Call center administration manager

• US 7,366,293 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2001
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle Systems Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Borodow, Eli Ben, Ezerzer, Ran, Aljane, Ali, Jarquin, Roberto Armando Portillo, Holly, Gerald Augustin Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deane, Jr.; William J.
• Application Number:
  US09/798,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20030093533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,615 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.09, 379/266.01, 379/265.11, 379/221.14, 379/265.1
• US Class Current: 379/265.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing

Abstract

A network-based call center for managing a company'"'"'s interactions with its customers uses resources supplied by an application service provider. The call center stores sensitive information on a database within the company'"'"'s private network, behind a firewall. When a call center resource or another client or server obtains new sensitive information, the resource writes the information to the database and then erases the information. When a resource needs sensitive information stored on the database, the resource requests the information from the database, uses it, and then erases the information. The call center further provides a browser-based tool, running on the Internet, for enabling non-technical personnel of the company to provision a call center from the resources of the application service provider.

Claims

1. An administration manager apparatus for remotely administering multiple network-based company call centers using at least some service provider resources, the administration manager apparatus being remotely coupled to the call center through a network, the administration manager apparatus comprising a computer for running a program that allows an operator of the computer to remotely provide data to multiple network based call centers via a single interface, the provided data comprising:

a plurality of skill definitions describing capabilities of agents of the call center at endpoints of the call center, the agents servicing interactions with a plurality of call center customers, the capabilities being related to interaction servicing;

a plurality of agent descriptions, each agent description of the plurality of agent descriptions being associated with a different agent, said each agent description comprising;

one or more skill data objects, each skill data object identifying a skill definition to describe a capability of the agent associated with said each agent description; and

one or more efficiency ratings, one efficiency rating per one of said one or more skill data objects describing a capability of the agent associated with said each agent description, each efficiency rating being indicative of the efficiency of the agent associated with said each agent description in the corresponding capability; and

at least one workgroup definition of at least one workgroup, each of said at least one workgroup definition comprising a list of agents assigned to the defined at least one workgroup and one or more skill data objects assigned to the defined at least one workgroup definition.

2. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the provided data further comprises a company descriptor, the company descriptor comprising an identifier of the company and an identifier of an administrator of the company call center;

said each agent description further comprises an identifier of the agent associated with said each agent description;

and the skill data objects and the efficiency ratings enable the call center to route the interactions to the agents based at least in part on the agents'"'"' described capabilities and efficiency ratings.

3. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the provided data further comprises a maximum number of allowed concurrent interactions for the company call center.

4. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said each agent description further comprises a permission variable indicative of an authorization level of the agent associated with said each agent description, the permission variable in said each agent description directing the call center to allow and disallow the agent associated with said each agent description access to at least some information based on the value of the permission variable in said each agent description.

5. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said each agent description further comprises a first flag indicative of Follow Me activation for the agent associated with said each agent description, and a second flag indicative of call recording enablement for the agent associated with said each agent description.

6. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said each agent description further comprises:

an extension type variable indicative of a type of endpoint of the agent associated with said each agent description, the extension type variable being capable of indicating at least two different endpoint types from a list consisting of;

a local extension type, a virtual extension type, a VoIP extension type, a voice mail extension type, and a PBX extension type; and

an extension descriptor defining the endpoint of the agent associated with said each agent description.

7. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

the plurality of agent descriptions comprises a supervisory agent description associated with a supervisory agent of the call center;

a first value of the permission variable indicates supervisory authorization level;

when the permission variable indicates supervisory authorization level for the supervisory agent, the supervisory agent description further comprises a list of agents supervised by the supervisory agent, the first value of the permission variable directing the call center to enable the supervisory agent to see information displayed by the endpoints associated with the agents on the list to the agents on the list.

8. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

the provided data further comprises a plurality of agent status definitions, each agent status definition defining one of a plurality of agent statuses, each agent on the list being assigned one of the agent statuses depending on the state of said each agent on the list;

the first value of the permission variable directs the call center to enable the supervisory agent to see the status of said each agent on the list; and

the call center assigns the interactions to the agents based at least in part on the agents'"'"' statuses.

9. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said each agent description further comprises Interaction Manager configuration data for configuring Interaction Manager Options, the Interaction Manager configuration data comprising data for designating at least one default status for at least one state of the agent associated with said each agent description.

10. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of agent statuses comprises:

a busy agent status signifying an ongoing interaction with a call center customer;

a wrapup agent status signifying a time period immediately following a termination of an interaction with a call center customer, the time period being allowed for wrapup of the terminated interaction; and

an available agent status signifying availability for handling the interactions.

11. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said each agent description further comprises email parameters of the agent associated with said each agent description.

12. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said each agent description further comprises long distance enable flag for enabling and disabling long distance access of the agent associated with said each agent description.

13. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

outcomes of at least some interactions are characterized and stored in the call center; and

said each agent description further comprises an outcome access flag for enabling and disabling access to the stored outcome characterizations.

14. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the call center routes the interactions to the agents based at least in part on the agents'"'"' workgroup assignments.

15. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one workgroup definition comprises automatic call distributor configuration data means for configuring ACD options of the at least one workgroup.

16. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one workgroup definition comprises data means for substantially simultaneous modification of the skill data objects.

17. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

the provided data further comprises a first interaction script definition data object defining a first interaction script screen that the call center displays to one of the agents assigned to the defined at least one workgroup when a customer'"'"'s interaction is routed to said one of the assigned agents.

18. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

the provided data further comprises a first push URL definition data object defining a first push screen pop-up window that the call center is capable of pushing to a computer of a first customer of the plurality of call center customers for display on the first customer'"'"'s computer when the first customer interacts with the call center by computer chat interaction;

the at least one workgroup definition further comprises a first workgroup definition of a first workgroup, the first workgroup definition comprising a first list of agents assigned to the first workgroup;

the provided data further comprises chat project definition data for creating a chat project, the chat project definition data defining handling of the chat interaction by the agents assigned to the first workgroup, the chat project definition data comprising an identifier of the first push screen pop-up window and an identifier of a point within the chat interaction where the call center pushes the first push screen pop-up window to the first customer'"'"'s computer for display on the first customer'"'"'s computer.

19. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one workgroup definition further comprises a first workgroup definition of a first workgroup, the first workgroup definition comprising an instruction directing the call center automatically to return to the first workgroup a first call abandoned after being routed to the first workgroup.

20. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

the at least one workgroup definition further comprises a first workgroup definition of a first workgroup, the first workgroup definition comprising a first list of agents assigned to the first workgroup;

the provided data further comprises email project definition data for creating an email project defining handling of an email interaction by the agents assigned to the first workgroup, the email project definition data comprising email configuration data for configuring an email server for use by the agents assigned to the first workgroup in processing the email interaction.

21. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

the provided data further comprises at least one workgroup definition of at least one workgroup, each said at least one workgroup definition comprising a list of agents assigned to the corresponding defined workgroup;

the call center assigns the interactions to the agents based at least in part on the agents'"'"' workgroup assignments; and

the provided data further comprises a plurality of menu definition data objects defining a plurality of configurable project menus, each configurable project menu enabling a call center customer to route an interaction of the customer, said each configurable project menu comprising menu event definition data for defining a destination for the routed interaction based on touch-tone input of the customer, or for defining a default destination for the routed interaction.

22. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 21, wherein:

the at least one workgroup definition further comprises a first workgroup definition of a first workgroup, the first workgroup definition comprising a first list of agents assigned to the first workgroup;

the provided data further comprises predictive project definition data for creating a predictive project defining handling of outbound telephone call interactions originated by the agents assigned to the first workgroup, the predictive project definition data comprising a first number for setting a minimum number of attempts to place each of the outbound telephone call interactions, and a second number for setting a maximum number of attempts to place said each of the outbound telephone call interactions.

23. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

the provided data further comprises at least one workgroup definition of at least one workgroup, each said at least one workgroup definition comprising a list of agents assigned to the corresponding defined workgroup;

the provided data further comprises phone project definition data for creating a phone project defining handling of telephone call interactions received by the call center based at least in part on telephone numbers dialed by call center customers who originated the received telephone call interactions; and

the call center assigns the received interactions to the agents based at least in part on the agents'"'"' workgroup assignments and the telephone numbers dialed by call center customers who originated the received telephone call interactions.

24. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the phone project definition data further comprises a plurality of menu definition data objects defining a plurality of configurable project menus, each configurable project menu enabling a call center customer who originated one of the received telephone call interactions to route the interaction, said each configurable project menu comprising menu event definition data for defining a destination for the routed interaction based on touch-tone input of the customer, or for defining a default destination for the routed interaction.

25. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the plurality of menu definition data objects comprises:

a first menu definition data object defining a first configurable project menu, the first configurable project menu comprising first menu event definition data defining a first destination; and

a second menu definition data object defining a second configurable project menu, the second configurable project menu comprising second menu event definition data defining a second destination;

wherein the first destination is the second configurable project menu, thereby creating a first call flow data object.

26. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the provided data further comprises a web callback project definition data for creating a web callback project defining handling of an outbound telephone call interaction in response to a computer network-based interaction originated by a first call center customer requesting a callback.

27. An administration manager apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the provided data further comprises:

a first workgroup definition of a first workgroup, the first workgroup definition comprising a first list of agents assigned to the first workgroup; and

first project definition data for creating a first project and defining handling of at least some interactions based at least in part on parameters of each of said at least some interactions, the first project definition data comprising first schedule definition data for setting times when the first project is active, and a first workgroup identifier for identifying the first workgroup in order to route interactions whose parameters indicate handling by the first workgroup to the agents assigned to the first workgroup when the first project is active, the first schedule definition data permitting the call center to remove at least some resources used for servicing the interactions whose parameters indicate handling by the first workgroup during at least some time period when the first schedule definition data does not indicate that the first project is active.

28. A method for remotely administering a multiple network-based company call centers through a single interface and using at least some service provider resources, the method comprising the steps of:

remotely coupling a computer to a call center through a network, said computer capable of acting as a single interface for remotely providing data to the multiple network based data center,

selecting a network based call center from the multiple network based call centers for remotely providing data to the selected call center, wherein providing data includes;

providing a plurality of skill definitions describing capabilities of agents of the call center at endpoints of the call center, the agents servicing interactions with a plurality of call center customers, the capabilities being related to interaction servicing; and

providing a plurality of agent descriptions, each agent description of the plurality of agent descriptions being associated with a different agent, said each agent description comprising;

one or more skill data objects, each skill data object identifying a skill definition to describe a capability of the agent associated with said each agent description; and

one or more efficiency ratings, one efficiency rating per one of said one or more skill data objects describing a capability of the agent associated with said each agent description, each efficiency rating being indicative of the efficiency of the agent associated with said each agent description in the corresponding capability; and

providing at least one workgroup definition of at least one workgroup, each said at least one workgroup definition comprising a list of agents assigned to the defined at least one workgroup and one or more skill data objects assigned to the defined at least one workgroup definition.

29. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 28, further comprising the step of providing to the call center, through the network and the computer coupled to the network, a company descriptor, the company descriptor comprising an identifier of the company and an identifier of an administrator of the company call center;

wherein;

said each agent description further comprises an identifier of the agent associated with said each agent description; and

the skill data objects and the efficiency ratings enable the call center to route the interactions to the agents based at least in part on the agents'"'"' described capabilities and efficiency ratings.

30. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 29, further comprising the step of providing to the call center, through the network and the computer coupled to the network, a maximum number of allowed concurrent interactions for the company call center.

31. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 29, wherein said each agent description further comprises a permission variable indicative of an authorization level of the agent associated with said each agent description, the permission variable in said each agent description directing the call center to allow and disallow the agent associated with said each agent description access to at least some information based on the value of the permission variable in said each agent description.

32. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 31, wherein said each agent description further comprises a first flag indicative of Follow Me activation for the agent associated with said each agent description, and a second flag indicative of call recording enablement for the agent associated with said each agent description.

33. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 31, wherein said each agent description further comprises:

an extension type variable indicative of a type of endpoint of the agent associated with said each agent description, the extension type variable being capable of indicating at least two different endpoint types from a list consisting of;

a local extension type, a virtual extension type, a VoIP extension type, a voice mail extension type, and a PBX extension type; and

an extension descriptor defining the endpoint of the agent associated with said each agent description.

34. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 31, wherein:

the plurality of agent descriptions comprises a supervisory agent description associated with a supervisory agent of the call center;

a first value of the permission variable indicates supervisory authorization level;

when the permission variable indicates supervisory authorization level for the supervisory agent, the supervisory agent description further comprises a list of agents supervised by the supervisory agent, the first value of the permission variable directing the call center to enable the supervisory agent to see information displayed by the endpoints associated with the agents on the list to the agents on the list.

35. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 34, further comprising the step of providing to the call center, through the network and the computer coupled to the network, a plurality of agent status definitions, each agent status definition defining one of a plurality of agent statuses, each agent on the list being assigned one of the agent statuses depending on the state of said each agent on the list;

wherein;

the first value of the permission variable directs the call center to enable the supervisory agent to see the status of said each agent on the list; and

the call center assigns the interactions to the agents based at least in part on the agents'"'"' statuses.

36. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 35, wherein said each agent description further comprises Interaction Manager configuration data for configuring Interaction Manager Options, the Interaction Manager configuration data comprising data for designating at least one default status for at least one state of the agent associated with said each agent description.

37. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 35, wherein the plurality of agent statuses comprises:

a busy agent status signifying an ongoing interaction with a call center customer;

a wrapup agent status signifying a time period immediately following a termination of an interaction with a call center customer, the time period being allowed for wrapup of the terminated interaction; and

an available agent status signifying availability for handling the interactions.

38. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 29, wherein said each agent description further comprises email parameters of the agent associated with said each agent description.

39. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 29, wherein said each agent description further comprises long distance enable flag for enabling and disabling long distance access of the agent associated with said each agent description.

40. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 29, further comprising the step of characterizing outcomes of at least some interactions and storing the characterized outcomes in the call center;

wherein said each agent description further comprises an outcome access flag for enabling and disabling access to the stored outcome characterizations.

41. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 29,

wherein the call center routes the interactions to the agents based at least in part on the agents'"'"' workgroup assignments.

42. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 31, wherein at least one workgroup definition comprises automatic call distributor configuration data means for configuring ACD options of the at least one workgroup.

43. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 31, wherein the at least one workgroup definition comprises data means for substantially simultaneous modification of the skill data objects.

44. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 31, further comprising the step of providing to the call center, through the network and the computer coupled to the network, a first interaction script definition data object defining a first interaction script screen that the call center displays to one of the agents assigned to the defined at least one workgroup when a customer'"'"'s interaction is routed to said one of the assigned agents.

45. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 41, wherein the at least one workgroup definition further comprises a first workgroup definition of a first workgroup, the first workgroup definition comprising a first list of agents assigned to the first workgroup;

the method further comprising the steps of;

providing to the call center, through the network and the computer coupled to the network, a first push URL definition data object defining a first push screen pop-up window that the call center is capable of pushing to a computer of a first customer of the plurality of call center customers for display on the first customer'"'"'s computer when the first customer interacts with the call center by computer chat interaction; and

providing to the call center, through the network and the computer coupled to the network, chat project definition data for creating a chat project, the chat project definition data defining handling of the chat interaction by the agents assigned to the first workgroup, the chat project definition data comprising an identifier of the first push screen pop-up window and an identifier of a point within the chat interaction where the call center pushes the first push screen pop-up window to the first customer'"'"'s computer for display on the first customer'"'"'s computer.

46. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 41, wherein the at least one workgroup definition further comprises a first workgroup definition of a first workgroup, the first workgroup definition comprising an instruction directing the call center automatically to return to the first workgroup a first call abandoned after being routed to the first workgroup.

47. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 41, wherein the at least one workgroup definition further comprises a first workgroup definition of a first workgroup, the first workgroup definition comprising a first list of agents assigned to the first workgroup;

the method further comprising the step of providing to the call center, though the network and the computer coupled to the network, email project definition data for creating an email project defining handling of an email interaction by the agents assigned to the first workgroup, the email project definition data comprising email configuration data for configuring an email server for use by the agents assigned to the first workgroup in processing the email interaction.

48. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 33, further comprising the steps of:

providing to the call center, through the network and the computer coupled to the network, at least one workgroup definition of at least one workgroup, each said at least one workgroup definition comprising a list of agents assigned to the corresponding defined workgroup; and

providing to the call center, through the network and the computer coupled to the network, a plurality of menu definition data objects defining a plurality of configurable project menus, each configurable project menu enabling a call center customer to route an interaction of the customer, said each configurable project menu comprising menu event definition data for defining a destination for the routed interaction based on touch-tone input of the customer, or for defining a default destination for the routed interaction;

wherein the call center assigns the interactions to the agents based at least in part on the agents'"'"' workgroup assignments.

49. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 48, wherein the at least one workgroup definition further comprises a first workgroup definition of a first workgroup, the first workgroup definition comprising a first list of agents assigned to the first workgroup;

the method further comprising the step of providing to the call center, through the network and the computer coupled to the network, predictive project definition data for creating a predictive project defining handling of outbound telephone call interactions originated by the agents assigned to the first workgroup, the predictive project definition data comprising a first number for setting a minimum number of attempts to place each of the outbound telephone call interactions, and a second number for setting a maximum number of attempts to place said each of the outbound telephone call interactions.

50. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 33, further comprising the step of:

providing to the call center, through the network and the computer coupled to the network, at least one workgroup definition of at least one workgroup, each said at least one workgroup definition comprising a list of agents assigned to the corresponding defined workgroup;

providing to the call center, through the network and the computer coupled to the network, phone project definition data for creating a phone project defining handling of telephone call interactions received by the call center based at least in part on telephone numbers dialed by call center customers who made the received telephone call interactions;

wherein the call center assigns the received telephone call interactions to the agents based at least in part on the agents'"'"' workgroup assignments and the telephone numbers dialed by call center customers who originated the received telephone call interactions.

51. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 50, wherein the phone project definition data further comprises a plurality of menu definition data objects defining a plurality of configurable project menus, each configurable project menu enabling a call center customer who originated one of the received telephone call interactions to route the interaction, said each configurable project menu comprising menu event definition data for defining a destination for the routed interaction based on touch-tone input of the customer, or for defining a default destination for the routed interaction.

52. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 51, wherein the plurality of menu definition data objects comprises:

a first menu definition data object defining a first configurable project menu, the first configurable project menu comprising first menu event definition data defining a first destination; and

a second menu definition data object defining a second configurable project menu, the second configurable project menu comprising second menu event definition data defining a second destination;

wherein the first destination is the second configurable project menu, thereby creating a first call flow data object.

53. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 41, further comprising the step of providing to the call center, through the network and the computer coupled to the network, web callback project definition data for creating a web callback project defining handling of an outbound telephone call interaction in response to a computer network-based interaction originated by a first call center customer requesting a callback.

54. A method for administering a network-based company call center according to claim 33, further comprising the steps of:

providing to the call center, through the network and the computer coupled to the network, a first workgroup definition of a first workgroup, the first workgroup definition comprising a first list of agents assigned to the first workgroup; and

providing to the call center, through the network and the computer coupled to the network, first project definition data for creating a first project and defining handling of at least some interactions based at least in part on parameters of each of said at least some interactions, the first project definition data comprising first schedule definition data for setting times when the first project is active, and a first workgroup identifier for identifying the first workgroup in order to route interactions whose parameters indicate handling by the first workgroup to the agents assigned to the first workgroup when the first project is active, the first schedule definition data permitting the call center to remove at least some resources used for servicing the interactions whose parameters indicate handling by the first workgroup during at least some time period when the first schedule definition data does not indicate that the first project is active.

55. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code, wherein, when the computer code is executed on a computer remotely coupled to a multiple network based call centers with at least some service provider resources, the computer enables an operator of the computer to remotely configure the multiple call center from a single interface by providing data to the call center, the provided data comprising:

a plurality of skill definitions describing potentially available capabilities of agents of the call center at endpoints of the call center, the agents servicing interactions with a plurality of call center customers, the agents having capabilities related to interaction servicing;

a plurality of agent descriptions, each agent description of the plurality of agent descriptions being associated with a different agent, said each agent description comprising;

one or more skill data objects, each skill data object identifying a skill definition to describe a capability of the agent associated with said each agent description; and

one or more efficiency ratings, one efficiency rating per one of said one or more skill data objects describing a capability of the agent associated with said each agent description, each efficiency rating being indicative of the efficiency of the agent associated with said each agent description in the corresponding capability; and

at least one workgroup definition of at least one workgroup, each said at least one workgroup definition comprising a list of agents assigned to the defined at least one workgroup and one or more skill data objects assigned to the defined at least one workgroup definition.

56. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 55, wherein:

the provided data further comprises a company descriptor, the company descriptor comprising an identifier of the company and an identifier of an administrator of the company call center;

said each agent description further comprises an identifier of the agent associated with said each agent description; and

the skill data objects and the efficiency ratings enable the call center to route the interactions to the agents based at least in part on the agents'"'"' described capabilities and efficiency ratings.

57. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 56, wherein the provided data further comprises a maximum number of allowed concurrent interactions for the company call center.

58. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 56, wherein said each agent description further comprises a permission variable indicative of an authorization level of the agent associated with said each agent description, the permission variable in said each agent description directing the call center to allow and disallow the agent associated with said each agent description access to at least some information based on the value of the permission variable in said each agent description.

59. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 58, wherein said each agent description further comprises a first flag indicative of Follow Me activation for the agent associated with said each agent description, and a second flag indicative of call recording enablement for the agent associated with said each agent description.

60. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 58, wherein said each agent description further comprises:

an extension type variable indicative of a type of endpoint of the agent associated with said each agent description, the extension type variable being capable of indicating at least two different endpoint types from a list consisting of;

a local extension type, a virtual extension type, a VoIP extension type, a voice mail extension type, and a PBX extension type; and

an extension descriptor defining the endpoint of the agent associated with said each agent description.

61. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 58, wherein:

the plurality of agent descriptions comprises a supervisory agent description associated with a supervisory agent of the call center;

a first value of the permission variable indicates supervisory authorization level;

when the permission variable indicates supervisory authorization level for the supervisory agent, the supervisory agent description further comprises a list of agents supervised by the supervisory agent, the first value of the permission variable directing the call center to enable the supervisory agent to see information displayed by the endpoints associated with the agents on the list to the agents on the list.

62. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 61, wherein:

the provided data further comprises a plurality of agent status definitions, each agent status definition defining one of a plurality of agent statuses, each agent on the list being assigned one of the agent statuses depending on the state of said each agent on the list;

the first value of the permission variable directs the call center to enable the supervisory agent to see the status of said each agent on the list; and

the call center assigns the interactions to the agents based at least in part on the agents'"'"' statuses.

63. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 62, wherein said each agent description further comprises Interaction Manager configuration data for configuring Interaction Manager Options, the Interaction Manager configuration data comprising data for designating at least one default status for at least one state of the agent associated with said each agent description.

64. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 62, wherein the plurality of agent statuses comprises:

a busy agent status signifying an ongoing interaction with a call center customer;

a wrapup agent status signifying a time period immediately following a termination of an interaction with a call center customer, the time period being allowed for wrapup of the terminated interaction; and

an available agent status signifying availability for handling the interactions.

65. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 56, wherein said each agent description further comprises email parameters of the agent associated with said each agent description.

66. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 56, wherein said each agent description further comprises long distance enable flag for enabling and disabling long distance access of the agent associated with said each agent description.

67. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 56, wherein:

outcomes of at least some interactions are characterized and stored in the call center; and

said each agent description further comprises an outcome access flag for enabling and disabling access to the stored outcome characterizations.

68. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 56, wherein:

the provided data further comprises at least one workgroup definition of at least one workgroup, each said at least one workgroup definition comprising a list of agents assigned to the defined at least one workgroup; and

the call center routes the interactions to the agents based at least in part on the agents'"'"' workgroup assignments.

69. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 68, wherein the at least one workgroup definition comprises automatic call distributor configuration data means for configuring ACD options of the at least one workgroup.

70. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 68, wherein the at least one workgroup definition comprises data means for substantially simultaneous modification of the skill data objects of all agents assigned to the workgroup corresponding to the at least one workgroup definition.

71. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 68, wherein the provided data further comprises a first interaction script definition data object defining a first interaction script screen that the call center displays to one of the agents assigned to the defined at least one workgroup when a customer'"'"'s interaction is routed to said one of the assigned agents.

72. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 68, wherein:

the provided data further comprises a first push URL definition data object defining a first push screen pop-up window that the call center is capable of pushing to a computer of a first customer of the plurality of call center customers for display on the first customer'"'"'s computer when the first customer interacts with the call center by computer chat interaction;

the at least one workgroup definition further comprises a first workgroup definition of a first workgroup, the first workgroup definition comprising a first list of agents assigned to the first workgroup;

the provided data further comprises chat project definition data for creating a chat project, the chat project definition data defining handling of the chat interaction by the agents assigned to the first workgroup, the chat project definition data comprising an identifier of the first push screen pop-up window and an identifier of a point within the chat interaction where the call center pushes the first push screen pop-up window to the first customer'"'"'s computer for display on the first customer'"'"'s computer.

73. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 68, wherein the at least one workgroup definition further comprises a first workgroup definition of a first workgroup, the first workgroup definition comprising an instruction directing the call center automatically to return to the first workgroup a first call abandoned after being routed to the first workgroup.

74. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 68, wherein:

the at least one workgroup definition further comprises a first workgroup definition of a first workgroup, the first workgroup definition comprising a first list of agents assigned to the first workgroup;

the provided data further comprises email project definition data for creating an email project defining handling of an email interaction by the agents assigned to the first workgroup, the email project definition data comprising email configuration data for configuring an email server for use by the agents assigned to the first workgroup in processing the email interaction.

75. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 60, wherein:

the provided data further comprises at least one workgroup definition of at least one workgroup, each said at least one workgroup definition comprising a list of agents assigned to the corresponding defined workgroup;

the call center assigns the interactions to the agents based at least in part on the agents'"'"' workgroup assignments; and

the provided data further comprises a plurality of menu definition data objects defining a plurality of configurable project menus, each configurable project menu enabling a call center customer to route an interaction of the customer, said each configurable project menu comprising menu event definition data for defining a destination for the routed interaction based on touch-tone input of the customer, or for defining a default destination for the routed interaction.

76. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 75, wherein:

the at least one workgroup definition further comprises a first workgroup definition of a first workgroup, the first workgroup definition comprising a first list of agents assigned to the first workgroup;

the provided data further comprises predictive project definition data for creating a predictive project defining handling of outbound telephone call interactions originated by the agents assigned to the first workgroup, the predictive project definition data comprising a first number for setting a minimum number of attempts to place each of the outbound telephone call interactions, and a second number for setting a maximum number of attempts to place said each of the outbound telephone call interactions.

77. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 60, wherein:

the provided data further comprises at least one workgroup definition of at least one workgroup, each said at least one workgroup definition comprising a list of agents assigned to the corresponding defined workgroup;

the provided data further comprises phone project definition data for creating a phone project defining handling of telephone call interactions received by the call center based at least in part on telephone numbers dialed by call center customers who originated the received telephone call interactions; and

the call center assigns the received interactions to the agents based at least in part on the agents'"'"' workgroup assignments and the telephone numbers dialed by call center customers who originated the received telephone call interactions.

78. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 77, wherein the phone project definition data further comprises a plurality of menu definition data objects defining a plurality of configurable project menus, each configurable project menu enabling a call center customer who originated one of the received telephone call interactions to route the interaction, said each configurable project menu comprising menu event definition data for defining a destination for the routed interaction based on touch-tone input of the customer, or for defining a default destination for the routed interaction.

79. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 78, wherein the plurality of menu definition data objects comprises:

a first menu definition data object defining a first configurable project menu, the first configurable project menu comprising first menu event definition data defining a first destination; and

a second menu definition data object defining a second configurable project menu, the second configurable project menu comprising second menu event definition data defining a second destination;

wherein the first destination is the second configurable project menu, thereby creating a first call flow data object.

80. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 68, wherein the provided data further comprises a web callback project definition data for creating a web callback project defining handling of an outbound telephone call interaction in response to a computer network-based interaction originated by a first call center customer requesting a callback.

81. A computer readable medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code according to claim 60, wherein the provided data further comprises:

a first workgroup definition of a first workgroup, the first workgroup definition comprising a first list of agents assigned to the first workgroup; and

first project definition data for creating a first project and defining handling of at least some interactions based at least in part on parameters of each of said at least some interactions, the first project definition data comprising first schedule definition data for setting times when the first project is active, and a first workgroup identifier for identifying the first workgroup in order to route interactions whose parameters indicate handling by the first workgroup to the agents assigned to the first workgroup when the first project is active, the first schedule definition data permitting the call center to remove at least some resources used for servicing the interactions whose parameters indicate handling by the first workgroup during at least some time period when the first schedule definition data does not indicate that the first project is active.