# US 11,122,163 B2 · Techniques for workforce management in a contact center system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,122,163 B2 - Document ID: US11122163B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/191,015 - Filed: 2021-03-03 - Published: 2021-06-24 - Granted: 2021-09-14 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-30 - Assignees: Afiniti, Ltd. - Applicants: Afiniti, Ltd. - Inventors: Zia Chishti - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11122163B2 ## CPC - H04M 3/5175: {Call or contact centers supervision arrangements} - G06Q 10/063112: {Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task} - H04M 2203/402: Agent or workforce management - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Techniques for workforce management in a contact center system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for workforce management in a contact center system comprising generating historical workforce data regarding an agent workforce capacity of the contact center system, and initiating an increase or decrease to an agent workforce of the contact center system based at least in part on the historical workforce data to increase an amount of choice among available agents or waiting contacts. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: determining a first contact waiting for connection in a contact center system; determining a second contact waiting for connection in the contact center system; determining a first agent available for connection to the first contact or the second contact; determining a second agent available for connection to the first contact or the second contact; determining a first combination of pairings comprising a pairing of the first contact with the first agent and the second contact with the second agent; determining a second combination of pairings comprising a pairing of the first contact with the second agent and the second contact with the first agent; selecting the first combination of pairings; and as a result of selecting the first combination of pairings, connecting the first contact with the first agent and the second contact with the second agent. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining that a first expected performance of the first combination is greater than a second expected performance of the second combination; wherein the selecting is based on the determining that the first expected performance is greater than the second expected performance. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the first expected performance and the second expected performance are based on a determination of environments for the contact center system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first agent is available for connection before the second agent is available for connection. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second agent is available for connection before the first agent is available for connection. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first contact is available for connection before the second contact is available for connection. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second contact is available for connection before the first contact is available for connection. ### Claim 8 A system, the system comprising: memory; and processing circuitry coupled to the memory, wherein the system is configured to: determine a first contact waiting for connection in a contact center system; determine a second contact waiting for connection in the contact center system; determine a first agent available for connection to the first contact or the second contact; determine a second agent available for connection to the first contact or the second contact; determine a first combination of pairings comprising a pairing of the first contact with the first agent and the second contact with the second agent; determine a second combination of pairings comprising a pairing of the first contact with the second agent and the second contact with the first agent; select the first combination of pairings; and as a result of selecting the first combination of pairings, connect the first contact with the first agent and the second contact with the second agent. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the system is further configured to determine that a first expected performance of the first combination is greater than a second expected performance of the second combination, and the selecting is based on the determining that the first expected performance is greater than the second expected performance. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the first expected performance and the second expected performance are based on a determination of environments for the contact center system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the first agent is available for connection before the second agent is available for connection. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the second agent is available for connection before the first agent is available for connection. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the first contact is available for connection before the second contact is available for connection. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the second contact is available for connection before the first contact is available for connection. ### Claim 15 A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions which when executed by processing circuitry of a system causes the system to: determine a first contact waiting for connection in a contact center system; determine a second contact waiting for connection in the contact center system; determine a first agent available for connection to the first contact or the second contact; determine a second agent available for connection to the first contact or the second contact; determine a first combination of pairings comprising a pairing of the first contact with the first agent and the second contact with the second agent; determine a second combination of pairings comprising a pairing of the first contact with the second agent and the second contact with the first agent; select the first combination of pairings; and as a result of selecting the first combination of pairings, connect the first contact with the first agent and the second contact with the second agent based on the selecting. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further stores instructions which when executed by the processing circuitry of the system causes the system to determine that a first expected performance of the first combination is greater than a second expected performance of the second combination, and the selecting is based on the determining that the first expected performance is greater than the second expected performance. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the first expected performance and the second expected performance are based on a determination of environments for the contact center system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the first agent is available for connection before the second agent is available for connection. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the second agent is available for connection before the first agent is available for connection. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the first contact is available for connection before the second contact is available for connection. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the second contact is available for connection before the first contact is available for connection.