US 8,503,663 B2Granted

System and method for agent queue activation in a contact center

AssigneeInteractive Intelligence, Inc.

InventorsBrian Edward Mewhinney, Matthew Alan Taylor, Jay Michael Langsford, Donald E. Brown

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for automating the activation of agents in particular workgroups. A call queue server receives incoming communications. A scheduling server is coupled to the call center server over a network and analyzes historical communication data to calculate a forecasted load for a particular time period. The system uses the forecasted load to create agent schedules for the workgroups for the particular time period. The system programmatically activates and deactivates the agents into and out of the workgroups at scheduled points in time based on the calculated schedules. The call center server routes each of the queued communications to a particular agent that is activated on a particular one of the workgroup.

Claims38

Dependent claims

A method of using a computer, which is configured in one of a single unit form and a multi-component form, for routing a first communication and a second communication via a network, comprising:

(a) analyzing, by the computer, a plurality of historical communication data to calculate a forecasted load for a particular schedule period;
(b) assigning an agent to a grouping of one or more agents such that the grouping includes at least two agents according to said forecasted load;
(c) assigning the agent to an other grouping of one or more agents such that the other grouping includes at least two agents according to said forecasted load;
(d) activating the agent with respect to the grouping during a time range;
(e) activating the agent with respect to the other grouping during an other time range, wherein there is an overlapping time range where the time range and the other time range overlap;
(f) adjusting, by the computer, the schedule of the agent into and out of the grouping in real-time based on an actual communication load;
(g) receiving a first communication via the network;
(h) receiving a second communication via the network;
(i) routing, by the computer, the first communication to the agent via the network;
and,
(j) routing, by the computer, the second communication to the agent via the network.

8 more elements

A method of scheduling agents, performed by a processor, the method comprising:

assigning an agent to a workgroup of agents;
assigning the agent to an other workgroup of agents;
programmatically scheduling, by the processor, the workgroup of agents based on a forecast load;
wherein the programmatic scheduling of the workgroup of agents includes programmatically scheduling, by the processor, the agent to be activated during a time range;
wherein the programmatic scheduling of the workgroup of agents includes programmatically scheduling, by the processor, the agent to be deactivated at a time when the time range ends;
programmatically scheduling, by the processor, the other workgroup of agents;
wherein the programmatic scheduling of the other workgroup of agents includes programmatically scheduling, by the processor, the agent to be activated during an other time range, wherein the other time range at least partially overlaps the time range;
wherein the programmatic scheduling of the other workgroup of agents includes programmatically scheduling, by the processor, the agent to be deactivated at a time when the other time range ends;
programmatically activating, by the processor, the agent with respect to the workgroup for the time range;
programmatically activating, by the processor, the agent with respect to the other workgroup for the other time range;
programmatically deactivating, by the processor, the agent with respect to the workgroup at the time when the time range ends;
programmatically deactivating, by the processor, the agent with respect to the other workgroup at the time when the other time range ends;
and
adjusting, by the processor, the schedule of the agent into and out of the workgroup in real-time based on an actual communication load.

11 more elements

A method of employing a computer for routing communications to grouped agents via a network, comprising:

identifying a first group of agents, wherein the first group is associated with a first communication type and not associated with a second communication type;
identifying a second group of agents, wherein the second group is associated with the second communication type and not associated with the first communication type;
assigning an agent to the first group;
assigning an other agent to the second group;
receiving a first communication via the network that is of the first communication type and not of the second communication type;
routing the first communication via the network to the agent assigned to the first group because:
(i) the first communication is of the first communication type, (ii) because the first communication is not of the second communication type, (iii) the first group is associated with the first communication type, and (iv) the first group is not associated with the second communication type;
receiving a second incoming communication via the network that is of the second communication type and not of the first communications type;
routing the second communication via the network to the other agent assigned to the second group because:
(i) the second communication is of the second communication type, (ii) the second communication is not of the first communications type, (iii) the second group is associated with the second communication type, and (iv) the second group is not associated with the first communication type;
and
adjusting, by the computer, a schedule of the agent into and out of the first group and the second group in real-time based on an actual communication load.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.