Broad-based incremental training sessions for company representatives in contact handling systems

• US 8,209,207 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: inContact Incorporated (Nice Ltd)
• Original Assignee: inContact Incorporated (Nice Ltd)
• Inventors: Minert, Brian Douglas, Jarman, Paul, Judkins, James Andrew, Dean, Joseph Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi, Peter
• Application Number:
  US12/125,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20090089153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,496 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.13, 705/7.22, 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.05, 379/265.06, 379/265.08, 379/265.11, 379/265.12
• US Class Current: 705/7.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/403 Agent or workforce training
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

Several of the embodiments disclosed herein relate to accessing and tracking real-time data concerning company representative performance, proficiency, training, scheduling, current work flow, and estimated work flow. Moreover, many of the improvements in contact handling systems disclosed herein automatically provide training, work, and incentives to company representatives to improve performance, proficiency, efficiency, effectiveness, automate scheduling, and automated work flow. More specifically, a method for providing training to company representatives is disclosed. Also disclosed is a system for managing work and training of company representatives. As a result of the teachings disclosed herein, customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, and revenue may be improved in the contact handling industry.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method performed in a contact handling system for providing training to company representatives, comprising one or more processors performing the following acts:

automatically scheduling training sessions based at least in part on a variable customer responsiveness score, wherein the variable customer responsiveness score is associated with a maximum or average time in queue for communication media and a relative amount of time spent by customer representatives performing work and completing training;

automatically identifying, or receiving an input identifying, a plurality of company representatives, wherein each company representative is in equal need of multiple proficiencies associated with multiple corresponding training sessions;

assigning a higher priority to a first proficiency associated with a first training session than a second proficiency associated with a second proficiency;

during a first training set, automatically providing one of the training sessions to each of the company representatives, wherein at least two of the company representatives receive different training sessions and the first training session is provided to more company representatives during the first set of training than company representatives that are provided with the second training session during the first training set as a result of the higher priority assigned to the first proficiency than the second proficiency and due to the variable customer responsiveness score limiting the amount of time available for training completion by the company representatives;

during one or more additional training sets, automatically providing each additional training session to each of the company representatives until all of the company representatives have completed all of the training sessions and with consideration of the variable customer responsiveness score limiting the amount of time available for training completion by the company representatives; and

automatically assigning work associated with the proficiencies provided by each training session to the company representatives as soon as the company representatives complete the training session, wherein;

the work includes servicing customers via communications media;

at least one customer representative receives the second training session during the first training set; and

after the first training set is complete, proficiencies assigned to company representatives enable a higher level of work capacity associated with a first category of work associated with the first proficiency than a level of work capacity associated with a second category of work associated with the second proficiency.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a higher priority to the second proficiency associated with the second training session than assigned to a third proficiency associated with a third training session; and

providing the second training session to more company representatives during the first set of training than company representatives that are provided with the third training session during the first training set.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein during the first training set the training sessions are dispersed across the plurality of company representatives, and wherein during the one or more additional training sets the variety of training sessions is increased.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein after the first training set proficiencies assigned to the company representatives enable a first level of work capacity dispersed across a plurality of work categories.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein after the one or more additional training sets, the proficiencies assigned to the company representatives enable a second level of work capacity dispersed across the plurality of work categories, wherein the second level of work capacity is higher than the first level of work capacity.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the higher level of work capacity is due to a higher number of the company representatives that completed the first training session associated with the first category of work during the first set of training than a number of the company representatives that completed the second training session associated with the second category of work during the first set of training.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

performing the following during the first set of training;

providing a first training session associated with a first proficiency to a first company representative;

providing a second training session associated with a second proficiency to a second company representative;

automatically assigning work associated with the first proficiency to the first company representative as soon as the first training session is completed by the first company representative; and

automatically assigning work associated with the second proficiency to the second company representative as soon as the second training session is completed by the second company representative; and

performing the following acts during a second set of training;

providing the second training session associated with the second proficiency to the first company representative;

providing the first training session associated with the first proficiency to the second company representative;

automatically assigning work associated with the second proficiency to the first company representative as soon as the second training session is completed by the first company representative; and

automatically assigning work associated with the first proficiency to the second company representative as soon as the first training session is completed by the second company representative.

