Service-Level Variability of Inbound Call Centers

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Roubos, Alex; Koole, Ger; Stolletz, Raik
• 署名单位: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; University of Mannheim
• 刊物名称: M&SOM-MANUFACTURING & SERVICE OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1523-4614
• DOI: 10.1287/msom.1120.0382
• 发表日期: 2012
• 页码: 402-413
• 关键词: call centers; service level; normal distribution; simulations; staffing

摘要

In practice, call center service levels are reported over periods of finite length that are usually no longer than 24 hours. In such small periods the service level has a large variability. It is therefore not sufficient to base staffing decisions only on the expected service level. In this paper we consider the classical M/M/s queueing model that is often used in call centers. We develop accurate approximations for the service-level distribution based on extensive simulations. This distribution is used for a service-level variability-controlled staffing approach to circumvent the shortcomings of the traditional staffing based on the expected service level.