Switching routing algorithms to optimize satisfaction of long-term commitments
AssigneeAvaya Inc.
InventorsAndrew D. Flockhart, Joylee Kohler, Robert C. Steiner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A contact center is described along with various methods and mechanisms for administering the same. The contact center proposed herein provides the ability to, among other things, monitor workload distribution to one or more sub-contractors and predict whether a contractual obligation will be met (or not) and based on such a prediction automatically switch routing algorithms within a contractual period of time to ensure that costs associated with a contract are minimized.
Claims20
A method of assisting routing behavior in a contact center that is operated by a first entity, the method comprising:
- using, by a work assignment engine, a first routing algorithm to make work item routing decisions in the contact center, the first routing algorithm causing a first ratio or rate of work items to be routed to a second entity that operates additional resources outside the contact center;
- assessing an agreement between the first entity and second entity that defines one or more long-term commitments over a commitment period;
- estimating, at a first time during the commitment period, a total number of work items that will be routed to the second entity by the end of the commitment period;
- and
- determining, by a cost optimization agent operating on a server in the contact center and based on the estimated total number of work items that will be routed to the second entity by the end of the commitment period, whether to continue using the first routing algorithm or to switch to using a second routing algorithm that causes a second ratio or rate of work items to be routed to the second entity.
A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that cause a computing system to execute a method, the instructions comprising:
- instructions configured to employ a first routing algorithm to make work item routing decisions in a contact center operated by a first entity, the first routing algorithm causing a first ratio or rate of work items to be routed to a second entity that operates additional resources outside the contact center;
- instructions configured to assess an agreement between the first entity and second entity that defines one or more long-term commitments over a commitment period;
- instructions configured to estimate, at a first time during the commitment period, a total number of work items that will be routed to the second entity by the end of the commitment period;
- and
- instructions configured to determine, based on the estimated total number of work items that will be routed to the second entity by the end of the commitment period, whether to continue employing the first routing algorithm or to switch to employing a second routing algorithm that causes a second ratio or rate of work items to be routed to the second entity.
A contact center operated by a first entity, the contact center comprising:
- a work assignment mechanism including:
- a work assignment engine configured to employ a plurality of different routing algorithms, each routing algorithm configured to enable the work assignment engine to make work assignment decisions in the contact center and each routing algorithm causing a different ratio or rate of work items to be routed to a second entity that operates additional resources outside the contact center;
- a workload monitoring agent configured to estimate, during a commitment period defined by an agreement between the first and second entity, a total number of work items that will be routed from the first entity to the second entity by the end of the commitment period;
- and
- a cost optimization agent configured to receive as an input the estimated total number of work items that will be routed to the second entity by the end of the commitment period and based on the received input determine whether to continue using the first routing algorithm or to switch to using a second routing algorithm that causes a second ratio or rate of work items to be routed to the second entity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.