Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for variable wait treatments for requests enqueued in one or more queues. A request in a resource allocation system is processed by assigning the request to a queue and selecting a wait treatment for the request based on one or more characteristics of the queue. The characteristics may include, for example, a predicted wait time for servicing the request. A request in a resource allocation system is processed by assigning the request to a queue; determining a predicted wait time for servicing the request; selecting a wait treatment for the request based on one or more characteristics of the queue; transferring the request to an announcement server for a transfer duration for presentation of the selected wait treatment; and reassessing the predicted wait time upon completion of the transfer duration. The request can be assigned to an available resource based on the reassessed predicted wait time.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for variable wait treatments for requests enqueued in one or more queues. A request in a resource allocation system is processed by assigning the request to a queue and selecting a wait treatment for the request based on one or more characteristics of the queue. The characteristics may include, for example, a predicted wait time for servicing the request. A request in a resource allocation system is processed by assigning the request to a queue; determining a predicted wait time for servicing the request; selecting a wait treatment for the request based on one or more characteristics of the queue; transferring the request to an announcement server for a transfer duration for presentation of the selected wait treatment; and reassessing the predicted wait time upon completion of the transfer duration. The request can be assigned to an available resource based on the reassessed predicted wait time.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for allocating resources in a distributed environment. The disclosed resource allocation techniques make resource allocation decisions when resources become available. A resource becomes available when the resource completes its previous work or becomes activated. Once it is determined that a resource has become available, the available resource is assigned to an appropriate request. The requests may be stored, for example, in a queue of requests. The available resource may be assigned to an appropriate request based on one or more predefined criteria, such as to service a request associated with a service class having the “greatest need.” The resources may be, for example, a plurality of call agents that are associated with a call center.