Multiple call handling in a call center

• US 6,650,748 B1
• Filed: 04/13/1998
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Goldsmith, Steven J., Fung, Denny Y., Donaghue, Jr., Norman J., Edwards, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AGDEPPA, HECTOR A
• Application Number:
  US09/060,038
• Time in Patent Office: 2,045 Days
• Field of Search: 379/209.01, 379/212.01, 379/265-1-2, 379/309
• US Class Current: 379/266.04
• 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 3/523 with call distribution or queueing

Abstract

The invention provides a method and system for indefinitely queuing telephone calls in a call center independent of the telephone instrument deployed in the call center. The system includes a plurality of call center telephones, an Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) connected to the call center agent telephones and a Computer-Telephony Integration (CTI) link connected with a multi-call handling (MCH) server having multiple call handling (MCH) application and a data repository. Call center technicians create a first new route point and a second new route point in the ACD using the ACD'"'"'s configuration program. A client application running on the MCH server monitors telephone calls to the plurality of call center agent telephones through the CTI link. In response to a command from the client application of a call queue request for a call on a particular agent telephone, the MCH application running on the MCH server creates an index for the call, sets a timer for a duration less than the default call timeout period for the ACD, and directs the ACD to transfer the call in the first new route point. Prior to expiration of the default timeout period, the MCH application directs the ACD to transfer the call to the second new route point. The data repository retains the index for each call processed by the MCH application. Storing the unique index for each call allows the MCH application to keep track of each call and enable the MCH application to retrieve a particular call, providing the agent with the ability to selectively retrieve or discard parked calls. The invention is also applicable to robotic call servicing applications that need to park calls and retrieve them. In such embodiments, the MCH application receives instructions from the robotic application rather than the client application.

Claims

1. In a call center having an automatic call distributor (ACD) for routing directed calls and a plurality of call-receiving devices, the improvement comprising:

creating a first route point in the call center devoid of a queue statement that would direct calls routed to the first route point away from the first route point, so that the ACD loses control over distributing of the calls that are routed to the first route point for at least a first period of time;

in response to a first request from a device of the call-receiving devices to which a call has been routed, firstly directing the call from the call-receiving device to which the call has been routed to the route point;

in response to the firstly directing, the ACD routing the call to the first route point;

in response to a second request from a device of the call-receiving devices during at least the first period of time, secondly directing the call from the first route point to a device of the call-receiving devices; and

in response to the secondly directing, the ACD routing the call to the call-receiving device to which the call is directed.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein:

after the first period of time, the ACD regains control over distributing of the calls that are routed to the first route point;

the improvement further comprising

before expiration of the first period of time, thirdly directing calls that are routed to the first route point to one of (a) the first route point and (b) a second route point that directs calls that are routed to the second route point to the first route point; and

in response to the thirdly directing, the ACD routing the calls from the first route point to the one of (a) the first route point and (b) the second route point.

3. The improvement of claim 1 in a call center wherein the ACD gains control over distributing of the calls that are routed to the first route point to the call-receiving devices after the first period of time.

4. The improvement of claim 1 wherein:

the first request is a request from a first device;

the second request is a request from one of (c) the first device and a second device different from the first device; and

secondly directing comprises directing the call to one of (d) the first device, (e) the second device, and (f) a third device different from the first and the second devices.

5. The improvement of claim 1 wherein:

the first request is one of a call-hold and a call-park request; and

the second request is one of a call-pickup and a call-transfer request.

22. The improvement of claim 1, wherein:

thirdly directing comprises

receiving a queued call retrieval instruction from the user interface, the queued call retrieval instruction including the identification information from the agent workstation;

retrieving information about the queued call from the database to formulate a call retrieval instruction; and

sending the call retrieval instruction through the CTI link to transfer the queued call from the first route point to the telephone at the agent workstation.

23. The improvement of claim 22, wherein the queued call is retrieved selectively, regardless of a queue position of the queued call relative to other queued calls in the first route point.

