公开(公告)号：US20080275751A1

公开(公告)日：2008-11-06

申请号：US12142555

申请日：2008-06-19

申请人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Larry J. Roybal ,  Robert C. Steiner

发明人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Larry J. Roybal ,  Robert C. Steiner

IPC分类号： G06Q10/00

CPC分类号： H04M3/523 ,  G06Q10/06 ,  G06Q10/0631 ,  G06Q10/06312 ,  G06Q10/06315 ,  G06Q10/0635 ,  G06Q10/0639 ,  G06Q10/087

摘要： The present invention provides a system and method for assessing the status of work waiting for service in a work queue or a work pool. Work items are placed in the work queue or work pool and have a service time goal. The work items in the work queue or work pool are scanned and a required queue position for each work item is calculated according to the amount of time remaining prior to the expiration of the service time goal and weighted advance time for servicing of work items in the work queue or pool. An array of counters has elements which correspond to required queue positions. Upon the calculation of the required queue position for a work item, the counter corresponding to the required queue position is incremented. When all of the work items are scanned, the array of counters is analyzed to predict a future state of the work queue or work pool.

公开(公告)号：US08571195B2

公开(公告)日：2013-10-29

申请号：US13193717

申请日：2011-07-29

申请人： Alberto Pasi ,  Mark Schmidt ,  Andrew D. Flockhart

发明人： Alberto Pasi ,  Mark Schmidt ,  Andrew D. Flockhart

IPC分类号： H04M3/42

CPC分类号： H04M3/523 ,  H04M2203/404

摘要： Provided herein is a system and method for sharing control of a customer service provided by a contact center. The method may include: receiving, from a customer, a customer contact to request the customer service; communicating by use of a communication channel between the customer and the contact center in order to provide the customer service; receiving a join request, from the customer, to join an outside party to the customer service; and joining the outside party to the customer service.

摘要翻译： 本文提供了一种用于共享由联络中心提供的客户服务的控制的系统和方法。 该方法可以包括：从客户接收客户联系人以请求客户服务; 通过使用客户和联络中心之间的通信通道进行通信，以提供客户服务; 从客户接收加入请求，加入外部聚会到客户服务; 并加入到客户服务的外部聚会。

公开(公告)号：US20130216037A1

公开(公告)日：2013-08-22

申请号：US13398474

申请日：2012-02-16

申请人： Alan David Eicholz ,  Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Tore Christensen ,  Katherine Anthony Sobus

发明人： Alan David Eicholz ,  Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Tore Christensen ,  Katherine Anthony Sobus

IPC分类号： H04M3/50

CPC分类号： G06Q10/105 ,  G06Q10/103 ,  G06Q50/2057

摘要： The present disclosure describes various ways of monitoring the needs of a contact center in real-time and pushing training to a number of agents to address those needs. In determining to push training to agents, the short-term efficiency of the agent is balanced with the long-term efficiency of the contact center. When agents receive and then complete training events designed to address the monitored contact center needs the attributes associated with the agents are updated to allow them to handle the contacts requiring training.

摘要翻译： 本公开描述了实时监视联络中心的需求的各种方式，并且将训练推向若干代理以满足这些需求。 在决定将培训推向代理商时，代理人的短期效率与联络中心的长期效率相平衡。 当代理人收到并完成旨在解决受监控的联络中心的培训活动时，需要更新与代理关联的属性，以便他们处理需要培训的联系人。

公开(公告)号：US08054964B2

公开(公告)日：2011-11-08

申请号：US12433438

申请日：2009-04-30

申请人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Eugene P. Mathews ,  John Z. Taylor

发明人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Eugene P. Mathews ,  John Z. Taylor

IPC分类号： H04M3/00

CPC分类号： H04M3/51 ,  G10L17/26 ,  H04M3/436 ,  H04M2203/2011

摘要： The system and method establish a communication with a first party. A first emotion is detected during a first step during the communication. Steps in the communication can include: establishing a call, waiting in a queue, talking with an agent, communicating with an IVR system, and the like. A second emotion is detected at a different step in the communication. Alternatively, the first and second emotions are detected in two different but related communications. The detection of the first and/or second emotion determines how to process the communication. Examples of processing a communication can include routing the communication differently, selecting a different script for an agent, selecting a different agent, and the like. In addition, the communication can also be processed differently based on other additional parameters.

