Contact center business modeler

• US 7,912,205 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alvaria Cayman
• Original Assignee: Aspect Software Incorporated
• Inventors: Hollatz, Mike, Sumner, Roger, Wesen, Dave, Biggam, Sandy, Dezonno, Tony
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US11/015,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20060147025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,286 Days
• Field of Search: 37926501-2661, 379/265.02, 379/265.03, 705/8, 705/10, 705/11
• US Class Current: 379/265.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for automatic call distributors that route calls based in part on timely business information. The method includes providing a simulation model for calculating information and using this information from the model together with key process indicators information to generate decisions for routing calls.

Claims

1. A method for distribution of calls using a simulation engine to process information used for routing calls in a routing engine, said method comprising the steps of:

inputting information including business objectives, current business information and real-time key process information to the simulation engine from select business sources;

the simulation engine, using the input information, simulating key process indicators information which is sent directly to the routing engine for production based routing decisions, and collecting information from the routing engine for adjusting simulation engine parameters to match current router conditions for optimal transaction routing;

routing the calls automatically by the routing engine based on the information from the simulation engine including the simulated key process indicators information sent directly from the simulation engine.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending simulated output from the simulation engine and key process indicators information to a recommendation engine which compares the simulated output against business objectives and determines why a business objective cannot be satisfied and corrective action to satisfy the business objective.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising using statistics from a contact center reporting system in the simulation engine for contact routing decisions for directing the processing of calls.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising programming a business model into the simulator for calculating key process indicators values.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising enabling each of the business model parameters to be programmable to reflect different types of business models.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing for data for programming the model received through data communication automation technology.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising collecting current revenue information from a business system for processing a new simulation in the simulation engine and providing the result to the routing engine for making routing decisions.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising collecting information from a business system and inputting the information as key process indicator input for altering the behavior of the simulation model to provide differing outputs to the model as business results change.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising programming a business model into the simulator for calculating the overall business cost process in assigning routes to calls.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising inputting into the model information generated from one or more contact centers and using this information to assist in the routing of calls.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising connecting an interactive voice response unit to the routed calls.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining an average call handling time per call and inputting this information into the model.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a return on investment and displaying the return on investment.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising a probability measure as a means for making routing decisions in the simulation engine.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising collecting business information parameters from a router to provide information to the simulation model to make simulation and production based routing decisions.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing for the simulation model output to be communicated to a business system for generating routing decisions.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising sending the information generated by the simulation model to a key process indicator information system.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the simulation model has two modes wherein one mode allows entry of a model and the other mode allows only for altering simulation values to prevent changes to the structure of the model.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising combining an e-mail processing system in a contact center to provide key process indicator metrics used in combination with other contact center key process indicator information to provide an overall simulation of the effectiveness of the contact center.

20. A call distribution system that incorporates a simulation engine to process information used for routing calls in a routing engine, said system comprising:

means for inputting information including business objectives and real time key process information to the simulation engine from select business sources;

means for calculating and generating simulated information including simulated key process indicators from-in the simulation engine which simulated information is sent directly to the routing engine for production based routing decisions, and for collecting information from the routing engine to provide for simulation engine parameters to be adjusted to match the current router conditions for optimal transaction routing;

means for generating decisions for routing the calls based on the information from the engine including key process indicators information; and

means for routing a call based on the generated decisions.

21. The system of claim 20 further comprising means for sending simulated output from the simulation engine and key process indicators information to a recommendation engine which compares the simulated output against business objectives and determines why a business objective cannot be satisfied.

22. The system of claim 20 further comprising means for sending the simulated information generated from simulation engine to a recommended engine for determining corrective action to satisfy a business objective that cannot be satisfied.

23. The system of claim 20 further comprising means for programming a business model into the simulator for calculating key process indicators values.

24. The system of claim 23 further comprising means for enabling each of the business model parameters to be programmable to reflect different types of business models.

25. The system of claim 20 further comprising providing means for programming the model with data received through data communication automation technology.

26. The system of claim 20 further comprising means for allowing the simulation engine to collect current revenue information from a business system for processing a new simulation in the simulation engine and providing the result to the routing engine for making routing decisions.

