Contact Center Queueing via Value-Based Sub-Queues
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Solution Overview
Problem
Contact centers face challenges in efficiently routing communications and managing agent staff to optimize service quality and cost, as existing methods either lead to restrictive agent allocation or degrade service quality due to inadequate staffing.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that divides communication arrivals into sub-queues based on value ranges and assigns agents accordingly, with dynamic re-establishment of sub-queues and agent allocation to maintain service level requirements and adapt to changing conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a single pool of agents collectively handles all treatment queues, then the total number of agents needed is reduced, but service quality and effectiveness for all treatments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single pool of agents into multiple treatment-specific queues, where each queue is dedicated to a specific treatment type. This segmentation allows agents to specialize in particular treatments while maintaining overall system efficiency, resolving the contradiction between reducing total agent numbers and maintaining service quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic agent allocation where agents can be reassigned between different treatment queues based on real-time demand fluctuations. This dynamic approach enables the system to adapt to changing communication volumes and treatment priorities, maintaining service quality while optimizing agent utilization.
2Reliability
If separate pools of agents are dedicated to each treatment queue, then service quality for each treatment is maintained, but the total number of agents increases and flexibility to handle intermittent phenomena decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-functional agent system where agents are trained to handle multiple treatment types but are primarily assigned to specific queues. This universality allows agents to provide specialized service quality for their primary treatment while also being available to support other treatments during peak periods, reducing the total number of agents needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of agent assignments by implementing a hierarchical queue structure with primary and secondary assignments. Agents have a primary treatment queue assignment for specialized service but can be dynamically reassigned to secondary queues based on demand, optimizing both service quality and agent utilization.
3Reliability
If agents are assigned to primary treatment queues only, then service specialization is improved, but flexibility to handle demand surges in other treatments decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic reassignment mechanisms that allow agents to transition between primary and secondary treatment queues based on real-time demand conditions. This dynamic approach maintains service specialization through primary assignments while providing flexibility to handle demand surges by activating secondary assignments when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback loops that monitor communication volumes and queue lengths across different treatment types. This feedback information drives automated agent reassignment decisions, ensuring that agents are dynamically reallocated to handle demand surges while maintaining specialized service quality through their primary assignments.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for routing a communication in a contact center. Specifically, a treatment is selected for a communication from a plurality of treatments supported by the contact center. Here, each treatment includes a set of sub-queues and is applicable to a reason and/or opportunity for conducting a communication with a party. Each sub-queue includes a value range and a plurality of agents assigned to handle communications placed in the sub-queue. Accordingly, in particular embodiments, a communication value is determined for the communication based on a computation specific to the selected treatment and a sub-queue is selected from the set of sub-queues based on the communication value falling within the value range for the sub-queue. The communication is then placed in the selected sub-queue so that it can be connected to an agent assigned to handle communications placed in the sub-queue.