Method and apparatus for assigning priorities by applying dynamically-changeable business rules
First Claim
1. In a transaction processing system, a method for prioritizing and presenting incoming calls routed from callers through a communication network to an agent station having an associated agent, the incoming calls including voice-dialog communication and text-dialog communication, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving both voice-dialog and text dialog calls from the communication network;
determining at least one contact evaluation parameter associated with each call based on external real-world events, the contact evaluation parameter indicating a criteria governing identification of selected business rules, separate and distinct from the contact evaluation parameter, for evaluating priority of the call, said real-world events including a geographic location associated with an origin of the call, and a time period measured from receipt of the call to a time of close of business of the caller;
applying one or more of the selected business rules to the contact evaluation parameter to generate a priority value corresponding to each call;
assigning the corresponding priority value to each respective call;
displaying to the agent an indication of each of the calls based on the assigned priority value; and
modifying the assigned priority value of the calls dynamically in real-time in response to the real-world events.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A novel method and apparatus which in one embodiment provides for prioritizing and presenting calls routed from callers through a communication network to an agent station having an associated agent, where the calls are based on voice-dialog communication and/or text-dialog communication. The method includes the steps of receiving a call from the communication network, determining a contact evaluation parameter associated with the call, and applying one or more selected business rules to the contact evaluation parameter to generate a priority value corresponding to the call. The call is assigned the priority value and is routed to a selected agent station. The call is displayed with an indication of its assigned priority value so that the agent may service the calls in priority order.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. In a transaction processing system, a method for prioritizing and presenting incoming calls routed from callers through a communication network to an agent station having an associated agent, the incoming calls including voice-dialog communication and text-dialog communication, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving both voice-dialog and text dialog calls from the communication network; determining at least one contact evaluation parameter associated with each call based on external real-world events, the contact evaluation parameter indicating a criteria governing identification of selected business rules, separate and distinct from the contact evaluation parameter, for evaluating priority of the call, said real-world events including a geographic location associated with an origin of the call, and a time period measured from receipt of the call to a time of close of business of the caller; applying one or more of the selected business rules to the contact evaluation parameter to generate a priority value corresponding to each call; assigning the corresponding priority value to each respective call; displaying to the agent an indication of each of the calls based on the assigned priority value; and modifying the assigned priority value of the calls dynamically in real-time in response to the real-world events. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A transaction processing system for prioritizing and presenting calls routed from callers through a communication network to an agent station having an associated agent, the calls including voice-dialog communication and text-dialog communication comprising:
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means for receiving both voice-dialog and text dialog calls from the communication network; means for determining a contact evaluation parameter associated with each call based on external real-world events, said real-world events including a geographic location associated with an origin of the call, and a time of receipt of the call relative to a close of business the caller; means for applying one or more selected business rules to the contact evaluation parameter to generate a priority value corresponding to each call; means for assigning the corresponding priority value to each respective call; means for displaying to the agent an indication of each of the calls based on the assigned priority value to permit the agent to service the calls in priority order; and means for modifying the contact evaluation parameters and business rules in real time thereby modifying the assigned priority value of calls with previously assigned priority values in real-time based on the real-world events. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A transaction processing system configured to prioritize and present calls routed from callers through a communication network to agent stations each having an associated agent, the calls including voice-dialog communication and text-dialog communication, the system comprising:
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at least one communication processor operatively incorporated into or coupled to the transaction processing system to facilitate sending and receiving the voice-dialog communication and text-dialog communication between callers and the agents; a contact evaluation parameter associated with each call and applying one or more selected business rules to the contact evaluation parameter to generate a priority value corresponding to each call and to assign the priority value to each call; said contact evaluation parameter selected based on real-world events, said real-world events including a geographic location associated with an origin of the call, and a time from receipt of the call to a close of business of the caller; a plurality of agent stations operatively coupled to the communication processor, each agent terminal having a display screen to display a list of pending calls and to display on the display screen an indication of each of the calls based on the assigned priority value to the associated agent so that the agent services the calls in priority order, wherein the assigned priority value is modified in real-time based on the real-world events.
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35. A computer readable memory or data storage means encoded with data representing a computer program for a transaction processing system, the system configured to prioritize and present calls routed from callers through a communication network to an agent station having an associated agent, the calls including voice-dialog communication and text-dialog communication, the computer readable memory or data storage means comprising:
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means for receiving incoming voice-dialog and text dialog calls from the communication network; means for determining a contact evaluation parameter associated with each call based on external real-world events; means for applying one or more selected business rules to the contact evaluation parameter to generate a priority value corresponding to each call; means for assigning the corresponding priority value to each respective call; means for displaying to the agent an indication of each of the calls based on the assigned priority value; and
;means for updating the assigned priority value in real-time based on the real-world events, said real-world events including a geographic location associated with an origin of the call, and a time from receipt of the call to a close of business of the caller.
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Specification