Method and system for allocating agent resources to a telephone call campaign

• US 5,592,543 A
• Filed: 03/21/1996
• Issued: 01/07/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aspect Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Davox Corporation (Aspect Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pearson, Gerry L., Smith, B. Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wolinsky, Scott
• Application Number:
  US08/619,164
• Time in Patent Office: 292 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265, 379/266, 379/92, 379/93, 379/67, 379/211, 379/212, 379/201, 379/113, 379/112, 379/309
• US Class Current: 379/266.07
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

A method and system for allocating agents possessing predetermined qualifying attributes to an outbound telephone call campaign is disclosed. The method includes the steps of assigning qualifying attributes to agents of a telephony system and further include the step of generating requests for agents possessing specific qualifying parameters within campaign call scripts. Agents meeting the agent request parameters are allocated to the outbound telephone call campaign for servicing call records within the outbound telephone call campaign.

Claims

1. A method for allocating an agent resource to an outbound telephone call campaign in a telephony system, for servicing a plurality of call records, said telephony system including an agent resource manager for allocating said agent resource to said outbound telephone call campaign, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of agent resources to be managed by said telephony system, each agent resource of said plurality of agent resources characterized by at least one agent attribute;

providing at least one outbound telephone call campaign to said telephony system, said outbound telephone call campaign including a plurality of call records, each of said plurality of call records including a telephone number to be dialed by said telephony system;

providing at least one system script to said at least one outbound telephone call campaign, for processing said at least one outbound telephone call campaign;

providing at least one agent resource request with said at least one system script, for requesting from said agent resource manager said at least one agent resource according to said at least one agent attribute;

said step of providing said at least one agent resource request further including the step of providing at least one agent parameter corresponding to said at least one agent attribute of said at least one agent resource to be requested; and

providing at least one agent resource including said at least one agent attribute to said at least one outbound telephone call campaign by said agent resource manager in response to said agent resource manager receiving said agent resource request including at least one agent parameter corresponding to said at least one agent attribute of said at least one agent resource.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of providing said at least one agent parameter includes providing at least one agent parameter corresponding to a static agent attribute.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of providing said at least one agent parameter includes providing at least one agent parameter corresponding to a dynamically changeable agent attribute.

4. The method of claim 1, further including the step of modifying at least one of said at least one agent resource request, after the step of providing at least one agent resource request.

5. The method of claim 1, further including the step of modifying said at least one preselected agent parameter provided to said agent resource request after the step of providing at least one agent resource request.

6. The method of claim 1, further including the step of modifying said at least one agent attribute provided to said each agent resource, after the step of providing at least one agent attribute to each agent resource.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of providing said at least one agent parameter includes providing at least one agent parameter corresponding to a local agent attribute.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said local agent attribute is based on one of a campaign and time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one agent attribute is associated with at least one agent attribute class.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said at least one agent attribute class includes at least one agent attribute value.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said at least one agent attribute value includes at least one agent attribute level.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said agent attribute class, said agent attribute value and said agent attribute level, define said at least one agent attribute of said each agent resource, for qualifying said at least one agent resource when said at least one agent parameter includes a corresponding said agent attribute class, said agent attribute value, and said agent attribute level.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of providing said at least one agent resource having at least one attribute corresponding to said at least one agent parameter of said agent resource request, further includes the step of selecting a preferred agent resource possessing a highest available said at least one agent attribute level, from a number of agent resources having at least one agent attribute class and at least one agent attribute value which matches said at least one agent parameter of said agent resource request.

14. A method for allocating at least one agent resource of a plurality of agent resources to at least one outbound telephone call campaign in a telephony system having an agent resource manager, said method comprising the steps of:

assigning at least one dynamically alterable agent attribute to each agent resource of said plurality of agent resources;

providing said at least one outbound telephone call campaign to said telephony system;

providing at least one system script to said at least one outbound telephone call campaign, whereby said at least one system script defines the processing of calls in said at least one outbound telephone call campaign to be performed by said telephony system;

establishing at least one agent resource request within said at least one system script, said at least one agent resource request including at least one agent parameter corresponding to at least one dynamically alterable agent attribute of at least one agent resource;

commencing processing of said at least one outbound telephone call campaign in said telephony system; and

allocating at least one agent resource to said at least one outbound telephone call campaign in response to said agent resource manager receiving said at least one agent resource request, whereby said agent resource manager allocates at least one agent resource having said at least one dynamically alterable agent attribute corresponding to said agent parameter of said at least one agent resource request in said at least one system script.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said outbound call campaign includes a plurality of call records provided to said telephony system in a predetermined order.

16. The method of claim 14, further including the step of modifying said at least one dynamically alterable agent attribute assigned to each agent resource, after the step of commencing processing of said at least one campaign.

17. The method of claim 14, further including the step of modifying said at least one dynamically alterable agent parameter of said at least one agent resource request in said at least one system script, after the step of commencing processing of said at least one campaign.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein assigning said at least one dynamically alterable agent attribute includes assigning at least one agent attribute class.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein assigning said at least one dynamically alterable agent attribute includes assigning at least one agent attribute value within said at least one agent attribute class, for further defining said at least one agent attribute.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein assigning said at least one dynamically alterable agent attribute includes assigning at least one agent attribute level within said at least one agent attribute value, for indicating an ability level within said at least one agent attribute value of said at least one agent attribute class.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of assigning at least one dynamically alterable agent attribute includes assigning at least one agent attribute class to each agent resource.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of assigning at least one dynamically alterable agent attribute includes assigning at least one agent attribute value within said at least one agent attribute class to each agent resource.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said step of assigning at least one dynamically alterable agent attribute includes assigning at least one agent attribute level within said at least one agent attribute value of said at least one agent attribute class, wherein said at least one agent attribute level indicates an ability level within said at least one agent attribute value of said at least one preselected agent attribute class.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of allocating at least one agent resource to said at least one outbound telephone call campaign includes allocating at least one agent resource having at least one agent attribute class and at least one agent attribute value which matches said at least one agent parameter of said at least one agent resource request.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said step of allocating at least one agent resource having at least one agent attribute class and at least one agent attribute value matching said at least one agent parameter of said at least one agent resource request includes allocating at least one agent resource having a highest agent attribute level within the matching said at least one agent attribute class and at least one agent attribute value.

26. A system for allocating at least one agent resource of a plurality of agent resources to at least one outbound telephone call campaign comprising:

at least one host, for storing a plurality of call records;

a plurality of agent workstations, for handling a plurality of telephone calls, wherein each agent workstation is associated with at least one agent resource having at least one agent attribute;

at least one telephony resource server in communication with said at least one host and said plurality of agent workstations, for initiating and managing at least one outbound telephone call campaign, said at least one telephony resource server including at least one agent resource manager, for allocating at least one outbound telephone call campaign to at least one agent workstation having an associated agent resource with at least one agent attribute designated in a request received by said agent resource manager;

at least one communications server in communication with said at least one telephony resource server and said plurality of agent workstations, for establishing communication between at least one agent workstation and at least one telephone call; and

at least one supervisor station in communication with said at least one telephony resource server, for allowing at least one supervisor to assign said at least one agent attribute to each agent resource and to establish said desired at least one agent attribute for said at least one outbound telephone call campaign.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said at least one telephony resource server includes an outbound campaign manager in communication with said at least one agent resource manager, for managing at least one outbound telephone call campaign.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein said system is adapted to manage at least one inbound telephone call campaign.

29. The system of claim 26, further including a management center coupled to said at least one telephony resource server, for monitoring said at least one outbound telephone call campaign during processing by said at least one telephony resource server.