Agent training sensitive call routing system

• US 8,582,753 B1
• Filed: 03/28/2011
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Patent Armory Inc. (Jeffrey M. Gross)
• Original Assignee: Steven Mark Hoffberg, Toby Heller
• Inventors: Hoffberg, Steven M., Heller, Toby
• Primary Examiner(s): Deane, Jr., William
• Application Number:
  US13/073,559
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 37926501-26514, 37926601-2661, 379/309
• US Class Current: 379/265.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5238 with waiting time or load prediction arrangements

Abstract

A call-management method and system for distributing calls to agents, wherein each agent has a profile, e.g., defining agent skills, efficiency, etc. The call center management system implements an algorithm for selecting an agent to receive a call to optimize caller utility, call center efficiency, and agent training. Therefore, the algorithm does not seek to necessarily route a call to the agent having the skill set most suited to the call; rather, the call may be routed to an agent who needs experience in the area of the call, and thus serves as a training exercise. Skilled agents may be made available to shadow the training agent when available.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a plurality of different characteristics relating to a proposed communication;

storing in a database a data structure representing a plurality of different characteristics of each of a plurality of potential contacts;

processing the data structure with an automated processor, to generate a prioritized list of the plurality of potential contacts based on a combined cost function having at least the plurality of characteristics of each of the plurality of potential contacts, and the plurality of different characteristics relating to a proposed communication as function parameters, wherein the combined cost function has at least one term for each of the plurality of potential contacts each term comprising a combination of a subset of the plurality of different characteristics and a subset of the plurality of different characteristics relating to a proposed communication;

selecting, with the automated processor, at least one of actual contact from the list in dependence on at least the prioritized list; and

communicating with the selected at least one actual contact.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising engaging in mutually exclusive concurrent communications between a plurality of the selected at least one actual contact.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

said receiving comprising, receiving a plurality of different characteristics relating to each of a plurality of a proposed communications with a set of communications counterparties available for concurrent communications with the plurality of potential contacts; and

concurrently separately communicating between a plurality of selected at least one actual contact from the list and respective members of the set of communications counterparties selectively in dependence on the prioritized list generated by the automated processor.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communicating is associated with a cost determined by the automated processor, and wherein the combined cost function has a plurality of terms for each of the plurality of potential contacts each comprising a combination of a subset of the plurality of different characteristics and a subset of the plurality of different characteristics relating to a proposed communication.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selection of the at least one actual contact from the list is associated with a cost determined by the automated processor.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the combined cost function has as a function parameter at least an immediate cost.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the combined cost function has as a function parameter at least a delayed cost.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of potential contacts has characteristics which are classified as a multidimensional vector, and wherein the communicating has corresponding characteristics represented as a predicted multidimensional vector having attributes predicted by the automated processor, the processing by the automated processor ensuring a predicted adequacy of at least one of the characteristics of the at least one actual contact with respect to corresponding characteristics of the communicating.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one actual contact comprises a human.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one actual contact comprises a call center agent.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communicating is predicted by the automated processor to change a characteristic of the at least one actual contact, further comprising updating the data structure by the automated processor to reflect a change in the respective characteristic of the at least one actual contact.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the predicted change in the characteristic of the at least one actual contact is a function parameter of the combined cost function.

13. A communication system, comprising:

an input configured to receive a plurality of different characteristics relating to a proposed communication;

a database configured to store a data structure representing a plurality of different characteristics of each of a plurality of potential contacts;

at least one processor configured to process the data structure, to generate a prioritized list of the plurality of potential contacts based on a combined cost function having as function parameters at least the plurality of characteristics of each of the plurality of potential contacts, and the plurality of different characteristics relating to a proposed communication as function parameters, wherein the combined cost function has at least one term for each of the plurality of potential contacts each term comprising a combination of a subset of the plurality of different characteristics and a subset of the plurality of different characteristics relating to a proposed communication, and to select at least one potential contact in dependence on the prioritized list; and

an output port configured to output a signal to identify or control a communication with the selected at least one potential contact.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to optimize mutually exclusive communication of a plurality of the contacts, and wherein the combined cost function has a plurality of terms for each of the plurality of potential contacts each term comprising a combination of a subset of the plurality of different characteristics and a subset of the plurality of different characteristics relating to a proposed communication.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine a set of communications counterparties available for concurrent communications with the plurality of potential contacts, and concurrently communicate between a plurality of the selected at least one potential contact and the communications counterparties selectively in dependence on a relationship of a set of characteristics describing the available communications counterparties, and the data structure representing characteristics of a plurality of potential contacts.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein at least one of a selection of a potential contact and the communication with the contact is associated with a cost determined by the at least one processor, and the at least one processor is further configured to apply the associated cost as a function parameter of the combined cost function.

17. The system according to claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is configured to predict a change in at least one characteristic of the selected at least one potential contact, and to update the data structure to reflect the change in the respective characteristic of the selected at least one potential contact, for use in a subsequent generation of a prioritized list.

18. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a queue configured to concurrently store the received plurality of different characteristics relating to a proposed communication, for each of a plurality of proposed communications.

19. A method, comprising:

storing a plurality of characteristics of a plurality of potential contacts in a database;

receiving a plurality of parameters relating to a plurality of proposed communications;

processing at least the plurality of characteristics of the plurality of potential contacts and the plurality of parameters with an automated data processor, to generate a prioritized list of potential mutually exclusive concurrent communications involving the plurality of potential contacts, based on a combined cost function having at least the plurality of characteristics, the plurality of parameters, a communication cost with a respective potential contact and an opportunity cost of a selection of a respective potential contact as function parameters; and

outputting data defining at least one set defining consistent communications involving the proposed communications and a subset of the potential contacts, having an optimized combined cost calculated based on the combined cost function.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the optimized combined cost is responsive to at least a cost factor of at least one communication counterparty associated with the plurality of parameters, and wherein the combined cost function further has a plurality of terms for each of the plurality of potential contacts each comprising a combination of a subset of the plurality of characteristics and a subset of the plurality of parameters.