Techniques for L3 pairing in a contact center system

• US 10,320,984 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2016
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• 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:
  US15/395,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20180191904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 37926502, 37926511, 37926512, 37926513
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5238 with waiting time or load prediction arrangements

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 first contact, identifying a first agent available for assignment to the first contact, comparing information about the first contact with information about the first agent, and postponing, by a first period of delay, assignment of the first agent and assignment of the first contact based on the comparison.

Claims

1. A method for L3 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;

identifying, by the at least one computer processor, a first agent available for assignment to the first contact;

comparing, by a computer-based pairing strategy operating on the at least one computer processor, information about the first contact with information about the first agent;

postponing, by the at least one computer processor, by a first period of delay, assignment of the first agent and assignment of the first contact based on the comparison, wherein a second agent becomes available during the first period of delay, thereby increasing an amount of choice available to the computer-based pairing strategy;

selecting, by the computer-based pairing strategy operating on the at least one computer processor, for assignment to the first contact, the second agent that became available during the first period of delay, wherein the second agent is ranked lower than the first agent; and

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

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first period of delay is at least thirty seconds.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first period of delay is at least two minutes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first period of delay is not more than thirty seconds.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first period of delay is not more than two minutes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first period of delay ends after a second agent becomes available for assignment or a second contact arrives at the contact center system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first period of delay ends after at least two additional agents become available for assignment or at least two additional contacts arrive at the contact center system.

8. A system for L3 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;

identify a first agent available for assignment to the first contact;

compare, by a computer-based pairing strategy operating on the at least one computer processor, information about the first contact with information about the first agent;

postpone, by a first period of delay, assignment of the first agent and assignment of the first contact based on the comparison, wherein a second agent becomes available during the first period of delay, thereby increasing an amount of choice available to the computer-based pairing strategy;

select, by the computer-based pairing strategy operating on the at least one computer processor, for assignment to the first contact, the second agent that became available during the first period of delay, wherein the second agent is ranked lower than the first agent; and

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

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first period of delay is at least thirty seconds.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first period of delay is at least two minutes.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the first period of delay is not more than thirty seconds.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the first period of delay is not more than two minutes.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the first period of delay ends after a second agent becomes available for assignment or a second contact arrives at the contact center system.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the first period of delay ends after at least two additional agents become available for assignment or at least two additional contacts arrive at the contact center system.

15. An article of manufacture for L3 pairing 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 perform contact/agent pairing operations in the contact center system and thereby cause the at least one computer processor to operate so as to;

identify a first contact;

identify a first agent available for assignment to the first contact;

compare, by a computer-based pairing strategy operating on the at least one computer processor, information about the first contact with information about the first agent;

postpone, by a first period of delay, assignment of the first agent and assignment of the first contact based on the comparison, wherein a second agent becomes available during the first period of delay, thereby increasing an amount of choice available to the computer-based pairing strategy;

select, by the computer-based pairing strategy operating on the at least one computer processor, for assignment to the first contact, the second agent that became available during the first period of delay, wherein the second agent is ranked lower than the first agent; and

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

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the first period of delay is at least thirty seconds.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the first period of delay is at least two minutes.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the first period of delay is not more than two minutes.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the first period of delay ends after a second agent becomes available for assignment or a second contact arrives at the contact center system.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the first period of delay ends after at least two additional agents become available for assignment or at least two additional contacts arrive at the contact center system.