Method and computer readable medium for geographic agent routing

• US 9,553,989 B1
• Filed: 06/07/2013
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alorica Incorporated
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Boutcher, James K., Mateer, Michael Todd, Webster, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): AL AUBAIDI, RASHA S
• Application Number:
  US13/912,663
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.01, 379/265.1, 37926511-26512
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms

Abstract

A method and computer readable medium for routing a call to geographically dispersed agents based on agent skill-set, agent location and caller location that results in the call being delivered to the best available agent. The computer readable medium and method are utilized with a system comprised of a call center application module coupled to a database module with a communications network being used to couple incoming calls from customers with the best available agent. A database contains a ranking of available agents, based on a dataset including information regarding skill-set, previous interaction with the customer, proximity to the customer, language capability, current availability, and the like. The method 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 method, comprising:

assigning an agent of a plurality of agents, by a processor, to service a customer by;

calculating an agent range preference by subtracting a minimum distance from one agent to a customer from a maximum distance from another agent to the customer;

calculating an adjusted distance scale by subtracting said minimum distance from the agent range preference;

determining a distance adjustment for an agent within the agent range preference; and

calculating a final ranking by subtracting the distance adjustment from an initial agent ranking.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising assigning an agent to service a customer based on an agent distance adjustment being made relative to a closest agent distance prior to assigning an agent to service a customer when said customer specifies an agent range preference.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising receiving a call based on an initial agent ranking of all available agents, a caller'"'"'s proximity preference factor, and an agent range preference.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising coupling a plurality of incoming customer calls and available agents.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising providing the initial agent ranking based on a dataset including information of at least one from the group of:

skill-set, previous interaction with a customer, language capability, race, sex, minimum distance from an agent to a customer, maximum distance from an agent to a customer, and current availability.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein an agent is assigned to service a customer based on the initial agent ranking when said customer specifies no agent range preference indicating distance between said customer and said agent.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer and the assigned agent communicate via at least one of:

a landline phone call, an e-mail, a fax, Internet, a wireless phone call, a wireless intercom, and a wireless Internet.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the minimum distance and the maximum distance are determined using at least one of:

an address, a NPA-NXX, a Zip Code, cell cite locations and GPS coordinates.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the distance adjustment for the agent within the agent range preference occurs by multiplying the agent range preference with a proximity preference factor times a difference between the agent range preference and an agent distance to the customer and dividing by the calculated adjusted distance scale.

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

assigning an agent of a plurality of agents, by a processor, to service a customer by;

calculating an agent range preference by subtracting a minimum distance from one agent to a customer from a maximum distance from another agent to the customer;

calculating an adjusted distance scale by subtracting said minimum distance from the agent range preference;

determining a distance adjustment for an agent within the agent range preference; and

calculating a final ranking by subtracting the distance adjustment from an initial agent ranking.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 comprising assigning an agent to service a customer based on an agent distance adjustment being made relative to a closest agent distance prior to assigning an agent to service a customer when said customer specifies an agent range preference.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 comprising receiving a call based on an initial agent ranking of all available agents, a caller'"'"'s proximity preference factor, and an agent range preference.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 comprising coupling a plurality of incoming customer calls and available agents.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 comprising providing the initial agent ranking based on a dataset including information of at least one from the group of:

skill-set, previous interaction with a customer, language capability, race, sex, minimum distance from an agent to a customer, maximum distance from an agent to a customer, and current availability.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein an agent is assigned to service a customer based on the initial agent ranking when said customer specifies no agent range preference indicating distance between said customer and said agent.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the customer and the assigned agent communicate via at least one of:

a landline phone call, an e-mail, a fax, Internet, a wireless phone call, a wireless intercom, and a wireless Internet.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the minimum distance and the maximum distance are determined using at least one of:

an address, a NPA-NXX, a Zip Code, cell cite locations and GPS coordinates.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the determining the distance adjustment for the agent within the agent range preference occurs by multiplying the agent range preference with a proximity preference factor times a difference between the agent range preference and an agent distance to the customer and dividing by the calculated adjusted distance scale.