U.S. patent application number 10/329999 was filed with the patent office on 2003-08-14 for resource management facilitation.
Invention is credited to Chee, Chuan Khay, Chopra, Jeannie Lin, Davies, Adrian Richard.
Application Number | 20030154184 10/329999 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22277678 |
Filed Date | 2003-08-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030154184 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chee, Chuan Khay ; et
al. |
August 14, 2003 |
Resource management facilitation
Abstract
A method and system for resource management. In particular, a
resource management system adapted to manage the resources, both
machine and human, in call centers. The system calculates and
displays statistics continuously which relate to both resources,
machine and human, and objects, such as incoming calls, requiring
resources. The statistics displayed are user configurable.
Moreover, the system detects and warns a user upon a statistic
exceeding a user defined threshold. The resource management system
allows users to associate a resource to an object requiring
resources. In so associating, the resources of the call center are
reconfigured. Moreover, the statistics displayed and the method of
display by the system are user configurable.
Inventors: |
Chee, Chuan Khay; (Toronto,
CA) ; Chopra, Jeannie Lin; (Fremont, CA) ;
Davies, Adrian Richard; (Neasden, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Docket Clerk
P.O. Drawer 800889
Dallas
TX
75380
US
|
Family ID: |
22277678 |
Appl. No.: |
10/329999 |
Filed: |
December 26, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10329999 |
Dec 26, 2002 |
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09100011 |
Jun 19, 1998 |
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6526397 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 ;
707/999.001 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 10/06 20130101;
Y10S 707/99931 20130101; H04M 3/5175 20130101; H04M 3/523
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
707/1 |
International
Class: |
G06F 007/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of facilitating management of resources, comprising the
steps of: displaying a plurality of resource objects, each resource
object representing a resource; displaying a plurality of resource
requiring objects, each resource requiring object representing a
resource requiring process; receiving a user input associating a
selected resource object with a selected resource requiring object;
allocating a resource represented by said selected resource object
to a resource requiring process represented by said selected
resource requiring object.
2. The method of claim 1 including the steps of: receiving a user
input associating a given data item with a set of at least one data
item; displaying said given data item; responsive to a user input
indicating said given data item, displaying said set of at least
one data item.
3. The method of claim 2 including the step of: responsive to a
user input indicating said set of at least one data item,
displaying said data item.
4. The method of claim 1 including the steps of: repeatedly
receiving updates respecting at least one set of at least one
statistic and, for each of said at least one set of at least one
statistic, displaying a window containing a set of corresponding
data items based on said updates; receiving a user input indicating
an action in respect of one said window; undertaking said action in
respect of said one said window.
5. The method of claim 4 including the steps of: repeatedly
receiving updates respecting at least one set of resources and, for
each of said at least one set of resources, displaying a window
containing a set of corresponding resource objects based on said
updates; and repeatedly receiving updates respecting at least one
set of resource requiring processes and, for each of said at least
one set of resource requiring processes, displaying a window
containing a set of corresponding resource requiring objects based
on said updates.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein said action in respect of said
window comprises one of (i) resizing said window; (ii) minimizing
said window; (iii) moving said window to a foreground position;
(iv) moving said window to a background position; and (v)
repositioning said window.
7. The method of claim 4 wherein where an update in respect of a
statistic of a set of at least one statistic exceeds a threshold,
expanding a corresponding window for a corresponding set of data
items, if said corresponding window is not expanded and displaying
said corresponding window in a foreground position, if said
corresponding window is not displayed in a foreground position.
8. The method of claim 4 wherein a set of at least one statistic
comprises a target statistic and wherein the step of displaying
comprising displaying a window of data items representing said
target statistic for each of a plurality of consecutive time
periods.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein said target statistic comprises an
instantaneous statistic and wherein said step of displaying
includes obtaining an average value of said instantaneous statistic
for each of said plurality of consecutive time periods.