6. In a call center having an automatic call distributor (ACD) for routing directed calls and a plurality of call-receiving devices, the improvement comprising:

a first route point in the call center devoid of a queue statement that would direct calls routed to the first route point away from the first route point, so that the ACD loses control over distributing of the calls that are routed to the first route point for at least a first period of time;

a first control entity that responds to a first request from a device of the call-receiving devices to which a call has been routed by directing the call from the call-receiving device to which the call has been routed to the route point to cause the ACD to route the call to the first route point, and that responds during at least the first period of time to a second request from a device of the call-receiving devices by directing the call from the first route point to a device of the call-receiving devices to cause the ACD to route the call to the device to which the call is directed.

7. The improvement of claim 6 wherein:

after the first period of time the ACD regains control over distributing of the calls that are routed to the first route point;

the improvement further comprising

a second control entity that, before expiration of the first period of time, directs calls that are routed to the first route point to one of (a) the first route point and (b) a second route point that directs calls that are routed to the second route point to the first route point, to cause the ACD to route the calls to the one of (a) the first route point and (b) the second route point.

8. The improvement of claim 6 in a call center wherein the ACD gains control over distributing of the calls that are routed to the first route point to the call-receiving devices after the first period of time.

9. The improvement of claim 6 wherein:

the first request is a request from a first device;

the second request is a request from one of (c) the first device and a second device different from the first device; and

the first control entity responds to the second request by directing the call to one of (d) the first device, (e) the second device, and (f) a third device different from the first ad the second devices.

10. The improvement of claim 6 wherein:

the first request is one of a call-hold and a call-park request; and

the second request is one of a call-pickup and a call-transfer request.

11. In a call center having an automatic call distributor (ACD) for routing directed calls and a plurality of call-receiving devices, the improvement comprising:

creating a first route point in the call center that retains calls routed to the first route point for a predetermined time period so that the ACD lacks an ability to distribute the calls for the predetermined time period;

before expiration of the predetermined time period, firstly directing calls that are routed to the first route point to one of (a) the first route point and (b) a second route point that directs calls that are routed to the second route point to the first route point;

in response to the firstly directing, the ACD routing the calls from the first route point to the one of (a) the first route point and (b) the second route point;

in response to a first request from a device of the call-receiving devices to which the call has been routed, secondly directing the call from the call-receiving device to the first route point;

in response to the secondly directing, the ACD routing the call to the first route point;

in response to a second request from a device of the call-receiving devices, thirdly directing the call from the first route point to a device of the call-receiving devices; and

in response to the thirdly directing, the ACD routing the call to the call-receiving device to which the call is directed.

12. The improvement of claim 11 further comprising:

creating the second route point;

wherein the firstly directing comprises

in response to an individual call being routed to the first route point, substantially immediately directing the individual call to the second route point; and

directing the individual call that has been routed to the second route point back to the first route point before expiration of the predetermined time period.

13. The improvement of claim 11 wherein:

the first route point is devoid of a queue statement directing calls routed to the first route point away from the first route point before expiration of the predetermined time period, so that the ACD loses control for the predetermined time period over distributing of the calls that are routed to the first route point.

14. The improvement of claim 13 further comprising:

creating the second route point, the second route point having a queue statement directing calls routed to the second route point to the first route point before expiration of the predetermined time period.

15. The improvement of claim 11 for queuing telephone calls in a telephone call center operated by a plurality of agents, the call center having a database and the automatic call distributor (ACD) connected to a computer-telephony integration (CTI) link and connected to the plurality of call-receiving devices comprising a plurality of agent workstations for the plurality of agents, wherein each agent workstation comprises a telephone and a Softphone application that communicates with the ACD through the CTI link, further comprising:

providing a user interface in the Softphone application, the user interface being capable of receiving call queuing instructions from the plurality of agents; and

for each call queuing instruction received by the Softphone application for a call at an agent workstation to be queued;

receiving identification information from the agent workstation, including an identification for the call to be queued;

creating a call index number for the call to be queued;

tagging the call with the call index number;

sending an instruction through the CTI link to transfer the call from the telephone at the agent workstation to the first route point; and

storing call information in the database, including the identification information from the agent workstation and the call index number of the queued call.

