Bayesian analysis of queues with impatient customers: Applications to call centers

Queuing models have been extensively used in the literature for obtaining performance measures and developing staffing policies. However, most of this work has been from a pure probabilistic point of view and has not addressed issues of statistical inference. In this article, we consider Bayesian queuing models with impatient customers with particular emphasis on call center operations and discuss further extensions. We develop the details of Bayesian inference for queues with abandonment such as the M/M/s + M model (Erlang-A). In doing so, we discuss the estimation of operating characteristics and its implications on staffing. We illustrate the implementation of the Bayesian models using actual arrival, service, and abandonment data from call centers. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2012