Eugene P Mathews

US Patent:

6353667, Mar 5, 2002

Filed:

Aug 27, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/141273

Inventors:

Robin H. Foster - Little Silver NJ
Eugene P. Mathews - Barrington IL

Assignee:

Avaya Technology Corp. - Basking Ridge NJ

International Classification:

H04M 300

US Classification:

37926505, 37926501, 37926502

Abstract:

A minimum interruption cycle time is established for a reserve agent in a call center. The reserve agent may be an exclusively reserve agent which processes only calls requiring reserve skills. In an illustrative embodiment, after the reserve agent completes the processing of a call, a cycle timer is started for that agent. The delivery of additional calls to the reserve agent is then suspended until the value of the cycle timer is greater than or equal to the established minimum interruption cycle time for that agent. The minimum interruption cycle time is selected so as to allow the reserve agent to complete a designated number of non-call tasks between the calls processed by the reserve agent. If there is a pool of reserve agents, one or more of the reserve agents may be temporarily converted to normal agent status for at least one particular skill that is causing excessive interruption of reserve agents, so as to maintain the minimum interruption cycle time for the remaining reserve agents in the presence of an increased call volume.

US Patent:

6356632, Mar 12, 2002

Filed:

Dec 31, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/224043

Inventors:

Robin H. Foster - Little Silver NJ
William E. Gourlay - Santa Ana CA
Eugene P. Mathews - Barrington IL

Assignee:

Avaya Technology Corp. - Basking Ridge NJ

International Classification:

H04M 300

US Classification:

37926504, 37926603

Abstract:

A call center is configured such that call selection and/or agent selection processes may be based at least in part on stored information regarding agent schedules, such as scheduled break times, training sessions, ends of shifts or other events for the agents. In an illustrative embodiment, schedule information is stored for at least one of the call center agents, and a communication is selected for delivery to the agent based at least in part on the stored schedule information for that agent. For example, a call selection process in the call center may be modified for a designated period of time before a scheduled break of a given agent such that the call selected for delivery to that agent is likely to be completed in the time remaining until the scheduled break. As another example, an agent selection process in the call center may be modified for a designated period of time before a scheduled break such that the agent selected to process a given call is one likely to complete the call in the time remaining until the scheduled break. The designated time period may vary depending on factors such as the type of scheduled event, or the type of agent.

US Patent:

6359982, Mar 19, 2002

Filed:

Jan 12, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/228992

Inventors:

Robin H. Foster - Little Silver NJ
Roy A. Jensen - Westminster CO
Joylee E. Kohler - Northglenn CO
Eugene P. Mathews - Barrington IL

Assignee:

Avaya Technologies Corp. - Basking Ridge NJ

International Classification:

H04M 342

US Classification:

37926606, 3792651

Abstract:

A call center is configured to include a capability for generating measures of occupancy for one or more agents. At least one value characterizing an occupancy measure determination for a given agent is stored in a memory associated with the call center, and used in generating an occupancy measure for that agent. In an illustrative embodiment, a set of stored values for the given agent includes an initial occupancy value for the agent, expressed in terms of a percentage. The occupancy measure for the agent may then be set to the initial occupancy value upon a log-in by the agent, so as to avoid undue oscillation in the occupancy measure after log-in. The set of stored values for the given agent may also include, for example, a limit which specifies a maximum amount of time for a designated activity which is to be considered as occupied time in generating the occupancy measure, or a limit which specifies a maximum effect of a designated activity in generating the occupancy measure. The designated activity may be, for example, after call work or auxiliary work performed by the agent.

US Patent:

6366666, Apr 2, 2002

Filed:

Dec 16, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/212993

Inventors:

David C. Bengtson - Aurora CO
James E. Ertel - Aurora CO
Robin H. Foster - Little Silver NJ
Eugene P. Mathews - Barrington IL

Assignee:

Avaya Technology Corp. - Basking Ridge NJ

International Classification:

H04M 300

US Classification:

37926506, 37926608

Abstract:

A call selection process in a call center is controlled so as to ensure the achievement of target values for one or more interval-based performance metrics. In an illustrative embodiment, a memory in the call center is used to store information regarding contractual target values of one or more interval-based performance metrics such as, for example, an average speed of answering metric, or a percent in service level metric. The call selection process is then adjusted within a given performance interval based at least in part on a comparison of a value of the metric actually achieved during the interval to the corresponding stored target value. For example, a service objective of the call selection process may be adjusted at one or more designated points in the interval if the value of the metric actually achieved to a given one of the points will not allow achievement of the target value within the interval.

