Method, system and program product for planning and managing a call center study

• US 8,019,636 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ricketts, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jasmin; Lynda C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller; Alan
• Application Number:
  US10/951,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20060074700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,541 Days
• Field of Search: 705/10, 705/7.29, 705 731- 733, 705/7.11, 715700-715
• US Class Current: 705/7.29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

Under the present invention, a call center study is planned and managed. Specifically, a call center study is first designed based on specific parameters such as customer segments, products, call types and population size. Thereafter, target values and assumed resource values are provided so that a target sample size and a required resources value can be computed. The call center study can then be planned based on the target sample size and required resources. As the study is being performed, calls will be tracked and monitored so that actual sample sizes can be determined. These values will be used to compute actual accuracy levels for the study, which will be compared to a previously provided target accuracy level. Based on this comparison, it can be decided whether the study should be terminated or continued.

Claims

1. A method for planning a call center study, comprising:

receiving, on a computer device, a set of customer segments, a plurality of products for each customer segment of the set of customer segments, and a plurality of call types for each product of the plurality of products, and a population size for the call center study for a single call center, wherein the call types include a subject matter of a call chosen from the group consisting of;

account inquiries, sales calls, trouble shooting calls, billing questions, and account activations;

developing, on the computer device, a matrix of cells representing the call center study in a column-row format based on the set of customer segments, products and call types, wherein each of the cells pertains to a single call type for a single customer segment and a single product;

receiving, on the computer device, a target confidence level, a target accuracy level and a target unusable call level for each of the call types for each of the plurality of products of the call center study, and computing on the computer device, a target sample size for each of the call types for each of the plurality of products of the call center study based on the target confidence level, the target accuracy level and the target unusable call level;

receiving, on the computer device, assumed values for calls per hour, hours per day and days in a schedule, and computing required resources to perform the call center study based on the assumed values and the target sample size;

planning, on the computer device, based on each of the receiving steps, a schedule for the call center study based on the required resources and any associated constraints and populating the matrix of cells based on each of the receiving steps;

receiving, on the computer device, at least one actual sample size for each of the call types for each of the plurality of products of the call center study and populating the matrix of cells with the at least one actual sample size;

computing, on the computer device, at least one actual accuracy level for each of the call types for each of the plurality of products of the call center study based on the at least one actual sample size;

comparing, on the computer device, the at least one actual accuracy level to the target accuracy level; and

individually determining, on the computer device, whether to terminate or continue the call center study for each of the call types for each of the plurality of products based on the comparing.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the call center study based on the target sample size and the constraints.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the modifying step comprises an action selected from the group consisting of eliminating a call type from the call center study, eliminating a product from the call center study, and combining products for a customer segment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the cells of the matrix are populated throughout the call center study with the population size, at least one target sample size and the at least one actual sample size.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising stopping the monitoring when the at least one actual sample size meets or exceeds the target sample size.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing step is performed using a Z-value algorithm.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of customer segments, products and call types, the population size, the target confidence level, the target accuracy level, the target unusable call level and the assumed values are received in a computer-implemented tool, and wherein the target sample size and the required resources are computed with the computer-implemented tool.

8. A computer-implemented method for planning a call center study, comprising:

inputting a set of customer segments, a plurality of associated products for each customer segment of the set of customer segments and a plurality of call types for each of the products of the plurality of products for the call center study for a single call center into a tool on a computer device, wherein the call types include a subject matter of a call chosen from the group consisting of;

account inquiries, sales calls, trouble shooting calls, billing questions, and account activations;

developing a matrix of cells representing the call center study in a column-row format based on the set of customer segments, products and call types, wherein each of the cells pertains to a single call type for a single customer segment and a single product;

inputting a population size for the customer segments and the associated products for each of the call types into the tool;

inputting a target confidence level, a target accuracy level and a target unusable call level for the call center study into the tool, and computing, with the tool on the computer device, target sample sizes for each of the customer segments and the associated products for each of the call types with the tool;

inputting assumed values for calls per hour, hours per day and days in a schedule into the tool, and computing required resources to perform the call center study based on the assumed values and the target sample sizes with the tool;

planning, based on each of the inputting steps, a schedule for the call center study based on the required resources and any associated constraints using the tool;

monitoring actual calls and tracking actual sample sizes for each of the customer segments and associated products for each of the call types, and computing with the tool on the computer device an actual accuracy level for each of the call types for each product for each customer segment based on the actual calls; and

individually determining whether to terminate or continue the call center study for each of the call types for each of the plurality of products based on the monitoring and computing.

