System and method for routing workflow items based on workflow templates in a call center

• US 8,583,466 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2006
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Margulies, Edwin Kenneth, Borodow, Eli Ben, Ezerzer, Ran, Aljane, Ali, Seebauer, William Scott, Yahmadi, Imed
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett, Scott L
• Application Number:
  US11/277,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20070038499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,793 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.13, 705/7.26
• US Class Current: 705/7.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The present invention facilitates the creation and implementation of Workflow Templates and also the designation of linkage between these templates and specific projects dealing with different media type handling. Workflow Templates are used to automatically generate user interface views which will be used by agents, knowledge workers, supervisors and customers. Such Workflow Templates provide the means to create, define and store the name and definition of and “trigger points” for each workflow item. The trigger points for when a document is used are also determined when creating the template. Further, in creating a Workflow Templates the administrator can instruct the system to save scripts associated with the template that can be saved as XML, EDI, JSP, CGI, VXML, etc. so as to be able to automatically generate documents or logic flows consistent with the target media type for the anticipated interactions with customers.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating a workflow using a workflow template in a call center, comprising the steps of:

providing a first workflow template associated with a workflow item, wherein the first workflow template includes data and scripts for rendering the workflow template and one or more routing rules and one or more trigger points defined for said workflow item,

wherein said each trigger point specifies an action to be taken with respect to said workflow item, including routing and supervisor intervention,

wherein said one or more routing rules include a workgroup-related threshold that triggers a routing action to be taken with respect to the workgroup, and an agent-related threshold that triggers a routing action to be taken with respect to the agent;

linking said first workflow template to a project of an interaction type, wherein the interaction type is one of a phone, web callback, email, and chat, wherein the linking is performed by

receiving, via a manager application, a first selection of a project template defining the interaction type from a predefined dropdown list of project templates, wherein the first selection generates a second dropdown list of one or more workflow templates including the first workflow template, and a third dropdown list of one or more additional workflow templates,

receiving a second selection of the first workflow template from the second dropdown list,

receiving a third selection of a third workflow template from the third dropdown list,

receiving a selection of an entry and exit points for each of the workflow templates selected in the second and third selections, and

storing attributes of each of the project template and workflow templates selected in the first, second and third selections and attributes of the entry and exit points, wherein each attribute is linked to at least one of a plurality of scripts used to generate logic flows for the project;

routing said workflow item according to the one or more routing rules as defined in the first workflow template, via a server running on one or more microprocessors, to at least one of an agent and a knowledge worker; and

receiving a score via a survey of a supervisor and the score being based on a key performance indicator (KPI) library linked to the workflow template selected in the second or third selection and selected from a KPI dropdown list associated with said at least one of an agent and a knowledge worker based on the agent'"'"'s or the knowledge worker'"'"'s handling of said workflow item associated with the first workflow template in the project, wherein one or more scoring values are stored in a database and are used for subsequent routing decisions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the workflow template is created by associating with a Web page or VXML (Voice Extensible Markup Language) code to collect input from a party.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said party is a call center supervisor, call center customer, or a call center agent.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of creating the workflow template further comprises the step of selecting a presentation type for said workflow item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said workflow item comprises a document.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of scripts include a CGI (Common Gateway Interface), JSP (Java Server Page), VXML (Voice Extensible Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language), EDI (Electronic Data Interchange), or HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) page/script.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of selecting a presentation type is at least partially based upon whether the workflow item is a customer-facing workflow item or a workforce-facing workflow item.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of creating the workflow template further comprises the step of defining a push view or a pull view for the workflow item.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of defining the push view or the pull view for the workflow item comprises:

responsive to the workflow item being a push view item, selecting an automatic workgroup for placement of the workflow item; and

responsive to defining the pull view for workflow item, selecting a dynamic display “

picklist”

view for the workflow item wherein the workflow item is presented in a list to a workforce for selection.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of creating the workflow template further comprises defining at least one weighting value for setting an importance level of the workflow item for routing.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the at least one weighting value comprises:

an agent preference;

a workgroup preference; and

a customer prioritization.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more trigger points for said workflow item is a skill related to an agent skill or a workgroup skill and a skill weighting of an importance value of the skill.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of creating the workflow template further comprises:

responsive to the workflow template being a referenced workflow template, linking the workflow template to at least one of;

a reference uniform resource locator (URL), an executable, or a query for launching an application; and

responsive to the workflow template being a non-referenced workflow template, building the workflow template by linking the workflow template to at least one of;

