Selective mapping of callers in a call center routing system

• US 8,824,658 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2008
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afiniti Ltd
• Original Assignee: Satmap International Holdings, Ltd.
• Inventors: Chishti, Zia
• Primary Examiner(s): AL AUBAIDI, RASHA S
• Application Number:
  US12/266,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20100111286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,126 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.12
• US Class Current: 379/265.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/10 Logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/12 Counting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5133 Operator terminal details
• 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 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5236 Sequential or circular distribution

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 (or fraction) 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. The method further includes mapping a second portion of the callers (e.g., the remaining portion or fraction of all callers) to agents differently than the first portion of the callers (e.g., mapping based on queue order or performance based), which may provide a control group for monitoring or analyzing the effect of the pattern matching algorithm. 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 steps:

obtaining, by one or more computers, multiple items of agent data associated agents in a set of agents;

obtaining, by the one or more computers, multiple items of caller data associated with callers in a set of callers;

causing, by the one or more computers, a first portion of the set of callers to be mapped to agents according to a pattern matching algorithm to form agent-caller pairs based at least in part on comparing the caller data associated with the callers in the first portion of the callers and the agent data associated with the agents;

causing, by the one or more computers, a second portion of the set of callers to be mapped to agents according to a different mapping method than the first portion to form agent-caller pairs;

estimating, by the one or more computers, a first outcome variable obtained for the first portion of the callers and the first outcome variable obtained for the second portion of callers;

generating, by the one or more computers, first graphical data of the first outcome variable by time obtained for the first portion of the callers juxtaposed against the first outcome variable by time obtained for the second portion of callers on a first chart; and

providing or making accessible, by the one or more computers, the first graphical data

routing, by the one or more computers, one of the callers from one of the portions to one of the agents, by the one or more computers, based at least in part on the estimating step.

2. 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.

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

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the first outcome variable associated with the first portion of the callers compared to the first outcome variable associated with the second portion of the callers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one outcome variable comprises one or more of cost, revenue, or customer satisfaction.

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

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing the portion of the set of callers that are mapped according to the pattern matching algorithm.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

estimating, by the one or more computers, a second outcome variable obtained for the first portion of the callers and the second outcome variable obtained for the second portion of callers;

generating, by the one or more computers, second graphical data of the second outcome variable by time obtained for the first portion of the callers juxtaposed against the second outcome variable by time obtained for the second portion of callers on a second chart; and

providing or making accessible, by the one or more computers, the second graphical data.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the one or more computers, data for a graphical user element for adjusting a size of the first portion of the set of callers relative to a size of the second portion of the set of callers.

10. A method for routing callers to agents in a call-center routing environment, the method comprising the steps:

causing, by one or more computers, a first portion of a set of callers to be mapped to agents according to performance to form agent-caller pairs based data associated with the agents;

causing, by the one or more computers, a second portion of the set of callers to be mapped to agents according to a different mapping method than the first portion to form agent-caller pairs;

estimating, by the one or more computers, a first outcome variable obtained for the first portion of the callers and the first outcome variable obtained for the second portion of the callers;

generating, by the one or more computers, first graphical data of the first outcome variable by time obtained for the first portion of the callers juxtaposed against the first outcome variable by time obtained for the second portion of callers on a first chart;

providing or making accessible, by the one or more computers, the first graphical data; and

routing, by the one or more computers, one of the callers from one of the portions to one of the agents, by the one or more computers, based at least in part on the estimating step.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein causing the second portion of callers to be mapped comprises mapping the callers to agents based on an automatic call distribution queue order.

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

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising changing the portion of the set of callers that are mapped according to performance based data.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

estimating, by the one or more computers, a second outcome variable obtained for the first portion of the callers and the second outcome variable obtained for the second portion of callers;

generating, by the one or more computers, second graphical data of the second outcome variable by time obtained for the first portion of the callers juxtaposed against the second outcome variable by time obtained for the second portion of callers on a second chart; and

providing or making accessible, by the one or more computers, the second graphical data.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating, by the one or more computers, data for a graphical user element for adjusting a size of the first portion of the set of callers relative to a size of the second portion of the set of callers.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the data for the graphical user element comprises data for an element to set a ratio or percentage of the first portion relative to the second portion.

