Method for optimizing skill assignment in call center agent applications

摘要

The present invention relates to the assignment of calls to groups of call handlers in a call center environment. According to certain aspects, the present invention achieves an optimal balance between the level of service and overall cost by assigning a “common” pool skill to all call handlers in the system and by secondarily assigning one or more additional “rare” pool skills to each call handler. In this configuration, any call handler may receive calls (or other multiple media work assignments) from the states in the common pool while also receiving calls from the states in their additional rare pool(s). According to other aspects, a method according to the invention optimizes the selection of the skills to be included in each of the pools.

主权项

1. A method of optimizing distribution of skills among call handlers for providing a financial services product to callers via the call handlers in an agency having an automatic call distribution system, the method being implemented by one or more computers, the method comprising:
identifying a plurality of skills needed for handling calls; grouping certain of the skills into a common skill pool; grouping certain other of the skills into a rare skill pool; assigning all the call handlers to the common skill pool, wherein all the call handlers have the certain skills grouped in the common skill pool and can thereby handle calls where those certain skills are needed; assigning certain of the call handlers to the rare skill pool, wherein all the certain call handlers have the certain other skills grouped in the rare skill pool and can thereby handle calls where those certain other skills are needed; causing, by the one or more computers, the certain call handlers assigned to the rare skill pool to handle calls where the certain other skills in the rare skill pool are needed; and allowing, by the one or more computers, available ones of the certain call handlers assigned to the rare skill pool to handle calls where the certain skills in the common skill pool are needed, wherein the step of grouping skills into the common skill pool includes: identifying a first set of skills needed for a large majority of the calls; identifying a second different set of skills needed for the large majority of the calls; comparing a cost associated with the first and second sets to determine the lower cost set; identifying the skills in the lower cost set as the certain skills; and iteratively performing the first identifying, the second identifying and comparing steps until an absolute lowest cost set is identified; and entering the call handler assignments into the automatic call distribution system, such that calls to the agency are automatically routed to the call handlers according to the assignments.