Techniques for L3 pairing in a contact center system

• US 9,955,013 B1
• Filed: 12/30/2016
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afiniti Ltd
• Original Assignee: Afiniti Europe Technologies Limited (Afiniti Ltd)
• Inventors: Chishti, Zia
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S
• Application Number:
  US15/395,517
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5238 with waiting time or load prediction arrangements

Abstract

Techniques for L3 pairing in a contact center system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for L3 pairing in a contact center system comprising determining a minimum amount of agent choice, determining a maximum amount of delay, postponing agent selection until at least one of the following conditions is satisfied: (a) the maximum amount of delay has elapsed; or (b) the minimum amount of agent choice has been reached, and selecting an agent among one or more agents for connection to an available contact within the contact center system.

Claims

1. A method for L3 pairing in a contact center system comprising:

determining, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in the contact center system, a minimum number of agents available to select from;

determining, by the at least one computer processor, a maximum amount of time to wait before making an agent selection;

postponing agent selection, by the at least one computer processor, until at least one of the following conditions is satisfied;

(a) the maximum amount of time has elapsed;

or

(b) the minimum number of agents has been reached;

selecting, by the at least one computer processor using a pairing strategy, an agent among one or more agents for connection to an available contact within the contact center system to optimize performance of the contact center system, wherein the optimized performance of the contact center system is attributable to the pairing strategy; and

outputting, by the at least one computer processor, the selection of the agent for pairing with the available contact for connection within the contact center system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the maximum amount of time is less than 30 seconds.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the minimum number of agents is greater than three available agents.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the agent comprises applying a behavioral pairing strategy.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the available contact is one contact of a plurality of contacts waiting for assignment to an agent.

21. At least one non-transitory computer processor readable storage medium storing a computer program of instructions configured to be readable by at least one processor for instructing the at least one processor to execute a computer process for performing the method as recited in claim 1.

6. A method for L3 pairing in a contact center system comprising:

determining, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in the contact center system, a minimum number of contacts available to select from;

determining, by the at least one computer processor, a maximum amount of time to wait before making a contact selection;

postponing contact selection, by the at least one computer processor, until at least one of the following conditions is satisfied;

(a) the maximum amount of time has elapsed;

or

(b) the minimum number of contacts has been reached;

selecting, by the at least one computer processor using a pairing strategy, a contact among one or more contacts for connection to an available agent within the contact center system to optimize performance of the contact center system, wherein the optimized performance of the contact center system is attributable to the pairing strategy; and

outputting, by the at least one computer processor, the selection of the contact for pairing with the available agent for connection within the contact center system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the maximum amount of time is less than 30 seconds.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the minimum number of contacts is greater than three contacts waiting for assignment.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein selecting the contact comprises applying a behavioral pairing strategy.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the available agent is one agent of a plurality of agents waiting for assignment to a contact.

22. At least one non-transitory computer processor readable storage medium storing a computer program of instructions configured to be readable by at least one processor for instructing the at least one processor to execute a computer process for performing the method as recited in claim 6.

11. A method for L3 pairing in a contact center system comprising:

determining, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in the contact center system, a maximum amount of time to wait before making a pairing selection;

determining, by the at least one computer processor, a first score of a first preferred pairing between a first agent and a first contact;

awaiting arrival of at least a second agent or at least a second contact that results in an emergence of a second preferred pairing having a second score that is higher than the first score;

postponing pairing selection, by the at least one computer processor, until at least one of the following conditions is satisfied;

(a) the maximum amount of time has elapsed;

or

(b) arrival of the at least a second agent or the at least a second contact that results in the emergence of the second preferred pairing;

selecting, by the at least one computer processor using a pairing strategy, the second preferred pairing for connection within the contact center system to optimize performance of the contact center system, wherein the optimized performance of the contact center system is attributable to the pairing strategy; and

outputting, by the at least one computer processor, the selection of the second preferred pairing for connection within the contact center system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the maximum amount of time is less than 30 seconds.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the first and second preferred pairings comprises applying a behavioral pairing strategy.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein arrival of the second agent and the second contact results in the emergence of the second preferred pairing consisting of the second agent and the second contact.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein arrival of the second agent results in the emergence of the second preferred pairing consisting of the second agent and the first contact.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein arrival of the second contact results in the emergence of the second preferred pairing consisting of the second contact and an agent different from the first agent that was already available.

23. At least one non-transitory computer processor readable storage medium storing a computer program of instructions configured to be readable by at least one processor for instructing the at least one processor to execute a computer process for performing the method as recited in claim 11.

17. A system for L3 pairing in a contact center system comprising:

at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in the contact center system, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to;

determine a minimum number of agents available to select from;

determine a maximum amount of time to wait before making an agent selection;

postpone agent selection until at least one of the following conditions is satisfied;

(a) the maximum amount of time has elapsed;

or

(b) the minimum number of agents has been reached;

select, using a pairing strategy, an agent among one or more agents for connection to an available contact within the contact center system to optimize performance of the contact center system, wherein the optimized performance of the contact center system is attributable to the pairing strategy; and

output the selection of the agent for pairing with the available contact for connection within the contact center system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the minimum number of agents is greater than three available agents.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein selecting the agent comprises applying a behavioral pairing strategy.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the available contact is one contact of a plurality of contacts waiting for assignment to an agent.