16. The improvement of claim 15 wherein the predetermined time period comprises a default routing timeout of the ACD, further comprising:

creating the second route point in the call center, the second route point having an ability to retain a call transferred to it;

wherein

the ACD routing the calls from the first route point comprises

transferring the queued call from the first route point to the second route point at a time prior to the expiration of the default routing timeout for the queued call retained in the first route point.

17. The improvement of claim 16, further comprising:

transferring the queued call back from the second route point to the first route point at a time prior to the expiration of the default routing timeout for the queued.

18. The improvement of claim 16, wherein the second route point is created within the maintenance console of the ACD.

19. The improvement of claim 16, further comprising transferring the queued call back and forth between the first route point and the second route point at times prior to the expiration of the default routing timeout for the queued call until the queued call is returned to the telephone at the agent workstation.

20. The improvement of claim 15, further comprising setting a timer for a time less than the default routing timeout for the queued call retrieved in the first route point to initiate the transferring of the queued call.

21. The improvement of claim 15 for use with the ACD having a default number of unassigned calls, further comprising:

redirecting calls from the first route point to the second route point in an amount of time that increases a number of unassigned calls beyond the default number of unassigned calls for the ACD.

24. The improvement of claim 15 wherein the queued call resides in one of the first route point or the second route point, wherein:

thirdly directing comprises

receiving a queued call retrieval instruction from the user interface, the queued call retrieval instruction including identification information for a queued call;

retrieving information about the queued call from the database, including a present location for the queued call, wherein the present location is one of the first route point or the second route point, to formulate a call de-queue instruction; and

sending the call de-queue instruction through the CTI link to transfer the queued call from the present location to the telephone at the agent workstation for which the call was queued.

25. The improvement of claim 15 wherein the ACD is a Private Branch Exchange (PBX).

26. The improvement of claim 15 wherein instructions sent through the CTI link to the ACD are formatted for one of a Lucent®

Definity G3 ACD or a Northern Telecom Meridian ACD.

27. The improvement of claim 15 wherein instructions sent through the CTI link to the ACD are formatted for CTI Middleware.

28. The improvement of claim 15 wherein the CTI Middleware is one of IBM Callpath, Genesys T-Server, or Dialogic CT-Connect.

29. The improvement of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving an instruction to drop the queued call from the first route point; and

dropping the queued call from the first route point in response thereto by sending a queued call drop instruction through the CTI link to the first route point.

30. The improvement of claim 15 wherein the first route point is created within the maintenance console of the ACD.

31. The improvement of claim 15 wherein, if the identification information is insufficient to perform the call queuing instruction, then generating and sending an error message to the Softphone application.

32. The improvement of claim 15, further

comprising performing error diagnostics to determine that call queuing operations are performed within expected parameters.

33. The improvement of claim 15 wherein:

if a caller of the queued call disconnects from the queued call, then sending a disconnect message to the Softphone application and updating the call information in the database to reflect the queued call disconnect.

34. The improvement of claim 15, further comprising providing the Softphone application with a list of queued calls.

35. The improvement of claim 15, further comprising transferring the queued call out of the first route point if the queued call is retained in the first route point for a maximum call queuing time.

36. The improvement of claim 15 wherein the call index number is a unique call index number with respect to all queued calls in the database.

37. The improvement of claim 11 for providing multiple call queuing in the call center, further comprising:

receiving instructions to queue calls for the plurality of call receiving devices;

uniquely identifying each call to be queued; and

queuing each uniquely identified call by transferring the call to be queued from a call receiving device of the plurality of call receiving devices to the first route point.

38. The improvement of claim 37 wherein:

the ACD routing in response to the thirdly directing comprises

receiving a request for a uniquely identified queued call;

retrieving the uniquely identified queued call from the first route point; and

transferring the retrieved call to a call receiving device of the plurality of call receiving devices from which the retrieved call was queued.

39. The improvement of claim 38 wherein the queued call is selectively retrieved with respect to other calls in the first route point without regard for the order in which queued calls have been queued.

