Computer-telephony integration that uses features of an automatic call distribution system
First Claim
1. A method of operating a contact center comprising an automatic call distribution (ACD) system and a host processor separate from the ACD system, comprising:
- the host processor enqueuing a received contact in a contact queue of the host processor at least if the contact is not a call, and causing the ACD system to enqueue the received contact in a selected one of a plurality of call queues of the ACD system if the contact is a call;
in response to the causing to enqueue, the ACD system enqueuing the call as an ACD call in the selected one of its plurality of call queues;
the ACD system providing ACD features to the call;
the host processor dequeuing the contact and assigning the contact to an agent for servicing at least if the contact is not a call, and causing the ACD system to assign the contact to a selected one of a plurality of ACD agents if the contact is a call; and
in response to the causing to assign, the ACD system dequeuing the call from the selected one of its call queues and sending the call for servicing to the selected one of the ACD agents.
26 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a computer-telephony integrated (CTI) contact center, a CTI adjunct (160) enqueues contacts in contact queues (184) of the CTI adjunct, but also causes contacts that are calls (168) to be enqueued as ACD calls in ACD call queues (120) of an ACD system (101), whereby the ACD system and its management information system (MIS 110) provide ACD features to the calls. Similarly, the CTI adjunct enqueues agents in agent queues (185) of the CTI adjunct, but also causes agents (102-104) that have call-handling skills to log into and to be enqueued as ACD agents in ACD agent queues (130) of the ACD system, whereby the ACD system and its MIS provide ACD features to the agents.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method of operating a contact center comprising an automatic call distribution (ACD) system and a host processor separate from the ACD system, comprising:
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the host processor enqueuing a received contact in a contact queue of the host processor at least if the contact is not a call, and causing the ACD system to enqueue the received contact in a selected one of a plurality of call queues of the ACD system if the contact is a call;
in response to the causing to enqueue, the ACD system enqueuing the call as an ACD call in the selected one of its plurality of call queues;
the ACD system providing ACD features to the call;
the host processor dequeuing the contact and assigning the contact to an agent for servicing at least if the contact is not a call, and causing the ACD system to assign the contact to a selected one of a plurality of ACD agents if the contact is a call; and
in response to the causing to assign, the ACD system dequeuing the call from the selected one of its call queues and sending the call for servicing to the selected one of the ACD agents. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A contact center comprising:
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a host processor separate from but connected to an automatic call distribution (ACD) system and having contact queues, the host processor for enqueuing a received contact in a contact queue at least if the contact is not a call, and causing the ACD system to enqueue the received contact in a selected one of the call queues if the contact is a call, the host processor further for dequeuing the contact and assigning the contact to an agent for servicing at least if the contact is not a call, and causing the ACD system to assign the contact to a selected one of a plurality of ACD agents if the contact is a call; and
the ACD system, having a plurality of ACD call queues and means for providing ACD features to ACD calls, responsive to the causing to enqueue by enqueuing the call as an ACD call in the selected one of the call queues so that the providing means provide the ACD features to the call, and responsive to the causing to assign by dequeuing the call from the selected one of the call queues and sending the call to the selected one of the ACD agents for servicing. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of operating a host processor in a contact center comprising an automatic call distribution (ACD) system having a plurality of ACD call queues and for providing ACD features to ACD calls and the host processor being separate from the ACD system and having contact queues, comprising:
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the host processor enqueuing a received contact in a contact queue of the host processor at least if the contact is not a call, and causing the ACD system to enqueue the received contact in a selected one of a plurality of the ACD call queues of the ACD system if the contact is a call, to cause the ACD system to enqueue the call as an ACD call in the selected one of its call queues and provide ACD features to the call;
the host processor dequeuing the contact from the contact queue of the host processor and assigning the contact to an agent for servicing at least if the contact is not a call, and if the contact is a call then causing the ACD system to dequeue the call from the selected one of its call queues to assign the call to a selected one of a plurality of ACD agents, and to send the call for servicing to the selected one of the ACD agents. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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Specification