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

• US 9,426,296 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2015
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afiniti Ltd
• Original Assignee: Afiniti International Holdings, Ltd.
• Inventors: Chishti, Zia, Spottiswoode, Stuart J., Jones, Christopher W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S
• Application Number:
  US14/702,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20150237213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Techniques for handling contacts and agents in a contact center system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for handling contacts and agents in a contact center system including identifying a plurality of contacts ordered for assignment to a plurality of agents, and assigning a first out-of-order contact from the plurality of contacts to a first agent of the plurality of agents who becomes available for assignment to any contact of the plurality of contacts based on information about the first agent.

Claims

1. A method for handling contacts and agents in a contact center system comprising:

automatically identifying, by at least one computer processor, a plurality of contacts ordered chronologically in a queue for assignment to a plurality of agents;

automatically identifying, by the at least one computer processor, information about a first agent of the plurality of agents that becomes available for assignment;

automatically assigning, by the at least one computer processor, a first out-of-order contact from the plurality of contacts to the first agent based on the information about the first agent and information about the first out-of-order contact, wherein the first out-of-order contact is a contact in the plurality of contacts that is assigned before at least one other contact of the plurality of contacts that is ordered chronologically ahead of the first out-of-order contact in the queue; and

automatically connecting, by the at least one computer processor, the first out-of-order contact to the first agent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of contacts are ordered chronologically in the queue based on respective contact center system arrival times of each contact of the plurality of contacts.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically assigning the first out-of-order contact increases an expected wait time of a first in-order contact of the plurality of contacts.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically determining that an expected improvement to a contact interaction by automatically assigning the first out-of-order contact outweighs an expected cost by keeping a first in-order contact of the plurality of contacts on hold.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically searching the plurality of contacts for an assignment based on the information about the first agent.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first out-of-order contact is automatically connected using an outbound dialer of the contact center system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically assigning a second out-of-order contact from the plurality of contacts to a second agent of the plurality of agents that becomes available for assignment to any of a remainder of the plurality of contacts based on information about the second agent.

8. A system for handling contacts and agents in a contact center system comprising:

a processor communicatively coupled to the contact center system, wherein the processor is configured to;

automatically identify a plurality of contacts ordered chronologically in a queue for assignment to a plurality of agents;

automatically identify information about a first agent of the plurality of agents that becomes available for assignment;

automatically assign a first out-of-order contact from the plurality of contacts to the first agent based on the information about the first agent and information about the first out-of-order contact, wherein the first out-of-order contact is a contact in the plurality of contacts that is assigned before at least one other contact of the plurality of contacts that is ordered chronologically ahead of the first out-of-order contact in the queue; and

automatically connect the first out-of-order contact to the first agent.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of contacts are ordered chronologically in the queue based on respective contact center system arrival times of each contact of the plurality of contacts.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein automatically assigning the first out-of-order contact increases an expected wait time of a first in-order contact of the plurality of contacts.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to automatically determine that an expected improvement to a contact interaction by automatically assigning the first out-of-order contact outweighs an expected cost by keeping a first in-order contact of the plurality of contacts on hold.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to automatically search the plurality of contacts for an assignment based on the information about the first agent.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the first out-of-order contact is automatically connected using an outbound dialer of the contact center system.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to automatically assign a second out-of-order contact from the plurality of contacts to a second agent of the plurality of agents that becomes available for assignment to any of a remainder of the plurality of contacts based on information about the second agent.

15. An article of manufacture for handling contacts and agents in a contact center system comprising:

a non-transitory processor readable medium; and

instructions stored on the medium;

wherein the instructions are configured to be readable from the medium by a processor communicatively coupled to the contact center system and thereby cause the processor to operate so as to;

automatically identify a plurality of contacts ordered chronologically in a queue for assignment to a plurality of agents;

automatically identify information about a first agent of the plurality of agents that becomes available for assignment;

automatically assign a first out-of-order contact from the plurality of contacts to the first agent based on the information about the first agent and information about the first out-of-order contact, wherein the first out-of-order contact is a contact in the plurality of contacts that is assigned before at least one other contact of the plurality of contacts that is ordered chronologically ahead of the first out-of-order contact in the queue; and

automatically connect the first out-of-order contact to the first agent.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the plurality of contacts are ordered chronologically in the queue based on respective contact center system arrival times of each contact of the plurality of contacts.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein automatically assigning the first out-of-order contact increases an expected wait time of a first in-order contact of the plurality of contacts.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the processor is caused to operate further so as to automatically determine that an expected improvement to a contact interaction by automatically assigning the first out-of-order contact outweighs an expected cost by keeping a first in-order contact of the plurality of contacts on hold.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the processor is caused to operate further so as to automatically search the plurality of contacts for an assignment based on the information about the first agent.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the first out-of-order contact is automatically connected using an outbound dialer of the contact center system.