Method and apparatus for anticipating and planning communication-center resources based on evaluation of events waiting in a communication center master queue

Abstract

A software application for recommending workforce resource allocation in a communication center based on requirements of events represented in a communication-center queue has a first interface for accessing information from the queue; a second interface for accessing information from a data source about workforce availability and state information; a processing component for processing queue information and workforce information; and a message generation and delivery component for generating a workforce allocation recommendation based on processing results and sending the recommendation to a target entity. In a preferred embodiment, the application periodically accesses the queue and the data source to obtain the most recent information for processing and generates periodic recommendations based on real-time requirements of events and availability states of resources, the recommendations sent ahead of time before the resources are required.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method executed by a computerized server operating within a communication center enhancing resource management for routing a plurality of events, comprising steps of:
 (a) receiving, by the server, a first event and a second event from the plurality of events, wherein the first event utilizes a first media type and the second event utilizes a second media type different from the first media type; 
 (b) storing, by the server, information on the first event and the second event in a single queue; 
 (c) retrieving, by the server, from the single queue, information concerning the plurality of events to be routed from a routing engine, the information including at least nature and quantity of resources required by the plurality of events, and identification of a media type for each of the plurality of events; 
 (b)(d) retrieving, by the server, information concerning instant state of the resources potentially available to service the plurality of events, wherein the information concerning the instant state includes presence of the resources for a plurality of different media types, wherein a first one of the resources is detected as available for the first media type and unavailable for the second media type, and a second one of the resources is detected as unavailable for the first media type and available for the second media type; 
 (c)(e) processing the retrieved information from steps (a) and (b)(c) and (d) by the server; 
 (d)(f) based on the processing, recommending allocation of the resources by the server to best serve upcoming ones of the plurality of events to be routed; and 
 (e) (g) repeating steps (a) through (d) (c) through (f) periodically to allocate, re-allocate and manage the resources relative to the needs of the plurality of events in near real time, wherein the needs take into account the media type utilized by each of the plurality of events; and 
 (h) transmitting, by the routing engine, based on the recommending, a first notification over a data network to route the first event to the first one of the resources, and a second notification over the data network to route the second event to the second one of the resources, wherein in response to the routing, a connection is established with equipment associated with respectively the first and second one of the resources. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein in step (c) (e) the processing also includes recommending allocation of resources based upon a set time threshold for servicing the plurality of events. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein in step (d) (f) the recommendation includes using probability factors to predict quantity and nature of the plurality of events up to a specified window of time ahead of receipt of the plurality of events at the routing engine and allocating said resources based on the prediction. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information concerning the instant state of the resources further includes information on level of accessibility to database storing state information, wherein the method further comprises:
 determining that the first one of the resources has limited accessibility to the database;   selecting a third one of the resources having accessibility to the database; and   routing the first event to the third one of the resources instead of the first one of the resources.    
     
     
       5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second events is tokenized with selected information associated with respectively the first and second events.  
     
     
       6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:
 prior to processing by the routing engine, periodically accessing the single queue for identifying the plurality of events waiting to be routed;   determining the needs of the plurality of events; and   reallocating a particular one of the resources from a first resource group to a second resource group based on the determining.