Routing callers from a set of callers based on caller data

• US 20090190744A1
• Filed: 12/09/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afiniti Ltd
• Original Assignee: The Resource Group International Ltd
• Inventors: Spottiswoode, S. James P., Xie, Qiaobing
• Granted Patent: US 8,903,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/16 Sequence circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/18 Comparators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for routing callers to agents in a call-center routing environment. An exemplary method includes pooling incoming callers, and causing a caller from the pool of callers to be routed. The caller may be routed from the pool of callers to an agent, placed in another pool of callers, or placed in a queue of callers. The caller data may include demographic or psychographic data. The caller may be routed from the pool of callers based on comparing the caller data with agent data associated with an agent via a pattern matching algorithm and/or computer model for predicting a caller-agent pair outcome. Additionally, if a caller is held beyond a hold threshold (e.g., a time, “cost” function, or the like) the caller may be routed to the next available agent.

Claims

1. A method for routing callers to agents in a call-center routing environment, the method comprising the acts of:

identifying caller data for a caller of a set of callers, wherein the caller data comprises demographic or physiographic data; and

causing a caller of the set of callers to be routed based on the identified caller data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein routing a caller is further based on comparing the caller data with agent data associated with an agent.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the caller data and agent data are compared via a pattern matching algorithm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of callers are in a queue and the caller is routed out of order within the queue.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the caller is routed to a new position within the queue.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the caller is routed forward to a new position within the queue ahead of at least one other caller.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of callers are in a queue and the caller is routed to a second queue.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of callers are in a queue and the caller is routed to a pool of callers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of callers are in a queue and the caller is routed out of order within the queue to an agent.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of callers are in a pool of callers.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the caller is routed to a queue.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the caller is routed to a second pool.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the caller is routed to an agent.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising routing the caller to the next available agent if a hold threshold for the caller is exceeded.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the hold threshold comprises one or more of a time period, number of times the caller is skipped by other callers, or a multiple of a predicted hold time.

16. Apparatus for routing callers to agents in a call-center environment, the apparatus comprising logic for:

identifying caller data for a caller of a set of callers, wherein the caller data comprises demographic or physiographic data; and

causing a caller of the set of callers to be routed based on the identified caller data.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein routing a caller is further based on comparing the caller data with agent data associated with an agent.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the caller data and agent data are compared via a pattern matching algorithm.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the set of callers are in a queue and the caller is routed out of order within the queue.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the caller is routed to a new position within the queue.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the caller is routed forward to a new position within the queue ahead of at least one other caller.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the set of callers are in a queue and the caller is routed to a second queue.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the set of callers are in a queue and the caller is routed to a pool of callers.

24. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the set of callers are in a queue and the caller is routed out of order within the queue to an agent.

25. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the set of callers are in a pool of callers.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the caller is routed to a queue.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the caller is routed to a second pool.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the caller is routed to an agent.

29. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising logic for routing the caller to the next available agent if a hold threshold for the caller is exceeded.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the hold threshold comprises one or more of a time period, number of times the caller is skipped by other callers, or a multiple of a predicted hold time.

31. Computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions for carrying out a method comprising the acts of:

identifying caller data for a caller of a set of callers, wherein the caller data comprises demographic or physiographic data; and

causing a caller of the set of callers to be routed based on the identified caller data.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein routing a caller is further based on comparing the caller data with agent data associated with an agent.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the caller data and agent data are compared via a pattern matching algorithm.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the set of callers are in a queue and the caller is routed out of order within the queue.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein the caller is routed to a new position within the queue.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein the caller is routed forward to a new position within the queue ahead of at least one other caller.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the set of callers are in a queue and the caller is routed to a second queue.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the set of callers are in a queue and the caller is routed to a pool of callers.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the set of callers are in a queue and the caller is routed out of order within the queue to an agent.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the set of callers are in a pool of callers.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 40, wherein the caller is routed to a queue.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 40, wherein the caller is routed to a second pool.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 40, wherein the caller is routed to an agent.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 31, further comprising instructions for routing the caller to the next available agent if a hold threshold for the caller is exceeded.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein the hold threshold comprises one or more of a time period, number of times the caller is skipped by other callers, or a multiple of a predicted hold time.