System and method for integrated resource scheduling and task allocation
View Patent ↗According to the invention, a system and method for integrating call routing and workforce management functions in contact centers, enabling them to work together without opposing the influence of one against that of the other, is disclosed. In an embodiment of the invention, a feedback mechanism is provided between the routing system and either the forecasting engine or the adherence module of the workforce management system, or both. This feedback mechanism is used to pass useful information dynamically between the said workforce management system and the said routing system, said information exchange being unidirectional in either direction, or bidirectional. In another embodiment of the invention, a method in which information is passed from a call routing system to a forecasting engine or an adherence module of a workforce management system, or both, is disclosed.
1. A system for integrating call routing and workforce management functions in contact centers, comprising:
a workforce management system consisting of at least a forecasting engine, a business rules module, a scheduling engine, and an adherence module;
a routing engine; and
an electronic feedback mechanism between the said routing engine and either the said forecasting engine or the said adherence module of the said workforce management system, or both;
wherein useful information is directly exchanged dynamically between the said workforce management system components and the said routing engine during a specific operating period said information exchange being unidirectional in either direction, or bidirectional, and wherein the information exchanged is used dynamically to modify one or both of behavior of the workforce management system or the routine engine within the operating period.
2. A method for integrating call routing and workforce management functions in contact centers, the method comprising of the steps of:
providing a dynamic software-based electronic feedback mechanism between the routing engine and components of a workforce management system;
using the said feedback mechanism to directly pass useful information from the components in the workforce management system dynamically to the routing engine during a specific operating period; and
dynamically modifying the behavior of the said routing engine to take advantage of the information thus provided from the components of the said workforce management system within the operating period.
3. A method for integrating call routing and workforce management functions in contact centers, the method comprising of the steps of:
providing a dynamic software-based electronic feedback mechanism between a routing engine and selected components which make up a workforce management system;
using the said feedback mechanism to directly pass useful information from the routing engine dynamically to selected components of the workforce management system during a specific operating period; and
dynamically modifying the behavior of the workforce management functions to take advantage of the information thus provided from the said routing engine within the operating period.