10. The method of claim 8 including the steps of: constructing a
new data item based on received updates; displaying said new data
item as part of said window; ceasing to display a data item
represented by an oldest time period when said new data item is
displayed.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein each data item is constructed
from a collection of consecutive updates and including the steps
of: with each update received, incorporating said received update
in a data item associated with a most recent time period and
unincorporating an oldest update from said data item associated
with said most recent time period; for each remaining data item of
said window, unincorporating an oldest update and incorporating an
oldest update from a data item for a next consecutive more recent
time period.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein each step of displaying comprises
displaying on one of a flat screen monitor and a plasma monitor
located in a common area for viewing by a group of people.
13. A method of facilitating management of a call center,
comprising the steps of: displaying a plurality of resource
objects, each resource object representing a resource; displaying a
plurality of resource requiring objects, each resource requiring
object representing a resource requiring process; receiving a user
input associating a selected resource object with a selected
resource requiring object; allocating a resource represented by
said selected resource object to a resource requiring process
represented by said selected resource requiring object.
14. The method claim 13 wherein each resource object represents a
resource comprising one of an agent, a call, and a telephone line
and wherein each resource requiring object represents a resource
requiring process comprising one of a queue of calls waiting to be
answered and an indicator of telephone trunk utilisation.
15. A method of facilitating management of resources, comprising:
constructing a set of first data items from a set of statistics of
a first type, each statistic derived from information from an
instance of a set of relators; constructing a summary data item
from said set of first data items; receiving a user input
associating said summary data item with a set of at least one
second data item, each said second data item representing a
statistic of a second type derived from an instance of said set of
relators; responsive to said step of receiving, associating said
set of first data items with said set of second data items;
displaying said set of first data items; responsive to a user input
indicating one of said first data items, displaying a second data
item derived from an instance of said set of relators from which
said indicated first data item was derived.
16. A method of facilitating management of resources, comprising:
constructing a set of first data items from a set of statistics of
a first type, each statistic derived from information from an
instance of a set of relators; receiving a user input associating
one of said first data items with a set of at least one second data
item, each said second data item representing a statistic of a
second type derived from an instance of said set of relators from
which said one first data item was derived; responsive to said step
of receiving, associating said set of first data items with said
set of second data items; displaying said set of first data items;
responsive to a user input indicating one of said first data items,
displaying a second data item derived from an instance of said set
of relators from which said indicated first data item was
derived.
17. A computer media product comprising: means for displaying a
plurality of resource objects, each resource object representing a
resource; means for displaying a plurality of resource requiring
objects, each resource requiring object representing a resource
requiring process; means for receiving a user input associating a
selected resource object with a selected resource requiring object;
means for allocating a resource represented by said selected
resource object to a resource requiring process represented by said
selected resource requiring object.
18. A computer media product comprising: means for constructing a
set of first data items from a set of statistics of a first type,
each statistic derived from information from an instance of a set
of relators; means for receiving a user input associating one of
said first data items with a set of at least one second data item,
each said second data item representing a statistic of a second
type derived from an instance of said set of relators from which
said one first data item was derived; means for, responsive to said
step of receiving, associating said set of first data items with
said set of second data items; means for displaying said set of
first data items; means for, responsive to a user input indicating
one of said first data items, displaying a second data item derived
from an instance of said set of relators from which said indicated
first data item was derived.
19. A system for management facilitation comprising: means for
displaying a plurality of resource objects, each resource object
representing a resource; means for displaying a plurality of
resource requiring objects, each resource requiring object
representing a resource requiring process; means for receiving a
user input associating a selected resource object with a selected
resource requiring object; means for allocating a resource
represented by said selected resource object to a resource
requiring process represented by said selected resource requiring
object.
20. A system for management facilitation comprising: means for
constructing a set of first data items from a set of statistics of
a first type, each statistic derived from information from an
instance of a set of relators; means for receiving a user input
associating one of said first data items with a set of at least one
second data item, each said second data item representing a
statistic of a second type derived from an instance of said set of
relators from which said one first data item was derived; means
for, responsive to said step of receiving, associating said set of
first data items with said set of second data items; means for
displaying said set of first data items; means for, responsive to a
user input indicating one of said first data items, displaying a
second data item derived from an instance of said set of relators
from which said indicated first data item was derived.
