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Interaction Optimizer

Customer Interaction Center and Interaction Optimizer provide a complete workforce management solution. Interaction Optimizer uses forecasting, scheduling, and real-time schedule adherence allowing a contact center to plan for and ensure optimal staffing and service levels at any given time.

Workforce management process overview

At a high level, the workforce management (or workforce optimization) process involves the following step:

  • Select Your Service Level Objective: Determine the appropriate service level based on the specific services provided, and on the analysis of forecasting data and real-time adherence. Service level is expressed as “X percent of interactions answered in Y seconds”.

  • Collect Data: CIC's Stat Server collects ACD data that shows the number of ACD interactions received, the interaction duration, and the interaction patterns.

  • Forecast Interaction Load: Use volume forecasting based on the collected ACD data to determine accurate predictions for future interaction load.

  • Forecast Headcounts: Use ACD simulation or Erlang_C based on volume forecast to determine accurate staffing level predictions.

  • Publish and Manage Schedules: Generate schedules based on forecasting, make adjustments if necessary, and publish the schedules.

  • Analyze Performance: Use data obtained from the agents’ adherence to the schedule, and determine the schedule’s accuracy regarding the actual interactions received. Based on this information, make adjustments to the volume and heacount forecasts for generating the next week's schedule.

Configure your options and monitor results

Note: Beginning in CIC 4.0 SU6, most Interaction Optimizer functionality, including configuration settings, is available only through IC Business Manager.

To fulfill the workforce management functions, use the following applications:

  • Interaction Administrator: Use Interaction Administrator to configure:

  • Interaction Optimizer: Use the Interaction Optimizer module in the Interaction Center Business Manager application to do the following:

    • Configure client options

    • Configure server options

    • Map status messages to activity types

    • Manage special days (day classifications)

    • Configure scheduling units

    • Configure forecast and schedule entries

    • Complete the steps to create forecasts and schedules

    • Manage time-off requests

    • Make normal scheduling edits

    • Apply time off requests

    • Publish the schedule

    • View real-time adherence (RTA) events on current or previous schedules

    • Use intraday monitoring to compare activity

  • Interaction Supervisor: Use Interaction Supervisor to view or monitor:

    • User and Schedule Statistics

    • Real Time Adherence Events

    • Time Off Requests

    • Reports

  • CIC Clients: Use Interaction Desktop to:

    • View Published Schedules

    • Submit Time Off Requests

Note: Interaction Optimizer availability and behavior depends on how it is licensed, and how access control is configured. For more information, see the Interaction Optimizer Technical Reference in the Technical Reference Documents section in the PureConnect Documentation Library on the CIC server.

For more information

For information on configuring and running Interaction Optimizer, see the Interaction Optimizer help.

For more information on Interaction Supervisor, see the Interaction Supervisor help.

For more information on the CIC clients, see the Interaction Desktop help and the Interaction Connect help.