System and method for integrated resource scheduling, task allocation and agent work management

• US 7,127,059 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2003
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Galvin, Brian R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US10/373,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20030161463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 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, 379/266.07, 705/8, 705/9
• US Class Current: 379/265.03
• 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

According to the invention, a system and method for integrating agent scripting, call routing and workforce management functions in contact centers, enabling them to work together without opposing the influence of the workforce management system against those of the other two systems, is disclosed. In an embodiment of the invention, a feedback mechanism is provided between the agent scripting engine and either the forecasting engine or the adherence module of the workforce management system, or both. This feedback mechanism is used to pass useful information dynamically between the said workforce management system and the said agent scripting engine, said information exchange being unidirectional in either direction, or bidirectional. A similar feedback mechanism is provided between the routing system and either the forecasting engine or the adherence module of the workforce management system, or both. This second feedback mechanism is used to pass useful information dynamically between the said workforce management system and the said call routing system, said information exchange being unidirectional in either direction, or bidirectional. In another embodiment of the invention, a method in which information is passed from an agent scripting engine and a call routing system to the forecasting engine or adherence module of a workforce management system, or both, is disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for integrating agent scripting, call routing and workforce management functions in contact centers, comprising:

a workforce management system consisting of at least a forecasting engine, a business rules module, a scheduling engine, and an adherence module;

a routing system;

an agent scripting engine;

a feedback mechanism between the said agent scripting engine and either the said forecasting engine or the said adherence module of the said workforce management system, or both; and

a feedback mechanism between the said call routing system and either the said forecasting engine or the said adherence module of the said workforce management system, or both;

wherein useful information is exchanged dynamically between the said workforce management system and the said agent scripting engine and call routing system, said information exchange being unidirectional in either direction with respect to the said workforce management system, or bidirectional.

2. A method for integrating agent scripting, call routing and workforce management functions in contact centers, the method comprising of the steps of:

providing a software-based feedback mechanism between the agent scripting engine and the workforce management system;

providing a software-based feedback mechanism between the call routing system and the workforce management system;

using the first said feedback mechanism to pass useful information from the workforce management system dynamically to the agent scripting engine;

using the second said feedback mechanism to pass useful information from the workforce management system dynamically to the routing system; and

modifying the behavior of the said agent scripting engine and routing system to take advantage of the information thus provided from the said workforce management system.

3. A method for integrating agent scripting, call routing and workforce management functions in contact centers, the method comprising of the steps of:

providing a software-based feedback mechanism between the agent scripting engine and the workforce management system;

providing a software-based feedback mechanism between the call routing system and the workforce management system;

using the first said feedback mechanism to pass useful information from the agent scripting engine dynamically to the workforce management system;

using the second said feedback mechanism to pass useful information from the routing system dynamically to the workforce management system; and

modifying the behavior of the said workforce management system to take advantage of the information thus provided from the said agent scripting engine and the said routing system.