公开(公告)号：US06088441A

公开(公告)日：2000-07-11

申请号：US992307

申请日：1997-12-17

申请人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Robin H. Foster ,  Roy A. Jensen ,  Joylee E. Kohler ,  Eugene P. Mathews

发明人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Robin H. Foster ,  Roy A. Jensen ,  Joylee E. Kohler ,  Eugene P. Mathews

IPC分类号： H04M3/42 ,  H04M3/523 ,  H04M3/60 ,  H04Q3/545 ,  H04M3/00

CPC分类号： H04M3/5233

摘要： In a skills-based ACD, an available agent is reserved and assigned to handle calls needing a "rare" skill of the agent and is prevented from handling calls needing a "common" skill of the agent even if calls needing the common skill are waiting to be handled, if not reserving the agent for the calls needing the rare skill would deprive those calls of the last available agent, even if no calls needing the rare skill are available for handling. The agent is reserved only if target performance criteria, such as average speed of answer, for handling the calls needing the common skill are being met. In case of more than one agent being available to handle calls that need the rare skills, one of these agents is selected and reserved and the other agents are freed to serve calls needing "common" skills.

摘要翻译： 在基于技能的ACD中，可用代理被保留并被分配以处理需要代理的“罕见”技能的呼叫，并且被阻止处理需要代理的“共同”技能的呼叫，即使需要共同技能的呼叫正在等待 要处理，如果不预留需要稀有技能的呼叫的代理，即使没有可用于处理的罕见技能的呼叫，也将剥夺最后一个可用代理的那些呼叫。 只有满足用于处理需要共同技能的呼叫的目标性能标准（例如平均答案速度）才能保留代理。 如果有多个代理可用于处理需要罕见技能的呼叫，则选择和保留这些代理之一，并且释放其他代理人以服务于需要“常见”技能的呼叫。

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：US06163607A

公开(公告)日：2000-12-19

申请号：US185265

申请日：1998-11-03

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： H04M3/42 ,  H04M3/523 ,  H04M3/60 ,  H04Q3/64

CPC分类号： H04M3/5233

摘要： Selection of a call for handling by a call-center agent (106-108) is based on which call's handling by the available agent 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 an agent becomes available, the present values of the service metrics of the service profile (500-502) of that agent for each type (e.g. skill) of available call handled by the agent are combined (610) into a score according to one of a plurality of formulas which corresponds to that call type, and a call of the type for which the agent has the best (e.g., either highest or just-sufficient) score is assigned (612) to the agent. Preferably, a call score is also computed (807) for each available call type, based on factors such as the purpose of the call, the call's in-queue wait time, the priority of the call, etc. The call type for which the agent has the best score is selected (812) to be the one for which the call score best matches the agent's corresponding score. When the assigned agent finishes handling the 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： 由呼叫中心代理（106-108）处理呼叫的选择是基于哪个呼叫由可用代理进行的处理将倾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 衍生的收益（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。 当代理变得可用时，由代理处理的可用呼叫的每种类型（例如技能）的该代理的服务简档（500-502）的服务度量的当前值被组合（610）到根据一个 对应于该呼叫类型的多个公式的呼叫，以及代理人具有最佳（例如，最高或仅足够）得分的类型的呼叫被分配给代理（612）。 优选地，基于诸如呼叫的目的，呼叫的队列等待时间，呼叫的优先级等因素，还计算每个可用呼叫类型的呼叫分数（807）。呼叫类型 代理商选择最佳成绩（812）为呼叫评分与代理人相应得分最匹配的成绩。 当所分配的代理完成对呼叫的处理时，根据服务指标对其性能进行评估（202-206），并使用估价（210）来修改该代理服务简档的服务度量值的当前值。 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：US06192122B1

公开(公告)日：2001-02-20

申请号：US09022959

申请日：1998-02-12

申请人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Robin Harris Foster ,  Roy A. Jensen ,  Joylee E. Kohler ,  Eugene P. Mathews

发明人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Robin Harris Foster ,  Roy A. Jensen ,  Joylee E. Kohler ,  Eugene P. Mathews

IPC分类号： H04M3523

CPC分类号： H04M3/523 ,  H04M3/5233

摘要： Selection of a suitable call-center agent (106-108) to handle a call is based on which available suitable agent's handling of the call will tend to optimize call wait times. When a call needing a particular skill becomes available (200), all skills of agents in the agent queue (131-139) corresponding to the particular skill are determined (202, 204). The agent queues corresponding to the determined skills are checked (206) to determine which ones identify only one agent. For each available agent having the particular skill, the number of agent queues which identify this agent as their only agent is computed (208). The available agent having the lowest computed number is selected (210) to handle the call. This minimizes the number of skills that will be left without an available agent to handle subsequent calls, and thus tends to maximize the probability that a next call will also have a suitable agent already available and not have to wait for one to become available, thereby optimizing call wait times.

