System and Method for Generating Forecasts and Analysis of Contact Center Behavior For Planning Purposes

Abstract

A method of predicting expected performance of a processing center system is provided. This method includes receiving performance information from a performance monitoring system associated with the processing center system. A computer model of the processing center system is developed based on the performance information. The method further includes generating predictions based on the computer model, and analyzing the predictions to generate performance scenarios for the processing center system.

1 . A computer-implemented method of predicting the operational performance of a call center system, the method comprising:
 a. providing a graphical user interface that includes a call volume field, a staffing level field, and an operational performance value field;   b. enabling a user to input a first call volume for the first time period into the call volume field, the first time period including a series of component time periods;   c. enabling the user to input an operational performance goal for the first time period into the operational performance value field;   d. if the user inputs the first call volume for the first time period into the call volume field,
 i. accessing a first staffing level for the first time period, 
 ii. accessing a first average handle time for the first time period, iii. accessing one or both of a staffing level distribution and an average handle time distribution for the first time period, the staffing level distribution for the first time period including a staffing level value assigned to each component time period of the series of component time periods within the first time period and the average handle time distribution for the first time period including an average handle time value assigned to each component time period of the series of component time periods within the first time period, 
 iv. determining an operational performance value for the first time period based on the user-inputted first call volume, the first staffing level, the first average handle time, and one or both of the staffing level distribution and the average handle time distribution for the first time period, and 
 v. visually displaying the determined operational performance value in the operational performance value field of the graphical user interface; and 
   e. if the user inputs the operational performance goal for the first time period into the operational performance value field,
 i. accessing a second call volume for the first time period, 
 ii. accessing the first average handle time for the first time period, 
 iii. accessing one or both of the staffing level distribution and the average handle time distribution for the first time period, 
 iv. determining a second staffing level for the first time period based on the user-inputted operational performance goal, the second call volume, the first average handle time, and one or both of the staffing level distribution and average handle time distribution for the first time period, and 
 v. visually displaying the determined second staffing level in the staffing level field of the graphical user interface. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a. visually displaying the second call volume for the first time period in the call volume field;   b. visually displaying the first staffing level for the first time period in the staffing level field; and   c. visually displaying the first average handle time for the first time period in an average handle time field included in the graphical user interface.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operational performance goal comprises one of a service level goal, an average speed of answer goal, and a number of abandoned calls goal. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operational performance goal comprises a number of blocked calls goal. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operational performance goal comprises a customer service representative utilization goal. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , where the customer service representative utilization goal comprises a percentage of time goal that a customer service representative is servicing calls rather than waiting for calls. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operational performance goal comprises a sales goal for the call center. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operational performance goal comprises a profit goal for the call center. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a duration of the first time period is equal to the duration of the series of component time periods. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the component time period is an hour or a half hour, and the first time period is one of: a day, a week, and a month. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method of predicting the operational performance of a call center system, the method comprising:
 a. providing a graphical user interface;   b. enabling a user to input a first call volume for a first time period into a field, the first time period including a series of component time periods;   c. enabling the user to input a goal for the first time period into a field;   d. if the user inputs the first call volume for the first time period into a field,
 i. accessing a first staffing level for the first time period, 
 ii. accessing a first average handle time for the first time period, 
 iii. accessing one or both of: a staffing level distribution and an average handle time distribution for the first time period, 
 iv. determining an operational performance value for the first time period, and 
 v. displaying the determined operational performance value in the graphical user interface; and 
   e. if the user inputs the operational performance goal for the first time period into a field,
 i. accessing a second call volume for the first time period, 
 ii. accessing the first average handle time for the first time period, 
 iii. accessing one or both of the staffing level distribution and the average handle time distribution for the first time period, 
 iv. determining a second staffing level for the first time, and 
 v. displaying the determined second staffing level. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the additional steps of:
 a. displaying the second call volume;   b. displaying the first staffing level; and   c. displaying the average handle time for the first time period.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the operational performance goal comprises is one of a service level goal, an average speed of answer goal, and a number of abandoned calls goal. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the operational performance goal comprises a number of blocked calls goal. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the operational performance goal comprises a customer service representative utilization goal. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , where the customer service representative utilization goal comprises a percentage of time goal that a customer service representative is servicing calls rather than waiting for calls. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the operational performance goal comprises a sales goal for the call center. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the operational performance goal comprises a profit goal for the call center. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a duration of the first time period is equal to the duration of the series of component time periods. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the component time period is an hour or a half hour, and the first time period is one of: a day, a week, and a month.