System and Method for Improving Call Center Communications

Abstract

Methods and systems route requests for service in a call center. A non-transitory computer-readable medium stores data representative of a queue of customers waiting to be serviced. A processor queues a request for service initiated by a customer. Data output is sent to the customer to ascertain the customer's cause for the request via a data communication channel. Data input is received from the customer via the data communication channel. The data input indicates the customer's cause for the request. An agent is identified from a plurality of agents suitable to address the customer's cause for the request. The customer's position is adjusted in the queue based on the identified agent. A routing instruction is determined about routing the request to the identified agent.

1 . A system for routing a request for service in a call center comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing data representative of a queue of customers waiting to be serviced; and   a processor configured to:
 queue the request for service initiated by a customer; 
 send data output to the customer to ascertain the customer's cause for the request via a data communication channel; 
 receive data input indicative of the customer's cause for the request; 
 identify an agent from a plurality of agents suitable to address the caller's cause for the request; 
 adjust the customer's position in the queue based on the identified agent; and 
 determine a routing instruction about routing the customer's request to the identified agent. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the customer initiates the request for service in the form of a call via a voice communication channel generated from the customer's mobile device. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the customer initiates the request for service in the form of a text message from the customer's mobile device. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the customer initiates the request for service from a website. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the customer initiates the request for service from an in-vehicle system of an automobile. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the customer initiates the request for service from a voice interactive device. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor sends the data output to the customer's mobile device via the data communication channel, and receives the data input from the customer's mobile device via the data communication channel. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to simultaneously connect with the mobile device via the voice communication channel and the data communication channel. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a switch coupled to the processor, the switch configured to receive the request via the voice communication channel and route the request to the identified agent based on the routing instruction.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to communicate with the customer via interactive voice response. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data output includes at least one of the customer's position in the queue and the customer's wait time. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to send data representative of an URL address to the mobile device, and the URL address identifies a web page containing information to ascertain the customer's cause for the request. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to send an instruction to the mobile device to open the URL address in a web browser of the mobile device. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the voice communication channel transmits voice over a public-switched telephone network. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data communication channel transmits data over a packed switched network. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to authenticate the customer via the voice communication channel. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to calculate the customer's wait time in the queue based on the adjusted customer's position in the queue. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to send data representative of a plurality of questions to the mobile device, receive data input from the mobile device via the data communication channel in response to at least one question, and adjust the customer's position in the queue based on the data input. 
     
     
         19 . A method for routing a request for service in a call center, comprising:
 storing, by a non-transitory computer-readable medium, data representative of a queue of customers waiting to be serviced;   queuing, by a processor, the request for service initiated by a customer;   sending, by the processor, data output to the customer to ascertain the customer's cause for the request via a data communication channel;   receiving, by the processor, data input indicative of the customer's cause for the request;   identifying, by the processor, an agent from a plurality of agents suitable to address the customer's cause for the request;   adjusting, by the processor, the customer's position in the queue based on the identified agent; and   determining, by the processor, a routing instruction about routing the customer's request to the identified agent.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the customer initiates the request for service in the form of a call via a voice communication channel generated from the customer's mobile device. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the customer initiates the request for service by one or more of the following: a text message from the customer's mobile device, a website, and a voice interactive device. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising simultaneously maintaining connections with the mobile device via the voice communication channel and the data communication channel. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 receiving the request by a switch via the voice communication channel; and   routing the request to the identified agent based on the routing instruction.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the processor sends the data output to the customer's mobile device via the data communication channel, and receives the data input from the customer's mobile device via the data communication channel. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising sending, by the processor, data representative of an URL address to the mobile device, wherein the URL address identifies a web page containing information to ascertain the customer's cause for the request. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising sending, by the processor, an instruction to the mobile device to open the URL address in a web browser of the mobile device. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising calculating, by the processor, the customer's wait time in the queue based on the adjusted customer's position in the queue. 
     
     
         28 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising computer-executable instructions, for causing one or more processors to execute the computer-executable instructions to:
 queue a request for service initiated by a customer;   send data output to the customer to ascertain the customer's cause for the request via a data communication channel;   receive data input via the data communication channel, the data input indicative of the customer's cause for the request;   identify an agent from a plurality of agents suitable to address the customer's cause for the request;   adjust the customer's position in the queue based on the identified agent; and   determine a routing instruction about routing the customer's request to the identified agent.