Abstract: The present invention relates to the matching of resources to work entries. In particular, the present invention allows work items to be assigned to a particular resource based on the characteristics of the work item and on the qualifications and preferences of the resource. Furthermore, the present invention does not rely on queues, thereby allowing characteristics of a work item other than or in addition to the amount of time that a work item has been waiting for service to be considered in assigning the work item to a resource. The types of work items that may be validly assigned to a resource, or the preference rules used to select a valid work item for handling by a resource, may be altered by altering the validation rules and preference rules associated with the resource and/or work item. Accordingly, the rules for allocating work may be adjusted easily and quickly, including at run-time, and may represent any attribute desired for use in allocating work.

Abstract: A contact center for servicing a plurality of contacts received from a plurality of customers is provided. The contact center includes: (a) a plurality of workstations 15 corresponding to a plurality of resources 14; (b) a central server 10 in communication with the plurality of workstations, comprising: (i) at least one queue 42, 46 and/or 66 of contacts; and (ii) a bid item selecting agent 74 operable to (a) request at least some of the plurality of resources to submit a bid to service at least one contact; (b) receive at least one bid to service the at least one contact; and (c) select a resource from among the plurality of resources to service the at least one contact.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for assessing the status of work waiting for service in a work queue or a work pool. Work items are placed in the work queue or work pool and have a service time goal. The work items in the work queue or work pool are scanned and a required queue position for each work item is calculated according to the amount of time remaining prior to the expiration of the service time goal and weighted advance time for servicing of work items in the work queue or pool. An array of counters has elements which correspond to required queue positions. Upon the calculation of the required queue position for a work item, the counter corresponding to the required queue position is incremented. When all of the work items are scanned, the array of counters is analyzed to predict a future state of the work queue or work pool.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to balancing resource loads. In particular, the present invention is directed to assigning work to service locations having the greatest probability of servicing the work within a target time. Because an average wait time is not necessarily equal to a probability of servicing work within a target time, the present invention is useful in meeting service target goals. Because the present invention operates by comparing the probability of a defined set of service locations to one another, absolute probabilities need not be calculated. Instead, relative probabilities may be used in assigning work.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for resource allocation in a system which includes work items which are to be completed in both business time and real time. Work items are placed in a delta queue which has a calendar associated therewith indicating business time and non-business time for resources associated with the delta queue. When the calendar associated with the delta queue enters into a non-business time, a scheduler pushes an item at the head of the delta queue which corresponds to the amount of non-business time. Work items in the delta queue are thus delayed by the appropriate amount of time corresponding to the non-business time.