Method, medium, and system for providing leads to an agent in exchange for credits
View Patent ↗A system, method, and computer readable medium for authorization of independent agents for processing calls and distribution of calls to authorized agents are provided. An independent agent may purchase or otherwise acquire credits for leads related to commerce transactions. The credits may be maintained by a call center and accessed by a device responsible for routing calls to agents. Calls or other transactions leads may then be directed to the independent agent, and the independent agents credits may be deducted accordingly.
1. A method for providing commerce leads to an agent, comprising:
during a connection between a consumer and a virtual automatic call distributor:
identifying an independent agent that is available for processing a purchase transaction for an item,
determining the independent agent is authorized to process the transaction, and
in response to determining the independent agent is authorized, evaluating, by the virtual automatic call distributor, a credit balance associated with the independent agent and determining that the independent agent has a sufficient credit balance for processing the transaction;
routing the connection to the independent agent in response to determining that the independent agent has a sufficient credit balance; and
determining that the independent agent successfully processed the transaction and in response deducting an amount from the credit balance of the independent agent.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying an independent agent further comprises determining the independent agent is connected with a telemarketing hub having the virtual automatic call distributor.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising connecting the independent agent with a consumer associated with the transaction.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the consumer is connected with the virtual automatic call distributor, and wherein connecting the independent agent with the consumer further comprises terminating a call originated by the consumer with a telephony device operated by the independent agent.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising purchasing, by the independent agent, an amount of credits allocated to the credit balance.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a notification to the independent agent informing the independent agent of a time period when transactions may be processed by the independent agent at a reduced credit deduction amount.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a notification to the independent agent that indicates a time period is understaffed and for which transactions are available to be processed.
8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for execution by a processing system, the computer-executable instructions for providing commerce leads to an agent, the computer-readable
medium comprising computer-executable instructions for:
during a connection between a consumer and a virtual automatic call distributor:
identifying an independent agent that is available for processing a purchase transaction for an item,
determining the independent agent is authorized to process the transaction, and
in response to determining the independent agent is authorized, evaluating a credit balance associated with the independent agent and determining that the independent agent has a sufficient credit balance for processing the transaction;
routing the connection to the independent agent in response to determining that the independent agent has a sufficient credit balance; and
determining that the independent agent successfully processed the transaction and in response deducting an amount from the credit balance of the independent agent.
9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions for identifying an independent agent further comprise instructions for determining the independent agent is connected with a telemarketing hub having the virtual automatic call distributor.
10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprising instructions for connecting the independent agent with a consumer associated with the transaction.
11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the consumer is connected with the virtual automatic call distributor, and wherein the instructions for connecting the independent agent with the consumer further comprise instructions for terminating a call originated by the consumer with a telephony device operated by the independent agent.
12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , further comprising instructions for purchasing, by the independent agent, an amount of credits allocated to the credit balance.
13. A system for providing commerce leads to an agent, comprising:
a call center front office including a virtual automatic call distributor adapted to forward calls to an agent selected from a plurality of agents;
a telemarketing agent station communicatively coupled with the call center;
an interface to a carrier network configured for receiving a call from a consumer for a purchase transaction of an item;
a management server configured to maintain a management database having a record allocated for an independent agent;
wherein the virtual automatic call distributor is configured to both maintain a connection with a consumer and during the connection:
determine that the independent agent is available for processing the call,
determine that the independent agent is authorized to process the transaction,
in response to determining the independent agent is authorized, evaluate a credit balance in the record and determining that the independent agent has a sufficient credit balance for processing the call, and
in response to determining the independent agent has a sufficient credit balance, route the connection to the independent agent;
wherein the management server is configured to determine that the independent agent successfully processed the transaction and in response deduct an amount from the credit balance of the independent agent.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the virtual automatic call distributor determines the independent agent is available by determining the independent agent has connected with the call center front office.
15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the virtual automatic call distributor terminates the call with the independent agent.