System for geographic agent routing

• US 8,731,179 B1
• Filed: 06/24/2013
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alorica Incorporated
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Boutcher, James K., Mateer, Michael T., Webster, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): AL AUBAIDI, RASHA S
• Application Number:
  US13/925,326
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 37926511-26512, 379/265.1, 379/265.01
• 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 in which agents are geographically dispersed based on agent skill-set, agent location and caller location that results in a call being delivered to the best available agent. The system 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, comprising:

a call center application module; and

at least one call center agent communication device coupled to said call center application module, the at least one call center agent communication device being assigned a call based on a specified distance range measured between a caller and an 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 calls and existing call center agents.

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

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said caller 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 caller 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 caller 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 caller and various agent locations is determined using at least one of a following locality designator:

cell site locations and GPS coordinates.

10. The system of claim 1, comprising a database module coupled to said call center application module, 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 caller, language capability, race, sex, minimum distance to a caller, maximum distance to a caller and current availability.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein an agent is assigned to service a caller based on said initial agent ranking when said caller specifies no agent range preference indicating distance between said caller 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 caller when said caller 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 caller and said agent from said maximum distance between a caller and said agent.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein an adjusted distance scale is calculated by subtracting said minimum distance between a caller 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 a proximity preference factor times a difference between said agent range preference delta and an agent distance to said caller and dividing by said calculated adjusted distance scale, wherein the proximity preference factor indicates the distance between the caller and the agent.

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 17, wherein a final ranking is calculated by subtracting said distance adjustment from said initial ranking for each said agent.

20. A system, comprising:

a call center application module; and

at least one call center agent communication device coupled to said call center application module, the at least one call center agent communication device being assigned a call based on a specified distance range measured between a caller and an agent prior to the call being assigned;

wherein the at least one call center agent communications device is assigned a call based on an initial ranking of all available agents performed by the call center application module, and based on a specified distance range being measured between the caller and an 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 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 the caller when the caller specifies an agent range preference.

23. A module, comprising:

at least one processor;

wherein the at least one processor;

calculates an initial ranking for at least one available agent;

retrieves a proximity preference factor and an agent range preference data for an incoming call;

selects an agent with a lowest said initial ranking;

calculates a distance between the caller and the at least one agent; and

calculates a final adjusted agent ranking, wherein a best of the at least one agent to service the caller is an agent with a lowest said final adjusted agent ranking.

24. The module of claim 23, wherein the processor calculates at least one of:

an agent range preference delta between an agent with maximum range and an agent with minimum range;

an adjusted distance scale;

an agent ranking range; and

a distance adjustments for each said agent within said agent range preference.

25. The module of claim 24, wherein said distance adjustment calculation for each said agent within said agent range preference is calculated by at least one of:

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 caller and dividing by said calculated adjusted distance scale; and

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.

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

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

28. The module of claim 27, wherein said agent is selected based on said adjusted agent ranges when said caller specifies an agent range preference.