Method and system for collecting reports for call center monitoring by supervisor

• US 6,707,904 B1
• Filed: 02/25/2000
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Teltronics, Inc. (MedTel Services LLC)
• Inventors: Judkins, J. Andrew, Shelton, Michael, Peterson, David
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US09/512,429
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.03, 379/265.04, 379/265.05, 379/265.06, 379/266.01, 379/309, 379/219, 379/221.01
• US Class Current: 379/265.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

A method and call center system are disclosed for collecting and reporting information by the call center for use by a supervisor. A supervisor computer is connected to an automatic call distributor (ACD) server and a structured query language (SQL) server having an associated historical database for call center statistics, which are included as part of the call center having a plurality of agents for receiving incoming calls. At predetermined time intervals, status data relating to real time status changes of agents and incoming calls are forwarded from the ACD server to the supervisor. The received status data is processed at the supervisor computer and real time reports are displayed for supervisor monitoring of call center and agent statistics. At predetermined time intervals, statistical data related to agents and call center operation is forwarded from the SQL server and associated historical database to the supervisor, which is processed within the supervisor computer to obtain historical reports of call center operation.

Claims

1. A method of collecting and reporting information about a call center for use by a supervisor comprising the steps of:

connecting a supervisor computer via a TCP/IP connection to an automatic call distributor (ACD) server and a structured query language (SQL) server positioned separate and spaced apart from the supervisor computer and having an associated historical database for call center statistics, which are included in a call center having a plurality of agents for receiving incoming calls;

at predetermined time intervals, forwarding from the ACD server to the supervisor computer, responsive to the occurrence of the predetermined time intervals, status data relating to real time status changes of agents and incoming calls;

processing the received status data at the supervisor computer and displaying real time reports for supervisor monitoring of call center and agent statistics;

at predetermined time intervals, forwarding from the SQL server and associated historical database to the supervisor computer, statistical data relating to agents and call center operation; and

processing the selected historical data within the supervisor computer to obtain historical reports of call center operation.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said real time reports comprise real time reports of calls answered, calls abandoned, talk time, agent status, calls in queue or agents in queue.

3. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising the step of displaying said real time reports for viewing the performance of groups of agents that are categorized by teams of agents, agents, DNIS, or agent skill.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined time intervals for forwarding status data from the ACD server is about 1-5 seconds.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the supervisor computer includes a monitor for displaying the real time reports in a graphical user interface.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the supervisor computer includes a monitor for displaying a graphical user interface used for controlling the processing of status data and controlling the display of real time reports.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said graphical user interface includes an ACD states toolbar having colors for ACD states that are displayed within real time reports.

8. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising the step of filtering within the supervisor computer the retrieved historical data for presenting selected statistics of agent and call center operation.

9. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising the step of displaying historical reports on one of at least agent productivity, agent productivity per hour, agent time sheet, call statistics/history, calls per hour fifteen minute, disposition code, or calls by agent per hour.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined time intervals for forwarding statistical data from the SQL server is about 15 minutes.

11. A method of collecting and reporting information about a call center for use by a supervisor comprising the steps of:

connecting a supervisor computer to an automatic call distributor (ACD) server of a call center having a plurality of agents for receiving incoming calls;

at predetermined time intervals, forwarding from the ACD server to the supervisor computer, responsive to the occurrence of the predetermined time intervals, status data relating to real time status changes of agents and incoming calls; and

processing the received status data at the supervisor computer and displaying real time reports for supervisor monitoring of call center and agent statistics.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said real time reports comprise reports of at least calls answered, calls abandoned, talk time, agent status, calls in queue or agents in queue.

13. A method according to claim 11, and further comprising the step of displaying the real time reports for viewing the performance of groups of agents that are categorized by teams of agents, agents, DNIS, or agent skill.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined time intervals for forwarding status data is about 1-5 seconds.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein the supervisor computer includes a monitor for displaying the real time reports in a graphical user interface.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein the supervisor computer includes a monitor for displaying a graphical user interface used for controlling the processing of status data and controlling the display of real time reports.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein said graphical user interface includes an ACD states toolbar having colors that each ACD state will be displayed within real time reports.

18. A call center system that collects and reports information about a call center for use by a supervisor comprising:

a call center switch for receiving incoming calls from a communications network;

a plurality of agents for receiving incoming calls that have been routed to respective agents;

an automatic call distributor (ACD) server connected to said call center switch for routing calls to said plurality of agents; and

a supervisor computer that is connected to the ACD server for receiving at predetermined time intervals status data relating to real time status changes of agents and incoming calls, forwarded by the ACD server responsive to the occurrence of the predetermined time intervals, said supervisor computer including a supervisor application for processing the received data and displaying real time reports to enable supervisor monitoring of call center and agent statistics.

19. A call center system according to claim 18, wherein the predetermined time intervals are about three seconds each.

20. A call center system according to claim 18, wherein said supervisor computer includes a monitor on which the real time reports are displayed.

21. A call center system according to claim 20, and further comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) that is displayed on said monitor through which the processing is controlled, the GUI having a selector to display real time reports including at least one of an answer chart, an abandon chart, an agent status summary, an agent status chart, a calls queued trend, a calls queued by skill chart, and a quick view of calls and agents.

22. A call center system according to claim 18, wherein said graphical user interface includes an ACD states toolbar having colors for ACD states that are displayed within the real time reports.

23. A call center system that collects and reports information about a call center for use by a supervisor comprising:

a call center switch for receiving incoming calls;

a plurality of agents for receiving incoming calls that have been routed to respective agents;

an automatic call distributor (ACD) server connected to said call center switch for routing calls to said plurality of agents;

a structured query language (SQL) server having a historical database of call center statistics; and

a supervisor computer that is connected via a TCP/IP connection to the ACD server and SQL server positioned separate and spaced apart from the supervisor computer, for receiving at predetermined time intervals from the ACD server status data relating to real time status changes of agents and incoming calls and receiving at predetermined time intervals from the SQL server statistical data relating to agents and call center operation, said supervisor computer including a supervisor application for processing the received data and displaying real time reports to enable supervisor monitoring of call center and agent statistics and for displaying historical reports of the statistical data received from the SQL server.

24. A call center system according to claim 23, wherein the predetermined time intervals for receiving data from said ACD server are about 1-5 seconds each.

25. A call center system according to claim 23, wherein said predetermined time intervals for receiving data from said SQL server are about fifteen minutes each.

26. A call center system according to claim 23, wherein said supervisor computer includes a monitor on which the real time reports are displayed.

27. A call center system according to claim 23, and further comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) that is displayed on said monitor through which the processing is controlled, the GUI having a selector to display real time reports including at least one of an answer chart, an abandon chart, an agent status summary, an agent status chart, a calls queued trend, a calls queued by skill chart, and a quick view of calls and agents.

28. A call center system according to claim 27, wherein said graphical user interface includes an ACD states toolbar having colors for ACD states that are displayed within the real time reports.