摘要翻译： 系统和方法与第一方建立通信。 在通信期间的第一步骤期间检测到第一情绪。 通信中的步骤可以包括：建立呼叫，等待队列，与代理交谈，与IVR系统通信等。 在通信中的不同步骤中检测到第二情绪。 或者，第一和第二情绪在两个不同但相关的通信中被检测。 第一和/或第二情绪的检测决定了如何处理通信。 处理通信的示例可以包括不同地路由通信，为代理选择不同的脚本，选择不同的代理等。 此外，还可以基于其他附加参数对通信进行不同的处理。

公开(公告)号：US06741699B1

公开(公告)日：2004-05-25

申请号：US09669257

申请日：2000-09-25

申请人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Eugene P. Mathews

发明人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Eugene P. Mathews

IPC分类号： H04M300

CPC分类号： H04M7/003 ,  H04M3/36 ,  H04M3/367 ,  H04M3/5191 ,  H04M3/523 ,  H04M3/5238

摘要： The present invention provides a method and system for controlling call volume into a call center. The method and system provides the contacting entity with a file of information for viewing that encourages or discourages continuance of the contact or initiation of another contact with the call center. This is accomplished by adding or omitting features from the file such as contact buttons or icons, messages, and the like. The architecture determines which type of file to provide a contacting entity based on such factors as the staffing level of the call center, the busyness of the call center, the value of the contact and/or contacting entity, and the like.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供一种用于控制呼叫中心呼叫量的方法和系统。 该方法和系统向联系实体提供用于观看的信息文件，其鼓励或阻止与呼叫中心的联系或启动另一联系人的连续性。 这是通过添加或省略文件中的功能来实现的，例如联系人按钮或图标，消息等。 该架构基于诸如呼叫中心的人员配置，呼叫中心的忙碌，联系人和/或联系实体的价值等因素来确定提供接触实体的哪种类型的文件。

公开(公告)号：US06173053B2

公开(公告)日：2001-01-09

申请号：US09057842

申请日：1998-04-09

申请人： Frank J. Bogart ,  Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Robin H. Foster ,  Joylee E. Kohler ,  Eugene P. Mathews ,  Stephen L. Skarzynski

发明人： Frank J. Bogart ,  Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Robin H. Foster ,  Joylee E. Kohler ,  Eugene P. Mathews ,  Stephen L. Skarzynski

IPC分类号： H04Q364

CPC分类号： H04M3/5233

摘要： Selection of a call-center agent (106-108) to handle a call is based on which available agent's handling of the call will tend to optimize call-center performance criteria such as efficiency (e.g., minimize per-call handling time) or derived benefit (e.g., maximize revenue). Each agent has a service profile for each type of call that they handle. A service profile (400-402) comprises present values of a plurality of service metrics, such as proficiency, profitability, customer satisfaction, and agent satisfaction. When a call of a particular type becomes available, the present values of the service metrics of the service profile (400-500) of that call type of each agent who is available to handle the call are combined (304) into a score according to one of a plurality of formulas which corresponds to that call type, and the agent with the best score is assigned (306) to the call. When the assigned agent finishes handling the is call, his or her performance is evaluated (202-206) based on the service metrics, and the valuations are used (210) to revise the present values of the service metrics of that agent's service profile. The revision process gives (208) more weight to valuations of more-recently-handled calls to reflect both long-term and short-term agent performance trends and variations.

摘要翻译： 呼叫中心代理（106-108）的选择是基于哪个可用代理对呼叫的处理将趋向于优化呼叫中心性能标准，例如效率（例如，最小化每个呼叫处理时间）或导出 收益（例如，最大化收入）。 每个代理都有一个服务配置文件，用于他们处理的每种类型的调用。 服务简档（400-402）包括多个服务度量的现值，例如熟练度，盈利能力，顾客满意度和代理满意度。 当特定类型的呼叫可用时，可以处理呼叫的每个代理的该呼叫类型的服务简档（400-500）的当前值被组合（304）到根据 对应于该呼叫类型的多个公式中的一个，并且具有最佳分数的代理被分配（306）到该呼叫。 当所分配的代理完成处理呼叫时，根据服务度量对其性能进行评估（202-206），并使用估价（210）来修改该代理服务简档的服务度量的当前值。 修订过程使（208）对最近处理的呼叫的估值更加重视，以反映长期和短期代理业绩趋势和变化。

