ANSWERING TELEPHONE CALLS

摘要

A telephone answering system having a plurality of agent-stations (103) and a switch (102) for directing incoming calls to the agent-stations. Signals indicative of previous incoming calls are stored (401). These signals are read to produce forecasts (402) of levels of incoming calls at times within an operational period. These forecasts are translated (403) to produce active station requirements, from which schedules (404) are produced of actual agent-station activation. The scheduling consists of allocating station active times and then re-allocating said station active times substantially in response to agent availability so as to improve overall matching. Once scheduled, output signals are generated indicative of the agent activation schedules.