Telephonic communications – Centralized switching system – Call distribution to operator
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-09
2001-01-09
Zele, Krista (Department: 2742)
Telephonic communications
Centralized switching system
Call distribution to operator
C379S265080, C379S309000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173053
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to automatic call distribution (ACD) systems, also variously referred to as call centers or telemarketing systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
ACD systems distribute calls—whether inbound or outbound—for handling to any suitable ones of available call-handling agents according to some predefined criteria. In many existing systems, such as the Lucent Technologies Definity® ACD system, the criteria for handling the call from the moment that the ACD system becomes aware of the call until the call is connected to an agent are customer-specifiable (i.e., programmable by the operator of the ACD system) via a capability called call vectoring. Normally in present-day ACD systems, when the ACD system's controller detects that an agent has become available to handle a call, the controller identifies all predefined call-handling skills of the agent (usually in some order of priority) and delivers to the agent the highest-priority oldest-waiting call that matches the agent's highest-priority skill. Generally the only condition that results in a call not being delivered to an available agent is that there are no calls waiting to be handled.
Most present-day call-distribution algorithms focus on being “fair” to callers and to agents. This fairness is reflected by the standard first-in, first-out call to most-idle-agent assignment algorithm. Skills-based routing improves upon this basic algorithm in that it allows each agent to be slotted into a number of categories (splits) based on the agent's skill types and levels.
The primary objective of call-distribution algorithms is to ultimately maximize call center performance. That may involve minimizing cost, maximizing call throughput, and/or maximizing revenue, among others. For example, when a new call arrives, the call should be handled by an agent who either has the ability to produce the most revenue or can handle the call in the shortest amount of time. Also, when an agent becomes available to handle a new call, the agent should handle either the call that has the possibility of generating the most revenue or the call which the agent is most efficient in handling. A telephone call-handling system having such functionality is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,260. However, this system is limited in its capabilities to truly maximize call center performance: it permits only one criterion or metric to be used at any one time to select an agent for handling an individual call, while call center performance is typically a multi-faceted function that involves a number of criteria or metrics.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to solving these and other problems of the prior art. According to the invention, a call handler (e.g., a call center agent) is selected for a call as follows. When a call of an individual one of a plurality of types (e.g., an inquiry call, a service call, a sales call, or a call needing a particular agent skill for its handling) becomes available, an available call handler who has a best present performance characteristic for that individual call type, is selected to handle the call. The determination of which available call handler has the best performance characteristic is made as follows. A service profile comprising present values of a plurality of service metrics for the individual call type is maintained for each agent. For each agent who is available to handle a call of the individual type, the present values of the plurality of service metrics are retrieved from the agent's service profile and are used in one of a plurality of formulas, each corresponding to a different call type, which corresponds to the individual call type to obtain a performance characteristic score for each of the available agents. Then the one of the available agents who has the best score is selected to handle the call. When the selected call handler finishes handling the call, the call handler's performance in handling the call is evaluated (quantitatively and/or qualitatively), and the present values of the call handler's service metrics are modified by the valuation to obtain new present values of the service metrics for the individual call type for the call handler. Preferably, the modifications are weighted to give more weight to performance evaluations of calls most-recently handled by this call handler. Then for subsequent calls of the individual type, the new present values of the service metrics of the call handler are used in selecting a call handler for the call, until that call handler is again selected and the above procedure is repeated. Also, for calls of other types, the call handlers' performance characteristic scores for those other call types are used in selecting call handlers for the calls.
While the method comprises the steps of the just-characterized procedure, the apparatus effects the method steps. The apparatus preferably includes an effector—any entity that effects the corresponding step, unlike a means—for each step. Further, there is preferably provided a computer-readable medium containing software which, when executed in a computer, causes the computer to perform the method steps.
The invention tends to maximize call center performance. For example, when a new call arrives, it goes to an agent who has the best ability to maximize call center performance as measured by a plurality of metrics . Also, when an agent becomes available to handle a new call, the agent is assigned to a call of a type from which this agent can maximize call center performance as measured by the plurality of metrics. This allows for a multi-dimensional, and hence more accurate or refined, measure of call center performance. The invention takes into consideration each agent's historical performance for each call type that the agent handles. Yet, by revising the values of the agent's metrics at the end of every call handled by the agent, the invention automatically adjusts for long-term trends, such as the agent gaining experience and expertise, and short-term trends, such as the agent having “a bad day”.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention considered together with the drawing.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4567323 (1986-01-01), Lottes et al.
patent: 5206903 (1993-04-01), Kohler et al.
patent: 5291550 (1994-03-01), Levy et al.
patent: 5299260 (1994-03-01), Shaio
patent: 5309513 (1994-05-01), Rose
patent: 5335269 (1994-08-01), Steinlicht
patent: 5467391 (1995-11-01), Donaghue, Jr. et al.
patent: 5537470 (1996-07-01), Lee
patent: 5546452 (1996-08-01), Andrews et al.
patent: 5684872 (1997-11-01), Flockhart et al.
patent: 5818907 (1998-10-01), Maloney et al.
patent: 5825869 (1998-10-01), Brooks et al.
patent: 5903641 (1999-05-01), Tonisson
patent: 5943416 (1999-08-01), Gisby
patent: WO9209164A (1992-05-01), None
patent: 0740450A2 (1996-10-01), None
patent: 0817455A2 (1998-01-01), None
Kerry W. Hassler, et al. “Revolutionizing DEFINITY® Call Centers in the 1990s”,AT&T Technical Journal, vol. 74, No. 4, Jul./Aug. 1995, pp. 64-73.
DEFINITY® Communications System Generic 3, Call Vectoring/Expert Agent Selection (EAS) Guide, AT&T, 555-230-520, Issue 3, Nov. 1993, pp. 1-1—1-10, 2-1—2-22, 3-1—3-15, and 8-1—8-24.
Bogart Frank J.
Flockhart Andrew D.
Foster Robin H.
Kohler Joylee E.
Mathews Eugene P.
Avaya Technology Corp.
Deane, Jr. William J.
Volejnicek David
Zele Krista
LandOfFree
Optimizing call-center performance by using predictive data... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Optimizing call-center performance by using predictive data..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Optimizing call-center performance by using predictive data... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2451810