Abstract: A graph database is described for use in connection with a contact center. The graph database includes a plurality of nodes and relationships that describe the operations, entities, personnel, and attributes in the contact center. Also described is the operation of a work assignment engine that leverages the graph database to make intelligent and flexible work assignment decisions.

Abstract: A mechanism for adaptive modification of an attribute tree in a graph based contact center is described along with various methods and mechanisms for administering the same. Adaptive modification methods are disclosed that allow a graph database to automatically remove and create categories as well as block removal of categories with active relationships. Staff assignment, administrator productivity, and customer service are improved with the assessment, merging, and removal of atrophied categories and the operationally desirable expansion and/or addition of categories.

Abstract: A mechanism for avoidance of one or more resources for work assignment based on nodes and relationships within an attribute tree of a graph based contact center is described along with various methods and mechanisms for administering the same. Avoidance methods are disclosed that allow an administrator to set up a graph database operable to automatically block work assignment to certain resources based on set rules and conditions. The graph database is additionally designed as a learning system that can adapt and respond to changing rules and conditions over time, including historically successful and unsuccessful interactions, attribute changes for customers and agents, and changes in desired results. Agent matching and customer satisfaction are improved with the avoidance of inappropriate or undesirable resources.

Abstract: A graph database is described for use in connection with a contact center. The graph database includes a plurality of nodes and relationships that describe the operations, entities, personnel, and attributes in the contact center. The graph database enables previously discrete contact center components such as work assignment components, reporting components, work force management components, forecasting components, and the like to operate in a seamless and integrated manner.

Abstract: Work assignment methods and systems are provided that dynamically redistribute a percent allocation of contacts after an outage at a contact center. In general, a work assignment mechanism, upon receiving information that a contact center is removed from a system of available contact centers, dynamically recalculates a percentage allocation of each available contact center in the system. Subsequently received contacts are distributed among the available contact centers in accordance with the recalculated percentage allocation. When a contact center is returned to the system from an outage, the percentage allocation of contacts can be incrementally increased to the returning contact center.

Abstract: A method and system for determining occupancy of an agent in a multimodal contact center are provided. The method includes monitoring, by a processor, a plurality of multimodal contacts simultaneously handled by an agent. For each contact of the plurality of multimodal contacts, a media capability of a contact may be determined and one or more parameters based on the media capability and the agent may be determined. A multimodal occupancy score for the agent based on the one or more parameters for each of the plurality of multimodal contacts.

Abstract: A microprocessor executable resource monitor operable to determine that a less skilled and/or qualified resource has been assigned to service a work item or is servicing the work item, wherein a more skilled and/or qualified resource exists but is not currently available to service the work item, monitor at least one of a level of service provided by the less qualified resource to the work item and/or a customer associated with the work item and an availability of the more skilled and/or qualified resource to service the work item, and, in response to the monitoring step and while the work item is being serviced, transfer the work item to the more skilled and/or qualified resource for servicing.

Abstract: A contact center is described as having the ability to simultaneously consider a plurality of different work assignment strategies. Specifically, a work assignment engine in the contact center is enabled to create merged strategies from work-finding-agent strategies and agent-finding-work strategies to determine if one such strategy contradicts the other strategy.

Abstract: A contact center is described along with various methods and mechanisms for administering the same. The contact center proposed herein provides the ability to, among other things, selectively promote and demote agent skills to respond to various changes in contact center conditions. This enables the contact center to respond to unexpected changes in processing conditions without significantly impacting the overall performance of the contact center.

Abstract: A contact center is described along with various methods and mechanisms for administering the same. The contact center proposed herein provides the ability to, among other things, reward positive agent behavior and performance by providing the agent with rewards and incentives. The rewards and incentives are provided to the agent by altering one or more aspects of the routing logic in the contact center.

Abstract: A contact is received in a contact center. For example, an incoming voice call or email is received by the contact center. A complexity of the contact is determined. The complexity of the contact is how difficult the contact will be to process by an agent. For instance, the agent may have to do additional work outside the call based on the type of contact. In response to determining the complexity of the contact, the contact is routed to an agent of the contact center and a compensation of the agent is adjusted for servicing the contact. The systems and methods can also work for multiple contacts that are processed by multiple agents. In addition, the systems and methods will work with outbound contacts.

Abstract: A contact center work assignment engine communication system hosts a multi-functional contact advocate to manage communications and history for customers, including the ability to report issues, provide updates, identify and solve problems, store history, interface with contact center components, including agents and experts, creating a proactive automatic assistant for contact center customers.

Abstract: A contact center is described as having the ability to simultaneously consider a plurality of different work assignment strategies. Specifically, a work assignment engine in the contact center is enabled to create merged strategies from work-finding-agent strategies and agent-finding-work strategies to determine if one such strategy contradicts the other strategy.

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: Methods and systems are provided that utilize compiler technology in identifying changed critical variables in work assignment code that cause synchronization issues between a master system and another server. The identified changed critical variables are shared by the master server in a high availability environment. In general, the sharing of changed critical variables includes sending, via a master system, changed code or critical variables to a receiving system. The receiving system can implement the changed code or critical variables to maintain synchronization with the master system.

Abstract: A contact center is provided with the ability to easily modify, change, append, delete, or create new strategies. Contact center strategies are provided with the ability to be stacked on one another, thereby creating a combination strategy. The combination strategy may hierarchically represent and perform the individual strategies that constitute the combination strategy. Moreover, individual strategies can be removed, added, or replaced with other individual strategies, thereby providing a simple and efficient way for changing the behavior of the combination strategy.

Abstract: A contact center is described along with various methods and mechanisms for administering the same. A ripple reduction mechanism is disclosed that provides an interval and evaluates and matches work items that come in until the interval expires. Once the interval expires, the ripple reduction mechanism in concert with a work assignment engine may finalize matches and optimally assign work items to minimize or eliminate a ripple effect.

Abstract: A transaction is received in a contact center. The transaction can be an email, an incoming call, an outgoing call, a video call, a text message, and/or the like. A best agent is determined to handle the transaction. A time is determined for the best agent to handle the transaction. The time can be based on a projected time that the agent will be able to handle the transaction, based on a callback time or any criteria. A schedule of the best agent is searched. The schedule of the best agent contains a movable event. A movable event can be any event that can be rescheduled, such as a break. When it is determined that the time for the best agent to handle the transaction is during and/or close to the movable event, the movable event is rescheduled to allow the best agent to handle the transaction.

Abstract: A contact is received in a contact center. For example, an incoming voice call or email is received by the contact center. A complexity of the contact is determined. The complexity of the contact is how difficult the contact will be to process by an agent. For instance, the agent may have to do additional work outside the call based on the type of contact. In response to determining the complexity of the contact, the contact is routed to an agent of the contact center and a compensation of the agent is adjusted for servicing the contact. The systems and methods can also work for multiple contacts that are processed by multiple agents. In addition, the systems and methods will work with outbound contacts.

Abstract: A contact center auditing work assignment engine communication system hosts a multi-functional automatic bot agent to discover issues, update properties, identify and solve problems, and provide operational support for contact center managers, creating a proactive and flexible automatic audit and cooperation between a bot agent, human agents, and supervisors.