Fulfilling a Contact Center Agent Resource Deficiency

摘要

A reserve agent management system allows users, such as contact center agents or administrators, to access and edit reserve schedules for agents. In various embodiments, a reserve schedule indicates times, called reserve times, during a particular agent's off-hours when the agent is willing to receive a recall invitation and potentially return to work. Thus, when a determination is made that additional agent resources are needed, agents having compatible reserve times are notified and invited to be recalled. Agents agreeing to be recalled are then scheduled to work at certain recall times to address the need for additional agent resources. In other embodiments, agents' break times may be shifted to potentially accommodate unexpected changes in required agent resources. Thus, in various embodiments, the reserve agent management system provides administrators and agents with flexibility in adapting agents' schedules to accommodate unplanned needs for agent resources.

主权项

1. A method comprising the steps of:
determining an employee resource deficiency by at least one computer processor, the employee resource deficiency comprising a second quantity of employee resources needed to work during a future time period in addition to a first quantity of employee resources currently scheduled to work during the future time period; identifying a first employee associated with a first reserve schedule by the at least one computer processor, the first reserve schedule comprising (1) one or more reserve time periods identified by the first employee, the one or more reserve time periods occurring during off-time that is outside one or more currently scheduled work shifts for the first employee and indicating when the first employee is potentially available to be recalled to work and (2) one or more unavailable time periods, the one or more unavailable time periods occurring during the off-time that is outside the one or more currently scheduled work shifts for the first employee and indicating when the first employee is unavailable to be recalled to work, wherein the first reserve schedule has a first reserve time period that coincides with the future time period; identifying a second employee associated with a second reserve schedule by the at least one computer processor, the second reserve schedule comprising (1) one or more reserve time periods identified by the second employee, the one or more reserve time periods occurring during off-time that is outside one or more currently scheduled work shifts for the second employee and indicating when the second employee is potentially available to be recalled to work and (2) one or more unavailable time periods, the one or more unavailable time periods occurring during the off-time that is outside the one or more currently scheduled work shifts for the second employee and indicating when the second employee is unavailable to be recalled to work, wherein the second reserve schedule has a second reserve time period that coincides with the future time period; transmitting a first invitation to the first employee, the first invitation inquiring as to whether the first employee is willing to work during the first reserve time period identified in the first reserve schedule that coincides with the future time period to fulfill at least a portion of the second quantity of employee resources needed to work during the future time period; receiving a first reply from the first employee indicating whether the first employee is willing to work during the first reserve time period identified in the first reserve schedule that coincides with the future time period; transmitting a second invitation to the second employee, the second invitation inquiring as to whether the second employee is willing to work during the second reserve time period identified in the second reserve schedule that coincides with the future time period to fulfill at least a portion of the second quantity of employee resources needed to work during the future time period; and receiving a second reply from the second employee indicating whether the second employee is willing to work during the second reserve time period identified in the second reserve schedule that coincides with the future time period.