Selective mapping of callers in a call-center routing system based on individual agent settings

• US 8,295,471 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2009
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afiniti Ltd
• Original Assignee: The Resource Group International Limited
• Inventors: Spottiswoode, S. James P., Xie, Qiaobing, Chishti, Zia
• Primary Examiner(s): HONG, HARRY S
• Application Number:
  US12/355,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20100183138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.06, 379/266.01, 37962511-62514
• US Class Current: 379/265.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/18 Comparators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for routing callers to agents in a contact center, along with an intelligent routing system. An exemplary method includes mapping a first portion of callers to agents according to a performance and/or pattern matching algorithm based on comparing caller data associated with the callers and agent data associated with the agents and mapping a second portion of the callers (e.g., the remaining portion callers) to agents differently than the first portion of the callers (e.g., mapping based on queue order), which may provide a control group for monitoring or analyzing the effect and/or training of the pattern matching algorithm. The first and second portion may be varied separately for each agent within the contact center. The method may further include displaying the effect of the routing on at least one outcome variable, which may include revenue generation, cost, customer satisfaction, first call resolution, cancellation, or other variable outputs from the pattern matching algorithm of the system.

Claims

1. A method for routing callers to agents in a call-center routing environment, the method comprising the acts of:

causing a first portion of callers to be mapped to an agent of a set of agents according to a pattern matching algorithm based on comparing caller data associated with the callers and agent data associated with the agent, the first portion of callers selected based at least in part on a power variable associated with the agent, wherein the power variable represents a proportion of all callers mapped to the agent that are to be mapped to the agent using the pattern matching algorithm; and

causing a second portion of callers to be mapped to the agent differently than the first portion, the second portion of callers selected based at least in part on the power variable associated with the agent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the power variable is adjustable by the call-center.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the power variable is adjustable by the agent.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the power variable is limited by a global minimum threshold or a global maximum threshold.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the power variable is limited by a minimum threshold or a maximum threshold corresponding to the agent.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion of callers is further mapped to the agent based on performance based data associated with the agent.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein causing the second portion of callers to be mapped comprises mapping the callers according to a performance based order of the agents.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the second portion of callers to be mapped comprises mapping the callers according to a performance based order of the agents.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the second portion of callers to be mapped comprises mapping the callers to the agent based on an automatic call distribution queue order.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing display of at least one outcome variable associated with the first portion of callers compared to the second portion of callers.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one outcome variable comprises one or more of cost, revenue, or customer satisfaction.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the pattern matching algorithm comprises a neural network algorithm.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising mapping the first portion of callers according to a computer model for predicting probable outcomes of caller-agent pairs.

14. An interface for use with a call-center routing system, the interface comprising:

a graphical user element for adjusting one or more power variables associated with agents, the one or more power variables collectively representing a proportion of all callers mapped to the agents that are to be mapped to the agents using one or more of a performance or pattern matching algorithm, wherein the one or more power variables cause a first portion of callers to be mapped to the agents based on the one or more of a performance or pattern matching algorithm and a second portion of the callers to be mapped to the agents differently than the first portion of callers, wherein the one or more power variables are adjustable for individual agents.

15. The interface of claim 14, further comprising a graphical user element for selecting the call-center to adjust the one or more power variables for individual agents.

16. The interface of claim 14, further comprising a graphical user element for selecting the agents to adjust the one or more power variables for individual agents.

17. The interface of claim 16, further comprising a graphical user element for selecting a global threshold for the one or more power variables.

18. The interface of claim 16, further comprising a graphical user element for selecting thresholds for the one or more power variables for individual agents.

19. The interface of claim 14, wherein the second portion of callers is to be mapped to agents based on an automatic call distribution queue order.

20. The interface of claim 14, wherein causing the second portion of callers to be mapped comprises mapping the callers according to a performance based order of the agents.

21. The interface of claim 14, further comprising a display of at least one outcome variable associated with the first portion of callers compared to the second portion of callers.

22. The interface of claim 21, wherein the at least one outcome variable comprises one or more of cost, revenue, or customer satisfaction.

23. The interface of claim 14, wherein the pattern matching algorithm comprises a neural network algorithm.

24. The interface of claim 14, wherein the first portion of callers is further mapped according to a computer model for predicting probable outcomes of caller-agent pairs.

25. Apparatus for routing callers to agents in a call-center routing environment, the apparatus comprising logic for:

causing a first portion of callers to be mapped to agents according to one or more of a performance or pattern matching algorithm based on comparing caller data associated with the callers and agent data associated with the agents, the first portion of callers selected based at least in part on one or more power variables associated with the agents, wherein the one or more power variables collectively represent a proportion of all callers mapped to the agents that are to be mapped to the agents using the one or more of a performance or pattern matching algorithm; and

causing a second portion of callers to be mapped to agents differently than the first portion, the second portion of callers selected based at least in part on the one or more power variables associated with the agents, wherein the one or more power variables are adjustable for individual agents.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the one or more power variables are adjustable by the call-center.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the one or more power variables are adjustable by the agents.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the one or more power variables are limited by a global minimum threshold and a global maximum threshold.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein a power variable of the one or more power variables is limited by a minimum threshold and a maximum threshold corresponding to a particular agent.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising logic for causing the second portion of callers to be mapped to agents based on an automatic call distribution queue order.

31. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein causing the second portion of callers to be mapped comprises mapping the callers according to a performance based order of the agents.

32. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising logic for causing display of at least one outcome variable associated with the first portion of callers compared to the second portion of callers.

33. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the pattern matching algorithm comprises a neural network algorithm.

34. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising logic for mapping the first portion of callers according to a computer model for predicting probable outcomes of caller-agent pairs.

35. Computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions for carrying out the method of:

causing a first portion of callers to be mapped to agents according to one or more of a performance or pattern matching algorithm based on comparing caller data associated with the callers and agent data associated with the agents, the first portion of callers selected based at least in part on one or more power variables associated with the agents, wherein the one or more power variables collectively represent a proportion of all callers mapped to the agents that are to be mapped to the agents using the one or more of a performance or pattern matching algorithm; and

causing a second portion of callers to be mapped to agents differently than the first portion, the second portion of callers selected based at least in part on the one or more power variables associated with the agents, wherein the one or more power variables are adjustable for individual agents.

36. The computer readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein the one or more power variables are adjustable by the call-center.

37. The computer readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein the one or more power variables are adjustable by the agents.

38. The computer readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the one or more power variables are limited by a global minimum threshold and a global maximum threshold.

39. The computer readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the a power variable of the one or more power variables is limited by a minimum threshold and a maximum threshold corresponding to a particular agent.

40. The computer readable storage medium of claim 35, further comprising instructions for causing the second portion of callers to be mapped based on an automatic call distribution queue order.

41. The computer readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein causing the second portion of callers to be mapped comprises mapping the callers according to a performance based order of the agents.

42. The computer readable storage medium of claim 35, further comprising instructions for causing display of at least one outcome variable associated with the first portion of callers compared to the second portion of callers.

43. The computer readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein the pattern matching algorithm comprises a neural network algorithm.

44. The computer readable storage medium of claim 35, further comprising instructions for mapping the first portion of callers according to a computer model for predicting probable outcomes of caller-agent pairs.