Optimizing call-center performance by using predictive data to distribute calls among agents

Abstract

Selection of a call-center agent (,) to handle a call is based on which available agent's handling of the call will tend to optimize call-center performance criteria such as efficiency (e.g., minimize per-call handling time) or derived benefit (e.g., maximize revenue). Each agent has a service profile for each type of call that they handle. A service profile (,) comprises present values of a plurality of service metrics, such as proficiency, profitability, customer satisfaction, and agent satisfaction. When a call of a particular type becomes available, the present values of the service metrics of the service profile (,) of that call type of each agent who is available to handle the call are combined (,) into a score according to one of a plurality of formulas which corresponds to that call type, and the agent with the best score is assigned (,) to the call. When the assigned agent finishes handling the is call, his or her performance is evaluated (,) based on the service metrics, and the valuations are used (,) to revise the present values of the service metrics of that agent's service profile. The revision process gives (,) more weight to valuations of more-recently-handled calls to reflect both long-term and short-term agent performance trends and variations.