21. The method of claim 1 including the steps of: receiving a user
input indicating a resource object; displaying an option menu
including an option of changing a state of said indicated resource
object; changing a state of said resource object based on a user
selection.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a method and system for the
management of resources.
[0002] Call centers may be established by businesses for the mass
handling of incoming and/or outgoing calls. To this end, businesses
often publish one or more common telephone numbers for all customer
service or sales calls and these calls are received by call
centers. The call center will distribute calls to agents so that
they are timely answered by an agent who has the skills necessary
to handle the call. To facilitate this, the call center may engage
a caller in a menu driven session to decide on a queue to place the
call to await an agent. (For example, there may be a queue for all
english speaking callers who wish information about product X).
Statistics, such as the number of calls waiting for an agent with
French language skills, are typically displayed on one or more
monitors for review by call center supervisors. These statistics
allow a supervisor to identify problems which develop in the
efficient handling of calls and to make compensating adjustments in
the running of the call center. Additionally, it is known to
display statistics common to the call center as a whole on a
wallboard, which is a scrolling pixelboard.
[0003] Each supervisor's monitor may be part of a personal computer
(PC) which, under software control, receives a flow of statistical
data from a call center. One PC software product to achieve this
purpose is the CENTRE VU SUPERVISOR.TM. by Lucent. With the Lucent
product, a supervisor may choose a statistical display which may
comprise a text chart and/or one or more graphical charts, such as
pie charts or bar charts. For example, the display may include a
text chart listing agents along with their state (e.g., handling an
automatic call distribution--ACD--call, available, busy with an
outgoing call) and a companion pie chart with this data. The data
displayed is periodically updated based on the incoming flow of
statistical data.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided
a method of facilitating management of resources, comprising the
steps of: displaying a plurality of resource objects, each resource
object representing a resource; displaying a plurality of resource
requiring objects, each resource requiring object representing a
resource requiring process; receiving a user input associating a
selected resource object with a selected resource requiring object;
allocating a resource represented by said selected resource object
to a resource requiring process represented by said selected
resource requiring object.
[0005] According to another aspect of the invention, there is
provided a method of facilitating management of a call center,
comprising the steps of: displaying a plurality of resource
objects, each resource object representing a resource; displaying a
plurality of resource requiring objects, each resource requiring
object representing a resource requiring process; receiving a user
input associating a selected resource object with a selected
resource requiring object; allocating a resource represented by
said selected resource object to a resource requiring process
represented by said selected resource requiring object.
[0006] According to a further aspect of the invention, there is
provided a method of facilitating management of resources,
comprising: constructing a set of first data items from a set of
statistics of a first type, each statistic derived from information
from an instance of a set of relators; constructing a summary data
item from said set of first data items; receiving a user input
associating said summary data item with a set of at least one
second data item, each said second data item representing a
statistic of a second type derived from an instance of said set of
relators; responsive to said step of receiving, associating said
set of first data items with said set of second data items;
displaying said set of first data items; responsive to a user input
indicating one of said first data items, displaying a second data
item derived from an instance of said set of relators from which
said indicated first data item was derived.
[0007] According to a further aspect of the invention, there is
provided a method of facilitating management of resources,
comprising: constructing a set of first data items from a set of
statistics of a first type, each statistic derived from information
from an instance of a set of relators; receiving a user input
associating one of said first data items with a set of at least one
second data item, each said second data item representing a
statistic of a second type derived from an instance of said set of
relators from which said one first data item was derived;
responsive to said step of receiving, associating said set of first
data items with said set of second data items; displaying said set
of first data items; responsive to a user input indicating one of
said first data items, displaying a second data item derived from
an instance of said set of relators from which said indicated first
data item was derived.
[0008] According to a yet further aspect of the invention, there is
provided a computer media product comprising: means for displaying
a plurality of resource objects, each resource object representing
a resource; means for displaying a plurality of resource requiring
objects, each resource requiring object representing a resource
requiring process; means for receiving a user input associating a
selected resource object with a selected resource requiring object;
means for allocating a resource represented by said selected
resource object to a resource requiring process represented by said
selected resource requiring object.
