Lucent Technologies CentreVu Call Management System Release 3 Version 5 Manual

							  Forecast Administration CentreVu CMS R3V5 Forecast  585-215-825
Data Storage Allocation Administration2-3
Prerequisite 
System 
Administration
2
lYou must have write permission for the Forecast subsystem.
lYou must run the Forecast Manager to actually retrieve data from 
the historical data tables. You can run the Forecast Manager either 
manually or in a timetable. The recommended method is to run the 
Forecast Manager on a timetable that executes every night. Run the 
Forecast Manager manually if the timetable fails or if you need to go 
back and recollect data.
Data Storage 
Allocation 
Window
2
Use the Forecast: Administration: Data Storage Allocation window 
(Figure 2-1
) to specify the length of time CentreVu CMS stores historical 
data in the forecast input tables.
Figure 2-1:  Data Storage Allocation Window
2
Field/Action List 
Usage
2
Modify
To change the number of days archived, enter changes and select 
Modify. 
						

							  Forecast Administration CentreVu CMS R3V5 Forecast  585-215-825
Data Storage Allocation Administration2-4
Field Descriptions2Intrahour split/skill data:
Enter the number of days of intrahour split/skill data that you want to 
store for use in split/skill forecasts.
lThe minimum number of days you can enter is 28. The maximum 
number of days is unlimited. However, you should store more than 
28 days of data only if you anticipate the need to run current day 
forecasts for days that have already passed. Also, remember that 
you will be using additional disk space on your computer for each 
day of data you choose to store.
lThe intrahour split/skill data you store is the number of ACD calls 
and abandons.
Daily split/skill data:
Enter the number of days of daily split/skill data that you want to store for 
use in split/skill forecasts.
lYou will need daily split/skill data only if you want to use seasonal 
trending in your forecasts.
lThe minimum number of days you can enter is 56. The maximum 
number of days is 999. However, remember that you will be using 
additional disk space on your computer for each day of data you 
choose to store.
lThe daily split/skill data you store is the number of ACD calls and 
abandoned calls.
Intrahour and daily trunk group data:
Enter the number of days of intrahour and daily data that you want to 
store for use in trunk performance forecasts.
lThe minimum number of days of both intrahour and daily data is 35. 
The maximum number of days is unlimited. However, remember that 
you will be using additional disk space on your computer for each 
day of data you choose to store.
lThe intrahour and daily data you store is as follows:
— The number of trunks in the trunk group
— The number of calls carried
— The number of seconds the trunks were in use. 
						

							  Forecast Administration CentreVu CMS R3V5 Forecast  585-215-825
Data Storage Allocation Administration2-5
Special day data:
Enter, as a number of days, the length of time that you want CMS to store 
historical data for a special day. This is the data you will use to run a 
Special Day forecast when the next occurrence of the special day 
approaches.
lThis number applies to all splits/skills in the ACD.
lNormally, you will want to store special day data for 1 year (365 
days), since many special days, like holidays, come only once a 
year.
For example, if the day after Thanksgiving is a special day for your 
call center, you will want to save the historical data CMS collects on 
that day so you can use it to forecast the expected volume of calls 
for the day after Thanksgiving next year. 
						