摘要翻译： 选择合适的呼叫中心代理（106-108）来处理呼叫是基于哪个可用的合适的代理对呼叫的处理将倾向于优化呼叫等待时间。 当需要特定技能的呼叫可用时（200），确定对应于特定技能的代理队列（131-139）中的代理的所有技能（202,204）。 检查对应于确定的技能的代理队列（206）以确定哪些代理仅识别一个代理。 对于具有特定技能的每个可用代理，计算识别该代理作为其唯一代理的代理队列的数量（208）。 选择具有最低计算数量的可用代理（210）来处理该呼叫。 这最小化了没有可用代理来处理后续呼叫的技能的数量，并且因此趋向于最大化下一次呼叫也将具有已经可用的适当代理的可能性，而不必等待一个可用， 优化呼叫等待时间。

公开(公告)号：US5982873A

公开(公告)日：1999-11-09

申请号：US812617

申请日：1997-03-07

申请人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Robin Harris Foster ,  Joylee E. Kohler ,  Eugene P. Mathews

发明人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Robin Harris Foster ,  Joylee E. Kohler ,  Eugene P. Mathews

IPC分类号： H04M3/42 ,  H04M3/51 ,  H04M3/523 ,  H04M3/60 ,  H04Q3/545 ,  H04M3/00

CPC分类号： H04M3/523 ,  H04M3/51 ,  H04M3/5233

摘要： Call-center (FIG. 1) performance is improved by assigning different service-time objectives (222) to different types of calls or to call queues (21) for different types of calls, and then selecting (212), for an agent (25) who has just become available (200) to handle a call, a waiting call that is farthest along in exceeding its assigned service-time objective. The objectives represent limits on the amount of time that calls should spend waiting for agents before being handled. For example, a video call may need to be serviced within tens of seconds of its arrival, and a voice-only call may need to be serviced within minutes, while e-mail may need a response within hours of its arrival. Relative distance of calls from their assigned service-time objectives is preferably determined by determining (206) the calls' present or anticipated wait times and computing (210) weighted percentages of the assigned service-time objectives that are represented by the present or anticipated wait times. The call with the highest weighted percentage is then selected (212) and assigned (214) to the available agent for handling. The process is repeated each time that any agent becomes available.

摘要翻译： 通过为不同类型的呼叫分配不同的服务时间目标（222）或者为不同类型的呼叫分配不同的呼叫队列（21），然后为代理（212）选择（212）来改善呼叫中心（图1）的性能 25）谁刚刚可用（200）来处理一个电话，一个最远的超过其分配的服务时间目标的等待电话。 这些目标表示呼叫在处理之前等待代理人花费的时间量的限制。 例如，可能需要在到达视频呼叫的几十秒内对视频呼叫进行维修，并且仅在几分钟内可能需要进行语音通话，而电子邮件可能需要在其到达数小时内进行响应。 优选地通过确定（206）由当前或预期的等待时间表示的所分配的服务时间目标的呼叫当前或预期等待时间和计算（210）加权百分比来确定来自其分配的服务时间目标的呼叫的相对距离 次 然后选择（212）并分配（214）具有最高加权百分比的呼叫到可用代理进行处理。 每当任何代理可用时，重复该过程。

公开(公告)号：US5905793A

公开(公告)日：1999-05-18

申请号：US813513

申请日：1997-03-07

申请人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Robin Harris Foster ,  Joylee E. Kohler ,  Eugene P. Mathews

发明人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Robin Harris Foster ,  Joylee E. Kohler ,  Eugene P. Mathews

IPC分类号： H04M3/42 ,  H04M3/523 ,  H04M3/60 ,  H04Q3/545 ,  H04M3/00

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

摘要： The maximum wait time for callers in a call center (FIG. 10) is lowered by selecting, for an agent (25) who has just become available to handle a call, a highest-priority waiting call that would most likely wait the longest if it were not selected at this time. Anticipated wait times are computed for the calls at the heads of the non-empty highest-priority call queues that correspond to the agent's skills or splits (202-210). The anticipated wait time of a call is computed as the call's present (elapsed) wait time plus the average rate of advance of calls in the call's queue (210). The call with the longest anticipated wait time is then selected first and is assigned to the available agent for handling (212-216). The process is repeated each time that any agent becomes available.

