Telephonic communications – Centralized switching system – Call distribution to operator
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-12
2001-02-20
Weaver, Scott L. (Department: 2748)
Telephonic communications
Centralized switching system
Call distribution to operator
C379S266070, C379S309000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06192122
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to automatic call distribution (ACD) systems, also variously referred to as call centers or telemarketing systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
ACD systems distribute calls—whether inbound or outbound—for handling to any suitable ones of available call-handling agents according to some predefined criteria. In many existing systems, such as the Lucent Technologies Definity® ACD system, the criteria for handling the call from the moment that the ACD system becomes aware of the call until the call is connected to an agent are customer specifiable (i.e., programmable by the operator of the ACD system) via a capability called call vectoring. Normally in present-day ACD systems, when the ACD system's controller detects that an agent has become available to handle a call, the controller identifies all predefined call-handling skills of the agent (usually in some order of priority) and delivers to the agent the highest-priority oldest-waiting call that matches the agent's highest-priority skill. Generally the only condition that results in a call not being delivered to an available agent is that there are no calls matching any of the agent skills waiting to be handled.
When a plurality of agents are available to handle a call, any one of a number of agent-selection algorithms are presently employed to select one of the available agents. “Uniform call distribution”, “most idle agent”, and “least occupied agent” algorithms seek to optimize agent fairness. And an “expert agent distribution” algorithm seeks to optimize quality of service. None of these algorithms, however, attempt to select an available agent in such a way that maximizes probability that a next (future) call will also find a suitable agent already available and not have to wait for one to become available.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to solving this and other problems and disadvantages of the prior art. According to the invention, selection of a handler (e.g., a call center agent) having a skill to handle a communication (e.g., a call center call) needing the skill is effected as follows. A determination is made of which ones of a plurality of handlers both have at least the skill that's needed by the communication and are available (e.g., idle) to handle the communication. All skills that the determined handlers have are then determined. For each determined skill, it is determined whether only one available handler has that skill. Finally, a determined handler who is the only available handler for fewest—preferably none—of the determined skills is selected to handle the communication.
While a method according to the invention comprises the steps of the just-characterized procedure, an apparatus according to the invention effects the method steps. The apparatus preferably includes an effector—any entity that effects the corresponding step, unlike a means—for each step. Further, there is preferably provided a computer-readable medium containing software which, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method steps.
The selection procedure characterized above minimizes the number of skills that will be left without an available handler with that skill to handle subsequent communications. It thus tends to maximize the probability that a next communication will also have a suitable handler already available and not have to wait for one to become available, thereby tending to optimize wait times of communications for handlers.
These and other advantages and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention considered with the drawing.
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Definity® Communications System Generic 3; Call Vectoring/Expert Agent Selection(EAS)Guide, 555-230-520, Issue 3, Nov. 1993, 1-1-8-24.
Flockhart Andrew D.
Foster Robin Harris
Jensen Roy A.
Kohler Joylee E.
Mathews Eugene P.
Avaya Technology Corp.
Foster Roland G.
Volejnicek David
Weaver Scott L.
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