Dynamic Manpower Calculation for Contact Centers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining manpower requirements in contact centers are not adaptable to changing traffic intensity and do not accurately reflect real-time operational conditions, often relying on empirical rules that may not accurately match service levels.
Innovation Solution
A method using the Erlang C formula to calculate optimal manpower requirements based on traffic intensity and average processing time, with adjustments made using predicted utilization rates to ensure accurate matching with service levels and real-time operational conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If theoretical manpower requirements are determined based on traffic intensity and Erlang C formula, then calculation precision is improved, but adaptability to actual operational environments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the service level parameter based on actual operational conditions and historical data, transforming the static theoretical calculation into a dynamic adaptive model that responds to changing traffic patterns and agent performance
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback loops where actual service levels and utilization rates are measured and used to refine future manpower calculations, allowing continuous improvement of accuracy while maintaining adaptability to operational realities
2Reliability
If service level is set high to improve customer satisfaction, then answering rate within set time is improved, but manpower requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system optimizes the service level parameter by analyzing the relationship between service level thresholds and actual operational outcomes, adjusting this critical parameter to achieve the optimal balance between customer satisfaction and resource utilization
3Ease of operation
If empirical rules are used to adjust manpower requirements, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary computational layer that translates simple utilization rate inputs into precisely calculated manpower requirements, maintaining ease of operation while achieving high calculation accuracy through automated mathematical modeling
Data Source
AI summary
The optimum number of agents necessary for contact-center jobs is dynamically calculated in accordance with actual operations. A method of making the same controllable and a computer program to realize such calculation and method are provided. A necessary number-of-people calculating means (4) theoretically calculates the necessary number of people in response to the number of calls varying from time to time and average handling time (“AHT”) for agents by using the well known Erlang C equation. Further, an operation-rate adjusting means (6) adjusts such theoretically calculated data of the necessary number of people by using a predicted operation data based on managers' practically experienced data and a control means (9) provides the calculated result to an output means (7).