Customer support using managed real-time communities
A method and apparatus are described for routing a call received by an organization. The method includes the steps of determining a subject matter of the received call, routing the call to an agent of the organization when a agent of the organization is available to handle the subject matter of the call and routing the call to a client of the organization when an agent of the organization is not available.
1. A method of routing a call from a client of a plurality of clients of an organization to connect with one of a plurality of agents of the organization wherein the clients are not agents, employees, or affiliates of the organization comprising:
determining a subject matter of the call;
routing the call to an agent of the plurality of agents of the organization when a agent of the organization is available to handle the subject matter of the call;
qualifying another client of the plurality of clients as a qualified client qualified to handle the call based upon the subject matter of the call and a skill level of the qualified client; and
automatically assigning and transferring the call to the qualified client of the plurality of clients when an agent of the organization is not available.
2. The method of routing calls as in claim 1 further comprising determining whether a qualified agent is available and asking the client for permission to transfer the call to the qualified client before routing the call to the qualified client.
3. The method of routing calls as in claim 2 wherein the step of determining whether a qualified agent is available further comprises comparing a time in queue with a threshold value, and further comprises sending a message to the qualified client to inquire if the qualified client is willing to take the call.
4. The method of routing calls as in claim 1 further comprising managing the plurality of clients including creating a record of each call involving transfer to another of the plurality of clients.
5. The method of routing calls as in claim 1 wherein the step of qualifying the client further comprises searching an ordered employee skills list of each of a managed group of qualified expert clients selected from the plurality of clients based upon the determined subject matter of the call.
6. The method of routing calls as in claim 5 wherein the step of searching the employee skills list further comprises selecting an employee of the client to receive the call by matching a set of skills of the employee with the subject matter of the call.
7. The method of routing calls as in claim 6 further comprising determining a location of the selected employee.
8. The method of routing calls as in claim 7 wherein the step of determining a location of the employee further comprises detecting at least one of an Internet presence of the selected employee and a telephone presence of the selected employee.
9. The method of routing calls as in claim 6 wherein the step of qualifying another client further comprises comparing the qualified client with a client availability list to determine availability.
10. The method of routing calls as in claim 7 wherein the step of detecting a telephone presence of the selected employee further comprises sending a text message to a telephone of the employee notifying the employee of the call.
11. The method of routing calls as in claim 7 further comprising routing the call to the detected location of the selected employee.
12. An apparatus for routing a call from a client of a plurality of clients of an organization to connect with one of a plurality of agents of the organization wherein the clients are not agents, employees, or affiliates of the organization comprising:
means for determining a subject matter of the call;
means for routing the call to an agent of the plurality of agents of the organization when a agent of the organization is available to handle the subject matter of the call;
means for qualifying another client of the plurality of clients as a qualified client qualified to handle the call based upon the subject matter of the call and a skill level of the qualified client; and
means for assigning and routing the call to the qualified client of the plurality of clients of the organization when a qualified agent of the organization is not available.
13. The apparatus for routing calls as in claim 12 further comprising means for determining whether a qualified agent is available and asking the client for permission to transfer the call to the qualified client before routing the call to the qualified client.
14. The apparatus for routing calls as in claim 12 wherein the means for determining that a qualified agent is not available further comprises means for comparing a time in queue with a threshold value.
15. The apparatus for routing calls as in claim 12 wherein the means for routing the call to the qualified client further comprises means for creating a record of each call involving routing to another client.
16. The apparatus for routing calls as in claim 12 wherein the means for qualifying another client further comprises means for searching an employee skills list of each of the plurality of clients based upon the determined subject matter of the call.
17. The apparatus for routing calls as in claim 16 wherein the means for searching the employee skills list further comprises means for selecting an employee of the client to receive the call by matching a set of skills of the employee with the subject matter of the call.
18. The apparatus for routing calls as in claim 17 further comprising means for determining a location of the selected employee.
19. The apparatus for routing calls as in claim 18 wherein the means for determining a location of the employee further comprises means for detecting an Internet presence of the selected employee.
20. The apparatus for routing calls as in claim 18 wherein the means for determining a location of the employee further comprises means for detecting a telephone presence of the selected employee.
21. The apparatus for routing calls as in claim 18 wherein the means for detecting a telephone presence of the selected employee further comprises means for sending a text message to a telephone of the employee notifying the employee of the call.
22. The apparatus for routing calls as in claim 18 further comprising means for routing the call to the detected location of the selected employee.
23. An apparatus for routing a call from a client of a plurality of clients of an organization to connect with one of a plurality of agents of the organization wherein the clients are not agents, employees, or affiliates of the organization comprising:
a call processor that determines a subject matter of the call;
a call assignment processor that routes the call to an agent of the organization when a qualified agent of the organization is available to handle the call, that qualifies another client of the plurality of clients as a qualified client qualified to handle the call based upon the subject matter of the call and a skill level of the qualified client, and that assigns and transfers the call to the qualified client of the plurality of clients of the organization when a qualified agent of the organization is not available.
24. The apparatus for routing calls as in claim 23 further comprising a timing processor that determines that an agent is not available when a time value exceeds a threshold value.
25. The apparatus for routing calls as in claim 23 further comprising a client skills list that identifies clients qualified to service the call from the plurality of clients of the organization.
26. The apparatus for routing calls as in claim 25 further comprising a matching processor that searches an employee skills list of at least some of the plurality of clients based upon the determined subject matter of the call, and selects a selected employee as the qualified client.
27. The apparatus for routing calls as in claim 26 further comprising a client availability list that determines a location of the selected employee.
28. The apparatus for routing calls as in claim 27 further comprising a text message that is sent to a telephone of the selected employee notifying the selected employee of the call.