Techniques for benchmarking pairing strategies in a contact center system
View Patent ↗Techniques for benchmarking pairing strategies in a contact center system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for benchmarking pairing strategies in a contact center system comprising: determining for each contact of a plurality of contacts, an associated plurality of historical contact assignments; determining, for each contact, an associated outcome value; partitioning, for each contact, the associated plurality of historical assignments into a first associated subset assigned using a first pairing strategy and a second associated subset assigned using a second pairing strategy; determining, for each contact, a first portion of the associated outcome value attributable to the first associated subset and a second portion of the associated outcome value attributable to the second associated subset; and outputting a difference in performance between the first and second pairing strategies according to the first and second associated portions of the associated outcome value for each contact.
1. A method comprising:
during a first period of time, associating, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in a contact center system, a first pairing strategy to a plurality of agents;
pairing, in a switch of the contact center system, the plurality of agents to a first plurality of contacts using the first pairing strategy;
during a second period of time later than the first period of time, associating, by the at least one computer processor, a second pairing strategy that is different from the first pairing strategy to the plurality of agents;
pairing, in the switch of the contact center system, the plurality of agents to a second plurality of contacts using the second pairing strategy;
during a third period of time later than the second period of time, associating, by the at least one computer processor, a third pairing strategy that is different from the second pairing strategy to the plurality of agents;
pairing, in the switch of the contact center system, the plurality of agents to a third plurality of contacts using the third pairing strategy;
during a fourth period of time later than the third period of time, associating, by the at least one computer processor, a fourth pairing strategy that is different from the first and third pairing strategies to the plurality of agents;
pairing, in the switch of the contact center system, the plurality of agents to a fourth plurality of contacts using the fourth pairing strategy;
determining, by the at least one computer processor, a first performance measurement based on outcomes of the first and third pluralities of contacts;
determining, by the at least one computer processor, a second performance measurement based on outcomes of the second and fourth pluralities of contacts; and
outputting, by the at least one computer processor, data that enables a comparison of the first and second performance measurements,
wherein each time period of the first, second, third, and fourth periods of time is determined prior to the respective each time period,
wherein, for each contact of the first, second, third, and fourth pluralities of contacts, use of the respectively associated first, second, third, or fourth pairing strategy connects the each contact with an individual agent of the plurality of agents, and
wherein the pairing strategy associated with one of the first, second, third, or fourth pluralities of contacts does not comprise a comparison between at least two contacts that does not require information about any agent.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth pairing strategies is a behavioral pairing strategy.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and third pairing strategies are behavioral pairing strategies.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and third pairing strategies are the same, or the second and fourth pairing strategies are the same.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparison between at least two contacts that does not require information about any agent is at least one of:
a first-in, first-out (FIFO) pairing strategy,
a longest-waiting-contact pairing strategy,
a randomly-selected-contact pairing strategy,
a priority-based routing pairing strategy, and
a highest-priority-contact pairing strategy.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparison between at least two contacts comprises selecting, by the at least one computer processor, a plurality of contacts.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparison between at least two contacts comprises selecting, by the at least one computer processor, no contacts.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparison between at least two contacts comprises selecting, by the at least one computer processor, exactly one contact.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparison between at least two contacts is a final comparison between at least two contacts to select one of the at least two contacts for connection to an agent.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of agents is paired with at least one contact from the first plurality of contacts, at least one contact from the second plurality of contacts, at least one contact from the third plurality of contacts, and at least one contact from the fourth plurality of contacts.
11. A system comprising:
at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in a contact center system, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to:
during a first period of time, associate a first pairing strategy to a plurality of agents;
pair, in a switch of a contact center, the plurality of agents to a first plurality of contacts using the first pairing strategy;
during a second period of time later than the first period of time, associate a second pairing strategy that is different from the first pairing strategy to the plurality of agents;
pair, in the switch of the contact center, the plurality of agents to a second plurality of contacts using the second pairing strategy;
during a third period of time later than the second period of time, associate a third pairing strategy that is different from the second pairing strategy to the plurality of agents;
pair, in the switch of the contact center, the plurality of agents to a third plurality of contacts using the third pairing strategy;
during a fourth period of time later than the third period of time, associate a fourth pairing strategy that is different from the first and third pairing strategies to the plurality of agents;
pair, in the switch of the contact center, the plurality of agents to a fourth plurality of contacts using the fourth pairing strategy;
determine a first performance measurement based on outcomes of the first and third pluralities of contacts;
determine a second performance measurement based on outcomes of the second and fourth pluralities of contacts; and
output data that enables a comparison of the first and second performance measurements,
wherein each time period of the first, second, third, and fourth periods of time is determined prior to the respective each time period,
wherein, for each contact of the first, second, third, and fourth pluralities of contacts, use of the respectively associated first, second, third, or fourth pairing strategy connects the each contact with an individual agent of the plurality of agents, and
wherein the pairing strategy associated with one of the first, second, third, or fourth pluralities of contacts does not comprise a comparison between at least two contacts that does not require information about any agent.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth pairing strategies is a behavioral pairing strategy.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first and third pairing strategies are behavioral pairing strategies.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first and third pairing strategies are the same, or the second and fourth pairing strategies are the same.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the comparison between at least two contacts that does not require information about any agent is at least one of:
a first-in, first-out (FIFO) pairing strategy,
a longest-waiting-contact pairing strategy,
a randomly-selected-contact pairing strategy,
a priority-based routing pairing strategy, and
a highest-priority-contact pairing strategy.
