Selective mapping of callers in a call center routing system

• US 10,057,422 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2015
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afiniti Ltd
• Original Assignee: Afiniti Europe Technologies Limited (Afiniti Ltd)
• Inventors: Chishti, Zia
• Primary Examiner(s): Aubaidi, Rasha Al
• Application Number:
  US14/728,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20150264179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 37926501-26502, 37926511-26512, 37926601
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/10 Logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/12 Counting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5133 Operator terminal details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5236 Sequential or circular distribution

Abstract

Techniques for handling contacts and agents in a contact center system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for handling contacts and agents in a contact center system including associating an outcome of an interaction between a contact and an agent with an identification of a matching strategy used for matching the contact with the agent.

Claims

1. A method for handling contacts and agents in a contact center system comprising:

applying, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in the contact center system, a first matching strategy for matching a first contact with a first agent for connection in the contact center system;

applying, by the at least one computer processor, a second matching strategy for matching a second contact with a second agent for connection in the contact center system, wherein the second matching strategy is different from the first matching strategy;

establishing, by the at least one computer processor, in a telecommunications switch of the contact center system, communication channels between communication equipment of the first and second contacts and communication equipment of the first and second agents according to the matchings resulting from the applications of the first and second matching strategies;

determining, by the at least one computer processor, a first outcome of an interaction between the first contact and the first agent using the first matching strategy and a second outcome of an interaction between the second contact and the second agent using the second matching strategy;

generating, by the at least one computer processor, a first indicator of the first matching strategy;

storing, by the at least one computer processor, the first indicator in association with the first outcome in an electronic database communicatively coupled to the contact center system;

generating, by the at least one computer processor, a second indicator of the second matching strategy;

storing, by the at least one computer processor, the second indicator in association with the second outcome in the electronic database communicatively coupled to the contact center system; and

comparing, by the at least one computer processor, the first outcome based upon it association with the first indicator and the second outcome based upon its association with the second indicator to determine a first amount of performance gain for the contact center system attributable to the first matching strategy.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first matching strategy comprises a performance-based matching strategy or a queue-based matching strategy.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising updating the performance-based matching strategy based on the first outcome of the interaction between the first contact and the first agent.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising benchmarking performance of the performance-based matching strategy based on the first outcome of the interaction between the first contact and the first agent.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising displaying information about performance of the performance-based matching strategy based on the first outcome of the interaction between the first contact and the first agent.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting, by the at least one computer processor, at least one parameter of the first matching strategy based at least in part on the first amount of performance gain.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising applying, by the at least one computer processor, the first matching strategy with the at least one adjusted parameter to match a third contact with a third agent for connection in the contact center system to further increase performance of the contact center system relative to applying the second matching strategy.

8. A system for handling contacts and agents in a contact center system comprising:

at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in the contact center system, wherein the at least one computer processor is configured to;

apply a first matching strategy for matching a first contact with a first agent for connection in the contact center system;

apply a second matching strategy for matching a second contact with a second agent for connection in the contact center system, wherein the second matching strategy is different from the first matching strategy;

establish, in a telecommunications switch of the contact center system, communication channels between communication equipment of the first and second contacts and communication equipment of the first and second agents according to the matchings resulting from the applications of the first and second matching strategies;

determine a first outcome of an interaction between the first contact and the first agent using the first matching strategy and a second outcome of an interaction between the second contact and the second agent using the second matching strategy;

generate a first indicator of the first matching strategy;

store the first indicator in association with the first outcome in an electronic database communicatively coupled to the contact center system;

generate a second indicator of the second matching strategy;

store the second indicator in association with the second outcome in the electronic database communicatively coupled to the contact center system; and

compare the first outcome based upon it association with the first indicator and the second outcome based upon its association with the second indicator to determine a first amount of performance gain for the contact center system attributable to the first matching strategy.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first matching strategy comprises a performance-based matching strategy or a queue-based matching strategy.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to update the performance-based matching strategy based on the first outcome of the interaction between the first contact and the first agent.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to benchmark performance of the performance-based matching strategy based on the first outcome of the interaction between the first contact and the first agent.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to display information about performance of the performance-based matching strategy based on the first outcome of the interaction between the first contact and the first agent.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to adjust at least one parameter of the first matching strategy based at least in part on the first amount of performance gain.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to apply the first matching strategy with the at least one adjusted parameter to match a third contact with a third agent for connection in the contact center system to further increase performance of the contact center system relative to applying the second matching strategy.

15. An article of manufacture for handling contacts and agents in a contact center system comprising:

a non-transitory computer processor readable medium; and

instructions stored on the medium;

wherein the instructions are configured to be readable from the medium by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in the contact center system and thereby cause the at least one computer processor to operate so as to;

apply a first matching strategy for matching a first contact with a first agent for connection in the contact center system;

apply a second matching strategy for matching a second contact with a second agent for connection in the contact center system, wherein the second matching strategy is different from the first matching strategy;

establish, in a telecommunications switch of the contact center system, communication channels between communication equipment of the first and second contacts and communication equipment of the first and second agents according to the matchings resulting from the applications of the first and second matching strategies;

determine a first outcome of an interaction between the first contact and the first agent using the first matching strategy and a second outcome of an interaction between the second contact and the second agent using the second matching strategy;

generate a first indicator of the first matching strategy;

store the first indicator in association with the first outcome in an electronic database communicatively coupled to the contact center system;

generate a second indicator of the second matching strategy;

store the second indicator in association with the second outcome in the electronic database communicatively coupled to the contact center system; and

compare the first outcome based upon it association with the first indicator and the second outcome based upon its association with the second indicator to determine a first amount of performance gain for the contact center system attributable to the first matching strategy.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the first matching strategy comprises a performance-based matching strategy or a queue-based matching strategy.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 16, wherein the at least one computer processor is caused to operate further so as to update the performance-based matching strategy based on the first outcome of the interaction between the first contact and the first agent.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 16, wherein the at least one computer processor is caused to operate further so as to benchmark performance of the performance-based matching strategy based on the first outcome of the interaction between the first contact and the first agent.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the at least one computer processor is caused to operate further so as to adjust at least one parameter of the first matching strategy based at least in part on the first amount of performance gain.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the at least one computer processor is caused to operate further so as to apply the first matching strategy with the at least one adjusted parameter to match a third contact with a third agent for connection in the contact center system to further increase performance of the contact center system relative to applying the second matching strategy.