a contact centre is desirably tested for operating performance by simulating calls in the contact centre in an automated manner . simulation of calls is achieved with the use of virtual agents that mimic the behaviour of human agents that ordinarily deal with caller enquiries in a contact centre . a set of virtual agents , which can mirror their human counterparts , can be generated and assigned activities and behaviours that simulate the behaviour of human agents . these virtual agents can thus be enlisted in testing campaigns placed within the contact centre , and assigned to answer calls as if they were in fact human agents , in accordance with the usual operation of the contact centre environment .