PRECALCULATED CALLER-AGENT PAIRS FOR A CALL CENTER ROUTING SYSTEM

• US 20120051537A1
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afiniti Ltd
• Original Assignee: The Resource Group International Ltd
• Inventors: Chishti, Zia, Spottiswoode, S. James P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,699,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.11
• 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]

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for preprocessing caller-agent pairs in a contact routing center, along with an intelligent routing system. A method includes determining at least one agent data for each agent of a set of agents, determining at least one caller data for each caller of a set of callers, and determining a score for each possible caller-agent pair of the set of agents and the set of callers using the agent data and the caller data in a pattern matching algorithm. The scores for each possible caller-agent pair may then be stored, e.g., in a look-up table, for retrieval, where matching a caller of the set of callers to an agent of the set of agents is based on the previously determined or calculated scores. For example, the caller-agent pair having the best score of all potential caller-agent pairs may be connected.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for pre-processing caller-agent pairs in a call-center routing environment, the method comprising the acts of:

determining at least one agent data for each agent of a set of agents;

determining at least one caller data for each caller of a set of callers, wherein at least one caller of the set of callers is not in queue;

determining a score for caller-agent pairs of the set of agents and the set of callers using the agent data and the caller data in a pattern matching algorithm;

storing the determined scores for caller-agent pairs; and

matching a caller of the set of callers to an agent of the set of agents based on the stored scores.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the scores for caller-agent pair in a look-up table.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising looking up caller-agent pair scores and selecting an agent-caller pair for routing to increase the chance of an optimal interaction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining caller data comprises retrieving caller data from a database based on the phone number of the caller.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining caller data comprises retrieving average caller data for a group of phone numbers including the phone number of the caller.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the caller data is determined from a commercial database.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the caller data further comprises determining the caller'"'"'s account number.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the caller data comprises determining a type of phone number associated with the caller.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the type of phone number is determined from Billing Telephone Number (BTN) data associated therewith.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the type of phone comprises one or more of a residential phone number, mobile phone number, or business phone number.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent data comprises one or more of demographic data or psychographic data.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the caller data comprises one or more of demographic data or psychographic data.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent data comprises demographic data, wherein the demographic data comprises one or more of gender, race, age, education, accent, income, nationality, ethnicity, area code, zip code, marital status, job status, or credit score.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the caller data comprises demographic data, wherein the demographic data comprises one or more of gender, race, age, education, accent, income, nationality, ethnicity, area code, zip code, marital status, job status, or credit score.

15. Apparatus for routing callers to agents in a call center routing environment, the apparatus comprising logic for:

determining at least one agent data for each agent of a set of agents;

determining at least one caller data for each caller of a set of callers, wherein at least one caller of the set of callers is not in queue;

determining a score for each possible caller-agent pair of the set of agents and the set of callers using the agent data and the caller data in a pattern matching algorithm;

storing the determined scores for each possible caller-agent pair; and

matching a caller of the set of callers to an agent of the set of agents based on the stored scores.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising logic for storing the score for each possible caller-agent pair in a look-up table.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising logic for looking up caller-agent pair scores and selecting an agent-caller pair for routing to increase the chance of an optimal interaction.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein determining caller data comprises retrieving caller data from a database based on the phone number of the caller.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein determining caller data comprises retrieving average caller data for a group of phone numbers including the phone number of the caller.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein determining the caller data comprises determining a type of phone number associated with the caller.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the type of phone number is determined from Billing Telephone Number (BTN) data associated therewith.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the type of phone comprises one or more of a residential phone number, mobile phone number, or business phone number.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the agent data comprises one or more of demographic data or psychographic data.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the caller data comprises one or more of demographic data or psychographic data.

25. Computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions for carrying out the method of:

determining at least one agent data for each agent of a set of agents;

determining at least one caller data for each caller of a set of callers, wherein at least one caller of the set of callers is not in queue;

determining a score for each possible caller-agent pair of the set of agents and the set of callers using the agent data and the caller data in a pattern matching algorithm;

storing the determined scores for each possible caller-agent pair; and

matching a caller of the set of callers to an agent of the set of agents based on the stored scores.