Forecasting and scheduling campaigns involving sending outbound communications that generate inbound communications
First Claim
1. A method for generating a roster template for use in scheduling agent resources for a contact center to conduct a campaign, the method comprising the steps of:
- defining a set of campaign parameters for the campaign, the set of campaign parameters comprising (1) a first channel of communication to be used to send outbound communications, (2) a second channel of communication to be used to receive inbound communications generated as a result of sending the outbound communications, (3) a time period during which the campaign is to be conducted, and (4) a target number of inbound communications to generate during the time period;
selecting a historical dataset for the campaign comprising historical outbound communications sent using the first channel of communication that generated historical inbound communications received using the second channel of communication during a historical time period;
generating by a workforce management system a forecast based on the set of campaign parameters and the historical dataset establishing a first success rate for generating an inbound communication using the second channel of communication as a result of sending an outbound communication using the first channel of communication and a first average response time to receive the inbound communication, the forecast identifying a first number of outbound communications to send using the first channel of communication to generate the target number of inbound communications during the time period the campaign is to be conducted;
identifying by the workforce management system a first number of agent resources needed to handle the target number of inbound communications; and
generating the roster template by the workforce management system, the roster template comprising one or more shifts identifying agent resources to schedule based on the first number of agent resources needed to handle the target number of inbound communications forecasted to be received during the time period the campaign is to be conducted.
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Abstract
Various embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for generating a roster template used in scheduling agent resources to conduct a campaign involving sending outbound communications using a first channel of communication to generate inbound communications using a second channel of communication. Specifically, a forecast is generated establishing a success rate for generating an inbound communication using the second channel of communication as a result of sending an outbound communication using the first channel of communication and an average response time to receive the inbound communication. Further, the forecast identifies a number of inbound communications predicted to be received for the campaign. From the forecast, a number of agent resources needed to handle the inbound communications is identified and a roster template is generated that comprises shifts identifying agent resources to schedule based on the number of agent resources needed to handle the inbound communications.
49 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for generating a roster template for use in scheduling agent resources for a contact center to conduct a campaign, the method comprising the steps of:
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defining a set of campaign parameters for the campaign, the set of campaign parameters comprising (1) a first channel of communication to be used to send outbound communications, (2) a second channel of communication to be used to receive inbound communications generated as a result of sending the outbound communications, (3) a time period during which the campaign is to be conducted, and (4) a target number of inbound communications to generate during the time period; selecting a historical dataset for the campaign comprising historical outbound communications sent using the first channel of communication that generated historical inbound communications received using the second channel of communication during a historical time period; generating by a workforce management system a forecast based on the set of campaign parameters and the historical dataset establishing a first success rate for generating an inbound communication using the second channel of communication as a result of sending an outbound communication using the first channel of communication and a first average response time to receive the inbound communication, the forecast identifying a first number of outbound communications to send using the first channel of communication to generate the target number of inbound communications during the time period the campaign is to be conducted; identifying by the workforce management system a first number of agent resources needed to handle the target number of inbound communications; and generating the roster template by the workforce management system, the roster template comprising one or more shifts identifying agent resources to schedule based on the first number of agent resources needed to handle the target number of inbound communications forecasted to be received during the time period the campaign is to be conducted. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for generating a roster template for use in scheduling agent resources for a contact center to conduct a campaign that when executed cause at least one computer processor to:
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define a set of campaign parameters for the campaign, the set of campaign parameters comprising (1) a first channel of communication to be used to send outbound communications, (2) a second channel of communication to be used to receive inbound communications generated as a result of sending the outbound communications, (3) a time period during which the campaign is to be conducted, and (4) a target number of inbound communications to generate during the time period; select a historical dataset for the campaign comprising historical outbound communications sent using the first channel of communication that generated historical inbound communications received using the second channel of communication during a historical time period; generate a forecast based on the set of campaign parameters and the historical dataset establishing a first success rate for generating an inbound communication using the second channel of communication as a result of sending an outbound communication using the first channel of communication and a first average response time to receive the inbound communication, the forecast identifying a first number of outbound communications to send using the first channel of communication to generate the target number of inbound communications during the time period the campaign is to be conducted; identify a first number of agent resources needed to handle the target number of inbound communications; and generate the roster template, the roster template comprising one or more shifts identifying agent resources to schedule based on the first number of agent resources needed to handle the target number of inbound communications forecasted to be received during the time period the campaign is to be conducted. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for generating a roster template for use in scheduling agent resources for a contact center to conduct a campaign comprising:
a workforce management component configured to; define a set of campaign parameters for the campaign, the set of campaign parameters comprising (1) a first channel of communication to be used to send outbound communications, (2) a second channel of communication to be used to receive inbound communications generated as a result of sending the outbound communications, (3) a time period during which the campaign is to be conducted, and (4) a target number of inbound communications to generate during the time period; select a historical dataset for the campaign comprising historical outbound communications sent using the first channel of communication that generated historical inbound communications received using the second channel of communication during a historical time period; generate a forecast based on the set of campaign parameters and the historical dataset establishing a first success rate for generating an inbound communication using the second channel of communication as a result of sending an outbound communication using the first channel of communication and a first average response time to receive the inbound communication, the forecast identifying a first number of outbound communications to send using the first channel of communication to generate the target number of inbound communications during the time period the campaign is to be conducted; identify a first number of agent resources needed to handle the target number of inbound communications; and generate the roster template, the roster template comprising one or more shifts identifying agent resources to schedule based on the first number of agent resources needed to handle the target number of inbound communications forecasted to be received during the time period the campaign is to be conducted. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
Specification