8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:

performing the following with the first set of training;

providing a third training session associated with a third proficiency to a third company representative;

automatically assigning work associated with the third proficiency to the third company representative as soon as the third training session is completed by the third company representative; and

performing the following with the second set of training;

providing the second training session associated with the second proficiency to the third company representative; and

automatically assigning work associated with the second proficiency to the third company representative as soon as the second training session is completed by the third company representative; and

performing the following during a third set of training;

providing the third training session associated with the third proficiency to the first company representative;

providing the third training session associated with the third proficiency to the second company representative;

providing the first training session associated with the first proficiency to the third company representative; and

automatically assigning work associated with the third proficiency to the first company representative as soon as the third training session is completed by the first company representative;

automatically assigning work associated with the third proficiency to the second company representative as soon as the third training session is completed by the second company representative; and

automatically assigning work associated with the first proficiency to the third company representative as soon as the first training session is completed by the third company representative.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein a first communication media is associated with the first proficiency and a second communication media is associated with the second proficiency.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the first and second communication media are on-hold in a queue at least partially during completion of the first set of training.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the first communication media is forwarded to a first company representative as soon as a proficiency associated with the first communication media is assigned to the first company representative.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein a second customer communication media is forwarded to a second company representative as soon as a proficiency associated with the second communication media is assigned to the second company representative.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein work associated with the first proficiency is automatically routed by a communication media distribution device to a first company representative as soon as the first company representative completes the training session associated with the first proficiency.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein work associated with the second proficiency is automatically routed by the communication media distribution device to a second company representative as soon as the second company representative completes the training session associated with the second proficiency.

15. A method according to claim 1, further comprising storing information in a database describing completion of the training sessions by the company representatives as soon as the company representatives complete the training sessions.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the information stored in the database describing completion of the training sessions includes a current list of all proficiencies assigned to the company representatives.

17. A method according to claim 1, further comprising searching an electronic database to identify company representatives in need of training.

18. A method according to claim 16, further comprising automatically scheduling training sessions for the company representatives in need of training.

19. A method according to claim 18, further comprising automatically providing work to the company representatives as soon as the company representatives complete the training.

20. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving an updated customer responsiveness score, wherein the updated customer responsiveness score increases the amount of training being assigned and completed by customer representatives and decreases the amount of work being assigned to and completed by customer representatives.

21. A method according to claim 20, further comprising requiring authentication prior to updating the customer responsiveness score.

22. A method according to claim 1, wherein the variable customer responsiveness score is associated with a particular geographic location, and a second variable customer responsiveness score is associated with a different geographic location.

23. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a particular company representative who has not performed work associated with a particular proficiency for a predetermined amount of time; and

assigning maintenance training to the particular company representative to insure that the particular company representative retains the required proficiency.

24. A computer readable storage medium including executable instructions stored thereon that when executed cause a computing system to perform the following acts:

automatically scheduling training sessions based at least in part on a variable customer responsiveness score, wherein the variable customer responsiveness score is associated with a maximum or average time in queue for communication media and a relative amount of time spent by customer representatives performing work and completing training;

automatically identifying, or receiving an input identifying, a plurality of company representatives, wherein each company representative is in equal need of multiple proficiencies associated with multiple corresponding training sessions;

assigning a higher priority to a first proficiency associated with a first training session than a second proficiency associated with a second proficiency;

during a first training set, automatically providing one of the training sessions to each of the company representatives, wherein at least two of the company representatives receive different training sessions and the first training session is provided to more company representatives during the first set of training than company representatives that are provided with the second training session during the first training set as a result of the higher priority assigned to the first proficiency than the second proficiency and due to the variable customer responsiveness score limiting the amount of time available for training completion by the company representatives;

during one or more additional training sets, automatically providing each additional training session to each of the company representatives until all of the company representatives have completed all of the training sessions; and

automatically assigning work associated with the proficiencies provided by each training session to the company representatives as soon as the company representatives complete the training session, wherein;

the work includes servicing customers via communications media; and

after the first training set proficiencies assigned to company representatives enable a higher level of work capacity associated with a first category of work associated with the first proficiency than a level of work capacity associated with a second category of work associated with the second proficiency.