9. A system for planning a call center study, comprising:

a parameter system for receiving a population size for the call center study for a single call center;

a target system for receiving a target confidence level, a target accuracy level and a target unusable call level for the call center study, and for computing a target sample size for the call center study;

a resource system for receiving assumed values for calls per hour, hours per day and days in a schedule, and for computing required resources to perform the call center study based on the assumed values and the target sample size;

a scheduling system for planning a schedule, based on each of the receiving steps, for the call center study based on the required resources and any associated constraints;

a study management system for receiving at least one actual sample size for call center study;

a study development system for developing a matrix of cells representing the call center study in a column-row format based on a set of customer segments, products and call types, wherein the call types include a subject matter of a call chosen from the group consisting of;

account inquiries, sales calls, trouble shooting calls, billing questions, and account activations, wherein each customer segment is associated with a plurality of products, and each product occupies a column, and each product is associated with a plurality of call types which each occupy a row of the matrix; and

wherein the study development system further includes individually determining whether to terminate or continue the call center study for each of the call types for each of the plurality of products.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein each of the cells of the matrix are populated throughout the call center study with the population size, at least one target sample size and the at least one actual sample size.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein each of the cells of the matrix pertains to a single call type for a single customer segment and a single associated product.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the study development system is further for altering the cells of the matrix based on the target sample size and the constraints.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the study management system further calculates at least one actual accuracy level for the call center study based on the at least one actual sample size.

14. A program product stored on a computer-readable medium for planning a call center study, which when executed, comprises:

program code for receiving a population size for the call center study for a single call center;

program code for receiving a target confidence level, a target accuracy level and a target unusable call level for the call center study, and for computing a target sample size for the call center study;

program code for receiving assumed values for calls per hour, hours per day and days in a schedule, and for computing required resources to perform the call center study based on the assumed values and the target sample size;

program code for planning a schedule, based on each of the receiving steps, for the call center study based on the required resources and any associated constraints;

program code for receiving at least one actual sample size for the call center study; and

program code for developing a matrix of cells representing the call center study in a column-row format based on a set of customer segments, products and call types, wherein the call types include a subject matter of a call chosen from the group consisting of;

account inquiries, sales calls, trouble shooting calls, billing questions, and account activations, wherein each customer segment is associated with a plurality of products, and each product occupies a column, and each product is associated with a plurality of call types which each occupy a row of the matrix, and wherein the program code is used for individually determining, on the computer device, whether to terminate or continue the call center study for each of the call types for each of the plurality of products.

15. The program product of claim 14, wherein each of the cells of the matrix are populated throughout the call center study with the population size, at least one target sample size and the at least one actual sample size.

16. The program product of claim 14, wherein each of the cells of the matrix pertains to a single call type for a single customer segment and a single product.

17. The program product of claim 14, further comprising program code for altering the cells of the matrix based on the target sample size and the constraints.

18. The program product of claim 14, further comprising program code for calculating at least one actual accuracy level for the call center study based on the at least one actual sample size.

19. A system for deploying an application for planning a call center study, comprising:

a computer infrastructure being operable to;

receive a population size for the call center study for a single call center;

receive a target confidence level, a target accuracy level and a target unusable call level for the call center study, and compute a target sample size for the call center study;

receive assumed values for calls per hour, hours per day and days in a schedule, and compute required resources to perform the call center study based on the assumed values and the target sample size;

plan a schedule, based on each of the receiving steps, for the call center study based on the required resources and any associated constraints, wherein the planning is based on a set of customer segments, products and call types, wherein the call types include a subject matter of a call chosen from the group consisting of;

account inquiries, sales calls, trouble shooting calls, billing questions, and account activations, wherein each customer segment is associated with a plurality of products, and each product occupies a column, and each product is associated with a plurality of call types which each occupy a row of the matrix; and

receive at least one actual sample size for the call center study, and wherein the sample size is used to individually determine whether to terminate or continue the call center study for each of the call types for each of the plurality of products.