[0009] According to a yet further aspect of the invention, there is
provided a computer media product comprising: means for
constructing a set of first data items from a set of statistics of
a first type, each statistic derived from information from
an-instance of a set of relators; means for receiving a user input
associating one of said first data items with a set of at least one
second data item, each said second data item representing a
statistic of a second type derived from an instance of said set of
relators from which said one first data item was derived; means
for, responsive to said step of receiving, associating said set of
first data items with said set of second data items; means for
displaying said set of first data items; means for, responsive to a
user input indicating one of said first data items, displaying a
second data item derived from an instance of said set of relators
from which said indicated first data item was derived.
[0010] According to a yet further aspect of the invention, there is
provided a system for management facilitation comprising: means for
displaying a plurality of resource objects, each resource object
representing a resource; means for displaying a plurality of
resource requiring objects, each resource requiring object
representing a resource requiring process; means for receiving a
user input associating a selected resource object with a selected
resource requiring object; means for allocating a resource
represented by said selected resource object to a resource
requiring process represented by said selected resource requiring
object.
[0011] According to a yet further aspect of the invention, there is
provided a system for management facilitation comprising: means for
constructing a set of first data items from a set of statistics of
a first type, each statistic derived from information from an
instance of a set of relators; means for receiving a user input
associating one of said first data items with a set of at least one
second data item, each said second data item representing a
statistic of a second type derived from an instance of said set of
relators from which said one first data item was derived; means
for, responsive to said step of receiving, associating said set of
first data items with said set of second data items; means for
displaying said set of first data items; means for, responsive to a
user input indicating one of said first data items, displaying a
second data item derived from an instance of said set of relators
from which said indicated first data item was derived.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] In the drawings which illustrate example embodiments of this
invention,
[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a call center system
constructed in accordance with this invention,
[0014] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a PC of a call
center of FIG. 1,
[0015] FIGS. 3a to 3d are flow diagrams of the software control for
the PC of FIG. 2,
[0016] FIG. 4 illustrates the process of constructing a sliding
window, and
[0017] FIGS. 5 to 10 are sample displays for the PC of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] Turning to FIG. 1, a call center system 10 comprises a call
center 12 with a server 14 and server client 16 connected to a
local area network (LAN) 18. The center 12 also comprises a
telephone switch 20 and an operations workstation 22 which,
together with the server 14, are connected to an embedded LAN
(ELAN) 24. A number of supervisor PCs 26a, 26b, a manager's PC 26m,
and a flat panel monitor 28 are also connected to LAN 18. LAN 18
may also connect to a wide area network (WAN) router 30 which is
part of a WAN that connects to other call centers. The telephone
switch is connected to one or more telephone trunks 32 and to a
number of local telephones 34.
[0019] Turning to FIG. 2, a PC 26 comprises a processor 40
operationally connected to an input interface 42, a display
interface 44, a LAN interface 46, a media reader 48 and memory 50.
The input interface is connected to user input devices 52 (such as
a keyboard and mouse), the display interface 44 is connected to a
display 54, and the LAN interface 46 is connected to LAN 18. The
media reader 48 may read computer media product 58.
[0020] In operational overview, the telephone switch receives
telephone calls from trunk 32 and distributes these to telephones
34 under control of server 14, which is preferably a SYMPOSIUM CALL
CENTER SERVER.TM. manufactured by Northern Telecom Limited. The
telephone switch also places outgoing calls from local telephones
34. Server 14 broadcasts statistics and other information regarding
calls on LAN 18. As will be described more fully hereinafter, the
PCs receive these statistics and display same as data items on
their display 54 under software control of their processor 40 and
may issue call center reconfiguration commands to the server 14
over LAN 18.
[0021] Assuming the server is a SYMPOSIUM CALL CENTER SERVERT.TM.,
the queues for calls are implemented as "skillsets", each skillset
being a collection of skills (e.g. English, Product X). The Server
routes calls to appropriate skillsets based on "applications",
which are a collection of skillsets (e.g., all English language
requiring calls).
