SKIPPING A CALLER IN QUEUE FOR A CALL ROUTING CENTER

• US 20090232294A1
• Filed: 01/16/2009
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Afiniti Ltd
• Original Assignee: Afiniti Ltd
• Inventors: Spottiswoode, S. James P., XIE, Qiaobing
• Application Number:
  US12/355,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20090232294A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/12 Counting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/16 Sequence circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/18 Comparators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/36 Memories
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42187 Lines and connections with preferential service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5235 Dependent on call type or called number [DNIS]

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for routing callers to agents in a call-center routing environment. An exemplary method includes identifying caller data for at least one caller in a queue of callers, and skipping a caller at the front of the queue of callers for another caller based on the identified caller data. The caller data may include one or both of demographic data and psychographic data. Skipping the caller may be further based on comparing caller data with agent data associated with an agent via a pattern matching algorithm such as a correlation algorithm. In one example, if the caller at the front of the queue has been skipped a predetermined number of times the caller at the front is the next routed (and cannot be skipped again).

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 at least one caller of a set of callers in a queue; and

skipping a caller at the front of the queue for another caller of the set of callers based on the caller data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the caller data comprises one or both of demographic data and psychographic data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein if the caller at the front of the queue has been skipped once, the caller is routed to the next available agent.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein if the caller at the front of the queue has been skipped twice, the caller is routed to the next available agent.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein if the caller at the front of the queue has been skipped a predetermined number of times the caller at the front of the queue is routed to the next available agent.

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

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the caller data and agent data are compared via a pattern matching algorithm.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the caller data and agent data are compared via a computer model reflecting a predicted chance of a desired interaction.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein comparing further comprising comparing the agent data to the caller data via a pattern matching algorithm and routing the best matching caller to the agent.

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

11. The method of claim 10, 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.

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

identifying caller data for at least one caller of a set of callers in a queue; and

skipping a caller at the front of the queue for another caller of the set of callers based on the caller data.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the caller data comprises one or both of demographic data and psychographic data.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein if the caller at the front of the queue has been skipped once, the caller is routed to the next available agent.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein if the caller at the front of the queue has been skipped twice, the caller is routed to the next available agent.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein if the caller at the front of the queue has been skipped a predetermined number of times the caller at the front of the queue is routed to the next available agent.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein skipping the 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 17, wherein the caller data and agent data are compared via a computer model reflecting a predicted chance of a desired interaction.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein comparing further comprising comparing the agent data to the caller data via a pattern matching algorithm and routing the best matching caller to the agent.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising routing the caller at the front of the queue to the next available agent if a hold threshold for the caller at the front of the queue is exceeded.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, 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.

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

identifying caller data for at least one caller of a set of callers in a queue; and

skipping a caller at the front of the queue for another caller of the set of callers based on the caller data.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the caller data comprises one or both of demographic data and psychographic data.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein if the caller at the front of the queue has been skipped once, the caller is routed to the next available agent.

26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein if the caller at the front of the queue has been skipped twice, the caller is routed to the next available agent.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein if the caller at the front of the queue has been skipped a predetermined number of times the caller at the front of the queue is routed to the next available agent.

28. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein skipping the caller is further based on comparing the caller data with agent data associated with an agent.

29. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the caller data and agent data are compared via a pattern matching algorithm.

30. The computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the caller data and agent data are compared via a computer model reflecting a predicted chance of a desired interaction.

31. The computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein comparing further comprising comparing the agent data to the caller data via a pattern matching algorithm and routing the best matching caller to the agent.

32. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, further comprising routing the caller at the front of the queue to the next available agent if a hold threshold for the caller at the front of the queue is exceeded.

33. The computer readable storage medium of claim 32, 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.