US Patent:

6366668, Apr 2, 2002

Filed:

Mar 11, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/266283

Inventors:

Simon C. Borst - Convent Station NJ
Andrew D. Flockhart - Thornton CO
Francis C. Hymus - Bridgewater NJ
Eugene P. Mathews - Barrington IL
Martin I. Reiman - Maplewood NJ
Judith B. Seery - Madison NJ
John Z. Taylor - Bedminster NJ

Assignee:

Avaya Technology Corp. - Basking Ridge NJ

International Classification:

H04M 300

US Classification:

37926604, 37926511, 37922101

Abstract:

The alternate destination redirection (ADR) feature ( ) of telephone switching systems ( ) or an equivalent is used to implement a âpost-routeâ routing architecture having the benefits of a âpre-routeâ routing architecture in a network ACD (FIG. ). The ADR feature is administered in the network ( ) for individual ACD systems and individual call types at each ACD system to identify another ACD system as an alternative destination for calls of the individual call type rejected by the individual ACD system. The network distributes ( ) calls to the plurality of ACD systems ( ) on a basis (e. g. , fixed percentage, round-robin) that does not require the network to know the status of the individual ACD systems. Upon having a call of an individual type routed thereto, an individual ACD system checks ( ) the status of the ACD system that is administered as the alternative destination for its rejected calls of the individual type. If it determines that it can provide the better service, the individual ACD system services ( ) the call.

US Patent:

6535601, Mar 18, 2003

Filed:

Aug 27, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/141269

Inventors:

Andrew Derek Flockhart - Thornton CO
Robin H. Foster - Little Silver NJ
Joylee E. Kohler - Northglenn CO
Eugene P. Mathews - Barrington IL

Assignee:

Avaya Technology Corp. - Basking Ridge NJ

International Classification:

H04M 764

US Classification:

37926601, 3792661, 37926505, 37926512, 379307

Abstract:

Calls or other communications requiring a particular skill for handling are placed in a corresponding skill queue in a call center. One of a plurality of different values is assigned to each of the communications in the skill queue, with each of the values corresponding to a particular level of priority for access to the skill. For example, high, mid and low values may be assigned for communications placed in a technical support skill queue. A given communication is selected from the queue as a function of the assigned values, time advantages associated with the values, and the wait times of the communications in the queue. This communication selection process may include, for example, identifying communications in the queue which are candidates for out-of-order selection, computing an adjusted wait time for each of the identified communications, and selecting the communication with the highest adjusted wait time. The adjusted wait time for a given communication may be computed as, for example, a sum of the wait time for that communication and an advantage adjustment associated with the corresponding value. The selected communication may be placed in a call selection consideration pool for a multi-skill agent.

US Patent:

6563920, May 13, 2003

Filed:

Dec 15, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/461904

Inventors:

Andrew Derek Flockhart - Thornton CO
Robin H. Foster - Little Silver NJ
Joylee E. Kohler - Northglenn CO
Eugene P. Mathews - Barrington IL
John Z. Taylor - Bedminster NJ

Assignee:

Avaya Technology Corp. - Basking Ridge NJ

International Classification:

H04M 300

US Classification:

3792651, 37926511, 37926512, 37926514, 37926501, 37926503, 37926506

Abstract:

A call center is configured to determine variable rest periods for one or more agents, based at least in part on factors such as call center service state and agent occupancy. The call center service states may include a number of designated service states associated with a particular skill or type of communication supported by one or more agents of the call center. A particular one of the states represents a branded service level, while other states represent over-service and under-service conditions. The rest period determined for one or more of the agents can be used to implement features such as many-to-many work assignment, just-in-time (JIT) delivery of work, next opportunity for service (NOS) indicators, thereby facilitating the processing of communications in the call center.

US Patent:

6614903, Sep 2, 2003

Filed:

Dec 15, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/461902

Inventors:

Andrew Derek Flockhart - Thornton CO
Robin H. Foster - Little Silver NJ
Joylee E. Kohler - Northglenn CO
Eugene P. Mathews - Barrington IL

Assignee:

Avaya Technology Corp. - Basking Ridge NJ

International Classification:

H04M 300

US Classification:

37926512, 37926506

Abstract:

A call center is configured to determine which of a number of designated service states is associated with a particular skill or type of communication supported by one or more agents of the call center. A particular one of the states represents a branded service level, while other states represent over-service and under-service conditions. If the particular skill or type of communication is determined to be associated with a service state other than that corresponding to the desired branded service level, a communication processing function of the call center is adjusted so as to return the skill or type of communication to the desired branded service level state. An example of such an adjustment is a dynamic agent pooling, in which a pool of agents available to perform work for the particular skill varies in accordance with the current service state of that skill. The call center processing operations may also perform appropriate tests to determine if predictors generated by certain predictive algorithms should be used in the service state determination process. A branded service metric may be used to characterize the performance of the call center with respect to the desired branded service level.