Automated system and method for handling human and caller queues

• US 20070280468A1
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Patel, Labhesh, Kumar, Sanjeev, Jain, Mukul, Khouri, Joseph F., Shaffer, Shmuel
• Granted Patent: US 7,606,360 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5236 Sequential or circular distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5238 with waiting time or load prediction arrangements

Abstract

A system for handling service requests received from end-users that include telephone callers and persons who are physically present at a branch or store. The system includes an ACD and a ticket dispenser coupled with the ACD. The ticket dispenser being operable to first dispense a ticket having an identifier to each person who requests service at the branch or store, and then electronically communicate the identifier to the ACD. The ACD includes one or more queues to order calls received from the telephone callers and identifiers. The ACD routes either a call or a person to an available agent in accordance with an algorithm. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Claims

1. A system for handling service requests received from end-users that include telephone callers and persons who are physically present at a branch or store, the system comprising:

an automatic call distributor (ACD); and

means coupled with the ACD for generating an identifier corresponding to each person who requests service at the branch or store, the means electronically communicating the identifier to the ACD;

wherein the ACD includes a queue to order calls received from the telephone callers and identifiers received from the means, the ACD being operable to route either a call or a person from the queue to an agent in accordance with an algorithm.

2. A system for handling service requests received from end-users that include telephone callers and persons who are physically present at a branch or store, the system comprising:

an automatic call distributor (ACD);

a ticket dispenser coupled with the ACD, the ticket dispenser dispensing a ticket having an identifier to each person who requests service at the branch or store, the ticket dispenser electronically communicating the identifier to the ACD;

wherein the ACD includes one or more queues to order calls received from the telephone callers and identifiers corresponding to the persons physically present at the branch or store, the ACD being operable to route either a call or a person to an agent in accordance with an algorithm.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

a unit that notifies the persons physically present at the branch or store of a current state of the one or more queues.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the unit includes a loudspeaker system to audibly announce the identifier associated with the ticket of a person next to be served.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the unit includes a display screen to visually display the current state of the one or more queues.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the one or more queues comprises a single combined queue.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the telephone callers and the identifiers are positioned in the combined queue in a sequential order of arrival.

8. Apparatus for handling service requests received from persons who are physically present at a branch or store, the apparatus comprising:

a ticket dispenser for dispensing a ticket to a person, each ticket having an identifier, the ticket dispenser including;

a request mechanism that dispenses the ticket responsive to input of the person; and

an interface for electronically communicating the identifier associated with the ticket to an automatic call distributor (ACD), the ACD being operable to order calls received from telephone callers and identifiers corresponding to the persons physically present at the branch or store, the ACD being further operable to route either a call or a person to an agent in accordance with an algorithm.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

a unit that notifies the persons physically present at the branch or store of a current order of the telephone callers and identifiers corresponding to the persons physically present at the branch or store.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the unit comprises:

a display that visually displays the current order to the persons physically present at the branch or store.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the unit comprises:

a loudspeaker system that audibly announces the identifier associated with the ticket of the person when the person is next to be served.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the algorithm comprises selecting one of the telephone callers and one of the identifiers corresponding to the persons physically present at the branch or store, on an alternating basis.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

means associated with the ticket dispenser for receiving information from the person prior to dispensing the ticket, the information being communicated via the interface to the ACD, and being used by the ACD to determine whether the person should have a priority position in a routing queue of the ACD.

14. A computer-automated method of handling service requests received from end-users that include telephone callers and persons who are physically present at a branch or store, the method comprising:

dispensing a ticket having an identifier to each person who requests service at the branch or store;

electronically communicating the identifier to an automatic call distributor (ACD), the ACD placing the identifier in a position of a combined queue that includes calls received from telephone callers and identifiers corresponding to the persons physically present at the branch or store; and

notifying the persons physically present at the branch or store of a current state of the combined queue.

15. The computer-automated method of claim 14 further comprising:

updating the current state of the combined queue upon receiving a new telephone call or upon dispensing a new ticket; and

notifying the persons physically present at the branch or store of the updated current state of the combined queue.

16. The computer-automated method of claim 14 wherein notifying the persons comprises audibly announcing the identifier associated with the ticket of the person when the person is next to be served.

17. The computer-automated method of claim 14 wherein notifying the persons comprises visually displaying the current state of the combined queue.

18. The computer-automated method of claim 14 further comprising:

soliciting information from the person prior to dispensing the ticket, the information being communicated to the ACD, and being used by the ACD to determine a priority position in the combined queue.

19. The computer-automated method of claim 18 wherein the information comprises a particular title of the person.

20. The computer-automated method of claim 18 wherein the information comprises a type of service need.