System and method for case-based routing for a contact

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9781270-B2
Application number	US-201414450190-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2014
Priority date	Aug 1, 2014
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A system and method for case-based routing as opposed to atomic interaction routing. A processor opens a case in a customer database. The case is associated with a workflow that has steps anticipated to be executed for the case. The processor identifies first and second steps of the workflow, and further identifies an agent with skills for handling the first and second steps. The processor generates a task for handling at least the first step of the workflow, and transmits instructions to route the task to the identified agent.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for routing one or more tasks associated with a case, the system comprising:
processor;
memory, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
open a case in a customer database, wherein the case is associated with a workflow having steps anticipated to be executed for the case;
identify first and second steps of the workflow, where the second step is anticipated to be executed subsequent to the first step in the workflow;
identify a first agent based on both a skill level of the first agent for handling the first step and a skill level of the first agent for handling the second step;
generate a first task for handling at least the first step of the workflow;
transmit instructions to route the task to the first agent;
generate a second task for handling the second step of the workflow; and
when the first task is completed, transmit instructions to route the second task to the first agent.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the case is a record including a history of interactions occurring in the case.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the case is associated with a case ID, and the instructions to route the task include the case ID.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
retrieve a history of interactions associated with the case based on the case ID; and
display, by the processor, the history of interactions on an agent device for the first agent.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
monitor for a trigger event, wherein the generating of the first task is based on detecting occurrence of the trigger event.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the trigger event is lapse of a set time period between two workflow steps.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the trigger event is a preset date.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
retrieve identification of a first customer segment to which a customer associated with the case belongs, wherein the first customer segment is associated with a first objective of a contact center;
predict an outcome of handling the task by the first agent according to the first customer segment;
identify a second customer segment based on the predicted outcome;
re-associate the customer to the second customer segment, wherein the second customer segment is associated with a second objective of the contact center different from the first objective; and
handle the task according to the second objective instead of the first objective.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
identify first and second objectives of a contact center, wherein the first objective is identified as more important to the contact center than the second objective;
determine that the first agent has skills for achieving the first objective;
determine a likelihood of success of the first agent in achieving the first objective;
identify a second agent for handling the second objective, wherein the second agent also has skills for handling the first and second steps;
determine a likelihood of success of the second agent in achieving the second objective, wherein the likelihood of success in achieving the second objective by the second agent is higher than the likelihood of success of achieving the first objective by the first agent;
transmit instructions to route the task to the second agent; and
prompt the second agent to pursue the second objective.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer code configured to a cause a processor to operate to automatically route one or more tasks associated with a case, the computer code including instructions that configure the processor to:
open a case in a customer database, wherein the case is associated with a workflow having steps anticipated to be executed for the case;
identify first and second steps of the workflow, where the second step is anticipated to be executed subsequent to the first step in the workflow;
identify a first agent based on both a skill level of the first agent for handling the first step and a skill level of the first agent for handling the second step;
generate a first task for handling at least the first step of the workflow;
transmit instructions to route the task to the first agent;
generate a second task for handling the second step of the workflow; and
when the first task is completed, transmit instructions to route the second task to the first agent.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the case is a record including a history of interactions occurring in the case.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the case is associated with a case ID, and the instructions to route the task include the case ID.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
retrieve a history of interactions associated with the case based on the case ID; and
display, by the processor, the history of interactions on an agent device for the first agent.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
monitor for a trigger event, wherein the generating of the first task is based on detecting occurrence of the trigger event.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the trigger event is lapse of a set time period between two workflow steps.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the trigger event is a preset date.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
retrieve identification of a first customer segment to which a customer associated with the case belongs, wherein the first customer segment is associated with a first objective of a contact center;
predict an outcome of handling the task by the first agent according to the first customer segment;
identify a second customer segment based on the predicted outcome;
re-associate the customer to the second customer segment, wherein the second customer segment is associated with a second objective of the contact center different from the first objective; and
handle the task according to the second objective instead of the first objective.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
identify first and second objectives of a contact center, wherein the first objective is identified as more important to the contact center than the second objective;
determine that the first agent has skills for achieving the first objective;
determine a likelihood of success of the first agent in achieving the first objective;
identify a second agent for handling the second objective, wherein the second agent also has skills for handling the first and second steps;
determine a likelihood of success of the second agent in achieving the second objective, wherein the likelihood of success in achieving the second objective by the second agent is higher than the likelihood of success of achieving the first objective by the first agent;
transmit instructions to route the task to the second agent; and
prompt the second agent to pursue the second objective.

19. A system for executing multiple steps associated with a work

Assignees

• Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Inc

Inventors

• Hollenberg Todd
• Krug Bradley
• Ristock Herbert Willi Artur
• Toerck Charlotte
• Korolev Nikolay
• Anderson David H

Classifications

• H04M3/5233 Primary

  Operator skill based call distribution · CPC title

• H04M2203/402

  Agent or workforce management · CPC title

• H04M3/5166

  in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends · CPC title