Abstract: In a blended inbound/outbound call center (100), an outbound call-pacing function (122) decides whether or not to initiate an additional outbound call for a particular skill. It determines (206) whether the number of available agents for the skill plus the number of resting agents for the skill exceeds the number of available inbound calls for the skill plus the number of outstanding outbound calls for the skill. It also determines (312) whether a target service time for the skill exceeds an estimated wait time of each of the available inbound calls for the skill assuming that pending outbound calls for the skill plus one take precedence over the inbound calls. If both determinations are affirmative, the call pacing function initiates (318) an additional call for the skill. If either determination is negative, the function forbears (321) from initiating an additional call for the skill.

Abstract: The system for integrating agent database access skills in call center agent assignment applications dynamically generates data indicative of an agent's effective skill level by mapping the agent's acquired skills into their augmented skills representative of their ability to use the various automated resources that are required to satisfy the customer's request. The determined effective skill level is automatically updated as changes in the agent's effective skills are measured. In order to distribute work among the agents based upon agent skill levels, there must be a measure of each agent's competence with a particular skill. The pool of agents is divided into categories of those who must use guided problem solving tools to service a customer request, those who can address issues beyond the scope of the guided problem solving tool, and those who exhibit various levels of efficacy in using the guided problem solving tool.

Abstract: The present integrated work management engine for customer care orchestrates all forms of work relating to the servicing of customer requests across the entire business enterprise. This integrated work management engine brings together all types of disparate communication system components, applications and information storage systems so the business which provides the customer care via these systems can respond to their customer requests in a unified, efficient and effective manner. The integrated work management engine also integrates the real time operation of the front office customer communications and the batch data processing mode of the back office. The integrated work management engine accepts work through multiple access channels, where each work request is automatically mapped to a process flow that specifies the task associated with the handling of the particular work item.

Abstract: In a blended inbound/outbound call center (100), an outbound call-pacing function (122) decides whether or not to initiate an additional outbound call for a particular skill. It determines (206) whether the number of available agents for the skill plus the number of resting agents for the skill exceeds the number of available inbound calls for the skill plus the number of outstanding outbound calls for the skill. It also determines (312) whether a target service time for the skill exceeds an estimated wait time of each of the available inbound calls for the skill assuming that pending outbound calls for the skill plus one take precedence over the inbound calls. If both determinations are affirmative, the call pacing function initiates (318) an additional call for the skill. If either determination is negative, the function forbears (321) from initiating an additional call for the skill.

Abstract: The flow of work items (40) through a workflow process (50) is optimized by repeatedly reordering (FIG. 3) work items enqueued in inbox queues (21) of workflow process tasks (500) to maximize results according to a given business strategy expressed through target times. Each enqueued work item has an associated in-queue rating (IQR 28) that represents the number of queue positions (23) that the work item can be retarded or needs to be advanced to meet its target time. When a work item enters a queue and whenever a work item changes its queue position, its IQR is computed. An optimization function is then performed (404) on the queue to determine an order of the enqueued work items that optimizes a metric of those work items that may fail to meet their target times. The work items in the queue are then reordered (406) accordingly.

Abstract: The system for integrating agent database access skills in call center agent assignment applications dynamically generates data indicative of an agent's effective skill level by mapping the agent's acquired skills into their augmented skills representative of their ability to use the various automated resources that are required to satisfy the customer's request. The determined effective skill level is automatically updated as changes in the agent's effective skills are measured. In order to distribute work among the agents based upon agent skill levels, there must be a measure of each agent's competence with a particular skill. The pool of agents is divided into categories of those who must use guided problem solving tools to service a customer request, those who can address issues beyond the scope of the guided problem solving tool, and those who exhibit various levels of efficacy in using the guided problem solving tool.