Techniques for estimating expected performance in a task assignment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10999439-B2
Application number	US-202016930624-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2020
Priority date	Jul 10, 2017
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

Techniques for estimating expected performance of a task assignment strategy in a task assignment system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method comprising receiving, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to a task assignment system, a plurality of historical agent task assignments; determining, by the at least one computer processor, a sample of the plurality based on a strategy for pairing agents with tasks; determining, by the at least one computer processor, an expected performance of the strategy based on the sample; outputting, by the at least one computer processor, the expected performance; and optimizing, by the at least one computer processor, the performance of the task assignment system based on the expected performance.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to perform contact-agent pairing operations in a contact center system, a plurality of contact types;
receiving, by the at least one computer processor, a plurality of agent sets;
receiving, by the at least one computer processor, a first plurality of contact-agent interaction sets and associated outcomes;
generating, by the at least one computer processor, a plurality of weights based on the first plurality of contactagent interaction sets, the plurality of contact types, and the plurality of agent sets;
receiving, by the at least one computer processor, a second plurality of contact-agent interaction sets and associated outcomes;
applying, by the at least one computer processor, the plurality of weights to the second plurality of contact-agent interaction sets; and
estimating, by the at least one computer processor, a performance of a pairing strategy based on the applying, wherein the pairing strategy is configured to cause a connection to be established between a contact and an agent in a switch of the contact center system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of weights consists of 0 and 1.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pairing strategy is a behavioral pairing strategy.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the behavioral pairing strategy is a diagonal pairing strategy.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second pluralities of contact-agent interaction sets are not identical.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of weights is based on a target utilization of at least one agent set of the plurality of agent sets.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of weights represents a closeness of fit to the pairing strategy.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of weights consists of 0 and 1.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pairing strategy is a behavioral pairing strategy.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the behavioral pairing strategy is a diagonal pairing strategy.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second pluralities of contact-agent interaction sets are not identical.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of weights is based on a target utilization of at least one agent set of the plurality of agent sets.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of weights represents a closeness of fit to the pairing strategy.

14. A system comprising:
at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to perform contact-agent pairing operations in a contact center system, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to:
receive a plurality of contact types;
receive a plurality of agent sets;
receive a first plurality of contact-agent interaction sets and associated outcomes;
generate a plurality of weights based on the first plurality of contact-agent interaction sets, the plurality of contact types, and the plurality of agent sets;
receive a second plurality of contact-agent interaction sets and associated outcomes;
apply the plurality of weights to the second plurality of contact-agent interaction sets; and
estimate a performance of a pairing strategy based on the applying, wherein the pairing strategy is configured to cause a connection to be established between a contact and an agent in a switch of the contact center system.

15. An article of manufacture comprising:
a non-transitory computer processor readable medium; and
instructions stored on the medium;
wherein the instructions are configured to be readable from the medium by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to perform contact-agent pairing operations in a contact center system and thereby cause the at least one computer processor to operate so as to:
receive a plurality of contact types;
receive a plurality of agent sets;
receive a first plurality of contact-agent interaction sets and associated outcomes;
generate a plurality of weights based on the first plurality of contact-agent interaction sets, the plurality of contact types, and the plurality of agent sets;
receive a second plurality of contact-agent interaction sets and associated outcomes;
apply the plurality of weights to the second plurality of contact-agent interaction sets; and
estimate a performance of a pairing strategy based on the applying, wherein the pairing strategy is configured to cause a connection to be established between a contact and an agent in a switch of the contact center system.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of weights consists of 0 and 1.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the pairing strategy is a behavioral pairing strategy.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17 , wherein the behavioral pairing strategy is a diagonal pairing strategy.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the first and second pluralities of contact-agent interaction sets are not identical.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of weights is based on a target utilization of at least one agent set of the plurality of agent sets.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of weights represents a closeness of fit to the pairing strategy.

Assignees

• Afiniti Europe Tech Ltd
• Afiniti Ltd

Inventors

• Chishti Zia
• Kan Ittai
• Khatri Vikash

Classifications

• H04M3/5175

  Call or contact centers supervision arrangements · CPC title

• H04M2203/401

  Performance feedback · CPC title

• H04M2203/402

  Agent or workforce management · CPC title

• H04M3/5232 Primary

  Call distribution algorithms · CPC title

• G06Q10/04 Primary

  Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" (market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202) · CPC title