Minimum interruption cycle time threshold for reserve call center agents
US6353667B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 27, 1998 |
| Grant date | Mar 5, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 27, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04M3/523
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A minimum interruption cycle time is established for a reserve agent in a call center. The reserve agent may be an exclusively reserve agent which processes only calls requiring reserve skills. In an illustrative embodiment, after the reserve agent completes the processing of a call, a cycle timer is started for that agent. The delivery of additional calls to the reserve agent is then suspended until the value of the cycle timer is greater than or equal to the established minimum interruption cycle time for that agent. The minimum interruption cycle time is selected so as to allow the reserve agent to complete a designated number of non-call tasks between the calls processed by the reserve agent. If there is a pool of reserve agents, one or more of the reserve agents may be temporarily converted to normal agent status for at least one particular skill that is causing excessive interruption of reserve agents, so as to maintain the minimum interruption cycle time for the remaining reserve agents in the presence of an increased call volume.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.