[0022] The updates ported to the LAN 18 by server 14 are sent at
the end of each of consecutive pre-set time intervals. These
updates include (i) number of calls waiting in each skillset
(queue) of each application; (ii) number of calls received for each
skillset of each application during the interval; (iii) number of
calls answered from each skillset of each application during the
interval; (iii) an identification of each agent and their
status--e.g., on a skillset call; (iv) number of calls abandoned
during the interval; (v) the longest wait time on each skillset for
each application; and (vi) average answer delay on each skillset
for each application. The last two statistics are tracked by the
server 14.
[0023] Referencing FIG. 3a, which illustrates the umbrella program
control for processor 40 of a PC 26, along with FIG. 2, the
processor 40 receives statistics for each time interval via LAN
interface 46 and stores these in memory 50 (S110). The processor
may receive a user defined time period (which may be the same as,
or some multiple of, the time interval for which statistics are
received), a user defined time window, and user defined thresholds
for statistics, all for reasons which will become apparent
hereinafter (S112). On request from any of the sub-routines under
the umbrella program, requested statistics are retrieved from
memory and passed to the requesting sub-routine along with any
associated thresholds and the time period and time window, if also
requested (S116). Based on a user selection of a screen, display
control passes to the sub-routine for the selected screen
(S118).
[0024] Turning to FIG. 3b which illustrates the program control for
the management summary sub-routine, this routine obtains statistics
and the user defined time period via the umbrella program (S120)
and calculates certain summary statistics (S122). More
particularly, the processor calculates instantaneous statistics
including the following: (i) the total number of calls currently
waiting; (ii) the number of agents on a call for a skillset; and
(iii) the total number of agents on outgoing calls. As well, using
the user defined time period, the processor calculates cumulative
statistics including the following: (i) the number of calls
answered during the period; (ii) the number of calls abandoned
during the time period; (iii) the percentage of total calls waiting
which were answered in the time period; and (iv) the total number
of calls received in a period. If a user has requested the
management summary screen such that display control has passed to
the management summary sub-routine (S124), a user may ask to view
any of the calculated summary statistics which results in a window
being displayed on display 54 with a data item comprising the
requested summary statistic (S125). The data item is displayed as a
graphical number in the window, which is described herein as a
"billboard window".
[0025] Optionally, a user may also ask for a sliding time window in
respect of a summary statistic (S126). A sliding time window is a
bar chart or graph with data items comprising a cumulative
statistic or an averaged instantaneous statistic, over each of a
pre-defined number of consecutive time periods (this pre-defined
number of time periods constituting the window). It is constructed
by accessing historical as well as current statistics from memory
50. When a period elapses, the data item for the oldest time period
of the window is dropped and a data item representing the statistic
for the new time period is added. It is in this sense that the time
window is "sliding". Alternatively, if a more accurate sliding
window is desired, then with reference to FIG. 4, with each new
time interval 90 (which, it will be recalled, is set by the call
center and may be shorter than the user defined period 92), the
data items in the time window are adjusted as follows. In the case
of a cumulative statistic, the value of the data item associated
with the current time period is increased by the value of the
cumulative statistic associated with the current interval and is
decreased by the value of the cumulative statistic associated with
the oldest time interval forming part of this data item. The value
of this cumulative statistic associated with the oldest time
interval of the data item representing the current time period is
then added to the data item representing the next to current time
period. The value of the cumulative statistic associated with the
oldest time interval forming part of the next to current time
period data item is removed from this data item. This process is
repeated for each of consecutively older data items such that each
data item has the value of one cumulative statistic for a time
interval added to it and one removed from it. In the case of an
instantaneous statistic, the process is the same but with the
average over a period being calculated after the one new interval
value has been added and the oldest interval value has been
dropped. FIG. 4 illustrates this sliding window process.
