System and method for presenting queue lengths of various media used by service centers
View Patent ↗There is provided, in a first form, a system and method for the holistic presentation of multiple media queue depths, which allows the customer to decide what media channel they want to use to make a call based on resource availability across multiple media. Further, this embodiment allows the call center to “cost” media channel services based on their business rules, salaries, calculated return on relationship, cost of different services, etc.
1. A communications system comprising:
a communication module adapted to receive service requests from a plurality of communication terminals, wherein the communication module is also adapted for sending available queue results to a communication terminal of the plurality of communication terminals,
a queuing module in communication with the communication module, wherein the queuing module is configured for communicating with a plurality of service providers and is adapted to receive respective status information from each of the plurality of service providers; and
a queuing results module in communication with the queuing module, wherein the queuing results module contains instructions for determining a queue result from each respective status information, wherein the queuing module further contains instructions for managing a queue of service requests for each service provider in the plurality of service providers;
wherein the queuing results module further comprises a queuing attribute module in communication with the queuing module for determining queue attributes of each service provider in communication with the queuing module, a queuing factor module in communication with the queuing results module for quantifying business relationships, and a customer relationship database for storing historic data regarding business relationships.
2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a connecting module for connecting the service request to one of the plurality of service providers.
3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a user interface module for receiving a service provider preference for use with the queuing module.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each service provider is selected from a group consisting of a web server, an e-mail server, a chat server, a voice over IP server, a telephone automatic call distributor, and a call back server.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the queuing factor module further comprises instructions for determining a queuing factor.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the queuing factor module further comprises:
a costing module in communication with the queuing module, wherein the costing module contains instructions for quantifying business relationships; and
a customer relationship database coupled to the costing module for storing historic data regarding the business relationships.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communications module further comprises a call identification module adapted for determining call information data.
8. The system of claim 7 further comprising a customer information module in communication with the caller identification module, wherein the customer information module is adapted for determining an identification of a caller associated with the call identification data.
9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a tracking number module in communication with the communication module, wherein the tracking number module is adapted to assign tracking numbers to the service requests.
10. A communications system comprising:
a communication means for receiving service requests from a plurality of communication terminals, wherein the communication means is also adapted for sending available queue results to a communication terminal of the plurality of communication terminals wherein the communications means further comprises a means for determining call information data such that an identity of a caller can be determined;
a queuing means in communication with the communication means, wherein the queuing means is configured for communicating with a plurality of service providers and is adapted to receive respective status information from each of the plurality of service providers and for tracking the resources of a plurality of service providers; and
a queuing results means in communication with the queuing results means for determining queue results, wherein the queuing results means comprises a queuing attribute means for determining the queue attributes of each service provider, and a queuing factor means for quantifying business relationships, and a customer relationship database for storing historic data regarding business relationships; and
wherein the queuing results means contains instructions for determining a queue result from each respective status information, wherein the queuing module further contains instructions for managing a queue of service requests for each service provider in the plurality of service providers.
11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a means for managing a plurality of queues for the plurality of service providers.
12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a means for tracking customer information.
13. The system of claim 10 wherein the queuing factor means further comprises instructions for determining a queuing factor.
14. The system of claim 10 wherein the queuing factor means further comprises:
a costing means in communication with the queuing means, wherein the costing means comprises instructions for quantifying business relationships; and
a customer relationship database coupled to the costing means for storing historic data regarding the business relationships.
15. The system of claim 10 further comprising a tracking number means in communication with the communication means, wherein the tracking number means is adapted to assign tracking numbers to the service requests.
16. A method of managing service requests in a communications network, the method comprising:
responsive to receipt of service requests from a plurality of communication terminals, sending available queue results to a communication terminal of the plurality of communication terminals;
determining call information data such that an identity of a caller can be determined;
communicating with a plurality of service providers to receive respective status information from each of the plurality of service providers and to track the resources of a plurality of service providers; and
determining queue results, wherein the determining queuing results comprises determining the queue attributes of each service provider, quantifying business relationships, and storing historic data regarding business relationships; and
determining a queue result from each respective status information and managing a queue of service requests for each service provider in the plurality of service providers.
17. The method of claim 16 further comprising managing a plurality of queues for the plurality of service providers.
18. The method of claim 16 further comprising tracking customer information.