait time exceeds the first threshold value.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

(i) removing an assigned agent from the first subgroup of agents and assigning the assigned agent to the plurality of reserve agents, when the first wait time is less than the first threshold value.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the service level target specifies a quantity of calls to be routed to an agent for servicing within a specified time period.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the level of service is computed using an exponential moving average based on a ratio of the first wait time and the quantity of calls specified in the service level target.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the first wait time is an expected wait time associated with a first call in the first set of calltypes.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein step (d) is performed only when the the first level of service exceeds the first service level target by a predetermined amount.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein step (e) is performed only when the the first level of service is less than the first service level target by a predetermined amount.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein, in step (d), the first threshold value is increased by a selected amount, and, in step (e), the first threshold value is decreased by the selected amount.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein steps (b) and (f) are each performed one of periodically and continually.

23. A computer readable medium comprising executable instructions to perform the steps of claim 14.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein each assigned agent has a corresponding set of skills and wherein each assigned agent in the first subgroup of agents has a common first skill and each assigned agent in the second subgroup of agents has a common second skill different from the first skill and wherein the first set of call types corresponds to the first skill and the second set of call types corresponds to the second skill.

25. A call center comprising:

(a) a call processing unit operable to receive and distribute calls among a plurality of agent stations based on call type, wherein a first subgroup of agent stations is assigned to service call types in a first set of call types and a second subgroup of agent stations is assigned to service call types in a second set of call types, wherein at least one member of the first and second subgroup of agents is different, and wherein each of the first and second sets of call types has a corresponding predetermined service level target value indicating a desired service level to be achieved for a corresponding call type;

(b) a service level target table associated with said call processing unit operable to store the service level target value for each of said plurality of call types, wherein the first set of call types corresponds to a first service level target value;

(c) a service level measurement unit operable to measure a level of service being provided by said call center for each of said plurality of call types, wherein the first set of call types corresponds to a first level of service;

(d) a comparison unit, coupled to the service level measurement unit and the service level target table, operable to compare the first level of service with the first service level target value;

(d) a threshold generation unit operable to (i), when the first level of service exceeds the first service level target value, increase a first threshold value associated with the first set of call types and (ii), when the first level of service does not exceed the first service level target value, decrease the first threshold value, wherein the call processing unit is further operable to compare the first wait time with the first threshold value and assign an additional agent to the first subgroup of agents when the first wait time exceeds the first threshold value.

26. The call center of claim 25, wherein the call processing unit is further operable to remove an agent to the first subgroup of agents when the first wait time is less than the first threshold value.

27. The call center of claim 26, wherein the agent is removed only when the first level of service is less than the first service level target by a predetermined amount.

28. The call center of claim 25, further comprising a plurality of reserve agents, each of said plurality of reserve agents being assignable to any of a plurality of sets of call types, and the assigned additional agent is a reserve agent.

29. The call center of claim 26, further comprising a plurality of reserve agents, each of said plurality of reserve agents being assignable to any of a plurality of sets of call types, and wherein the call processing unit assigns the removed agent to the plurality of reserve agents.

30. The call center of claim 25, wherein the service level target value specifies a quantity of calls to be routed to an agent for servicing within a specified time period.

31. The call center of claim 30, wherein the level of service is computed using an exponential moving average based on a ratio of the first wait time and the quantity of calls specified in the service level target value.

32. The call center of claim 25, wherein the first wait time is an expected wait time associated with a first call in the first set of call types.

33. The call center of claim 25, wherein the additional agent is assigned only when the first level of service exceeds the first service level target by a predetermined amount.

34. The call center of claim 25, wherein in operation (i) the first threshold value is increased by a selected amount, and in operation (ii) the first threshold value is decreased by the selected amount.

35. The call center of claim 25, wherein operations (i) and (ii) are performed one of periodically and continually.

36. The call center of claim 25, wherein said service level measurement unit includes an agent operable to generate an exponential moving average for each of said plurality of call types based on an expected wait time of each corresponding call type to generate a weighted service level for each of said plurality of call types.

37. The call center of claim 25, wherein said comparison unit is operable to determine a ratio between said measured service level and said service level target value for each of said plurality of call types.

38. The call center of claim 25, wherein each agent has a corresponding set of skills and wherein each agent in the first subgroup of agents has a common first skill and each agent in the second subgroup of agents has a common second skill different from the first skill and wherein the first set of call types corresponds to the first skill and the second set of call types corresponds to the second skill.