Systems and methods for routing communications to agents based on attributes

Abstract

In one embodiment, agents are each assigned a plurality of attributes based on their skills. Each attribute may be associated with a skill such as accounting, technical support, language, etc. In addition, some attributes may have an associated score or proficiency level that describes how proficient the agent is with respect to the attribute. Administrators may then create rules to route communications to agents based on the associated attributes and a customer category that is assigned to the communications.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a communication by a computing device from a customer;   determining a rule associated with the customer by the computing device;   for each agent of a plurality of agents, determining a plurality of attributes associated with the agent by the computing device;   based on the determined rule and the plurality of attributes determined for each agent, selecting an agent of the plurality of agents by the computing device; and   routing the received communication to the selected agent by the computing device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each attribute comprises a proficiency level. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the rule comprises a plurality of attributes. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising calculating at least one performance metric for each agent of the plurality of agents, and
 based on the determined rule, the plurality of attributes determined for each agent, and the calculated at least one performance metric, selecting an agent of the plurality of agents.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein based on the determined rule, the plurality of attributes determined for each agent, and the calculated at least one performance metric, selecting an agent of the plurality of agents comprises:
 determining agents of the plurality of agents whose attributes satisfy the determined rule; and   selecting an agent of the determined agents having a highest performance metric.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one performance record comprises one of an average handling time or a customer satisfaction score. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein calculating at least one performance metric for each agent of the plurality of agents comprises, for each agent of the plurality of agents:
 determining communication history data associated with the agent; and   calculating the at least one performance metric from the communication history data.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the plurality of attributes associated with the agent by the computing device comprises dynamically calculating at least one attribute of the plurality of attributes associated with the agent. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of attributes comprises language attributes, skill attributes, age attributes, geographical attributes, and premium service attributes. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining a customer category for the customer, and wherein determining the rule associated with the customer comprises determining the rule associated with the customer category. 
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 at least one processor; and   a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:   receive a communication from a customer;   determine a rule associated with the customer;   for each agent of a plurality of agents, determine a plurality of attributes associated with the agent;   based on the determined rule and the plurality of attributes determined for each agent, select an agent of the plurality of agents; and   route the received communication to the selected agent.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein each attribute comprises a proficiency level. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the rule comprises a plurality of attributes. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising calculating at least one performance metric for each agent of the plurality of agents, and
 based on the determined rule, the plurality of attributes determined for each agent, and the calculated at least one performance metric, selecting an agent of the plurality of agents.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein based on the determined rule, the plurality of attributes determined for each agent, and the calculated at least one performance metric, selecting an agent of the plurality of agents comprises:
 determining agents of the plurality of agents whose attributes satisfy the determined rule; and   selecting an agent of the determined agents having a highest performance metric.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one performance record comprises one of an average handling time or a customer satisfaction score. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein calculating at least one performance metric for each agent of the plurality of agents comprises, for each agent of the plurality of agents:
 determining communication history data associated with the agent; and   calculating the at least one performance metric from the communication history data.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein determining the plurality of attributes associated with the agent by the computing device comprises dynamically calculating at least one attribute of the plurality of attributes associated with the agent. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of attributes comprises language attributes, skill attributes, age attributes, geographical attributes, and premium service attributes. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computer system to:
 at least one processor; and   a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:   receive a communication from a customer;   determine a rule associated with the customer;   for each agent of a plurality of agents, determine a plurality of attributes associated with the agent;   based on the determined rule and the plurality of attributes determined for each agent, select an agent of the plurality of agents; and   route the received communication to the selected agent.