[0026] The user may select the size, position, and color of the
window (S 127). Additionally, the user may open other windows for
any of the other summary statistics and configure the windows on
the display as desired (S125, S126). A sample screen generated by
the management summary sub-routine is illustrated in FIG. 4. In
respect of the sliding windows illustrated at 70 and 72, it is
noted in the case of the bar chart 72, each bar represents one data
item for one time period and in the case of the graph 70, each
point on the graph represents one data item for one time
period.
[0027] If the value of any instantaneous statistic exceeds a user
defined threshold or the value of a statistic accumulated over a
time period exceeds a user defined threshold, then the window
containing the data item representing this statistic is
expanded--when it is not already expanded--and placed in the
foreground--when it is not already in the foreground (S128). In
addition, the color of the window may default to an urgency
indicating color, the window may flash, or the PC may generate a
warning sound (S129). Optionally, the user may set escalating
thresholds with a greater number of attention demanding events
occurring with each higher threshold reached. It will be understood
that some thresholds (such as service level) will be defined as
being exceeded by dropping below an acceptable level and others
(such as calls waiting) will be defined as being exceeded by
increasing above an acceptable level.
[0028] Access to the management summary sub-routine may be password
controlled.
[0029] Referencing FIG. 3c which illustrates program control for
the call status sub-routine, this routine obtains statistics and
the user defined time period via the umbrella program (S130) and
calculates certain sets of detail statistics (S132). More
particularly, the processor calculates instantaneous statistics for
each skillset of each application, such as the following: (i) the
total number of calls currently waiting; (ii) the total number of
agents on a skillset call. It may also calculate the total number
of agents on an outgoing call. As well, using the user defined time
period, the processor calculates cumulative statistics for each
skillset of each application such as the following: (i) the number
of calls answered during the period; (ii) the number of calls
abandoned during the time period; (iii) the percentage of total
calls waiting which were answered in the time period. If a user has
requested the call status screen such that display control has
passed to the call status sub-routine (S134), a user may ask to
view any of the sets of detail statistics which results in a window
being displayed on display 54 with the requested statistics set
being displayed as a set of data items (S 136). The user selects
between a bar chart (with each bar comprising a data item), pie
chart (with each pie slice comprising a data item), line graph, and
sliding time window, and the user may also configure the window
size, position, and the like as desired (S138). Additionally, the
user may open windows for any of the other statistics sets and
configure the windows on the display as desired (S136). Sample
screens generated by the call status sub-routine for skillsets
grouped in the application "sales" are illustrated in FIGS. 6 and
7.
[0030] A supervisor sub-routine, illustrated in FIG. 3d, is also
defined. This sub-routine may provide the ability to see user
selected statistics available by way of the management sub-routine
and by way of the call status sub-routine. In addition, the
supervisor sub-routine may provide for an identification of agents
and detailed sets of agent status statistics (S150, 152). FIG. 8
represents a sample supervisor screen with a billboard window for
total calls waiting and bar and pie chart windows with data items,
such as data item 61, representing a status statistic for agents
(the label "DN calls" representing outgoing calls). FIG. 9
represents another sample supervisor screen with a window 62
displaying agent names as objects 64 as well as statistical data
items 66 associated with each agent name object. If a user has
requested the supervisor screen such that display control has
passed to the supervisor sub-routine (S154), a user may ask to view
any of the summary statistics or sets of detail statistics which
are available by way of the supervisor sub-routine; this results in
windows being displayed on display 54 with the requested statistics
displayed as data items (S156). Again, the user may configure these
windows (S158). Access to the supervisor sub-routine may be
password controlled.