40. The improvement of claim 37 wherein the ACD has a default number of unassigned calls, further comprising redirecting calls from the first route point to the second route point in an amount of time that increases a number of unassigned calls beyond the default number of unassigned calls for the ACD.

41. The improvement of claim 37 wherein the queued call is selectively dropped from the first route point.

42. The improvement of claim 37, further comprising:

creating the second route point in the call center; and

the ACD routing the calls in response to the firstly directing comprises

transferring each queued call from the first route point to the second route point at a time prior to the expiration of a default routing timeout for each queued call retained in the first route point.

43. The improvement of claim 41, further comprising:

transferring the queued call back to the first route point from the second route point at a time prior to the expiration of the default routing timeout for each queued call retained in the second route point.

44. The improvement of claim 37, further comprising re-queuing each queued call back into the first route point from the first route point at a time prior to the expiration of the default routing timeout for each queued call.

45. The improvement of claim 37 wherein:

thirdly directing comprises

receiving a queued call retrieval instruction for a queued call that includes a specified call receiving device; and

retrieving information about the queued call and using the retrieved information to form a de-queue command; and

the ACD routing the call in response to the thirdly directing comprises

transferring the queued call from the first route point to the call receiving device specified in the queued call retrieval instruction using the de-queue command.

46. The method of claim 37 wherein the queued call may reside in the first route point or the second route point, wherein:

thirdly directing comprises

receiving a queued call retrieval instruction for a queued call that includes a specified call receiving device; and

receiving information about the queued call, including its location, and using the retrieved information to form a de-queue command; and

the ACD routing the call in response to the thirdly directing comprises

transferring the queued call from its indicated location in one of the first route point or the second route point to the call receiving device specified in the queued call retrieval instruction using the de-queue command.

47. The improvement of claim 37 wherein the call-receiving device is a telephone.

48. The improvement of claim 37 wherein the call-receiving device is a robotic call processing application.

49. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for directing a computer to perform the method of claim 11 for a telephone at an agent workstation in a call center further equipped with a computer-telephony integration (CTI) link, further comprising:

receiving identification information for a call to be queued from the telephone at the agent workstation;

creating a call index number for the call;

tagging the call with the call index number; and

sending an instruction having the call index number through the CTI link to transfer the call from the telephone to the first route point.

50. The computer-readable medium of claim 49 wherein the call center has a database that stores call information for queued calls, including the identification information for the call and the call index number for the call.

51. The computer-readable medium medium of claim 49 wherein the call center has a second route point, and further comprising:

transferring the queued call from the first route point to the second route point at a time prior to the expiration of a default timeout routing period for the queued call retained in the first route point.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 51, further comprising:

transferring the queued call back to the first route point from the second route point prior to the expiration of the default timeout routing period for the queued call in the second route point.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 49 wherein the ACD has a default number of unassigned calls, further comprising redirecting calls from the first route point to a second route point in an amount of time that increases a number of unassigned calls beyond the default number of unassigned calls for the ACD.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 49, further comprising:

re-queuing the queued call back to the first route point from the first route point at a time prior to the expiration of a default timeout routing period for the ACD.

55. The computer-readable medium of claim 50, further comprising:

receiving a queued call retrieval instruction for the queued call that includes a specified telephone;

retrieving information about the queued call from the database and using the retrieved information to form a de-queue command; and

transferring the queued call from the first route point to the specified telephone using the de-queue command.

56. The computer-readable medium of claim 50 wherein the queued call may reside in the first route point or a second route point, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a queued call retrieval instruction for a queued call that includes a specified telephone;

retrieving information about the queued call from the database, including a present location for the queued call, wherein the present location is one of the first route point or the second route point and using the retrieved information to form a de-queue command; and

transferring the queued call from the present location to the specified telephone using the de-queue command.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 49 wherein the ACD is a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) and wherein instructions sent through the CTI link are formatted for the PBX.

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 47, further comprising selectively retrieving the queued call and transferring the queued call to the telephone from which the call was queued.

59. The improvement of claim 11 for selectively parking calls and selectively retrieving calls in the call center, wherein:

the ACD routing the call in response to the secondly directing comprises

transferring a call from a call receiving device of the plurality of call receiving devices to the first route point using a Softphone application which is associated with said call receiving device of the plurality of call receiving devices; and

the improvement further comprising

retaining an index for the queued call; and

storing call queuing data in a database, wherein the call queuing data includes call identification information and the call index.

60. The improvement of claim 59 wherein the call center has the second route point;

and

the ACD routing the calls in response to the firstly directing comprises

transferring the queued call from the first route point to the second route point at a time prior to the expiration of a default timeout routing period for the queued call retained in the first route point.

61. The improvement of claim 60, further comprising:

transferring the call from the second route point back to the first route point at a time prior to the expiration of the default timeout routing period for the queued call retained in the second route point.

62. The improvement of claim 59, further comprising:

re-queuing the queued call back into the first route point from the first route point at a time prior to the expiration of a default timeout routing period for the ACD.

63. The improvement of claim 59 wherein the ACD has a default number of unassigned calls, wherein finally directing comprises redirecting calls from the first route point to the second route point in an amount of time that increases a number of unassigned calls beyond the default number of unassigned calls for the ACD.

64. The improvement of claim 59 wherein:

secondly directing comprises

receiving a queued call retrieval instruction for the queued call that includes a specified call receiving device; and

retrieving information about the queued call from the database and using the retrieved information to form a de-queue command; and

the ACD routing the call in response to the secondly directing comprises

transferring the queued call from the first route point to the specified call receiving device using the de-queue command.

65. The improvement of claim 59 wherein:

the queued call may reside in the first route point or in the second route point;

the secondly directing comprises

receiving a queued call retrieval instruction for the queued call that includes a specified call receiving device;

retrieving information about the queued call from the database, including a present location for the queued call, wherein the present location is one of the first route point or the second route point; and

using the retrieved information to form a de-queue command; and

the ACD routing the call in response to the secondly directing comprises

transferring the queued call from the present location to the specified call receiving device using the de-queue command.

66. The improvement of claim 59 wherein the ACD is a Private Branch Exchange (PBX).

67. The improvement of claim 59 wherein the call-receiving device is a telephone.

68. The improvement of claim 59 wherein the call-receiving device is a robotic call-processing application.

69. The improvement of claim 11 for providing multiple call queuing in the call center further having a plurality of route points that are associated with a plurality of robotic applications, wherein:

secondly directing comprises

receiving instructions to queue calls on the plurality of robotic applications; and

uniquely identifying each call to be queued; and

the ACD routing the call in response to the secondly directing comprises

queuing each uniquely identified call by transferring the call to be queued from a routing point of the plurality of routing points associated with the plurality of robotic applications to the first route point.

70. The improvement of claim 69 wherein:

thirdly directing comprises

receiving a request for a uniquely identified queued call; and

the ACD routing the call in response to the thirdly directing comprises

retrieving the uniquely identified queued call from the first route point; and

transferring the retrieved call to a destination as directed by the robotic application from which the retrieved call was queued.

71. The improvement of claim 69 wherein the queued call is selectively retrieved with respect to other calls in the first route point.

72. The improvement of claim 69 wherein the ACD has a default number of unassigned calls, and wherein firstly directing comprises redirecting calls from the first route point to the second route point in an amount of time that increases a number of unassigned calls beyond the default number of unassigned calls for the ACD.

73. The improvement of claim 69 wherein the queued call is dropped from the first route point.

74. The improvement of claim 69, further comprising:

creating the second route point in the call center; and

the ACD routing the calls in response to the firstly directing comprises

transferring each queued call from the first route point to the second route point at a time prior to the expiration of a default routing timeout for each queued call retained in the first route point.

75. The improvement of claim 74, further comprising:

transferring the queued call back to the first route point from the second route point at a time prior to the expiration of the default routing timeout for each queued call retained in the second route point.

76. The improvement of claim 69, further comprising

re-queuing the queued call back into the first route point from the first route point at a time prior to the expiration of the default routing timeout for each queued call.

