US6850613B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Customer service request allocations based upon real-time data and forecast data
Assignee: Aspect Communications Corp
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Filing: 2003-06-17
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Granted: 2005-02-01
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Expires: 2023-06-17
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for performing customer service request allocations based upon real-time data and forecast data, calculates estimated handling resources for each of the transaction processing systems based upon actual handling resources and scheduled handling resources. Customer service transaction workloads are forecasted for the handling resources for each of the transaction processing systems. Then, customer service request allocations are determined using estimated handling resources and the forecasted customer service transaction workload.
Inventors
- 👤 Kevin McPartlan
- 👤 Edward Komissarchik
- 👤 Lauren O'Brien
- 👤 Robert Hayes
- 👤 Katherine McElroy
- 👤 John Rafter
- 👤 Gary Sorensen
- 👤 David Glassman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:33
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/51; H04M3/523; H04M3/5232; H04M3/5238
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of allocating customer service requests, the method including: calculating estimated handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems based upon actual handling resources and scheduled handling resources; forecasting a customer service transaction workload for the estimated handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems; and determining customer service request allocations for each of the transaction processing systems based upon the estimated handling resources and the forecasted customer service transaction workload.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of allocating customer service requests, the method including: calculating estimated handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems based upon actual handling resources and scheduled handling resources; forecasting a customer service transaction workload for the estimated handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems; and determining customer service request allocations for each of the transaction processing systems based upon the estimated handling resources and the forecasted customer service transaction workload.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the actual handling resources are measured at a first time instance.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein the scheduled handling resources associated with each of the plurality of transaction processing systems is identified at the first time instance and a second time instance.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 1 , further including: determining a relationship between the actual handling resources and the scheduled handling resources, wherein the calculating of the estimated handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems based upon the actual handling resources and the scheduled handling resources includes projecting estimated handling resources based upon the relationship.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the determining of the relationship between the actual handling resources and the scheduled handling resources includes determining a user-defined relationship between the actual handling resources and the scheduled handling resources.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the customer service transaction workload for the estimated handling resources originates from call-by-call routing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the customer service request allocations among the plurality of transaction processing systems include allocations based upon a user-defined fixed allocation associated with one or more of the plurality of transaction processing systems.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein the user-defined fixed allocation is a fixed allocation percentage associated with one or more of the plurality of transaction processing systems.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the customer service request allocations for each of the transaction processing systems includes determining a percentage of transactions to be allocated to each of the transaction processing systems.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , including applying weighting factors to the actual handling resources and the scheduled handling resources.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 , including determining call rate capacities for each of the transaction processing systems based upon the estimated handling resources and a desired service level.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 , including determining call rate capacities for each of the transaction processing systems based upon the estimated handling resources and one or more cost constraints.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 , including determining call rate capacities for each of the transaction processing systems based upon the estimated handling resources and historical call data.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
79 words
A method including: determining a relationship between actual handling resources associated with each of a plurality of transaction processing systems and scheduled handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems at a first time instance; and calculating estimated handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems at a second time instance based upon the relationship and scheduled handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems at the second time instance.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
79 words
A method including: determining a relationship between actual handling resources associated with each of a plurality of transaction processing systems and scheduled handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems at a first time instance; and calculating estimated handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems at a second time instance based upon the relationship and scheduled handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems at the second time instance.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein determining the relationship between actual handling resources associated with each of a plurality of transaction processing systems and scheduled handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems includes determining a ratio of the actual handling resources to the scheduled handling resources.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein determining the relationship between actual handling resources associated with each of a plurality of transaction processing systems and scheduled handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems includes determining a trend of the deviation of the actual handling resources from the scheduled handling resources.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
118 words
A system for allocating customer service requests, the system including: a wide area network (WAN); a plurality of call centers coupled to the WAN, each of the plurality of call centers comprising a transaction processing system; and an allocation controller coupled to the WAN, the allocation controller configured to calculate estimated handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems based upon actual handling resources and scheduled handling resources, to forecast a customer service transaction workload for the estimated handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems, and to determine customer service request allocations for each of the transaction processing systems based upon the estimated handling resources and forecasted customer service transaction workload.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
118 words
A system for allocating customer service requests, the system including: a wide area network (WAN); a plurality of call centers coupled to the WAN, each of the plurality of call centers comprising a transaction processing system; and an allocation controller coupled to the WAN, the allocation controller configured to calculate estimated handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems based upon actual handling resources and scheduled handling resources, to forecast a customer service transaction workload for the estimated handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems, and to determine customer service request allocations for each of the transaction processing systems based upon the estimated handling resources and forecasted customer service transaction workload.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
85 words
A machine-readable medium storing a sequence of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to: calculate estimated handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems based upon actual handling resources and scheduled handling resources; forecast a customer service transaction workload for the estimated handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems; and determine customer service request allocations for each of the transaction processing systems based upon the estimated handling resources and forecasted customer service transaction workload.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
85 words
A machine-readable medium storing a sequence of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to: calculate estimated handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems based upon actual handling resources and scheduled handling resources; forecast a customer service transaction workload for the estimated handling resources for each of the plurality of transaction processing systems; and determine customer service request allocations for each of the transaction processing systems based upon the estimated handling resources and forecasted customer service transaction workload.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-02-01 | 2008-08-02 | 2009-02-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-02-01 | 2012-08-02 | 2013-02-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-02-01 | 2016-08-02 | 2017-02-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |