Method and apparatus for customer key routing

• US 20080008309A1
• Filed: 12/07/2004
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alvaria Cayman
• Original Assignee: Anthony Dezonno, Dave Wesen, Jeffrey Hodson, Mary Moser, Michael Sheridan, Mike Hollatz, Roger Sumner, Sandy Biggam
• Inventors: Sheridan, Michael, Moser, Mary, Hollatz, Mike, Sumner, Roger, Wesen, Dave, Biggam, Sandy, Dezonno, Anthony, Hodson, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,180,043 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method is provided for routing calls within an automatic contact distribution system comprising assessing at least two evaluators programmed to collect information about identified sets of attributes associated with a call. The system then initiates the collection of information to enable the evaluators to assign a value to those attributed for which information exists. A comparison is then performed of the values assigned to the attributes in each evaluator. The call is then routed to the agent selected by the comparison.

Claims

1. A method for routing calls within an automatic contact distribution system (ACD) that comprises the steps of:

accessing at least two evaluators programmed to collect information about identified sets of attributes associated with a call;

initiating the collection of information enabling said evaluators to assign a value to those attributes for which information exists;

performing a comparison of the values assigned to attributes in the said evaluators and routing said call to the agent selected by said comparison.

2. The method of routing calls as in claim 1 wherein said evaluators includes:

a customer evaluator programmed to collect information about an identified set of attributes for at least some of the customers originating calls in to the ACD; and

at least one of the following;

a business evaluator programmed to collect information about an identified set of business attributes for a business receiving calls on the ACD;

an environment evaluator programmed to collect information about an identified set of environmental attributes reflecting environmental resources available to handle calls being placed on the ACD;

3. The method of routing calls as in claim 2 wherein said customer evaluator collects information available about the customer and the customer'"'"'s account from internal and external sources and from the customer after the call is received by the ACD.

4. The method of routing calls as in claim 2, wherein one or more of the following occurs:

at least one of said customer attributes programmed into the customer evaluator are assigned a priority ranking in relationship to the other customer attributes;

at least one of said customer attributes programmed into said customer evaluator is assigned a weighted value; and

at least one of said customer attributes are assigned a dependency so that said dependant customer attributes can be linked as necessary to certain business or environmental attributes during said comparisons.

5. The method of routing calls as in claim 2, wherein one of more of the following occurs:

at least one of said business attributes programmed into the business evaluator is assigned a priority ranking in relationship to the other business attributes;

at least one of said business attributes programmed into said business evaluator is also assigned a weighted value;

at least one of said business attributes are assigned a dependency so that said dependent business attribute can be linked as necessary to certain customer or environment attributes during said comparison.

6. The method of routing calls as in claim 2, wherein one or more of the following occurs:

at least one of said environmental attributes programmed into said environmental evaluator is assigned a priority ranking in relationship to the other environmental attributes;

at least one of said environmental attributes programmed into said environmental evaluator is assigned a weighted value;

at least one of said environmental attributes is assigned a dependency so that said dependent environmental attribute can be linked as necessary to certain customer or business attributes during said comparison.

7. The method of routing calls within an automatic call distributor as in claim 2 wherein:

at least one of said customer attributes programmed into the customer evaluator may be assigned a priority ranking in relationship to the other customer attributes;

at least one of said attributes programmed into said customer evaluator may be assigned a weighted value;

at least one of said customer attributes may be assigned a dependency so that said customer attribute can be linked as necessary to certain business or environment attributes during said comparison;

at least one of said business attributes programmed into the business evaluator may be assigned a priority ranking in relationship to the other business attributes;

at least one of said business attributes programmed into said business evaluator is assigned a weighted value;

at least one of said business attributes may be assigned a dependency so that said business attribute can be linked as necessary to certain customer or environment attributes during said comparison.

at least one of said environmental attributes programmed into the environmental evaluator may be assigned a priority ranking in relationship to the other environmental attributes;

at least one of said environmental attributes programmed into said environmental evaluator may be assigned a weighted value;

at least one of said environmental attributes may be assigned a dependency so that said environmental attribute can be linked as necessary to certain customer or business attributes during said comparison.

8. The method of routing calls as in claim 2 wherein said comparison is made by evaluating the values assigned to the various customer, business and environmental attributes to locate compatible customer/agent/equipment matches.

9. The method of routing calls as in claim 7 wherein said comparison is made by evaluating the values assigned to the various customer, business and environmental attributes together with any priorities, weights and dependencies to locate compatible customer/agent/equipment matches.

10. The method of routing calls as in claim 2 or 7 wherein said comparison is made by an attribute matching engine that makes comparisons of the values assigned to the various customer, business and environmental attributes and any priorities, weights and dependencies associated with an attribute to locate compatible customer/agent/equipment matches.

11. The method of routing calls as in claim 2 or 7 wherein the attributes within one evaluator are given the highest priority during said comparison.

12. The method of routing calls within an automatic call distributor as in claim 2 or 7 further comprising the steps of:

linking the attribute matching engine to a timer and scheduler to determine available processing capabilities of said engine and linking said engine to a resource evaluator to determine the resources available for said engine.

13. An apparatus for routing calls within an automatic contact distribution system (ACD) comprising:

means for collecting information about a preprogrammed set of attributes for use by a customer evaluator.

means for collecting information about a preprogrammed set of attributes for use by a business evaluator.

means for collecting information about a preprogrammed set of attributes for use by an environment evaluator.

means for assigning a priority as required to said attributes within each evaluator;

means for giving a weighted value to at least one of said attributes within each evaluator;

means for assigning dependencies to certain attributes within each evaluator;

means for comparing the values of the attributes within each evaluator to the values of the attributes within the other evaluator to match a customer with a compatible available agent;

means for routing said call to the agent selected by the comparison.

14. An apparatus for routing calls as set forth in claim 13 further comprising:

means for determining processing capabilities available for said comparison to enable the use of the most efficient means for comparison available.

15. An apparatus for routing calls within an automatic contact distribution system (ACD) comprising:

at least one digital processor programmed to;

collect information about a preprogrammed set of attributes for storage in at least a customer and at least one of a business evaluator and an environmental evaluator;

assigning values to the attributes for which information is available;

assigning a priority as required to said attributes in said evaluators;

assigning a weighted value as required to said attributes in said evaluators;

assigning dependencies as required to certain attributes within each evaluators;

comparing the values of any attributes with assigned values together with any priorities, weighted values or dependencies within each evaluation with the remaining evaluators to match a customer with a compatible available agent; and

then routing the call to said agent.

16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 15 further comprising an attribute matching engine programmed to compare the values assigned to the attribute within each evaluator together with the priorities, weighted values and dependencies to the attribute values, priority, weighted values and dependencies within at least one other evaluator to match a customer with a compatible available agent.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising a digital processor programmed to determine processing capabilities available for said comparison to enable the use of the most efficient means for comparison available.