System for geographic agent routing

• US 8,009,822 B1
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• 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:
  US11/421,841
• Time in Patent Office: 1,915 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.01, 379/265.1, 379/265.11, 379/265.12
• US Class Current: 379/265.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2094 Proximity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5125 with remote located operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution

Abstract

A call center system that routes calls 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 call center system is comprised of a call center application module coupled to a database module with a communications network being used to couple incoming calls from customers, as well as various call center agents, to the system. 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 system then 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 system for routing a call to a best available agent, comprising:

a call center application module;

a database module coupled to said call center application module; and

at least one call center agent communication device coupled to inputs/outputs of said call center application module the at least one call center agent communication device being assigned a call based on an initial ranking of all available agents performed by the call center application module, and based on a caller'"'"'s proximity preference factor being greater than zero indicating a caller'"'"'s preference that a distance between the caller and the agent be considered prior to the call being assigned, and the caller'"'"'s agent range preference indicating a specified distance range be measured between the caller and the agent prior to the call being assigned.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a communications network couples said call center application module with incoming customer calls and existing call center agents.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein a plurality of customer communication devices are coupled through said communications network to inputs/outputs of said call center application module.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said customer communication devices provide capability for static communications via at least one of:

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

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said customer communication devices further provide capability for communications via at least one of:

a wireless phone, a wireless intercom, and a wireless Internet.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said communications network includes at least one of a public switched telephone network, an Internet protocol network, a wired network, a wireless network, and various combinations thereof.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said call center application module contains a combination of components from the component group consisting of:

software, hardware, firmware, and combinations thereof.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a distance between a customer and various locations of agents utilizing said call center agent communication device is determined using at least one of:

an address, a NPA-NXX, and a Zip Code.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein a distance between a customer and various agent locations is determined using at least one of a following dynamic locality designators:

cell cite locations and GPS coordinates.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said database module contains 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 to a customer, maximum distance to a customer, and current availability.

11. The system of claim 10, 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.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein an agent distance adjustment is made relative to a closest agent distance prior to assigning an agent to service a customer when said customer specifies an agent range preference.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein an agent range preference delta is calculated by subtracting said minimum distance between a customer and said agent from said maximum distance between a customer and said agent.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein an adjusted distance scale is calculated by subtracting said minimum distance between a customer and said agent from said agent range preference delta.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein an agent ranking range parameter is calculated by subtracting said initial agent ranking of a lowest value from said initial agent ranking of a highest value.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein a distance adjustment for each said agent within said agent range preference is made 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.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein a final ranking is calculated by subtracting said distance adjustment from said initial ranking for each said agent.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein a distance adjustment for each said agent within said agent range preference is made by multiplying said agent range preference times said proximity preference factor times a term comprised of ARPmax plus a closest distanceARP minus an agent distance and dividing the result by said ARPmax.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein a final ranking is calculated by subtracting said distance adjustment from said initial ranking for each said agent.

20. A system for routing a call to a best available agent, comprising:

a call center application module, wherein said call center application module includes a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and a processor for calculating an optimal agent for servicing a customer request;

a database memory module coupled to said call center application module, wherein said database module contains an initial agent ranking used by said call center application module for calculating said optimal agent; and

a plurality of call center agent communications devices coupled to the output of said call center application module by a communications network, wherein a distance between a customer and various agent locations is determined using at least one of a locality designator including an address, a NPA-XXX, a Zip Code, a cell cite location, and GPS coordinates, and wherein at least one of the plurality of call center agent communications devices is assigned a call based on an initial ranking of all available agents performed by the call center application module, and based on a caller'"'"'s proximity preference factor being greater than zero indicating a caller'"'"'s preference that a distance between the caller and the agent be considered prior to the call being assigned, and the caller'"'"'s agent range preference indicating a specified distance range be measured between the caller and the agent prior to the call being assigned.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein a communications network further couples said call center application module with incoming customer calls.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein an agent distance adjustment is made relative to a closest agent distance prior to assigning an agent to service a customer when said customer specifies an agent range preference.

23. A call center agent application module for assigning a best available agent to service an incoming customer call, comprising:

a means for calculating an initial ranking for each available agent;

a means for retrieving a proximity preference factor and agent range preference data for each said incoming customer call;

a means for selecting an agent with a lowest said initial ranking if said proximity preference factor equals zero;

a means for calculating a distance between an incoming customer caller and each said agent and using said distance to select an agent if said proximity preference factor is greater than zero; and

a means for calculating a final adjusted agent ranking, wherein said best available agent to service an incoming customer call is an agent with the lowest said final adjusted agent ranking.

24. The module of claim 23 further comprising a means for calculating an agent range preference delta between an agent with maximum range and an agent with minimum range.

25. The module of claim 23 further comprising a means for calculating an adjusted distance scale.

26. The module of claim 25, wherein said distance adjustment calculation for each said agent within said agent range preference is calculated 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.

27. The module of claim 25, wherein said distance adjustment calculation for each said agent within said agent range preference is calculated by multiplying said agent range preference times said proximity preference factor times a term comprised of ARPmax plus a closest distance ARP minus an agent distance and dividing the result by said ARPmax.

28. The module of claim 23 further comprising a means for calculating an agent ranking range.

29. The module of claim 23 further comprising a means for calculating distance adjustments for each said agent within said agent range preference.

30. The module of claim 23, wherein an agent is assigned to service a customer call based on an initial ranking of available agents when said customer specifies no agent range preference data.

31. The module of claim 23, wherein adjusted agent ranges are calculated relative to a closest agent distance when said incoming customer call specifies an agent range preference.

32. The module of claim 31, wherein said agent is selected based on said adjusted agent ranges when said customer call specifies an agent range preference.