Use of intelligent directed broadcast in contact center solutions

• US 20080205428A1
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Collins, Kevin, Lepore, Michael P., Johnson, Lawrence, Schechinger, Paul, Jordan, Kenneth D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,729,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/438
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/39 using speech synthesis speech synthesis per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method can include: (i) receiving a new contact in a contact center, where the new contact includes an expressed need; (ii) forming a resource set in response to the expressed need of the new contact, where the resource set includes one or more prospective resources; and (iii) sending a broadcast message to each of the prospective resources in the resource set.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a new contact in a contact center, the new contact having an expressed need;

forming a resource set in response to the expressed need of the new contact, the resource set having one or more prospective resources; and

sending a broadcast message to each of the prospective resources in the resource set.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining accepting resources from the resource set.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising applying selection criteria to the accepting resources.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the selection criteria comprises a first to respond from among at least a subset of the accepting resources.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the selection criteria comprises:

waiting up to a predetermined period of time; and

applying a ranking to the accepting resources.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising connecting a group of selected resources from the resource set to the new contact.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising connecting a selected resource from the resource set to the new contact.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending the broadcast message comprises using an application layer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast message comprises information usable by the prospective resources in making decisions to accept or reject an offered task.

10. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving one or more computational results from the prospective resources, wherein:

the one or more computational results are in response to an offered task; and

the selection criteria uses the one or more computational results.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

an input of a contact center, the input being configured to receive a new contact having an expressed need;

logic configured to form a resource set in response to the expressed need of the new contact, the resource set having one or more prospective resources; and

logic configured to send a broadcast message to each of the prospective resources in the resource set.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising logic configured to determine accepting resources from the resource set, wherein the logic configured to determine comprises an input configured to receive responses from the prospective resources.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising logic configured to apply selection criteria to the accepting resources.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the selection criteria comprises a first to respond from among at least a subset of the accepting resources.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the selection criteria comprises:

waiting up to a predetermined period of time; and

applying a ranking to the accepting resources.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising logic configured to connect a selected resource from the resource set with the new contact.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the broadcast message is configured to use an application layer.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the broadcast message comprises information usable by the prospective resources in making decisions to accept or reject an offered task.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising logic configured to receive one or more computational results from the prospective resources, wherein:

the one or more computational results are in response to an offered task; and

the selection criteria is configured to use the one or more computational results.

20. A means for directing broadcasts for contacts, comprising:

a means for receiving a new contact in a contact center, the new contact having an expressed need;

a means for forming a resource set in response to the expressed need of the new contact, the resource set having one or more prospective resources;

a means for sending a broadcast message to each of the prospective resources in the resource set; and

a means for applying selection criteria to accepting resources from the resource set.