System and method for common account based routing of contact records

• US 7,054,434 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2001
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Noble Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: ALI Solutions, Inc. (Noble Systems Corporation)
• Inventors: Rodenbusch, Richard, Duncan, Daniel N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bing Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/456,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20030198336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.19, 379/93.23, 379/216.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.05, 379/265.06, 379/266.01, 379/266.07, 379/266.08, 379/355.01, 379/32.02, 379/92.03, 379/265.01, 379/309, 379/355.1, 379/693
• US Class Current: 379/265.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26

Abstract

A method and system is provided for common account based distribution of contact records. A comparison engine analyzes call record accounts to identify and tag related call records, such as call record accounts related to the same individual. A common account tag detector detects related accounts and communicates with a common account controller of a distribution module that distributes contact attempts in pools and queues. The common account controller locates related accounts, such as by searching for accounts having the same tag, to prevent additional contact attempts to the individual associated with the related accounts. The related accounts are forwarded to the operator who made the successful contact to coordinate resolution of the related accounts along with the account that originated the contact attempt.

Claims

1. A system for coordinating distribution of contact records between plural distributed dialing devices, the system comprising:

a plurality of distributed dialing devices, each dialing device operable to initiate outbound contacts for contact records and to provide the outbound contacts to agents assigned to that dialing device;

a distribution module interfaced with the plurality of dialing devices and operable to distribute the contact records to the dialing devices;

a comparison engine operable to analyze the contact records to identify and tag contact records related by one or more factors, the related records having related account information; and

a common account controller associated with the distribution module and operable to route a tagged contact record and the related account information of the tagged contact record to a one of the plurality of dialing devices for establishing a contact with the tagged contact record.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a common contact record tag process associated with each dialing device and operable to detect tagged contact records and to communicate to the common account controller call attempt results for tagged contact records.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the dialing devices comprise outbound telephone calling devices.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the comparison engine identifies related contact records by comparing contact record outbound telephone contact numbers.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the comparison engine identifies related contact records by comparing contact record social security account numbers.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising plural distribution modules, each distribution module associated with predetermined dialing devices and having a common account controller, the common account controllers coordinating transfer of related contact information to the determined contact device.

7. A method for coordinating distribution of contact records between plural contact devices, the method comprising:

comparing predetermined factors of the contact records to identify sets of related contact records;

tagging the related contact records with an identifier;

distributing the contact records to plural contact devices;

initiating contacts with the plural contact devices, each contact device interfacing contacts with agents assigned to that contact device;

establishing a contact with a contact record at a contact device;

determining that the established contact has related contact records; and

transferring the related contact information to the contact device having the established contact.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein comparing predetermined factors comprises comparing the individual name associated with each contact record.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein comparing predetermined factors comprises comparing the social security account number associated with each contact record.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein comparing predetermined factors comprises comparing the contact information associated with each contact record.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein establishing a contact further comprises dialing an outbound telephone number.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein distributing the contact records further comprises:

associating contact devices with plural distribution modules;

distributing the contact records to contact devices through the distribution modules.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein transferring the related contact records further comprises transferring contact information between distribution modules.

14. A system for managing contact records, the system comprising:

a distribution module operable to interface with plural contact devices and to distribute the contact records to the plural contact devices, each contact device operable to contact the contact records and interface the contacts to agents assigned only to that contact device;

a comparison engine operable to analyze the contact records to identify and tag contact records related by one or more factors, the related records having related account information; and

a common account controller associated with the distribution module and operable to route a tagged contact record and the related account information of the tagged contact record to a one of the plurality of dialing devices for establishing a contact with the tagged contact record.