27. The system of claim 20 further comprising means for collecting information from a business system and inputting the information as a key process indicator input for altering the behavior of the simulation model to provide differing outputs to the model as business results change.

28. A method of dynamically routing calls in a routing engine based on processed business information, the method comprising the steps of:

determining simulated key process indicators information in a simulation engine using business objectives, real time key process indicators, and current business information and sending the simulated key process indicator information directly to the routing engine, and the simulation engine collecting information from the routing engine to provide for simulation parameters to be adjusted to match the current router conditions for optimal transaction routing;

generating decisions for routing, by the routing engine, a plurality of calls based on the simulated key process indicators information send directly from the simulation engine; and

routing a plurality of calls automatically by the routing engine based upon the generated decisions.

29. The method of dynamically routing calls based on processed business information of claim 28 further comprising combining the key process indicators information with contact center call statistics to generate call routing decisions.

30. A method of dynamically routing calls based on processed business information of claim 28 further comprising calculating in combination information generated from a contact center with information generated from various business systems and using this information to generate call routing decisions.

31. The method of dynamically routing calls based on processed business information of claim 28 further comprising providing a simulation model to determine impacts on key process indicators information.

32. The method of dynamically routing calls based on processed business information of claim 28 further comprising providing a simulation model to assist with assigning routings of calls across multiple business objectives.

33. The method of dynamically routing calls of claim 28 further comprising correlating call associated information obtained from business systems with the content of a database of key process indicators information.

34. The method of dynamically routing calls based on processed business information of claim 28 further comprising providing for a contact center to evaluate its performance automatically by comparing metrics from other contact centers.

35. The method of dynamically routing calls based on processed business information of claim 28 further comprising providing for a recommendation engine to compare the simulated output from the simulation engine against required business objectives and showing reasons why a specific required business objective cannot be satisfied.

36. The method of dynamically routing calls based on processed business information of claim 35 further providing for the recommendation engine to suggest corrective action that can be taken to accomplish the specific required business objective.

37. An apparatus for dynamically routing calls in a routing engine based on processed business information, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining simulated key process indicators information in a simulation engine using business objectives and real-time key process indicators and sending the simulated information directly to the routing engine, and the simulation engine collecting information from the routing engine for adjusting simulation parameters to match current router conditions;

means for generating decisions for routing in a routing engine a plurality of calls based on the simulated key process indicators information; and

means for routing a plurality of calls automatically in the routing engine based upon the generated decisions.

38. The apparatus for dynamically routing calls based on processed business information of claim 37 further comprising means for combining the key process indicators information with contact center call statistics to generate call routing decisions.

39. The apparatus for dynamically routing calls based on processed business information of claim 37 further comprising means for calculating in combination information generated from a contact center with information generated from various business systems and using this information to generate call routing decisions.

40. A system for dynamically routing calls based on processed business information, the system comprising:

a simulation engine including a simulation model;

a simulation engine interface operatively coupled with a contact center system to communicate performance metrics of the contact center system to the simulation engine; and

a simulation engine interface operatively coupled with a business system to communicate performance metrics of the business system to the simulation engine and the simulation engine coupled to a routing engine to automatically route calls based on simulation results of the simulation engine coupled directly from the simulation engine to the routing engine for production based routing decisions, and the simulation engine collecting information from the routing engine to provide for simulation engine parameters to be adjusted to match current router conditions for optimal transaction routing.

41. The system for dynamically routing calls based on processed business information of claim 40 further comprising:

a routing engine for directing the processing of contact center transaction.

42. The system for dynamically routing calls based on processed business information of claim 40 further comprising a recommendation engine which compares the simulation results against business objectives to determine why a business objective cannot be satisfied and to determine corrective action to satisfy the business objective.

43. The system for dynamically routing calls based on processed business information of claim 40 further comprising an interactive voice response unit for the routed calls.

44. The system for dynamically routing calls of claim 40 further comprising an e-mail processing system.

45. The system for dynamically routing calls of claim 40 further comprising the simulation engine programmed with a threshold that determines when a recommendation should be made.