16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the comparison between at least two contacts comprises selecting a plurality of contacts.
17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the comparison between at least two contacts comprises selecting no contacts.
18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the comparison between at least two contacts comprises selecting exactly one contact.
19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the comparison between at least two contacts is a final comparison between at least two contacts to select one of the at least two contacts for connection to an agent.
20. The system of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of agents is paired with at least one contact from the first plurality of contacts, at least one contact from the second plurality of contacts, at least one contact from the third plurality of contacts, and at least one contact from the fourth plurality of contacts.
21. An article of manufacture comprising:
a non-transitory computer processor readable medium; and
instructions stored on the medium;
wherein the instructions are configured to be readable from the medium by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in a contact center system and thereby cause the at least one computer processor to operate so as to:
during a first period of time, associate a first pairing strategy to a plurality of agents;
pair, in a switch of a contact center, the plurality of agents to a first plurality of contacts using the first pairing strategy;
during a second period of time later than the first period of time, associate a second pairing strategy that is different from the first pairing strategy to the plurality of agents;
pair, in the switch of the contact center, the plurality of agents to a second plurality of contacts using the second pairing strategy;
during a third period of time later than the second period of time, associate a third pairing strategy that is different from the second pairing strategy to the plurality of agents;
pair, in the switch of the contact center, the plurality of agents to a third plurality of contacts using the third pairing strategy;
during a fourth period of time later than the third period of time, associate a fourth pairing strategy that is different from the first and third pairing strategies to the plurality of agents;
pair, in the switch of the contact center, the plurality of agents to a fourth plurality of contacts using the fourth pairing strategy;
determine a first performance measurement based on outcomes of the first and third pluralities of contacts;
determine a second performance measurement based on outcomes of the second and fourth pluralities of contacts; and
output data that enables a comparison of the first and second performance measurements,
wherein each time period of the first, second, third, and fourth periods of time is determined prior to the respective each time period,
wherein, for each contact of the first, second, third, and fourth pluralities of contacts, use of the respectively associated first, second, third, or fourth pairing strategy connects the each contact with an individual agent of the plurality of agents, and
wherein the pairing strategy associated with one of the first, second, third, or fourth pluralities of contacts does not comprise a comparison between at least two contacts that does not require information about any agent.
22. The article of manufacture of claim 21 , wherein at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth pairing strategies is a behavioral pairing strategy.
23. The article of manufacture of claim 21 , wherein the first and third pairing strategies are behavioral pairing strategies.
24. The article of manufacture of claim 21 , wherein the first and third pairing strategies are the same, or the second and fourth pairing strategies are the same.
25. The article of manufacture of claim 21 , wherein the comparison between at least two contacts that does not require information about any agent is at least one of:
a first-in, first-out (FIFO) pairing strategy,
a longest-waiting-contact pairing strategy,
a randomly-selected-contact pairing strategy,
a priority-based routing pairing strategy, and
a highest-priority-contact pairing strategy.
26. The article of manufacture of claim 21 , wherein the comparison between at least two contacts comprises selecting a plurality of contacts.
27. The article of manufacture of claim 21 , wherein the comparison between at least two contacts comprises selecting no contacts.
28. The article of manufacture of claim 21 , wherein the comparison between at least two contacts comprises selecting exactly one contact.
29. The article of manufacture of claim 21 , wherein the comparison between at least two contacts is a final comparison between at least two contacts to select one of the at least two contacts for connection to an agent.
30. The article of manufacture of claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of agents is paired with at least one contact from the first plurality of contacts, at least one contact from the second plurality of contacts, at least one contact from the third plurality of contacts, and at least one contact from the fourth plurality of contacts.