Intelligently routing customer communications

• US 20060098803A1
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: [24]7.ai, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bushey, Robert R., Knott, Benjamin A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,751,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/266.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet

Abstract

Communications are routed to an agent. An agent model is selected for each of a group of agents, based upon an identified modality of an incoming communication from a requester. An agent is determined corresponding to one of the selected agent models best matched to a requester corresponding to the incoming communication. A communication connection is established between the requester and the best matched agent.

Claims

1. A method for routing communications to an agent, comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of agent models for each of a plurality of agents, based upon an identified modality of an incoming communication from a requester;

determining an agent corresponding to one of said selected agent models best matched to information associated with the requester corresponding to the incoming communication, and

establishing a communication connection between the requester and the best matched agent.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the modality comprises a communication mode used by the requester to communicate.

3. The method of claim 2, in which the communication mode comprises a telephone mode.

4. The method of claim 2, in which the communication mode comprises an internet mode.

5. The method of claim 2, in which the communication mode comprises a voice over internet protocol mode.

6. The method of claim 2, in which the communication mode comprises a text message mode.

7. The method of claim 6, in which the text message mode comprises an instant message mode.

8. The method of claim 6, in which the text message mode comprises an email mode.

9. An apparatus for routing communications to an agent, comprising:

at least one processor that selects one of a plurality of agent models for each of a plurality of agents, based upon an identified modality of an incoming communication from a requester, and determines an agent, corresponding to one of said selected agent models, and that is best matched to information associated with the requester corresponding to the incoming communication,

wherein the incoming communication is routed to the determined best matched agent.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, in which the best matched agent comprises a queue.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, in which the best matched agent comprises an automated self-service application.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, in which the best matched agent comprises an automated application employing speech recognition.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, in which the best matched agent comprises a web service.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, in which the plurality of agent models for each agent comprise a set of weighted parameters that are used to generate a score, at least one of the weighted parameters having a different value for different agent models.

15. A computer readable medium that stores a program for routing communications to an agent, comprising:

an agent model selecting code segment that selects one of a plurality of agent models for each of a plurality of agents, based upon an identified modality of an incoming communication from a requester; and

an agent determining code segment that determines an agent, corresponding to one of said selected agent models, and that is best matched to information associated with the requester corresponding to the incoming communication,

wherein the incoming communication is routed to the determined best matched agent.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

an incoming communication receiving code segment that receives the incoming communication.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

a modality identifying code segment that identifies the modality of the incoming communication.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

a profile obtaining code segment that obtains a profile of the requester.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising:

a comparison code segment that compares the profile with the selected model for each of the plurality of agents to determine the best match.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 18, in which the profile of the requester includes information identifying the requester and information identifying previous interaction between the requester and at least one of the plurality of agents.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 18, in which the profile of the requester includes information provided with the incoming communication by at least one of the requester and a device used by the requester.