摘要翻译： 对于呼叫中心（图10）中的呼叫者的最大等待时间通过选择对于刚刚变得可用于处理呼叫的代理（25）来降低最可能等待最长时间的最高等待呼叫，如果 目前没有选择。 对于与代理技能或分裂（202-210）相对应的非空最高优先级呼叫队列的头部的呼叫，计算预期的等待时间。 呼叫的预期等待时间被计算为呼叫的当前（已经）等待时间加上呼叫队列中的呼叫的平均提前速率（210）。 然后首先选择具有最长预期等待时间的呼叫，并将其分配给可用的处理代理（212-216）。 每当任何代理可用时，重复该过程。

公开(公告)号：US06694009B1

公开(公告)日：2004-02-17

申请号：US09333215

申请日：1999-06-15

申请人： Gregory L. Anderson ,  Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Robin H. Foster ,  Eugene P. Mathews

发明人： Gregory L. Anderson ,  Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Robin H. Foster ,  Eugene P. Mathews

IPC分类号： H04M300

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

摘要： To improve the prediction of wait times of calls (23) waiting to be processed, or to improve the prediction of completion times of calls that are presently being processed, in low-volume call centers (10) or splits/skills (21), additional data points are created—either manually or automatically—during the processing of each call that is presently being processed, for use in effecting wait-time estimates of the waiting calls. At each of the plurality of points in the processing of each of the plurality of calls, information about the call that is relevant to how long completion of the processing of the call is likely to take is obtained (200). This information is applied to historical information about previously-processed calls to estimate (202) how long completion of the processing of each of those calls is likely to take, i.e., how long it will be before the agents (25) who are processing those calls become available to handle the waiting calls. The estimated times are then used (210) as the predicted wait times of that plurality of the waiting calls. The technique is applicable to workflow management in general.

摘要翻译： 为了改进等待处理的呼叫等待时间的预测（23），或者改进在低容量呼叫中心（10）或分组/技能（21）中正在处理的呼叫的完成时间的预测， 在处理当前处理的每个呼叫期间，手动或自动创建附加数据点，以用于实现等待呼叫的等待时间估计。 在多个呼叫中的每一个的处理中的多个点中的每个点处，获得与呼叫处理完成可能采取多长时间相关的呼叫的信息（200）。 该信息被应用于关于先前处理的呼叫的历史信息以进行估计（202）可能需要多长时间完成这些呼叫的处理，即在处理这些呼叫的代理（25）之前将需要多长时间 呼叫可用于处理等待呼叫。 然后使用估计时间（210）作为多个等待呼叫的预测等待时间。 该技术一般适用于工作流管理。

公开(公告)号：US07787609B1

公开(公告)日：2010-08-31

申请号：US11245724

申请日：2005-10-06

申请人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Robin H. Foster ,  Eugene P. Mathews ,  Jill K. Ross ,  John Z. Taylor ,  Rodney A. Thomson

发明人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Robin H. Foster ,  Eugene P. Mathews ,  Jill K. Ross ,  John Z. Taylor ,  Rodney A. Thomson

IPC分类号： H04M3/00 ,  H04M5/00

CPC分类号： H04M3/5233 ,  H04M3/42374

摘要： The present invention is directed to a contact center using presence information to direct work items to experts. More specifically, a system is provided that includes a feature that allows for subject matter experts, which are individuals other than customer service agents, to assist in incoming calls in at least three different modes: an assist mode, an intercept mode and an overflow mode. Thus, customer service efficiency and customer satisfaction are increased. In addition, it is contemplated that subject matter experts may either selectively accept or deny the request for assistance.

摘要翻译： 本发明涉及使用存在信息将工作项目引导到专家的联络中心。 更具体地，提供了一种系统，其包括允许作为除客户服务代理之外的个人的主题专家以至少三种不同模式来协助来话呼叫的功能：辅助模式，截取模式和溢出模式 。 因此，客户服务效率和客户满意度得到提高。 此外，预期主题专家可以选择性地接受或拒绝协助请求。

公开(公告)号：US06766013B2

公开(公告)日：2004-07-20

申请号：US09874634

申请日：2001-06-05

申请人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Robin H. Foster ,  Eugene P. Mathews

发明人： Andrew D. Flockhart ,  Robin H. Foster ,  Eugene P. Mathews

IPC分类号： H04M300

CPC分类号： H04M3/51 ,  H04M3/5238

摘要： A call center (100) rejects further calls when the sum of the present time, the anticipated call in-queue wait time (112), and the anticipated call service time (114) for this type (106-108) of call exceeds the closing time of the call center. The call center may redirect the rejected calls to another call center if it determines that the other call center can service them by its closing time.

摘要翻译： 当呼叫中心（100）当前时间的总和，预期的呼叫等待时间（112）和该类型（106-108）的预期呼叫服务时间（114）超过了呼叫中心 呼叫中心的关闭时间。 如果呼叫中心确定另一个呼叫中心可以在其关闭时间为他们提供服务，那么呼叫中心可以将被拒绝的呼叫重定向到另一个呼叫中心。