							  Forecast Administration CentreVu CMS R3V5 Forecast  585-215-825
Call Handling Profiles Administration2-6
Call Handling Profiles Administration2
Purpose2You define a call handling profile to specify the following call handling 
objectives for a split/skill:
lAverage speed of answer. The average time you are expecting or 
targeting callers to wait in queue before connecting to an agent.
lAverage agent service time. The average time you are expecting 
or targeting each agent to spend on an ACD call, including talk time 
and After Call Work (ACW) time.
lPercent within service level. The percentage of calls that you are 
expecting or targeting to be answered by an agent within a specific 
number of seconds.
lAgent occupancy. The average time that you are expecting or 
targeting each split/skill agent to spend, while logged in, on ACD 
calls and in ACW.
For any split/skill forecast, CMS uses a profiles call handling objectives, 
along with forecast calls carried, to find the number of agents required to 
handle the calls. Therefore, you must define a call handling profile which 
reflects the objectives of the split/skill for use in the split/skill forecast.
Things to Know 
Before You Start
2
lSince CMS forecasts the number of agents required for each 
intrahour interval, you must define objectives for each intrahour 
interval whose calls you are forecasting.
lUp to 100 call handling profiles may be created per ACD connected 
to CMS. As a result, you can define a profile which describes one or 
more splits/skills. You might do this if, for example, you want a 
profile for forecasts of normal days and another profile for forecasts 
when your agents begin handling a new type of call.
lYou may define a unique call handling profile for each split/skill for 
which you want forecasts. However, you will normally be able to use 
the same call handling profile, if appropriate, for multiple splits/skills 
in the ACD.
lIn the Call Handling Profiles window itself, you assign only a profile 
ID number. To actually define the objectives of a profile, you must 
use the Get Contents window that displays when you select the Get 
Contents action list option. See Figure 2-4
. 
						

							  Forecast Administration CentreVu CMS R3V5 Forecast  585-215-825
Call Handling Profiles Administration2-7
lIn defining the agent occupancy objective, remember that the 
objective is the percentage of time that you want the agents active 
on a call or in ACW. CMS uses the Erlang C algorithm, which 
assumes that each agent is available and waiting for a call if they 
are not on an ACD call or in ACW.
Therefore, do not include time agents are in Auxiliary (AUX) work in 
your agent occupancy objective. Instead, if you want to determine 
the total agents you need when some are in AUX work, you will 
have to forecast the agents required, and then factor in AUX work.
For example, if CMS forecasts that you need 30 agents to handle 
calls during a half-hour interval, and you want 8 agents to take a 15-
minute break during that interval, you will actually need to schedule 
34 agents for the interval to cover the staff time lost to breaks.
lIf you have agents in multiple skills and are using bi-level call 
distribution, you may want to use the concept of the agent’s top skill 
to refine your agent occupancy numbers. The agent’s top skill is the 
agent’s highest-level, first administered skill. If the agent has no 
other skills at that same level, then the top skill represents that skill 
for which it is most likely that the agent will take calls.
When you look at historical skill reports to assess the amount of time 
agents spent in this skill, use all the time spent in ACD and ACW for 
the skill (by any agents) and only the time agents with this skill as 
top skill spent available. This method will avoid counting available 
time for agents for both top and backup skills, giving a more 
accurate representation of the agent occupancy for this skill.
lCMS forecasts the number of agents that will be required to handle 
the volume of calls during a specified time period. This forecast 
makes the call handling performance equal to or better than your 
objectives. Therefore, CMS will forecast the number of agents 
required so that:
— The average speed of answer for calls will be equal to or faster 
than your objective.
— Agent occupancy is equal to or less than your objective.
— The percentage of calls answered within service level is equal 
to or greater than your objective.
NoteIf you are using multiple call handling or forced multiple 
call handling, you need to account for the time that the 
call is on hold at the agent position along with the time 
that the call is in queue and the time that the call spends 
ringing at the agent position. 
						

							  Forecast Administration CentreVu CMS R3V5 Forecast  585-215-825
Call Handling Profiles Administration2-8
For example, if your target average speed of answer is 30 seconds, 
the forecasted number of agents might be able to handle calls with 
an average speed of answer of 28 seconds.
To account for the differences between objectives and forecasted 
performance, split/skill forecasts include “Profile results” which show 
the average speed of answer, agent occupancy, and percent within 
service level that the agents should actually achieve.
lYou can also copy an existing profiles objectives to the new profile 
you are defining. You do this via the Copy window which displays 
when you select the Copy action list option. See Figure 2-3
.
lTo simplify building your call profiles, your system comes with a 
sample call profile. It can be copied to a new profile you are defining. 
This then allows you to modify your parameters. See the “Get 
Contents” section in this section for details. You can also modify 
your parameters across multiple intervals.
Prerequisite 
System 
Administration
2
You must have write permission for the Forecast subsystem if you want 
to create, change, or add a profile.
Call Handling 
Profiles Window
2
Use the Call Handling Profiles window to define the call handling 
objectives of a split or skill. See Figure 2-2
.
Figure 2-2:  Call Handling Profiles Window 
						