17. A system for routing callers to agents in a call center routing environment, the apparatus comprising one or more computers configured with logic to:

obtain, by one or more computers, multiple items of agent data associated agents in a set of agents;

obtain, by the one or more computers, multiple items of caller data associated with callers in a set of callers;

cause, by one or more computers, a first portion of the set of callers to be mapped to agents according to a pattern matching algorithm to form agent-caller pairs based at least in part on comparing the caller data associated with the first portion of the callers and the agent data associated with the agents;

cause, by the one or more computers, a second portion of the set of callers to be mapped to agents according to a different mapping method than the first portion to form agent-caller pairs;

estimate, by the one or more computers, the first outcome variable obtained for the first portion of the callers and the first outcome variable obtained for the second portion of the callers;

generate, by the one or more computers, first graphical data of the first outcome variable by time obtained for the first portion of the callers juxtaposed against the first outcome variable by time obtained for the second portion of the callers on a first chart;

provide or making accessible, by the one or more computers, the first graphical data; and

route, by the one or more computers, one of the callers from one of the portions to one of the agents, by the one or more computers, based at least in part on the estimating step.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising logic to cause the second portion of callers to be mapped to agents based on an automatic call distribution queue order.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein causing the second portion of callers to be mapped comprises mapping the callers according to a performance based order of the agents.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising logic to display the first outcome variable associated with the first portion of the callers compared to the first outcome variable associated with the second portion of the callers.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the pattern matching algorithm comprises a neural network algorithm.

22. The system of claim 17, further comprising logic to change the portion of the set of callers that are mapped according to the one or more of the pattern matching algorithm relative to the second algorithm.

23. The system of claim 17, further comprising the one or more computers configured with logic to:

estimate, by the one or more computers, a second outcome variable obtained for the first portion of the callers and the second outcome variable obtained for the second portion of callers;

generate, by the one or more computers, second graphical data of the second outcome variable by time obtained for the first portion of the callers juxtaposed against the second outcome variable by time obtained for the second portion of callers on a second chart; and

providing or making accessible, by the one or more computers, the second graphical data.

24. The system of claim 17, further comprising the one or more computers configured with logic to:

generate, by the one or more computers, data for a graphical user element for adjusting a size of the first portion of the set of callers relative to a size of the second portion of the set of callers.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the data for the graphical user element comprises data for an element to set a ratio or percentage of the first portion relative to the second portion.

26. Non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions for carrying out, when executed by one or more computers, the method:

obtaining, by one or more computers, multiple items of agent data associated agents in a set of agents;

obtaining, by the one or more computers, multiple items of caller data associated with callers in a set of callers;

causing, by the one or more computers, a first portion of the set of callers to be mapped to agents according to a pattern matching algorithm to form agent-caller pairs based at least in part on the comparing the caller data associated with the first portion of the callers and the agent data associated with the agents;

causing, by the one or more computers, a second portion of the set of callers to be mapped to agents according to a different mapping method than the first portion to form agent-caller pairs;

estimating, by the one or more computers, the first outcome variable obtained for the first portion of the callers and the first outcome variable obtained for the second portion of the callers;

generating, by the one or more computers, first graphical data of the first outcome variable by time obtained for the first portion of the callers juxtaposed against the first outcome variable by time obtained for the second portion of the callers on a first chart;

providing or making accessible, by the one or more computers, the first graphical data; and

routing, by the one or more computers, one of the callers from one of the portions to one of the agents, by the one or more computers, based at least in part on the estimating step.

27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 26, further comprising instructions for causing the second portion of callers to be mapped based on an automatic call distribution queue order.

28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein causing the second portion of callers to be mapped comprises mapping the callers according to a performance based order of the agents.

29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 26, further comprising instructions for displaying the first outcome variable associated with the first portion of the callers compared to the first outcome variable associated with the second portion of the callers.

30. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the pattern matching algorithm comprises a neural network algorithm.

31. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 26, further comprising instructions for changing the portion of the set of callers that are mapped according to the pattern matching algorithm.

32. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 26, further comprising computer readable instructions for:

estimating, by the one or more computers, a second outcome variable obtained for the first portion of the callers and the second outcome variable obtained for the second portion of callers;

generating, by the one or more computers, second graphical data of the second outcome variable by time obtained for the first portion of the callers juxtaposed against the second outcome variable by time obtained for the second portion of callers on a second chart; and

providing or making accessible, by the one or more computers, the second graphical data.

33. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 26, further comprising computer readable instructions for:

generating, by the one or more computers, data for a graphical user element for adjusting a size of the first portion of the set of callers relative to a size of the second portion of the set of callers.