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Optimal Balanced Control for Call Centers

Author

Listed:
  • Sandjai Bhulai

    (VU University Amsterdam)

  • Taoying Farenhorst-Yuan

    (VU University Amsterdam)

  • Bernd Heidergott

    (VU University Amsterdam)

  • Dinard van der Laan

    (VU University Amsterdam)

Abstract

This discussion paper led to a publication in 'Annals op Operations Research' , 2012, 201(1), 39-62. In this paper we study a challenging call center operation problem. The goal of our analysis is to identify an optimal policy for allocating tasks to agents. As a first step, we discuss promising randomized policies and use stochastic approximation for finding the optimal randomized policy when implemented via a Bernoulli scheme. As we will show in this paper, the performance of the call center can be improved if the randomized policy is implemented by a deterministic sequence satisfying some regularity conditions. Such sequences are called balanced and we will show that implementing randomized policies by balanced sequences provide an additional step in optimization and control. This motivates our new approach where we avoid the intermediate step of first finding an optimal randomized control and directly find the optimal balanced sequence for control of the call center via stochastic approximation.

Suggested Citation

  • Sandjai Bhulai & Taoying Farenhorst-Yuan & Bernd Heidergott & Dinard van der Laan, 2010. "Optimal Balanced Control for Call Centers," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 10-013/4, Tinbergen Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:tin:wpaper:20100013
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Call Center; Measure-Valued Differentiation; Balanced Sequence; Optimization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis
    • C63 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Computational Techniques

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