SHADOW QUEUE FOR CALLERS IN A PERFORMANCE/PATTERN MATCHING BASED CALL ROUTING SYSTEM

• US 20100054453A1
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afiniti Ltd
• Original Assignee: Satmap International Holdings, Ltd.
• Inventors: STEWART, Randall R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,644,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.120
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for routing callers to agents in a contact center, along with an intelligent routing system. A method for routing callers includes routing a caller, if agents are available, to an agent based on a pattern matching algorithm (which may include performance based matching, pattern matching based on agent and caller data, computer models for predicting outcomes of agent-caller pairs, and so on). Further, if no agents are available for the incoming caller, the method includes holding the caller in a shadow queue, e.g., a set of callers. When an agent becomes available the method includes scanning all of the callers in the shadow queue and matching the agent to the best matching caller within shadow queue.

Claims

1. A method for routing calls in a call routing center environment, the method comprising the acts of:

determining a skill set for a caller;

if agents are available for the determined skill set, routing the caller to the best matching agent of available agents based on a pattern matching algorithm; and

if no agents are available for the determined skill set, holding the caller in a set of callers and when an agent becomes available matching the agent to the best matching caller within the set of callers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein routing the caller to the best matching agent of available agents comprises comparing caller data to agent data for each of the available agents via the pattern matching algorithm.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein matching the agent to the best matching caller comprises comparing agent data to caller data for each of the set of callers via the pattern matching algorithm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein routing the caller to the best matching agent comprises using a computer model reflecting the predicted chances of a desired interaction for the caller and each agent, and routing the caller to the agent having the highest chance of the desired interaction.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein matching the agent to the best matching caller comprises using a computer model reflecting the predicted chances of a desired interaction for the each of the agent and set of callers matching, and routing the caller to the agent having the highest chance of the desired interaction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of callers includes a plurality of callers.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the caller is held for too long moving the caller to a skill set queue, which is matched with the next available agent.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the caller was not routed from the set of callers based on a queue order.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein routing the caller to the agent, if agents are available, comprises using a computer model reflecting the predicted chances of a desired interaction for the caller and each agent, and routing the caller to the agent having the highest chance of the desired interaction.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein matching the agent to one of the set of callers comprises using a computer model reflecting the predicted chances of a desired interaction for the each of the agent and set of callers matching, and routing the caller to the agent having the highest chance of the desired interaction.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the caller is held for too long adding the caller to a queue, which operates to match the caller with the next available agent base on queue order.

9. A method for routing calls in a call routing center environment, the method comprising the acts of:

if agents are available, causing a caller to be routed to an agent based on a pattern matching algorithm; and

if no agents are available, holding the caller in a set of callers and when an agent becomes available causing one of the set of callers to be routed to an agent based on the pattern matching algorithm.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein routing the caller to an agent comprises comparing caller data to agent data for each of the available agents via the pattern matching algorithm and routing the caller to the best matching agent.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein matching the agent to one of the set of callers comprises comparing agent data to caller data for each of the set of callers via the pattern matching algorithm and routing the best matching caller.

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

logic for determining if agents are available for a caller;

logic for causing the caller to be routed, if agents are available, to the best matching agent of available agents according to a pattern matching algorithm; and

logic for holding the caller in a set of callers, if no agents are available, and when an agent becomes available matching the agent to the best matching caller within the set of callers according to a pattern matching algorithm.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising logic for determining a skill set of a caller.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein routing the caller to the best matching agent of available agents comprises comparing caller data to agent data for each of the available agents via the pattern matching algorithm.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein matching the agent to the best matching caller comprises comparing agent data to caller data for each of the set of callers via the pattern matching algorithm.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein routing the caller to the best matching agent comprises using a computer model reflecting the predicted chances of a desired interaction for the caller and each agent, and routing the caller to the agent having the highest chance of the desired interaction.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein matching the agent to the best matching caller comprises using a computer model reflecting the predicted chances of a desired interaction for the each of the agent and set of callers matching, and routing the caller to the agent having the highest chance of the desired interaction.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising logic operable to move the caller to queue that is matched with the next available agent if the caller is held for a predetermined amount of time.

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

if agents are available, causing a caller to be routed to an agent based on a pattern matching algorithm; and

if no agents are available, holding the caller in a set of callers, and when an agent becomes available matching the agent to the best matching caller within the set of callers according to the pattern matching algorithm.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein routing the caller to the agent of available agents comprises comparing caller data to agent data for each of the available agents via the pattern matching algorithm and routing to the best matching agent.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein matching the agent to the best matching caller comprises comparing agent data to caller data for each of the set of callers via the pattern matching algorithm.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein routing the caller to the agent of available agents comprises using a computer model reflecting the predicted chances of a desired interaction for the caller and each agent, and routing the caller to the agent having the highest chance of the desired interaction.

26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein matching the agent to the best matching caller comprises using a computer model reflecting the predicted chances of a desired interaction for the each of the agent and set of callers matching, and routing the caller to the agent having the highest chance of the desired interaction.