公开(公告)号：US5828747A

公开(公告)日：1998-10-27

申请号：US790143

申请日：1997-01-28

申请人： Thomas S. Fisher ,  Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Roy A. Jensen ,  Joylee E. Kohler ,  Eugene P. Mathews ,  Edward L. Smelko

发明人： Thomas S. Fisher ,  Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Roy A. Jensen ,  Joylee E. Kohler ,  Eugene P. Mathews ,  Edward L. Smelko

IPC分类号： H04M3/523 ,  H04M5/06

CPC分类号： H04M3/5233 ,  H04M3/5234

摘要： A call-distribution function (150) of an ACD system (101) improves the equity of distribution of calls to agents (106-108) by basing the distribution on the agents' individual occupancies. Illustratively, determining an agent's occupancy involves either determining (304) how many calls the agent has handled within a predetermined time interval, or determining (305) how much time of a predetermined time interval the agent has spent on handling of calls. The occupancy is periodically re-determined, and a next call is allocated to the presently least-occupied one of agents who are available to take the call, or to an agent to whose occupancy the allocation will be most beneficial, such as an available agent to whom allocation of the call will maximize convergence of actual and target occupancies. A queue (135) of agents available is ordered in the inverse order of the agent's occupancies, and a newly-available agent is slotted (inserted) (306) into the queue in a position (202) that ensures the continued inverse ordering of the agent queue. The occupancies of agents are then re-determined (308) and the agents are re-enqueued (310) accordingly.

摘要翻译： ACD系统（101）的呼叫分配功能（150）通过基于代理人的个人占用的分配来提高对代理（106-108）的呼叫分配的权益。 说明性地，确定代理的占用涉及在预定时间间隔内确定（304）代理已经处理了多少呼叫，或者确定（305）代理在处理呼叫上花了多少时间间隔。 周期性重新确定占用率，并且下一个呼叫被分配给可用于接听呼叫的当前最不占用的代理人，或分配给其最有利的代理人，例如可用的代理 呼叫的分配将最大化实际和目标占用的收敛。 可用的代理的队列（135）以代理人的占用的相反顺序排序，并且新的可用代理在（202）中被插入（插入）（306）到队列中，以确保持续反向排序 代理队列。 然后重新确定代理人的占用（308），并且相应地将代理重新排队（310）。

公开(公告)号：US5506898A

公开(公告)日：1996-04-09

申请号：US273667

申请日：1994-07-12

申请人： Ralph J. Costantini ,  Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Cecil W. Maccannon, Jr. ,  James L. Murtaugh, III ,  Carol Santagato ,  Minh D. Tran

发明人： Ralph J. Costantini ,  Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Cecil W. Maccannon, Jr. ,  James L. Murtaugh, III ,  Carol Santagato ,  Minh D. Tran

IPC分类号： H04M3/523 ,  H04M3/00 ,  G06G7/48 ,  H04M1/64 ,  H04Q3/64

CPC分类号： H04M3/523 ,  H04M3/5233 ,  H04M3/5238

摘要： In an automatic call distribution (ACD) system, an improved estimated waiting time arrangement derives a more accurate estimate of how long a call that is or may be enqueued in a particular queue will have to wait before being serviced by an agent, by using the average rate of advance of calls through positions of the particular queue. For a dequeued call, the arrangement determines the call's individual rate of advance from one queue position to the next toward the head of the queue. It then uses this individual rate to recompute a weighted average rate of advance through the queue derived from calls that preceded the last-dequeued call through the queue. To derive a particular call's estimated waiting time, the arrangement multiplies the present weighted average rate of advance by the particular call's position number in the queue. The arrangement may be called upon to update the derivation at any time before or while the call is in queue. Also, the arrangement performs the estimated waiting time derivation separately and individually for each separate queue. The arrangement advantageously takes into consideration the effect of ACD features that affect the estimated waiting time, including changes in the numbers of agents that are serving the queue due to agent login and logout, multiple split/skill queuing, agents with multiple skills or in multiple splits, priority queuing, interflow, intraflow, and call-abandonment rates.

