Timely shut-down of a real-time work center

• US 6,766,013 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2001
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Foster, Robin H., Flockhart, Andrew D., Mathews, Eugene P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ubiles, Marie C.
• Application Number:
  US09/874,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20020181692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.02, 379/265.01, 379/266.1, 379/309
• US Class Current: 379/265.02
• 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 3/5238 with waiting time or load prediction arrangements

Abstract

A call center (100) rejects further calls when the sum of the present time, the anticipated call in-queue wait time (112), and the anticipated call service time (114) for this type (106-108) of call exceeds the closing time of the call center. The call center may redirect the rejected calls to another call center if it determines that the other call center can service them by its closing time.

Claims

1. A method of operating a work center comprising:

determining if a sum of arrival time plus anticipated wait time plus anticipated service time of a work item exceeds a closing time of the work center by a threshold amount;

if the sum is determined to exceed the closing time by more than the threshold amount, rejecting the work item; and

if the sum is determined not to exceed the closing time by more than the threshold amount, accepting the work item.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the threshold amount is nil.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

determining comprises

determining if the sum of arrival time plus anticipated wait time plus anticipated service time of a work item of one of a plurality of types of work item exceeds a closing time of the work center for the one type of work item by a threshold amount for the one type of work item;

rejecting comprises

rejecting the work item of the one type; and

accepting comprises

accepting the work item of the one type.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein:

the threshold amount for the one type of work item is nil.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

determining comprises

effecting said determining in response to arrival of the work item at the work center.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

accepting comprises

enqueuing the work item at the work center; and

rejecting comprises

refusing to accept the work item at the work center.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:

rejecting comprises

redirecting the work item to another work center.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:

rejecting comprises

determining if a second sum of arrival time plus anticipated wait time plus anticipated service time of the work item at another work center would exceed a closing time of the other work center by a threshold amount of the other work center;

if the second sum is determined to exceed the closing time of the other work center by more than the threshold amount of the other work center, rejecting the work item; and

if the second sum is determined not to exceed the closing time of the other work center by more than the threshold amount of the other work center, redirecting the work item to the other work center.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein:

the threshold amount of the other work center is nil.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the work center comprises a call center; and

the work item comprises a call.

13. An apparatus that effects the method of one of the claims 1-12.

14. A computer-readable medium containing executable instructions representing a computer program which, when executed in a computer, causes the computer to function in the fashion of one of the claims 1-12.

11. A method of operating a customer contact center comprising:

in response to arrival of a customer communication of one of a plurality of types of customer communications served by the center, determining if a sum of arrival time plus anticipated wait time plus anticipated service time of the communication of the one type exceeds a closing time of the center for communications of the one type;

in response to determining that the sum does not exceed the closing time, enqueuing the communication of the one type for servicing at the center; and

in response to determining that the sum exceeds the closing time, refusing to accept the communication for servicing at the center.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein:

refusing comprises

in response to determining that the sum exceeds the closing time, determining if a second sum of arrival time plus anticipated wait time plus anticipated service time of the communication of the one type exceeds a closing time of a second customer contact center for communications of the one type;

in response to determining that the second sum does not exceed the closing time of the second center, redirecting the communication for servicing to the second center; and

in response to determining that the second sum exceeds the closing time of the second center, rejecting the communication for servicing.

15. An apparatus comprising:

an effector of determining if a sum of arrival time plus anticipated wait time plus anticipated service time of a work item at a work center exceeds a closing time of the work center by a threshold amount; and

an effector, responsive to a determination that the sum exceeds the closing time by more than the threshold amount, of causing the work center to reject the work item, and further responsive to a determination that the sum does not exceed the closing time by more than the threshold amount, of causing the work center to accept the work item.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein:

the threshold amount is nil.