EP0982918A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Minimum interruption cycle time threshold for reserve call center agents
Assignee: Nokia of America Corp
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Filing: 1999-08-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2019-08-17
Abstract
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.
Inventors
- 👤 Robin H. Foster
- 👤 Eugene P. Mathews
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 11:48
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/51; H04M3/523
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of processing communications in a call center including a
plurality of agents. wherein at least a subset of the agents are at least temporarily
designated as reserve agents. the method comprising the steps of: determining a minimum interruption cycle time for at least one of the
reserve agents; measuring an amount of time from completion of a communication
processed by the reserve agent: and suspending delivery of at least one subsequent communication to the
reserve agent based at least in part on whether the measured amount of time is less than
the minimum interruption cycle time.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
107 words
An apparatus for processing communications in a call center
including a plurality of agents. at least a subset of which are at least temporarily
designated as reserve agents, the apparatus comprising: a memory for storing a minimum interruption cycle time for at least one
at the reserve agents; and a processor associated with the memory and operative to measure an
amount of time from completion of a communication processed by the reserve agent.
and to suspend delivery of at least one subsequent communication to the reserve agent
based at least in part on whether the measured amount of time is less than the minimum
interruption cycle time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1, or the apparatus of claim 2. wherein the at
least one reserve agent is an exclusively reserve agent which processes only
communications requiring reserve skills.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1, or the apparatus of claim 2, wherein the
minimum interruption cycle time is determined so as to allow the reserve agent to
complete a designated amount of non-communication task activity between
communications processed by the reserve agent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1, or the apparatus of claim 2, wherein a timer is
started when the reserve agent has completed processing the communication, and the
timer is stopped when the subsequent communication is being considered for direction
to the reserve agent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1, or the apparatus of claim 2, wherein a timer is
started when the reserve agent receives the communication, and the timer is stopped
when the subsequent communication is being considered for direction to the reserve
agent.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1, or the apparatus of claim 2, wherein the
delivery of communications or at least one subsequent communication to the reserve
agent is suspended by removing the reserve agent from a pool of agents considered for
processing communications.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 1, or the apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least
one of the reserve agents is 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 volume of communications.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 8, or the apparatus of claim 2 or 8, wherein at
least one reserve agent which was assigned normal agent status for the at least one
particular skill is restored back to reserve agent status while maintaining the minimum
interruption cycle time for the other reserve agents.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1, further including the step of increasing the
number of reserve agents so as to maintain the minimum interruption cycle time for all
of the reserve agents in the presence of an increased volume of communications.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
111 words
A computer-readable medium containing software for processing
communications in a call center including a plurality of agents, wherein at least a subset
of the agents are at least temporarily designated as reserve agents, wherein the software,
when executed in a processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of: determining a minimum interruption cycle time for at least one of the
reserve agents; measuring an amount of time from completion of a communication
processed by the reserve agent; and suspending delivery of at least one subsequent communication to the
reserve agent based at least in part on whether the measured amount of time is less than
the minimum interruption cycle time.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the at least one
reserve agent is an exclusively reserve agent which processes only communications
requiring reserve skills.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
67 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the software
further causes the processor to perform the step of converting at least one of the reserve
agents to normal agent status for at least one particular skill that is causing excessive
interruption of reserve agents. so as to maintaiii the minimum interruption cycle time for
the remaining reserve agents in the presence of an increased volume of
communications.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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