Abstract:
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.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and system that characterizes, compares and adjusts calls for their load balance processing in a multi-site call processing system. SOLUTION: The multi-site call processing system (10) includes many distributed cal center sites (100-i) and utilizes the load balance processing, to share calls processed by agents (110-i) among sites. The system creates a multi-site performance score, that characterizes the performance of the load balance processing. The adjustment, such that load balance of a type is selected by taking precedence over the other types for a specific time on the basis of at least part of the multi-site performance score and the selected processing is used, may be employed for the load balance processing. The multi-site performance score may be decided by using a single site performance measured value such as an average speed of answer (ASA), and an agent utilization factor that are generated over many time intervals.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To intelligently mix incoming communication with outgoing communication. SOLUTION: An incoming call/outgoing call mixed call center (100) decides whether an outgoing paging function (122) should transmit an additional outgoing call with respect to a specific skill. It decides whether the number acquired by adding agents in rest for a skill to the number of vacant agents for the skill exceeds the number, acquired by adding the number of outgoing calls waiting for a response from a reception side for a skill, to the number of incoming calls processable for the skill. It further decides whether the service target for the skill exceeds the estimated wait time of respective processable incoming call for the skill, when the outgoing call which waits for response from the receiving side and another additional outgoing call are assumed to be preferred than a processable incoming call. If both the results of decisions are affirmative, a call-paging function transmits an additional outgoing call for the skill. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem that when new work to enter a real-time work center is to be allowed and when an entry is to be refused in the operation of the center. SOLUTION: 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. COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a contact center and methodology for servicing non-real-time contacts. SOLUTION: The advance time for the non-real-time contacts is determined by subtracting the time of service for a later item from the time of service for an earlier item. Items that are serviced immediately after certain types of prescribed 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. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system and method for assessing the status of work waiting for service in a work queue or a work pool. SOLUTION: 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. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a contact center and a method for offering service to non-real time contact. SOLUTION: Progress time for non-real-time contact is decided, by subtracting the service time of following item from a service time of preceding item. Specific type prescribed events, for example, a case where no operational agent remains in a queue including non-real-time contact, a case where the queue is blank, and a case where a system clock is modified, along with an item provided in service immediately after the re-boot of the system, are ignored when the waiting time of items entered in the queue is predicted. For effective management on the contact center, prediction of precise waiting time is provided by this method.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technology for strengthening the function of a host processor in an automatic call distribution (ACD) system and computer-telephony integration (CTI) using the same. SOLUTION: In a CTI contact center, an auxiliary CTI computer enqueues a contact to a contact queue 184 of the auxiliary CTI computer and the contact of a call 168 is enqueued as an ACD call to an ACD call queue 120 of the ACD system as well. Similarly, the auxiliary CTI computer enqueues an agent to an agent queue 185 of the auxiliary CTI computer and an agent 102 having a call processing skill is loged in and enqueued as an ACD agent to an ACD agent queue 130 of the ACD system as well. Therefore, the ACD system and the MIS can provide the ACD function to respective agents. COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide methods and apparatus for characterization, comparison and adjustment of load balancing processes in multi-site call processing systems. SOLUTION: The multi-site call processing system 10 includes multiple distributed call center sites (100-i), and utilizes a load balancing process to distribute calls among the sites for handling by agents (110-i). The system generates a multi-site performance score characterizing the performance of the load balancing process. Adjustments may be made in the load balancing process, such as selection of one type of load balancing over another for use at a particular time, based at least in part on the multi-site performance score. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and apparatus for balancing resource loads. SOLUTION: The present invention is directed to assigning work to service locations having the greatest probability of servicing the work within a target time. Because an average wait time is not necessarily equal to a probability of servicing work within a target time, the present invention is useful in meeting service target goals. Because the present invention operates by comparing the probability of a defined set of service locations to one another, absolute probabilities need not be calculated. Instead, relative probabilities may be used in assigning work. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI