Real-time customer service representative workload management

• US 20060002540A1
• Filed: 07/02/2004
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kreiner, Barrett, Perrella, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US10/884,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20060002540A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution

Abstract

A system and method is provided that includes an automatic call distribution system adapted to communicate over a network and includes a software control module. The automatic call distribution system is configured to route incoming calls received from the network to a call agent station in communication therewith based on metrics information identified by the software control module. The metrics information is correlated between the client and the call agent. The system provides an interactive voice response system in communication with the automatic call distribution system for administering a survey to a client in communication with the call agent station. Under the control of the software control module, the automatic call distribution system routes the incoming call from the call agent station to the interactive voice response system for administering the survey to the client.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an automatic call distribution system adapted to communicate over a network, wherein the automatic call distribution system comprises a software control module, and wherein the automatic call distribution system is configured to route incoming calls received from the network based on metrics information identified by the software control module; and

a call agent station in communication with the automatic call distribution system, wherein the call agent station is configured to receive incoming calls routed from the automatic call distribution system based on the metrics information determined by the software module.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an interactive voice response system in communication with the automatic call distribution system, wherein the interactive voice response system is configured to administer a survey to a client in communication with the call agent station, and wherein, under the control of the software control module, the automatic call distribution system routes the incoming call from the call agent station to the interactive voice response system for administering the survey to the client.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the incoming call is routed to the call agent station occupied by a call agent based on a metric, wherein the metric is correlated between the call agent and a client initiating the incoming call.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the metric is a timing metric.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the metric is a specific client level of satisfaction metric.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the metric is an overall client level of satisfaction metric.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the metric is a process activity metric.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the metric is an overall call agent utilization metric.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the metric is a cost analysis metric.

10. A system, comprising:

an automatic call distribution system adapted to communicate over a first network and a second network, wherein the automatic call distribution system comprises a software control module, and wherein the automatic call distribution system is configured to route incoming messages received from the first network and is configured to route incoming calls received from the second network, wherein the messages and the calls are routed based on metrics information identified by the software control module;

a server in communication with the automatic call distribution system, wherein the server is adapted for receiving the incoming messages from the first network; and

a call agent station in communication with the automatic call distribution system, wherein the call agent station is configured to receive the incoming messages and incoming calls routed from the automatic call distribution system based on the metrics information determined by the software control module.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising an interactive voice response system in communication with the automatic call distribution system, wherein the interactive voice response system is configured to administer a survey to a client in communication with the call agent station through the first and second networks, and wherein under the control of the software control module, the automatic call distribution system routes the incoming call from the second network to the interactive voice response system for administering the survey to the client.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first network is the Internet.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the second network is a telephone network.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the call agent station further comprises an Internet Protocol telephone.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the incoming call is routed to the call agent station occupied by a call agent based on a metric, wherein the metric is correlated between the call agent and a client initiating the incoming call.

16. The system of claim 16, wherein the metric is a timing metric.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the metric is a specific client level of satisfaction metric.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the metric is an overall client level of satisfaction metric.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the metric is a process activity metric.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the metric is an overall call agent utilization metric.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the metric is a cost analysis metric.

22. A method of conducting a survey with a client, comprising:

initiating an incoming call with a call center by a client; and

at the call center, routing the incoming call to a call agent based on metrics information correlated between the client and the call agent.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising conducting a survey with the client through the interactive voice response system, wherein the interactive voice response system presents survey questions to the client.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising routing the incoming call to a call agent based on a timing metric data.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising routing the incoming call to a call agent based on a specific client level of satisfaction metric.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising routing the incoming call to a call agent based on an overall client level of satisfaction metric.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising routing the incoming call to a call agent based on a process activity metric.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising routing the incoming call to a call agent based on an overall call agent utilization metric.

29. The method of claim 22, further comprising routing the incoming call to a call agent based on a cost analysis metric.