Systems and methods for routing callers to an agent in a contact center

• US 8,731,178 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afiniti Ltd
• Original Assignee: Satmap International Holdings, Ltd.
• Inventors: Chishti, Zia, Spottiswoode, S. James P., Jones, Chris W.
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US13/715,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20130101109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.1, 379/265.12, 379/265.11, 379/265.05, 379/266.06, 379/266.08, 379/88.18
• US Class Current: 379/265.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/16 Sequence circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/18 Comparators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/36 Memories
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony 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 3/5235 Dependent on call type or called number [DNIS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5236 Sequential or circular distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5238 with waiting time or load prediction arrangements

Abstract

A methods for routing callers to agents in a contact center, along with an intelligent routing system. One or more agents are graded on achieving an optimal interaction, such as increasing revenue, decreasing cost, or increasing customer satisfaction. Callers are then preferentially routed to a graded agent to obtain an increased chance at obtaining a chosen optimal interaction. In a more advanced embodiment, caller and agent demographic and psychographic characteristics can also be determined and used in a pattern matching algorithm to preferentially route a caller with certain characteristics to an agent with certain characteristics to increase the chance of an optimal interaction.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for identifying an ideal agent pool, the method comprising the acts of:

determining, by one or more computers, an optimal interaction;

determining, by the one or more computers, a set of caller data from a sample of callers;

determining, by the one or more computers, a set of agent data from a set of agents;

generating, by the one or more computers, a predictive computer model for the optimal interaction with the set of caller data and the set of agent data;

identifying, by the one or more computers, from the computer model, a mix of characteristics from the set of agents to increase the chances of the optimal interaction occurring for the sample of callers; and

routing, by the one or more computers, one of the callers from the set of callers to one of the agents from the set of agents based at least in part on the mix of characteristics.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the set of agents and the set of caller data in a pattern matching algorithm.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer model reflects the predicted chances of the optimal interaction occurring for each agent from the set of agents as matched with each caller from the sample of callers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample of callers is a sample of at least two callers taken from any one or mix of actual callers, theoretical callers, or predicted callers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the optimal interaction is based on any of one of improved revenue generation, decreased cost, or improved customer satisfaction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of agents includes at least two agents.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of agents includes any one or mix of an agent employed by a contact center, a theoretical agent, or a predicted agent.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of caller data comprises one of demographic data or psychographic data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of caller data comprises demographic data, wherein the demographic data comprises one of gender, race, age, education, accent, income, nationality, ethnicity, area code, zip code, marital status, job status, or credit score.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the caller data for the sample of callers is determined from a commercial database.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the caller data for the sample of callers further comprises determining a caller'"'"'s CallerID.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the caller data for the sample of callers further comprises determining a caller'"'"'s account number.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of agent data comprises one of demographic data or psychographic data.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of agent data comprises demographic data, wherein the demographic data comprises one of gender, race, age, education, accent, income, nationality, ethnicity, area code, zip code, marital status, job status, or credit score.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent data is demographic data determined from a survey.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the pattern matching algorithm comprises one of a neural network algorithm or a genetic algorithm.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring an agent pool based on the characteristic of one or more agents from the set of agents that increases the overall chances of an optimal interaction occurring for the sample of callers, wherein the step of configuring comprises any one of hiring an agent, terminating an agent, transferring an agent into the agent pool, or transferring an agent out of the agent pool.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the agent pool is configured for any one of a specific contact center, a specific contact center client, or a specific group of contact center clients.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the agent pool is configured to have a mix of agents with agent data that is proportionate to the ideal mix of agent data.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more computers, a change to a new optimal interaction; and

performing, by the one or more computers, the generating a predictive computer model, identifying a mix of characteristics and routing steps of the method based on this new optimal interaction.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions for:

determining, by one or more computers, an optimal interaction;

determining, by the one or more computers, a set of caller data from a sample of callers;

determining, by the one or more computers, a set of agent data from a set of agents;

generating, by the one or more computers, a predictive computer model for the optimal interaction with the set of caller data and the set of agent data;

identifying, by the one or more computers, from the computer model, a mix of characteristics from the set of agents to increase the chances of the optimal interaction occurring for the sample of callers; and

routing, by the one or more computers, one of the callers from the set of callers to one of the agents from the set of agents based at least in part on the mix of characteristics.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions for using the set of agent data and the set of caller data in a pattern matching algorithm.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the computer model reflects the predicted chances of the optimal interaction occurring from each agent from the set of agents as matched with each caller from the sample of callers.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the sample of callers is a sample of at least two callers taken from any one or mix of actual callers, theoretical callers, or predicted callers.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the optimal interaction is any of one of improved revenue generation, decreased cost, or improved customer satisfaction.

26. A system comprising one or more computers, configured to:

determine, by one or more computers, an optimal interaction;

determine, by the one or more computers, a set of caller data from a sample of callers;

determine, by the one or more computers, a set of agent data from a set of agents;

generate, by the one or more computers, a predictive computer model for the optimal interaction with the set of caller data and the set of agent data;

identify, by the one or more computers, from the computer model, a mix of characteristics from the set of agents to increase the chances of the optimal interaction occurring for the sample of callers; and

route, by the one or more computers, one of the callers from the set of callers to one of the agents from the set of agents based at least in part on the mix of characteristics.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising the one or more computers configured to use the set of agent data and the set of caller data in a pattern matching algorithm.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the computer model reflects the predicted chances of the optimal interaction occurring from each agent from the set of agents as matched with each caller from the sample of callers.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the sample of callers is a sample of at least two callers taken from any one or mix of actual callers, theoretical callers, or predicted callers.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the optimal interaction is any of one of improved revenue generation, decreased cost, or improved customer satisfaction.

31. The system of claim 26, further comprising the one or more computers configured to:

receive, by the one or more computers, a change to a new optimal interaction; and

perform, by the one or more computers, the generating a predictive computer model, identifying a mix of characteristics and routing steps of the method based on this new optimal interaction.