摘要翻译： 在自动呼叫分配（ACD）系统中，改进的估计等待时间安排导出更精确的估计，即在特定队列中进入或可能入队的呼叫将在由代理服务之前必须等待多长时间，通过使用 通过特定队列的位置的平均通话率。 对于出队呼叫，该安排确定呼叫从一个队列位置到下一个队列的头部的单独提前速率。 然后，它使用这个单独的速率来重新计算从通过队列的最后出队呼叫之前的呼叫导出的队列的加权平均提前速率。 为了导出特定呼叫的估计等待时间，该排列将当前加权平均提前速率乘以队列中的特定呼叫位置号。 可能要求该调度在呼叫进入队列之前或之时更新派生。 此外，该排列对于每个单独的队列分别执行估计的等待时间导出。 这种安排有利地考虑了影响估计的等待时间的ACD特征的影响，包括由于代理登录和注销，服务于队列的代理数量的变化，多个分组/技能排队，具有多个技能的代理或多个 分流，优先排队，流量，流量和呼叫丢弃率。

公开(公告)号：US08315373B1

公开(公告)日：2012-11-20

申请号：US12049357

申请日：2008-03-16

申请人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Eugene Mathews

发明人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Eugene Mathews

IPC分类号： H04M3/00 ,  H04M5/00

CPC分类号： H04M3/5234

摘要： A method and system for dynamically determining a poll wherein at least a first parameter for each queue of one or more queues is maintained and a poll for each queue based upon an initial polling mode corresponding to each of the one or more queues is conducted. The polling mode comprises either a scheduled polling mode or an on-demand polling mode. Thereafter, at least a second parameter for each queue based on the poll is determined and an interval or a mode of a subsequent poll for each queue based on a comparison between the first parameter and the second parameter corresponding to each queue is scheduled. The subsequent poll is either (a) a different one of the scheduled poll and the on-demand poll, or (b) the scheduled poll having a different polling interval than the initial polling mode wherein the initial polling mode is also the scheduled poll.

摘要翻译： 一种用于动态地确定轮询的方法和系统，其中维护一个或多个队列的每个队列的至少第一参数，并且基于与所述一个或多个队列中的每个队列对应的初始轮询模式进行对每个队列的轮询。 轮询模式包括调度轮询模式或按需轮询模式。 此后，确定基于轮询的每个队列的至少第二参数，并且调度基于与每个队列对应的第一参数和第二参数之间的比较的每个队列的后续轮询的间隔或模式。 随后的轮询是（a）不同的调度轮询和按需轮询，或者（b）具有与初始轮询模式不同的轮询间隔的调度轮询，其中初始轮询模式也是调度轮询。

公开(公告)号：US06754333B1

公开(公告)日：2004-06-22

申请号：US09641403

申请日：2000-08-17

申请人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Michael Joseph Harris

发明人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Michael Joseph Harris

IPC分类号： H04M500

CPC分类号： H04M3/5191 ,  H04M3/523 ,  H04M3/5238

摘要： The present invention is directed to a contact center and methodology for servicing non-real-time contacts. The advance time for the non-real-time contacts is determined by subtracting the time of service for an earlier item from the time of service for a later item. Items that are serviced immediately after certain types of predetermined events, e.g., the queue containing the non-real-time contacts has no working agents; the queue is empty; the system clock is changed; and the system is rebooted are ignored in estimating the wait time for enqueued items. Using this methodology, accurate wait-time predictions are provided for more efficient management of the contact center.

摘要翻译： 本发明涉及一种用于维护非实时联系人的联络中心和方法。 非实时联系人的提前时间是通过从后期项目的服务时间中减去早期项目的服务时间来确定的。 在某些类型的预定事件之后立即服务的项目，例如包含非实时联系人的队列没有工作代理; 队列是空的 系统时钟更改; 并且在估计入队物品的等待时间时，将忽略系统重新启动。 使用这种方法，提供准确的等待时间预测，以更有效地管理联络中心。