Non-scheduled training for an agent in a call center

A system for providing a snippet training session to an agent in a call center, the system comprising:

• an automatic call distributor (“ACD”) comprising a processor configured to
• maintain a shift schedule for the agent, the shift schedule defined based on using a scheduling interval,
• process calls involving the agent during the shift schedule,
• place an agent's workstation in an unavailable state in response to receiving an off-line message, and
• place the agent's workstation in an available state in response to an on-line message;
• and
• a training server comprising a processing device configured to
• present a first indication to an agent's computer that the agent's workstation is in the unavailable state to process calls from the ACD prior to initiation of the snippet training session to the agent,
• provide the off-line message to the ACD prior to initiation of the snippet training session to the agent,
• provide the snippet training session to the agent's computer, wherein the snippet training session has a duration that is less than the scheduling interval used to schedule the agent,
• provide the on-line message to the ACD, and
• present a second indication to the agent's computer that the agent's workstation is in the available state after the snippet training session has ended.

A computer program product for providing a snippet training session to an agent of a call center, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored therein, the computer-executable instructions configured upon execution by a computer processor to:

• store snippet training data in a memory of a computer comprising the computer processor, the snippet training data configured to be delivered to an agent's computer, wherein the snippet training data is configured to be presented to the agent during the snippet training session over a time period that is less than a scheduling interval used to schedule a work shift of the agent;
• determine a condition triggering delivery of the snippet training session while a workstation associated with the agent is in an available state for receiving calls during the work shift;
• transmit an indication to an automatic call distributor to place the workstation in an unavailable state, wherein the workstation is precluded from receiving subsequent calls from the automatic call distributor;
• deliver the snippet training data to the agent by the computer processor during the snippet training session, wherein the snippet training session has a duration less than the scheduling interval;
• and
• return the workstation back into the available state after the snippet training session has ended, wherein the agent is able to receive calls from the automatic call distributor in the call center.