Method and system for optimization of telephone contact campaigns

• US 5,889,799 A
• Filed: 04/14/1997
• Issued: 03/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aspect Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Centerforce Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Grossman, Harry, Simmons, Leroy F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel S.
• Application Number:
  US08/834,131
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265, 379/266, 379/309, 379/201, 379/142, 379/93.12
• US Class Current: 379/266.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/904 Auto-calling

Abstract

A system and a method of generating outbound telephone contact campaigns optimized to contact the maximum number of targeted individuals during a campaign using a predictive dialer system, telephone operators with computer consoles and stored account records, where each account is associated with an individual with one or more telephone numbers and a history of attempts to contact the individual associated with each account.

Claims

1. A method of scheduling an outbound telephone contact campaign to contact targeted individuals during the campaign using a computer system and stored accounts, each account being associated with an individual having a telephone, said method comprising the steps of:

segmenting the campaign into a plurality of time intervals;

determining a processing parameter associated with each of said accounts during each of said time intervals, said processing parameter incorporating one or more of the probability of contacting the individual associated with said account, the probability of contacting a party other than the individual associated with the account, and the expected rate of right party contact with the individual associated with the account;

determining for each of said accounts a first time period corresponding to one of said time intervals during which said processing parameter associated with said account is highest; and

allocating each of said accounts to said time interval with the highest processing parameter.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a number of operators necessary in each of said time intervals to attempt to contact of said individuals allocated to be contacted during said time interval.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

attempting to contact said individual associated with said account; and

creating a record of attempts to contact the individual associated with each of said accounts.

4. A method using a computer system for outbound teleprocessing of a plurality of accounts, each account corresponding to an individual having a telephone, said method comprising the steps of:

maintaining a history of attempts to contact the individual corresponding to each of the accounts for teleprocessing;

determining probability of right party contact with the individual corresponding to each of said accounts during each of a plurality of time periods; and

scheduling an attempt to contact the individual associated with each of said accounts during a time period on the basis of factors including said probability of right party contact with the individual corresponding to each of said accounts.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

determining behavior models generally indicative of probability of contacting the individual corresponding to each of said accounts for teleprocessing for each of said plurality of time periods; and

merging said behavior models and said history of attempts to contact said individual corresponding to each of said selected accounts.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

determining relative teleprocessing priority of said selected accounts; and

sorting said selected accounts according to said teleprocessing priority.

7. A method using a computer for allocating resources in a telephone contact campaign conducted by a plurality of telephone operators to contact a plurality of individuals, each having a telephone, said method comprising the steps of:

identifying a plurality of time intervals during which the telephone campaign is to be conducted;

determining a probability of contacting each individual during each of said time intervals;

scheduling an attempt to contact each individual during one of said time intervals on the basis of factors including said probability of contacting each individual; and

determining for each of said time intervals the number of operators necessary to attempt to contact all of the individuals scheduled to be contacted during said time interval.

8. A method of generating an outbound telephone contact campaign for contacting targeted individuals, each having associated therewith an account and a telephone, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting a subset of the accounts for teleprocessing during a campaign period having a plurality of time intervals;

computing a teleprocessing capacity during each of said time intervals;

determining a probability of contact for each selected account during each of said time intervals;

determining a processing parameter for each selected account during each of said time intervals, said processing parameter depending at least in part on said probability of contact; and

allocating a calling order of said subset of accounts according to said processing parameter.

9. A method of generating an outbound telephone contact campaign for contacting targeted individuals having respective accounts and telephones, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting a subset of the accounts for teleprocessing during a plurality of time intervals;

creating a record of contact attempts for each individual associated with each selected account;

determining demographic profiles for each individual associated with each selected account; and

determining probabilities of right party contact for each individual associated with each selected account according to said record of contact attempts and said demographic profiles.

10. A method using a computer system for scheduling a telephone contact campaign from a plurality of stored accounts, each account corresponding to an individual having a telephone, said method comprising the steps of:

maintaining a history of attempts to contact the individual corresponding to each of the accounts for teleprocessing;

determining a probability of right party contact with the individual corresponding to each of said selected accounts during each of a plurality of time periods, said probabilities being different between at least two of said time periods;

determining a teleprocessing priority on the basis of factors including said probability of right party contact;

determining available teleprocessing capacity during each of said time periods;

sorting said accounts according to said teleprocessing priority; and

scheduling each of said accounts to one of said time periods according to said teleprocessing priority during which teleprocessing capacity is available.

11. A method using a computer system for outbound teleprocessing of a plurality of stored accounts, each account corresponding to an individual having a telephone, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting from the stored accounts a subset of selected accounts for teleprocessing during a plurality of time intervals;

determining teleprocessing capacity during each time interval;

determining a first one of the plurality of time intervals for each selected account during which a processing parameter is highest, said processing parameter being determined on the basis of factors including a probability of contacting the individual associated with said selected account at said time interval;

allocating each selected account in order of said processing parameter to said respective first time interval if teleprocessing capacity is available during said first time interval.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

determining a second one of said plurality of time intervals for each selected account during which said processing parameter is next highest; and

allocating each account to the respective second time interval if teleprocessing capacity is not available during the respective first time interval.