System and method of scheduling assisted-service travel terminal representatives

• US 7,313,535 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2002
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Goodwin, John C. III, Halpern, Michael Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanty; Romain
• Application Number:
  US10/093,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20030171966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,119 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/9, 705/6, 705/7, 705/5
• US Class Current: 705/7.21
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data

Abstract

A system and method of scheduling assisted-service travel terminal representatives which optimizes staffing of assisted-service travel terminals. The system includes a computer for analyzing the first travel information from a plurality of self-service travel terminals and second travel information from a plurality of assisted-service travel terminals to obtain a schedule of operation for the assisted-service travel terminals including optimal numbers of the travel terminal representatives, and for generating a report containing the schedule.

Claims

1. A method of scheduling assisted-service travel terminal representatives comprising the steps of:

(a) storing travel information;

(b) reading the travel information;

(c) analyzing the travel information;

(d) scheduling the assisted-service travel terminal representatives, based at least in part on analyzing the travel information; and

(e) generating a report containing the schedule, wherein the travel information comprises anticipated passenger loads and current assisted-service travel terminal representative work schedules, and wherein step (c) comprises the substeps of;

(c-1) identifying times for which at least a predetermined quantity of assisted-service travel terminal representatives are scheduled to work; and

(c-2) identifying times for which no more than a predetermined quantity of assisted-service travel terminal representatives are scheduled to work.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the scheduling of the assisted-service travel terminal representatives is optimized to provide for one of improved customer service or reduced waste.

3. A method of scheduling assisted-service travel terminal representatives comprising the steps of:

(a) storing travel information;

(b) reading the travel information;

(c) analyzing the travel information;

(d) scheduling the assisted-service travel terminal representatives, based at least in part on analyzing the travel information; and

(e) generating a report containing the schedule, wherein the travel information comprises historical usage of self-service travel terminals and historical usage of assisted-service travel terminals, and wherein step (c) comprises the substeps of;

(c-1) determining a number of passengers that would use self-service travel terminals during a given time; and

(c-2) determining assisted-service travel terminal usage from when self-service travel terminals are not used.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the scheduling of the assisted-service travel terminal representatives is optimized to provide for one of improved customer service or reduced waste.

5. A method of scheduling assisted-service travel terminal representatives comprising the steps of:

(a) storing travel information;

(b) reading the travel information;

(c) analyzing the travel information;

(d) scheduling the assisted-service travel terminal representatives, based at least in part on analyzing the travel information; and

(e) generating a report containing the schedule, wherein the travel information comprises travel time and usage of assisted-service travel terminals, and wherein step (c) comprises the substeps of;

(c-1) comparing the travel time to the usage of assisted-service travel terminals; and

(c-2) determining travel times at which self-service travel terminals are utilized no more than a predetermined quantity of time by passengers and assisted-service travel terminals are utilized at least a predetermined quantity of time by passengers.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the scheduling of the assisted-service travel terminal representatives is optimized to provide for one of improved customer service or reduced waste.

7. A method of scheduling assisted-service travel terminal representatives comprising the steps of:

(a) storing travel information;

(b) reading the travel information;

(c) analyzing the travel information;

(d) scheduling the assisted-service travel terminal representatives, based at least in part on analyzing the travel information; and

(e) generating a report containing the schedule, wherein the travel information comprises travel destinations and use of self-service travel terminals by passengers going to the destinations, and wherein step (c) comprises the substeps of;

(c-1) comparing the travel destinations to use of self-service travel terminals by passengers going to the destinations; and

(c-2) determining destinations for which the self-service travel terminals are utilized no more than a predetermined quantity of time by passengers and assisted-service travel terminals are utilized at least a predetermined quantity of time by passengers.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the scheduling of the assisted-service travel terminal representatives is optimized to provide for one of improved customer service or reduced waste.

9. A system for scheduling assisted-service travel terminal representatives comprising;

a plurality of self-service travel terminals for storing first travel information;

a plurality of assisted-service travel terminals for storing second travel information; and

a computer operable to (i) analyze the first and second travel information, (ii) schedule the assisted-service travel terminal representatives, based at least in part on analyzing the travel information, and (iii) generating a report containing the schedule, wherein the first travel information comprises anticipated passenger loads, wherein the second travel information comprises current assisted-service travel terminal representative work schedules, and wherein the computer is adapted to analyze and schedule the assisted-service travel terminal representatives based on identifying times for which at least a predetermined quantity of assisted-service travel terminal representatives are scheduled to work; and

identifying times for which no more than a predetermined quantity of assisted-service travel terminal representatives are scheduled to work.

10. A system for scheduling assisted-service travel terminal representatives comprising;

a plurality of self-service travel terminals for storing first travel information;

a plurality of assisted-service travel terminals for storing second travel information; and

a computer operable to (i) analyze the first and second travel information. (ii) schedule the assisted-service travel terminal representatives, based at least in part on analyzing the travel information, and (iii) generating a report containing the schedule, wherein the first travel information comprises historical usage of self-service travel terminals, wherein the second travel information comprises historical usage of assisted-service travel terminals, and wherein the computer is adapted to analyze and schedule the assisted-service travel terminal representatives based on determining a number of passengers that would use self-service travel terminals during a given time; and

determining assisted-service travel terminal usage from when self-service travel terminals are not used.

11. A system for scheduling assisted-service travel terminal representatives comprising;

a plurality of self-service travel terminals for storing first travel information;

a plurality of assisted-service travel terminals for storing second travel information; and

a computer operable to (i) analyze the first and second travel information, (ii) schedule the assisted-service travel terminal representatives, based at least in part on analyzing the travel information, and (iii) generating a report containing the schedule, wherein the first travel information comprises travel time, wherein the second travel information comprises usage of assisted-service travel terminals, and wherein the computer is adapted to analyze and schedule the assisted-service travel terminal representatives based on comparing the first information to the second information; and

determining travel times at which self-service travel terminals are utilized no more than a predetermined quantity by passengers and assisted-service travel terminals are utilized at least a predetermined quantity by passengers.

12. A system for scheduling assisted-service travel terminal representatives comprising;

a plurality of self-service travel terminals for storing first travel information;

a plurality of assisted-service travel terminals for storing second travel information; and

a computer operable to (i) analyze the first and second travel information, (ii) schedule the assisted-service travel terminal representatives, based at least in part on analyzing the travel information, and (iii) generating a report containing the schedule, wherein the first travel information comprises travel destinations and, wherein the second information comprises use of self-service travel terminals by passengers going to the destinations, and wherein the computer is adapted to analyze and schedule the assisted-service travel terminal representatives based on comparing the first information to the second information and determining destinations for which the self-service travel terminals are utilized no more than a predetermined quantity utilized by the passengers and assisted-service travel terminals are utilized at least a predetermined quantity by the passengers.