77. The improvement of claim 69 wherein:

thirdly directing comprises

receiving a queued call retrieval instruction for a queued call; and

retrieving information about the queued call and using the retrieved information to form a de-queue command; and

the ACD routing the call in response to the thirdly directing comprises

transferring the queued call from the first route point to a destination as directed by the robotic application using the de-queue command.

78. The improvement of claim 69 wherein:

the queued call may reside in the first route point or in the second route point;

thirdly directing comprises

receiving a queued call retrieval instruction for a queued call; and

receiving information about the queued call, including its location, and using the retrieved information to form a de-queue command; and

the ACD routing the call in response to the thirdly directing comprises

transferring the queued call from one of the first route point or the second route point to a destination as directed by the robotic application from which the call was queued using the de-queue command.

79. A computer readable storage medium containing instructions to perform the steps of claim 15.

80. A computer readable storage medium containing instructions to perform the steps of claim 37.

81. A computer readable storage medium containing instructions to perform the steps of claim 59.

82. A computer readable storage medium containing instructions to perform the steps of claim 69.

111. The improvement of claim 37, wherein the ACD has a predefined set of call queuing commands, and wherein the Softphone application is operable to receive instructions for queuing calls which are not contained in the predefined set of call queuing commands.

112. The improvement of claim 37, wherein the ACD has a predefined set of call queuing commands, and wherein the Softphone application is operable to receive call queuing instructions which are not contained in the predefined set of call queuing commands.

83. In a call center having an automatic call distributor (ACD) for routing directed calls and a plurality of call-receiving devices, the improvement comprising:

a first route point in the call center that retains calls routed to the first route point for a predetermined time period, so that the ACD lacks an ability to distribute the calls for the predetermined time period;

a first control entity that, before expiration of the predetermined time period, directs calls that are routed to the first route point to one of (a) the first route point and (b) a second route point that directs calls that are routed to the second route point to the first route point; and

a second control entity that responds to a first request from a device of the call-receiving devices to which a call has been routed by directing the call from the call receiving device to the first route point to cause the ACD to route the call to the first route point, and that responds to a second request from a device of the call-receiving devices by directing the call from the first route point to a device of the call receiving devices to cause the ACD to route the call to the device to which the call is directed.

84. The improvement of claim 83 further comprising:

the second route point;

wherein

the first control entity responds to an individual call being routed to the first route point by substantially immediately directing the individual call to the second route point; and

the second route point directs the individual call that has been routed to the second route point back to the first route point before expiration of the predetermined time period.

85. The improvement of claim 83 wherein:

the first route point is devoid of a queue statement that would direct calls routed to the first route point away from the first route point before expiration of the predetermined time period, so that the ACD loses control for the predetermined time period over distributing of the calls that are routed to the first route point.

86. The improvement of claim 85 wherein:

the second route point has a queue statement directing calls routed to the second route point to the first route point before expiration of the predetermined time period.

87. The improvement of claim 83 for queuing telephone calls in a call center having a plurality of telephones, the automatic call distributor (ACD) connected to the plurality of telephones, and a computer-telephone integration (CTI) link that transfers communications between the ACD and external computing applications, further comprising:

a Softphone application that receives instructions for queuing calls for the plurality of telephones;

a multiple call handling (MCH) application that functions as one of the external computer applications and that receives call queuing commands from the Softphone application and sends instructions to the ACD, using the CTI link, to queue calls by transferring a call from a telephone of the plurality of telephones to the first new route point; and

a database that receives call queuing data for queued calls from the MCH application.

88. The improvement of claim 87 wherein the Softphone application receives instructions for de-queuing calls and the MCH application retrieves call queuing data from the database to formulate an instruction the ACD, using the CTI link, that de-queues a queued call by redirecting the queued call from the first route point back to the telephone of the plurality of telephones from which the queued call was received.

89. The improvement of claim 87 wherein the call center has the second route point, and wherein the first control entity comprises the MCH application which uses the CTI link to command the first route point to redirect the queued call from the first route point to the second route point before the ACD default routing timeout period for unassigned calls expires for the queued call.

