Call management system using dynamic queue position

• US 7,050,567 B1
• Filed: 01/27/2000
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• 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:
  US09/492,114
• Time in Patent Office: 2,308 Days
• Field of Search: 379/309, 37926601-2661, 37926501-26514
• US Class Current: 379/266.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5235 Dependent on call type or called number [DNIS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5238 with waiting time or load prediction arrangements

Abstract

A call center includes functionality for dynamically positioning newly received calls within an established call queue. The calls are positioned within the queue based on predefined service objectives for call types supported by the call center and a length of time that other calls have already been waiting in the queue. In a preferred embodiment, when a new call is received by the call center, an analysis is performed for individual queue positions within the queue until a queue position is identified that meets a predetermined selection criterion. The new call is then placed within this queue position and subsequent calls within the queue are moved accordingly.

Claims

1. A method for use in managing a call queue within a call center, said call queue for handling calls having a plurality of different call types that each have a corresponding service objective value, comprising the steps of:

receiving a new call from an exterior environment, said new call having a first call type;

ascertaining a first service objective value associated with said new call based on said first call type;

selecting a currently enqueued call in the call queue, the currently enqueued call having a second service objective value;

determining a first quality factor assuming that the new call is enqueued after the currently enqueued call;

determining a second quality factor assuming that the new call is enqueued in place of the currently enqueued call, said first quality factor reflecting the first and second service objective values; and

comparing the first and second quality factors to determine a position within the call queue for the new call.

2. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein:

in said comparing step, when the second quality factor is less than the first quality factor, the new call is placed in the queue position of the currently enqueued call and the currently enqueued call is moved to a later queue position, and, when the second quality factor is not less than the first quality factor, the new call is not placed in the queue position of the currently enqueued call.

3. The method claimed in claim 2, wherein, when the second quality factor is not less than the first quality factor, the comparing step comprises:

selecting a third call, the third call being currently enqueued, being different from the currently enqueued call, being enqueued in a later queue position than the currently enqueued call, and having an associated third service objective value;

repeating the determining steps substituting the third call for the currently enqueued call.

4. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said step of comparing includes calculating, for the currently enqueued call in a first queue position in said call queue, a ratio R_CC between an estimated total time in queue for the currently enqueued call if the currently enqueued call remains in the first queue position and the second service objective value.

5. The method claimed in claim 4, wherein:

said step of comparing includes determining a ratio R_NC between an estimated total time in queue for the new call in the first queue position and the first service objective value associated with the new call.

6. The method claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said step of comparing includes determining a ratio R_CS between an estimated total time in queue for the currently enqueued call in a subsequent queue position within said call queue and the second service objective value, wherein said subsequent queue position is a next queue position to said first queue position within said call queue.

7. The method claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said step of comparing includes determining a ratio R_NS between an estimated total time in queue for the new call in the subsequent queue position and the first service objective value.

8. The method claimed in claim 7 wherein:

said step of comparing includes determining whether said new call should be placed in said first queue position within said call queue based on values for R_CC, R_NC, R_CS, and R_NS.

9. The method claimed in claim 7 wherein:

said step of comparing includes ascertaining that said new call is to be placed in said first queue position when |R_NC−

R_CS|<

|R_NS−

R_CC|.

10. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of different call types includes a plurality of vector directory numbers (VDNs) associated with incoming calls.

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

12. A system for use in distributing incoming calls to a plurality of local agents in a call center, said system comprising:

a receiver for receiving incoming calls from an exterior environment;

a call queue unit for use in maintaining a queue of calls to be answered by the plurality of local agents, said queue having a plurality of successive queue positions including an initial queue position, said initial queue position for holding a call that is next in line to be answered by an agent in the plurality of local agents; and

a call positioning unit for positioning a new call received by said receiver within the queue, said call positioning unit determining a position within the queue for the new call by determining a first quality factor assuming that the new call is enqueued in a first position in the queue and a second quality factor assuming that the new call is enqueued in a second, different position in the queue and comparing the relative values of the first and second quality factors.

