Dynamic Interaction Routing for Agent Utilization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Call centers face challenges in optimizing agent resource utilization during peak periods of incoming interaction flow, leading to underutilization of agents during low periods and difficulties in maintaining service level objectives.

Innovation Solution

A unique routing system that supplements incoming interaction streams with proactive interactions, managed by a profiling function to rank visitors based on desirability and an invitation function to balance traffic with agent availability, ensuring higher agent utilization without degrading service quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If dynamic agent scheduling is used to optimize agent resource utilization during peak periods, then agent utilization during peak periods is improved, but agents become underutilized during low periods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveagent resource utilization during peak periodsVSAvoidagent idle time during low periods

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by proactively creating interactions before peak periods occur. The proactive interaction creation module generates interactions in advance based on predicted agent availability and traffic patterns, ensuring agents are continuously engaged without waiting for organic traffic to materialize during low periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts interaction creation strategies based on real-time agent availability and traffic conditions. The controller module continuously monitors agent status and traffic patterns, modifying the proactive interaction creation rate accordingly to optimize agent utilization across all periods while maintaining service quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If proactive interaction creation is increased to utilize idle agents, then agent utilization is improved, but service level objectives may be degraded during peak periods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveagent utilizationVSAvoidservice level objectives

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the controller module continuously monitors service level metrics and adjusts proactive interaction creation rates accordingly. When service levels approach thresholds during peak periods, the system automatically reduces proactive interaction creation to maintain SLO compliance while still utilizing agents during low periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes key parameters such as the rate of proactive interaction creation based on traffic conditions and agent availability. During low periods, the creation rate is increased to maximize agent utilization; during peak periods, the rate is reduced to prevent service degradation, creating a dynamic balance between productivity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If the incoming interaction stream is supplemented with proactive interactions, then agent resource utilization is increased, but the complexity of traffic management increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveagent resource utilizationVSAvoidtraffic management system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the interaction management function into distinct modules: organic traffic handling, proactive interaction creation, ranking functions, and traffic management. This segmentation allows each component to operate independently with well-defined responsibilities, reducing overall system complexity while enabling sophisticated agent utilization strategies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces intermediary components such as the ranking function and controller module that mediate between organic traffic, proactive interactions, and agent assignment. These intermediaries simplify the complex coordination required to blend different interaction types by providing centralized control and prioritization logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS8259924B2System for creation and dynamic management of incoming interactions

Publication Date: 2012.09.04 GENESYS CLOUD SERVICES INC

AI summary

A communications center system includes unsolicited inbound transaction traffic for routing to agents, one or more channels engaging visitors to the communication center other than interaction with a live agent, a profiling function for gathering information about the visitors to the communications-center, during the time the visitors are engaged in other than interaction with a live agent, a ranking function for ranking the visitors as to desirability for interaction, according to the information gathered, and an invitation function for sending invitations to transact to the visitors according to the ranking. The system monitors agent availability and the unsolicited inbound transaction traffic, and manages the invitation function to balance total traffic with agent availability.