Dynamic Auto-Answer Delay for Contact Center Agent Preparedness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art systems fail to provide sufficient time for agents to prepare before auto-answering calls, leading to increased call resolution time and customer frustration due to lack of preparedness, as they connect customers to agents before the agents have reviewed the necessary customer history and context.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic auto-answer time determination system that considers customer context, agent statistics, and historical data to allocate the appropriate time for agents to review customer information before connecting, using omnichannel agent desktops and communication devices to ensure agents are better informed and prepared.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If auto-answer time is set to a static default value, then system simplicity is maintained, but agent preparedness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic auto-answer time determination by adjusting the delay duration based on real-time agent state (idle vs. busy) and call characteristics. The system transitions from a static fixed delay to a dynamic adaptive delay that automatically adjusts based on current conditions, resolving the contradiction between system simplicity and agent preparedness.
2Reliability
If auto-answer time is extended to allow agent preparation, then agent preparedness is improved, but call resolution time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of auto-answer delay duration based on agent state and call characteristics. By dynamically adjusting this temporal parameter, the system optimizes the balance between preparation time and overall call resolution time, preventing both premature connections and excessive delays.
3Productivity
If auto-answer connects customer immediately when agent is available, then productivity is improved, but customer satisfaction deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by extending the auto-answer delay to allow agents to review customer history and prepare before connection. This preliminary preparation phase ensures agents are ready with relevant information, improving customer satisfaction while maintaining reasonable connection speeds through optimized delay durations.
Data Source
AI summary
Agents in a contact center are often connected to communications (e.g., calls, real-time text chats) automatically and without human intervention. By analyzing the communication and/or a history associated with the customer on the communication, an auto-answer delay may be determined that is better able to provide the agent with sufficient time to prepare for the communication. The auto-answer delay may be determined as a variation from a default auto-answer delay.