Techniques for L3 pairing in a contact center system

• US 10,257,354 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2016
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afiniti Ltd
• Original Assignee: Afiniti Europe Technologies Limited (Afiniti Ltd)
• Inventors: Chishti, Zia
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoque, Nafiz E
• Application Number:
  US15/395,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20180191902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 37926502, 37926511, 37926512, 37926513
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/402 Agent or workforce management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing

Abstract

Techniques for L3 pairing in a contact center system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for L3 pairing in a contact center system comprising identifying a plurality of contacts waiting for assignment, identifying a plurality of agents available for assignment, and selecting at least one of the plurality of agents with at least one of the plurality of contacts for assignment and connection within the contact center system.

Claims

1. A method for pairing in a contact center system comprising:

identifying, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to perform contact/agent pairing operations in the contact center system, a plurality of contacts waiting for assignment;

identifying, by the at least one computer processor, a plurality of agents available for assignment;

postponing, by a computer-based pairing algorithm operating on the at least one computer processor, assignment until a number of choices among the plurality of agents and the plurality of contacts exceeds a predetermined number of choices, thereby increasing an amount of choice available to the computer-based pairing algorithm;

selecting, by the computer-based pairing algorithm operating on the at least one computer processor, at least one of the plurality of agents with at least one of the plurality of contacts for assignment and connection within the contact center system;

outputting, by the at least one computer processor, the selection of the at least one of the plurality of agents with the at least one of the plurality of contacts for connection in a switch module of the contact center system; and

establishing, by the at least one computer processor, in the switch module of the contact center system, a communication channel between communication equipment of the at least one of the plurality of agents and communication equipment of the at least one of the plurality of contacts based upon the selection to optimize performance of the contact center system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two pairs of agents and contacts from the pluralities of agents and contacts are selected contemporaneously.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting comprises:

applying, by the at least one computer processor, a behavioral pairing strategy to at least some of the plurality of agents and at least some of the plurality of contacts.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting comprises:

applying, by the at least one computer processor, a diagonal strategy to at least some of the plurality of agents and at least some of the plurality of contacts.

19. At least one non-transitory computer processor readable storage medium storing a computer program of instructions configured to be readable by at least one processor for instructing the at least one processor to execute a computer process for performing the method as recited in claim 1.

5. A method for pairing in a contact center system comprising:

identifying, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to perform contact/agent pairing operations in the contact center system, a first contact waiting for assignment and a first agent available for assignment;

determining, by a computer-based pairing algorithm operating on the at least one computer processor, that the contact center system is in an L0 state;

postponing, by the at least one computer processor, assignment until at least a second contact arrives at the contact center system or a second agent becomes available for assignment, thereby increasing an amount of choice available to the computer-based pairing algorithm;

selecting, by the computer-based pairing algorithm operating on the at least one computer processor, for assignment and connection within the contact center system, the first contact and one of at least the first and second agents or the first agent and one of at least the first and second contacts;

outputting, by the at least one computer processor, the selection of the first contact and one of at least the first and second agents or the first agent and one of at least the first and second contacts for connection in a switch module of the contact center system; and

establishing, by the at least one computer processor, in the switch module of the contact center system, a communication channel between communication equipment of the first contact and communication equipment of one of at least the first and second agents or communication equipment of the first agent and communication equipment of one of at least the first and second contacts based upon the selection to optimize performance of the contact center system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the postponing comprises:

postponing, by the at least one computer processor, selection until at least the second contact arrives at the contact center system and the second agent becomes available for assignment.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the selecting comprises:

selecting, by the at least one computer processor, for assignment and connection within the contact center system, the first contact and one of at least the first and second agents, and the first agent and one of at least the first and second contacts.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the selecting comprises:

applying, by the at least one computer processor, a behavioral pairing strategy to at least some of the plurality agents and at least some of the plurality of contacts.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the selecting comprises:

applying, by the at least one computer processor, a diagonal strategy to at least some of the plurality agents and at least some of the plurality of contacts.

20. At least one non-transitory computer processor readable storage medium storing a computer program of instructions configured to be readable by at least one processor for instructing the at least one processor to execute a computer process for performing the method as recited in claim 5.

10. A system for pairing in a contact center system comprising:

at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to perform contact/agent pairing operations in the contact center system, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to;

identify a plurality of contacts waiting for assignment;

identify a plurality of agents available for assignment;

postpone, by a computer-based pairing algorithm operating on the at least one computer processor, assignment until a number of choices among the plurality of agents and the plurality of contacts exceeds a predetermined number of choices, thereby increasing an amount of choice available to the computer-based pairing algorithm;

select, by the computer-based pairing algorithm operating on the at least one computer processor, at least one of the plurality of agents with at least one of the plurality of contacts for assignment and connection within the contact center system;

output the selection of the at least one of the plurality of agents with the at least one of the plurality of contacts for connection in a switch module of the contact center system; and

establish, in the switch module of the contact center system, a communication channel between communication equipment of the at least one of the plurality of agents and communication equipment of the at least one of the plurality of contacts based upon the selection to optimize performance of the contact center system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein at least two pairs of agents and contacts from the pluralities of agents and contacts are selected contemporaneously.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the selecting comprises applying a behavioral pairing strategy to at least some of the plurality of agents and at least some of the plurality of contacts.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the selecting comprises applying a diagonal strategy to at least some of the plurality of agents and at least some of the plurality of contacts.

14. A system for pairing in a contact center system comprising:

at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to perform contact/agent pairing operations in the contact center system, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to;

identify a first contact waiting for assignment and a first agent available for assignment;

determine, by a computer-based pairing algorithm operating on the at least one computer processor, that the contact center system is in an L0 state;

postpone, by a computer-based pairing algorithm operating on the at least one computer processor, assignment until at least a second contact arrives at the contact center system or a second agent becomes available for assignment, thereby increasing an amount of choice available to the computer-based pairing algorithm;

select, by the computer-based pairing algorithm operating on the at least one computer processor, for assignment and connection within the contact center system, the first contact and one of at least the first and second agents or the first agent and one of at least the first and second contacts;

output the selection of the first contact and one of at least the first and second agents or the first agent and one of at least the first and second contacts for connection in a switch module of the contact center system; and

establish, in the switch module of the contact center system, a communication channel between communication equipment of the first contact and communication equipment of one of at least the first and second agents or communication equipment of the first agent and communication equipment of one of at least the first and second contacts based upon the selection to optimize performance of the contact center system.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the postponing comprises postponing selection until at least the second contact arrives at the contact center system and the second agent becomes available for assignment.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the selecting comprises selecting, for assignment and connection within the contact center system, the first contact and one of at least the first and second agents, and the first agent and one of at least the first and second contacts.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the selecting comprises applying a behavioral pairing strategy to at least some of the plurality agents and at least some of the plurality of contacts.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the selecting comprises applying a diagonal strategy to at least some of the plurality agents and at least some of the plurality of contacts.