Flexible staffing for call centers with non-stationary arrival rates

A. Roubos; Sandjai Bhulai; Ger Koole

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-47766-4_19

Flexible staffing for call centers with non-stationary arrival rates

Mathematics

Research output: Chapter in Book / Report / Conference proceeding › Chapter › Academic › peer-review

35 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

We consider a multi-period staffing problem of a single-skill call center.
The call center is modeled as a multi-server queue in which the staffing levels can be changed only at specific moments in time. The objective is to set the staffing levels such that a service level constraint is met in the presence of time-varying arrival rates. We develop a Markov decision model to obtain time-dependent staffing levels for both the case where the arrival rate function is known as well as unknown. The characteristics of the optimal policies associated to the two cases are illustrated through a numerical study based on real-life data. We show that the optimal policies provide a good balance between staffing costs and the penalty probability for not meeting the service level.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Markov Decision Processes in Practice
Editors	Nico van Dijk, Richard Boucherie
Publisher	Springer_Verlag
Chapter	19
Pages	487-503
Number of pages	17
ISBN (Electronic)	9783319477664
ISBN (Print)	9783319477640, 9783319838175
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47766-4_19
Publication status	Published - 2017

Publication series

Name	International Series in Operations Research & Management Science (ISOR)
Publisher	Springer
Volume	248

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-319-47766-4_19

Flexible staffing for call centers with non-stationary arrival ratesFinal published version, 326 KBLicence: Article 25fa Dutch Copyright Act

Persistent URL (handle)

Persistent link

Cite this

@inbook{a02e2dbe6d2b4e12815fe46247639186,

title = "Flexible staffing for call centers with non-stationary arrival rates",

abstract = "We consider a multi-period staffing problem of a single-skill call center. The call center is modeled as a multi-server queue in which the staffing levels can be changed only at specific moments in time. The objective is to set the staffing levels such that a service level constraint is met in the presence of time-varying arrival rates. We develop a Markov decision model to obtain time-dependent staffing levels for both the case where the arrival rate function is known as well as unknown. The characteristics of the optimal policies associated to the two cases are illustrated through a numerical study based on real-life data. We show that the optimal policies provide a good balance between staffing costs and the penalty probability for not meeting the service level.",

author = "A. Roubos and Sandjai Bhulai and Ger Koole",

year = "2017",

doi = "10.1007/978-3-319-47766-4\_19",

language = "English",

isbn = "9783319477640",

series = "International Series in Operations Research \& Management Science (ISOR)",

publisher = "Springer\_Verlag",

pages = "487--503",

editor = "\{van Dijk\}, Nico and Richard Boucherie",

booktitle = "Markov Decision Processes in Practice",

}

Flexible staffing for call centers with non-stationary arrival rates. / Roubos, A.; Bhulai, Sandjai ; Koole, Ger.
Markov Decision Processes in Practice. ed. / Nico van Dijk; Richard Boucherie. Springer_Verlag, 2017. p. 487-503 (International Series in Operations Research & Management Science (ISOR); Vol. 248).

Research output: Chapter in Book / Report / Conference proceeding › Chapter › Academic › peer-review

TY - CHAP

T1 - Flexible staffing for call centers with non-stationary arrival rates

AU - Roubos, A.

AU - Bhulai, Sandjai

AU - Koole, Ger

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - We consider a multi-period staffing problem of a single-skill call center. The call center is modeled as a multi-server queue in which the staffing levels can be changed only at specific moments in time. The objective is to set the staffing levels such that a service level constraint is met in the presence of time-varying arrival rates. We develop a Markov decision model to obtain time-dependent staffing levels for both the case where the arrival rate function is known as well as unknown. The characteristics of the optimal policies associated to the two cases are illustrated through a numerical study based on real-life data. We show that the optimal policies provide a good balance between staffing costs and the penalty probability for not meeting the service level.

AB - We consider a multi-period staffing problem of a single-skill call center. The call center is modeled as a multi-server queue in which the staffing levels can be changed only at specific moments in time. The objective is to set the staffing levels such that a service level constraint is met in the presence of time-varying arrival rates. We develop a Markov decision model to obtain time-dependent staffing levels for both the case where the arrival rate function is known as well as unknown. The characteristics of the optimal policies associated to the two cases are illustrated through a numerical study based on real-life data. We show that the optimal policies provide a good balance between staffing costs and the penalty probability for not meeting the service level.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85014990992

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85014990992#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-319-47766-4_19

DO - 10.1007/978-3-319-47766-4_19

M3 - Chapter

SN - 9783319477640

SN - 9783319838175

T3 - International Series in Operations Research & Management Science (ISOR)

SP - 487

EP - 503

BT - Markov Decision Processes in Practice

A2 - van Dijk, Nico

A2 - Boucherie, Richard

PB - Springer_Verlag

ER -

Flexible staffing for call centers with non-stationary arrival rates

Abstract

Publication series

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Persistent URL (handle)

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this