							  Forecast Administration CentreVu CMS R3V5 Forecast  585-215-825
Call Handling Profiles Administration2-9
Field/Action List 
Usage
2
Add
To add a call handling profile, complete the Current profile: field 
to assign the profile number, and select Add. 
Copy
To copy the contents of another profile, select Copy.
Delete
To delete a profile, complete the Current profile: field, and select 
Delete.
Find one/List all
To display the split/skill name(s) and a description(s) of the split/skill, 
select Find one or List all.
Get contents
To define the call handling profile from scratch, select Get contents.
To modify a profile, complete the Current profile: field, and select 
Get contents.
Field Descriptions2Current profile:
Enter the number, from 1 to 100, of the call handling profile you want to 
view, add, modify, or delete.
Description:
Enter a description of the profile. 
						

							  Forecast Administration CentreVu CMS R3V5 Forecast  585-215-825
Call Handling Profiles Administration2-10
Copy Window2When you select Copy on the Call Handling Profiles window, the 
following Copy window displays. See Figure 2-3
.
 
Figure 2-3:  Copy Window
Field Descriptions2Copy from:
Enter the number, from 1 to 100, of the call handling profile whose 
contents you want to copy to the new profile number. 
						

							  Forecast Administration CentreVu CMS R3V5 Forecast  585-215-825
Call Handling Profiles Administration2-11
Get Contents 
Window
2
When you select Get contents on the Call Handling Profiles window, 
the following Get Contents window displays. See Figure 2-4
. 
Figure 2-4:  Get Contents Window
Field/Action List 
Usage
2
Add
To add objectives for one intrahour interval, complete all fields, and select 
Add. Intervals may only be added one at a time.
Delete
To delete objectives for one or more intrahour intervals, complete the 
Interval start time: field, and select Delete.
List all
To view the objectives defined for each intrahour interval, enter the 
appropriate range of intervals (or leave the Interval start time: 
field blank for all intervals), and select List all.
Modify/Find one
To modify objectives, do a Find one for an interval, change data in the 
appropriate fields, and select Modify. 
						

							  Forecast Administration CentreVu CMS R3V5 Forecast  585-215-825
Call Handling Profiles Administration2-12
Field Descriptions2Interval start time:
Enter a time of day in hh:mm format, either as military time (for example, 
13:30) or with am or pm appended (for example, 10:15am).
lWhen viewing, modifying, or deleting objectives, you may specify 
multiple intervals with:
— A range (for example, 7:00am-12:00pm)
— A series (for example, 7:00am;7:30am;4:30pm;5:00pm)
— A series of ranges (for example, 7:00am-11:30am; 12:30pm- 
5:00pm).
lThis is the start time of the interval whose call handling objectives 
you want to view, add, modify, or delete.
Average speed of answer:
Enter a number of seconds to define the targeted or expected average 
wait time for calls arriving in the specified intrahour interval(s).
lCMS will forecast just enough agents so that the average time calls 
wait will be equal to or below this number of seconds.
lThe number of seconds should not exceed the length of your 
administered intrahour interval.
Average agent service time:
Enter a number of seconds to define the targeted or expected average 
time for each agent to spend on an ACD call, including talk time and 
ACW time.
The number of seconds should not exceed the length of your 
administered intrahour interval.
NoteYou can add objectives one interval at a time only. If you enter 
multiple intervals and select Add, the action will fail.
NoteIf you are using multiple call handling or forced multiple 
call handling, you need to account for the time the call is 
on hold at the agent position along with the time the call 
is in queue and the time the call spends ringing at the 
agent position.