Method and computer readable medium for geographic agent routing

• US 7,961,866 B1
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alorica Business Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Mateer, Michael Todd, Webster, Craig A., Boutcher, James K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Al Aubaidi; Rasha S
• Application Number:
  US11/421,846
• Time in Patent Office: 1,838 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.01, 379/265.1, 379/265.11, 379/265.12
• US Class Current: 379/265.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms

Abstract

A method and computer readable medium for routing a call to geographically dispersed agents based on agent skill-set, agent location and caller location that results in the call being delivered to the best available agent. The computer readable medium and method are utilized with a system comprised of a call center application module coupled to a database module with a communications network being used to couple incoming calls from customers with the best available agent. A database contains a ranking of available agents, based on a dataset including information regarding skill-set, previous interaction with the customer, proximity to the customer, language capability, current availability, and the like. The method chooses the best available agent to service a customer call based on the agent rankings. In the case where the customer has a preference for proximity of the agent to the customer, the system adjusts the agent rankings according to the agent'"'"'s distance from the customer prior to making a selection.

Claims

1. A method for routing a customer call to a best available agent, comprising:

receiving a call based on an initial agent ranking of all available agents, a caller'"'"'s proximity preference factor, and an agent range preference;

coupling a plurality of incoming customer calls and existing call center agents;

providing an initial agent ranking based on a dataset including information of at least one from the group of;

skill-set, previous interaction with a customer, language capability, race, sex, minimum distance from an agent to a customer, maximum distance from an agent to a customer, and current availability;

assigning an agent to service a customer based on an agent distance adjustment being made relative to a closest agent distance prior to assigning an agent to service a customer when said customer specifies an agent range preference;

by

calculating an agent range preference delta by subtracting said minimum distance from an agent to a customer from said maximum distance from an agent to a customer;

calculating an adjusted distance scale by subtracting said minimum distance from an agent to a customer from said agent range preference delta;

calculating an agent ranking range parameter by subtracting said initial agent ranking having a lowest value from said initial agent ranking having a highest value;

determining a distance adjustment for each said agent within said agent range preference by multiplying said agent range preference times said proximity preference factor times a difference between said agent range preference delta and an agent distance to said customer and dividing by said calculated adjusted distance scale; and

calculating a final ranking by subtracting said distance adjustment from said initial ranking for each said agent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein an agent is assigned to service a customer based on said initial agent ranking when said customer specifies no agent range preference indicating distance between said customer and said agent.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein customer communication devices provide capability for communications via at least one of:

a landline phone call, an e-mail, a fax, Internet, a wireless phone call, a wireless intercom, and a wireless Internet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a distance between a customer and various available agents is determined using at least one of:

an address, a NPA-NXX, a Zip Code, cell cite locations and GPS coordinates.

5. A method for routing a customer call to a best available agent, comprising:

receiving a call based on an initial agent ranking of all available agents, a caller'"'"'s proximity preference factor, and an agent range preference;

coupling a plurality of incoming customer calls and existing call center agents;

providing an initial agent ranking based on a dataset including information of at least one from the group of;

skill-set, previous interaction with a customer, language capability, race, sex, minimum distance from an agent to a customer, maximum distance from an agent to a customer, and current availability;

assigning an agent to service a customer based on an agent distance adjustment being made relative to a closest agent distance prior to assigning an agent to service a customer when said customer specifies an agent range preference;

by

calculating an agent ranking range parameter by subtracting said initial agent ranking having a lowest value from said initial agent ranking having a highest value;

determining a distance adjustment for each said agent within said agent range preference by multiplying said agent range preference times said proximity preference factor times a term comprised of (agent range preference—

ARP) ARPmax plus a closest distanceARP minus an agent distance and dividing the result by said ARPmax; and

calculating a final ranking by subtracting said distance adjustment from said initial ranking for each said agent.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein an agent is assigned to service a customer based on said initial agent ranking when said customer specifies no agent range preference indicating distance between said customer and said agent.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein customer communication devices provide capability for communications via at least one of:

a landline phone call, an e-mail, a fax, Internet, a wireless phone call, a wireless intercom, and a wireless Internet.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein a distance between a customer and various available agents is determined using at least one of:

an address, a NPA-NXX, a Zip Code, cell cite locations and GPS coordinates.