90. The improvement of claim 89 wherein the second route point causes the ACD to transfer a queued call from the second route point to the first route point before the ACD default routing timeout period for unassigned calls expires for the queued call.

91. The improvement of claim 87 wherein the first control entity comprises the MCH application which redirects calls from the first route point to the second route point in an amount of time that increases a number of unassigned calls beyond a default number of unassigned calls for the ACD.

92. The improvement of claim 87 wherein the call center has the second route point, and wherein the first control entity comprises the MCH application which transfers queued calls back and forth between the first route point and the second route point at times prior to the expiration of an ACD default routing timeout period for each queued call.

93. The improvement of claim 87 wherein the ACD is a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) and wherein the MCH application sends instructions through the CTI link in a format suitable for the PBX.

94. The improvement of claim 87 wherein

instructions sent from the MCH application through the CTI link are formatted for one of a Lucent®

Definity G3 ACD, or a Northern Telecom Meridian ACD.

95. The improvement of claim 87 herein the instructions sent from the MCH application through the CTI link are formatted for CTI Middleware.

96. The improvement of claim 87 wherein the MCH application retrieves queued calls selectively, regardless of their order in the first route point.

97. The improvement of claim 87 wherein the MCH application performs a selective call drop function that transfers a queued call from the first route point to a call center route point controlled by the ACD.

98. The improvement of claim 87 wherein a call-receiving device comprises:

call center agent workstation having a multiple call handling feature;

a plain old telephone set (POTS); and

a Softphone application that receives call queuing instructions for calls on the POTS and uses the call queuing instructions to send call queuing commands to the ACD to queue calls on the POTS.

99. The improvement of claim 98 wherein the Softphone application receives call pickup instructions for calls queued from the POTS and sends call pickup commands to the ACD to transfer queued calls back to the POTS.

100. The improvement of claim 98 wherein the call queuing commands include a call identifier for a call to be queued and agent workstation identification data.

101. The improvement of claim 99 wherein the call pickup commands include a call identifier for a call to be retrieved and agent workstation identification data for the agent workstation associated with the POTS.

102. The improvement of claim 98 wherein the second control entity comprises a multiple call handling (MCH) application and a computer-telephony integration (CTI) link, and wherein the call queuing commands from the Softphone application are received by the MCH application which formats the call queuing commands into a format suitable for transmission over the CTI link to the ACD.

103. The improvement of claim 102 wherein the second control entity further comprises a database that retains queued call data for the queued calls and provides the queued call data to the MCH application.

104. The improvement of claim 103 wherein the MCH application uses queued call data to locate a queued call and transfer the queued call to the POTS in response to a retrieve call request from the Softphone application.

105. The improvement of claim 104 wherein the Softphone application commands retrieval of queued calls selectively, regardless of the order in which queued calls have been queued.

106. The improvement of claim 83 for multiple call handling in a the call center further having a computer-telephony integration (CTI) link attached to the ACD, and the plurality of call-receiving devices connected to the ACD, wherein:

the second call-control entity comprises

a multiple call handling (MCH) application that receives queued call requests, creates a call index for each call to be queued, and causes transfer of each call to be queued from one of the call receiving devices of the plurality of call receiving devices to the first route point by sending a command over the CTI link to the ACD, wherein the command includes the call index; and

a database that stores call queuing data for the multiple call handling application, wherein the call queuing data includes the call index.

107. The improvement of claim 106 wherein the plurality of call handling devices comprise a plurality of telephones, and further comprising a Softphone application that receives call queuing requests for queuing calls on the plurality of telephones and sends the queued call requests to the MCH application.

108. The improvement of claim 106 wherein the call center has the second route point, and wherein the MCH application causes the queued call to be transferred from the first route point to the second route point at a time prior to the expiration of a default timeout routing period for the ACD for the queued call retained in the first route point.

109. The improvement of claim 108 wherein the MCH application receives status information that the queued call has been transferred from the second new route point back to the first new route point and stores the status information in the database.

110. The improvement of claim 106 wherein the plurality of call-handling devices are robotic call-processing applications.