13. The system claimed in claim 12, wherein:

said first and second quality factors are determined using a service objective value associated with the new call.

14. The system claimed in claim 12, wherein:

said call positioning unit determines said position for said new call based on service objective values associated with calls already within the queue.

15. The system claimed in claim 12, wherein:

said call positioning unit includes a comparison unit for comparing the first quality value associated with said new call to the second quality value associated with a current call within a first queue position to determine whether said new call should replace said current call within said first queue position.

16. The system claimed in claim 12, wherein:

said call positioning unit includes an analysis unit for analyzing individual queue positions within said queue, starting with said initial queue position, until a queue position is found that meets a predetermined condition indicating that said new call should replace an existing call within said queue position.

17. A method for use in managing a call queue within a call center, comprising the steps of:

receiving a new call from an exterior environment;

selecting a currently enqueued call in the call queue;

determining a first quality factor assuming that the new call is enqueued after the currently enqueued call;

determining a second quality factor assuming that the new call is enqueued in place of the currently enqueued call; and

comparing the first and second quality factors to determine a position within the call queue for the new call.

18. The method claimed in claim 17, wherein the currently enqueued call has an associated second service objective value, the new call has an associated first service objective value, wherein said call queue handles calls having a plurality of different call types, said new call has a first call type, said currently enqueued call has a second call type, the first service objective value is associated with the first call type, and the second service objective value is associated with the second call type.

19. The method claimed in claim 18, wherein:

said plurality of different call types includes a plurality of vector directory numbers (VDNs) associated with incoming calls.

20. The method claimed in claim 18, wherein, when the second quality factor is not less than the first quality factor, the comparing step comprises:

selecting a third call, the third call being currently enqueued, being different from the currently enqueued call, being enqueued in a later queue position than the currently enqueued call, and having an associated third service objective value;

repeating the determining steps substituting the third call for the currently enqueued call.

21. The method claimed in claim 18, wherein:

said step of comparing includes calculating, for the currently enqueued call in a first queue position in said call queue, a ratio R_CC between an estimated total time in queue for the currently enqueued call if the currently enqueued call remains in the first queue position and the second service objective value, wherein the first quality factor is a function of the ratio R_CC.

22. The method claimed in claim 21, wherein:

said step of comparing includes determining a ratio R_NC between an estimated total time in queue for the new call in the first queue position and the first service objective value associated with the new call, wherein the second quality factor is a function of the ratio R_NC.

23. The method claimed in claim 22, wherein:

said step of comparing includes determining a ratio R_CS between an estimated total time in queue for the currently enqueued call in a subsequent queue position within said call queue and the second service objective value, wherein said subsequent queue position is a next queue position to said first queue position within said call queue, wherein the second quality factor is a function of the ratio R_CS.

24. The method claimed in claim 23, wherein:

said step of comparing includes determining a ratio R_NS between an estimated total time in queue for the new call in the subsequent queue position and the first service objective value, wherein the first quality factor is a function of the ratio R_NS.

25. The method claimed in claim 24, wherein:

said step of comparing includes determining whether said new call should be placed in said first queue position within said call queue based on values for R_CC, R_NC, R_CS, and R_NS.

26. The method claimed in claim 24, wherein:

said step of comparing includes ascertaining that said new call is to be placed in said first queue position when |R_NC−

R_CS|<

|R_NS−

R_CC|.

27. The method claimed in claim 17, wherein:

in said comparing step, when the second quality factor is less than the first quality factor, the new call is placed in the queue position of the currently enqueued call and the currently enqueued call is moved to a later queue position, and, when the second quality factor is not less than the first quality factor, the new call is not placed in the queue position of the currently enqueued call.

28. A computer readable medium comprising instructions to perform the steps claimed in claim 17.

29. The method claimed in claim 17, wherein, after the comparing step, the currently enqueued call is relocated to a different queue position, and the determined queue position for the new call is closer to a head of the call queue than the relocated queue position for the currently enqueued call.