[0031] A user also has the option of associating any data item in
any given window with another window, which other window may
contain a single data item or a set of data items (S160). For
example, a user may associate the total calls waiting data item 60
of FIG. 8 with the agent status window 62 of FIG. 9. In such
instance, whenever a user thereafter indicates data item 60 (such
as by pointing to this data item with a mouse pointer and clicking
the mouse), window 62 pops up (S170). In this way a user may, for
example, configure associations so as to be able to obtain greater
detail on a summary statistic simply by indicating the data item
representing such statistic. The association may be two-way such
that if a user indicates window 62, the window containing data item
60 pops up. When a user requests an association of a data item with
a window and the data item represents a summary statistic (S162),
then the sub-routine sets up a "by skillset" association between
each skillset of detail statistics for this summary statistic with
the other window (S164). Then, should a user thereafter indicate a
data item representing a detail statistic for this summary
statistic, the associated window pops up but with information only
for the one skillset (5170). For example, where the user has
associated total calls waiting data item 60 (FIG. 8) with agent
status window 62 (FIG. 9), then the sub-routine will also associate
each data item in the calls waiting by skillset window 70 (FIG. 6)
with the agent status window 62 (FIG. 8) together with an
indication that the association is "by skillset". Consequently,
should a user thereafter indicate, for example, data item 72 (FIG.
6) of window 70 (FIG. 6) representing calls waiting for the region
of the U.S.A., window 62 (FIG. 9) would pop up, but populated with
statistics only for agents handling calls for the region of the
U.S.A.
[0032] Optionally, a user association of a data item representing a
skillset statistic with a window may trigger the sub-routine to set
up a "by application" association. In this case each skillset in
the application of which the skillset statistic represented by the
indicated data item is a member is associated with the other
window. In such instance, by a user thereafter indicating any of
the data items for the skillsets in this application, the other
window will pop up, but populated with information only for the one
application suggested by the data item.
[0033] Agents and phone lines are resources of a call center.
Waiting calls are resource requiring processes. The supervisor
sub-routine allows a user to associate any resource object with any
resource requiring object. This may be accomplished by the user
pointing to a displayed resource object and dragging it into the
data item of a resource requiring object (S 174). The result is a
message from the PC to the call center asking for a reconfiguration
of the call center to allocate the selected resource to the
selected resource requiring process (S176). For example, the user
could point to the agent object "Charlie" illustrated at 64 on
window 62 of FIG. 8, then open window 70 illustrated in FIG. 6 and
drop the Charlie object on data item 72. This would result in the
processor 40 sending a message to the call center requesting
Charlie be allocated to calls waiting from the region of the U.S.A.
Similarly, the call center may provide information on phone lines
used by the call center and phone lines which could be allocated to
the center. These may be displayed as resource objects in a window
of the supervisor screen such that an unallocated phone line could
be dragged and dropped into a window indicating the level of
utilisation of telephone trunks in order to reconfigure the call
center to use this additional phone line.
[0034] As illustrated in FIG. 10 at 80, a map of agents at the call
center may also be displayed as objects on the supervisor screen
updated periodically or when an agent logs on or off from the
system. The supervisor may indicate one of the agent objects and be
presented with a menu to change the state of the agent (e.g., for
"not ready" to "ready"). The agent would then receive an indication
of his change of state. This saves time as compared with calling an
agent with a request for a status change. The supervisor may also
select a "listen in" item from menu to listen to the current call
of the agent.
[0035] Statistics of interest to all in the call center may be
displayed in billboard fashion on the flat panel monitor 28, which
monitor may be of sufficient size for all to see. Thus, the flat
panel monitor may take the place of a wallboard and has the
advantage that all statistics are displayed at a static spot on the
screen as compared with the scrolling display of a wallboard. The
flat panel monitor has greater information relaying capabilities as
compared with a wallboard due to its ability to show statistics in
colour (that can be changed at threshold levels) and to provide
various representations (such as bar and pie charts or even video).
The flat panel monitor also allows a person to more easily modify
the displayed contents than does a wallboard. As an alternative to
a flat panel monitor, a large size plasma display may be used.
[0036] The WAN router 30 may be used to link to other call centers
so that it is possible for the PCs to access statistics for a group
of call centers rather than a single call center. This feature can
be used to co-ordinate the control of a group of call centers.
[0037] While the call center server of FIG. 1 has been illustrated
as a distinct element, in some call centers the server is part of
the telephone switch.
[0038] While the teachings of the subject invention are
particularly advantageous in facilitating management of a call
center, they may have application to the management of other
systems, such as a stock brokerage.
[0039] Other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the
art and, therefore, the invention is defined in the claims.
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