a set of fields, a set of labels, and a set of data sources.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the project deals with both time varying media and non-time varying media workflow template handling.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of loading a key performance indicator (KPI) template associated with said workflow item and allowing the supervisor to select a KPI metric from a list and score for the KPI metric.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of allowing one or more customers to provide their input on KPI measures based on their interaction with at least one of an agent and a knowledge worker, wherein such input is further used to dynamically route at least one of a current interaction and subsequent interactions.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, including instructions stored thereon for facilitating a workflow using a workflow template in a call center, the instructions, when executed by a computer, causing the computer to perform a method comprising:

providing a first workflow template associated with a workflow item, wherein the first workflow template includes data and scripts for rendering the workflow template and one or more routing rules and one or more trigger points defined for said workflow item,

wherein said each trigger point specifies an action to be taken with respect to said workflow item, including routing and supervisor intervention,

wherein said one or more routing rules include a workgroup-related threshold that triggers a routing action to be taken with respect to the workgroup, and an agent-related threshold that triggers a routing action to be taken with respect to the agent;

linking said first workflow template to a project of an interaction type, wherein the interaction type is one of a phone, web callback, email, and chat, wherein the linking is performed by

receiving, via a manager application, a first selection of a project template defining the interaction type from a predefined dropdown list of project templates, wherein the first selection generates a second dropdown list of one or more workflow templates including the first workflow template, and a third dropdown list of one or more additional workflow templates,

receiving a second selection of the first workflow template from the second dropdown list,

receiving a third selection of a third workflow template from the third dropdown list,

receiving a selection of an entry and exit points for each of the workflow templates selected in the second and third selections, and

storing attributes of each of the project template and workflow templates selected in the first, second and third selections and attributes of the entry and exit points, wherein each attribute is linked to at least one of a plurality of scripts used to generate logic flows for the project;

routing said workflow item according to the one or more routing rules as defined in the first workflow template, via a server running on one or more microprocessors, to at least one of an agent and a knowledge worker; and

receiving a score via a survey of a supervisor and the score being based on a key performance indicator (KPI) library linked to the workflow template selected in the second or third selection and selected from a KPI dropdown list associated with said at least one of an agent and a knowledge worker based on the agent'"'"'s or the knowledge worker'"'"'s handling of said workflow item associated with the first workflow template in the project, wherein one or more scoring values are stored in a database and are used for subsequent routing decisions.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein defining the one or more trigger points includes defining a time-varying media event to act as a trigger point.

19. A system for facilitating a workflow using a workflow template in a call center, comprising:

a computer, including a computer readable medium, a processor and a memory coupled to the processor,

one or more servers executed from the memory to

providing a first workflow template associated with a workflow item, wherein the first workflow template includes data and scripts for rendering the workflow template and one or more routing rules and one or more trigger points defined for said workflow item,

wherein said each trigger point specifies an action to be taken with respect to said workflow item, including routing and supervisor intervention,

wherein said one or more routing rules include a workgroup-related threshold that triggers a routing action to be taken with respect to the workgroup, and an agent-related threshold that triggers a routing action to be taken with respect to the agent;

linking said first workflow template to a project of an interaction type, wherein the interaction type is one of a phone, web callback, email, and chat, wherein the linking is performed by

receiving, via a manager application, a first selection of of a project template defining the interaction type from a predefined dropdown list of project templates, wherein the first selection generates a second dropdown list of one or more workflow templates including the first workflow template, and a third dropdown list of one or more additional workflow templates,

receiving a second selection of the first workflow template from the second dropdown list,

receiving a third selection of a third workflow template from the third dropdown list,

receiving a selection of an entry and exit points for each of the workflow templates selected in the second and third selections, and

storing attributes of each of the project template and workflow templates selected in the first, second and third selections and attributes of the entry and exit points, wherein each attribute is linked to at least one of a plurality of scripts used to generate logic flows for the project;

routing said workflow item according to the one or more routing rules as defined in the first workflow template, via a server running on one or more microprocessors, to at least one of an agent and a knowledge worker; and

receiving a score via a survey of a supervisor and the score being based on a key performance indicator (KPI) library linked to the workflow template selected in the second or third selection and selected from a KPI dropdown list associated with said at least one of an agent and a knowledge worker based on the agent'"'"'s or the knowledge worker'"'"'s handling of said workflow item associated with the first workflow template in the project, wherein one or more scoring values are stored in a database and are used for subsequent routing decisions.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein defining the one or more trigger points includes defining a time-varying media event to act as a trigger point.