Systems and methods for selectively routing calls to a call center
First Claim
1. A method of routing calls in a call center, comprising:
- forecasting, by call activity forecaster, an anticipated call volume for each of a plurality of time intervals, wherein the forecasting is based upon historic call volume information;
receiving, by a communication port in the call center, a plurality of calls;
for each of the plurality of calls;
determining, by a threshold comparator, a threshold time as an indication of a maximum service time for the call, wherein the threshold time is based upon at least;
a first time interval during which the call was received, the forecasted anticipated call volume for the first time interval,a number of agents in each of a plurality of queues, the agents being assigned to answer incoming calls, andaverage wait times in each of the plurality of queues;
estimating, by a duration estimator, an expected service time for the call,comparing, by the threshold comparator, the threshold time with the expected service time for the call, andassigning, by a router, the call into one of the plurality of queues based upon the comparing;
prioritizing, by the router, the plurality of queues based upon the expected service time for each call in each of the plurality of queues;
directing, by the router, each call in a first queue of the plurality of queues to a first group of agents by determining a number of agents in the first group using a dynamic queue split algorithm, wherein the dynamic queue split algorithm comprises;
Minimize{T,S1,S2}(J),subject to
S1+S2=S
WR≤
Max(WR)
Wc≤
Max(Wc),wherein T is the threshold time, S1 is the number of agents in the first group, S2 is a number of agents in a second queue, S is a total number of agents, WR is an average wait time in the first queue, Max(WR) is a tolerable average wait time for the first queue, We is an average wait time for in the second queue and Max(WC) is a tolerable average duration before callback; and
providing, by the communication port, a callback prompt to each call in a the second queue of the plurality of queues, wherein a priority of the first queue is higher than a priority of the second queue.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods of routing calls may include receiving a plurality of calls, and for each of the plurality of calls, determining a threshold time that may be a maximum service time for the call, estimating an expected service time for the call, comparing the threshold time with the expected service time for the call, and assigning the call into one of a plurality of queues based upon the comparing. The method of routing may further include prioritizing the plurality of queues based upon the expected service time for each call in each of the plurality of queues, directing each call in a first queue of the plurality of queues to a first group of agents, and providing a callback prompt to each call in a second queue of the plurality of queues, wherein a priority of the first queue is higher than a priority of the second queue.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of routing calls in a call center, comprising:
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forecasting, by call activity forecaster, an anticipated call volume for each of a plurality of time intervals, wherein the forecasting is based upon historic call volume information; receiving, by a communication port in the call center, a plurality of calls; for each of the plurality of calls; determining, by a threshold comparator, a threshold time as an indication of a maximum service time for the call, wherein the threshold time is based upon at least; a first time interval during which the call was received, the forecasted anticipated call volume for the first time interval, a number of agents in each of a plurality of queues, the agents being assigned to answer incoming calls, and average wait times in each of the plurality of queues; estimating, by a duration estimator, an expected service time for the call, comparing, by the threshold comparator, the threshold time with the expected service time for the call, and assigning, by a router, the call into one of the plurality of queues based upon the comparing; prioritizing, by the router, the plurality of queues based upon the expected service time for each call in each of the plurality of queues; directing, by the router, each call in a first queue of the plurality of queues to a first group of agents by determining a number of agents in the first group using a dynamic queue split algorithm, wherein the dynamic queue split algorithm comprises;
Minimize{T,S1,S2}(J),subject to
S1+S2=S
WR≤
Max(WR)
Wc≤
Max(Wc),wherein T is the threshold time, S1 is the number of agents in the first group, S2 is a number of agents in a second queue, S is a total number of agents, WR is an average wait time in the first queue, Max(WR) is a tolerable average wait time for the first queue, We is an average wait time for in the second queue and Max(WC) is a tolerable average duration before callback; and providing, by the communication port, a callback prompt to each call in a the second queue of the plurality of queues, wherein a priority of the first queue is higher than a priority of the second queue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for routing calls, comprising:
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a processor; a non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium in operable communication with the processor; a duration estimator in operable communication with the processor; a call activity forecaster in operable communication with the processor; a router in operable communication with the processor, wherein the router comprises a threshold comparator; wherein the storage medium comprises one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to; direct the call activity forecaster to forecast an anticipated call volume for each of a plurality of time intervals, wherein the forecasting is based upon historic call volume information; direct a communication port to receive a plurality of calls; for each of the plurality of calls; direct the threshold comparator to determine a threshold time as an indication of a maximum service time for the call, wherein the threshold time is based upon at least; a first time interval during which the call was received, the forecasted anticipated call volume for the first time interval, a number of agents in each of a plurality of queues, the agents being assigned to answer incoming calls, and average wait times in each of the plurality of queues, direct the duration estimator to estimate an expected service time for the call, direct the threshold comparator to compare the threshold time with the expected service time for the call, and direct the router to assign the call into one of the plurality of queues based upon the comparing, direct the router to prioritize the plurality of queues based upon the expected service time for each call in each of the plurality of queues; direct, using the router, each call in a first queue of the plurality of queues to a first group of agents by determining a number of agents in the first group using a dynamic queue split algorithm, wherein the dynamic queue split algorithm comprises;
Minimize{T,S1,S2}(J),subject to
S1+S2=S
WR≤
Max(WR)
Wc≤
Max(Wc),wherein T is the threshold time, S1 is the number of agents in the first group, S2 is a number of agents in a second queue, S is a total number of agents, WR is an average wait time in the first queue, Max(WR) is a tolerable average wait time for the first queue, We is an average wait time for in the second queue and Max(WC) is a tolerable average duration before callback; and direct the communication port to provide a callback prompt to each call in a the second queue of the plurality of queues, wherein a priority of the first queue is higher than a priority of the second queue. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for routing calls, comprising:
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a processor; a non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium in operable communication with the processor; a duration estimator in operable communication with the processor; a call activity forecaster in operable communication with the processor; a router in operable communication with the processor, wherein the router comprises a threshold comparator; and a communications port in operable communication with the processor; wherein the storage medium comprises one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to; direct the call activity forecaster to forecast an anticipated call volume for each of a plurality of time intervals, wherein the forecasting is based upon historic call volume information; direct the communications port to receive a plurality of calls; for each of the plurality of calls; direct the threshold comparator to determine a threshold time as an indication of a maximum service time for the call, wherein the threshold time is based upon at least; a first time interval during which the call was received, the forecasted anticipated call volume for the first time interval, a number of agents in each of a plurality of queues, the agents being assigned to answer incoming calls, and average wait times in each of the plurality of queues; cause an interactive voice response system to obtain an input from a callers placing the call, determine the nature of the call based upon the input, compare the nature of the call to a statistical database, based upon the comparing, estimate an expected service time for the call, compare the threshold time to the expected service time, and direct the router to assign the call into one of the plurality of queues; prioritize the plurality of queues based upon the expected service time for each call in each queue; direct each call in a first queue of the plurality of to a first group of agents by determining a number of agents in the first group using a dynamic queue split algorithm, wherein the dynamic queue split algorithm comprises;
Minimize{T,S1,S2}(J),subject to
S1+S2=S
WR≤
Max(WR)
Wc≤
Max(Wc),wherein T is the threshold time, S1 is the number of agents in the first group, S2 is a number of agents in a second queue, S is a total number of agents, WR is an average wait time in the first queue, Max(WR) is a tolerable average wait time for the first queue, We is an average wait time for in the second queue and Max(WC) is a tolerable average duration before callback; and direct the communications port to provide a callback prompt to each call in a the second queue, wherein a priority of the first queue is higher than a priority of the second queue. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification