Method for automated handling of outbound contacts requiring assured connection to a live agent
View Patent ↗A system for assuring agent connection for outbound calls placed in an automated outbound calling campaign includes an outbound dialing server, a digital data repository coupled to the outbound dialing server, the data repository storing outbound dialing records for automated outbound dialing, and software executing on the outbound dialing server from a non-transitory physical medium, the software providing a first function for determining for a specific outbound dialing record if the connection to a live agent must be an assured connection, a second function for dialing and engaging an agent via an internal call for reservation of the agent, and a third function for bridging the call connections forged between the system and the agent and the system and the outbound party upon answer of the outbound call.
1. A system for routing an outbound communication comprising:
a repository configured to store a plurality of outbound numbers and associated flags;
a processor;
a memory, wherein the memory has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
detect whether the outbound communication to a customer requires live assistance by searching the repository and detecting whether a flag is associated with one of the plurality of outbound numbers associated with the outbound communication;
in response to not detecting the flag, dial the one of the plurality of outbound numbers associated with the outbound communication without first reserving an agent;
in response to detecting the flag, identify an available agent to handle the outbound communication;
reserve the available agent for handling the outbound communication;
dial the one of the plurality of outbound number associated with the outbound communication; and
in response to the customer answering the outbound communication, establish a communication session between the available agent and the customer.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein, in response to not detecting the flag, the program instructions cause the processor to place the customer in a queue in response to the customer answering the outbound communication.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the outbound communication is a telephony communication.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the available agent is reserved for handling the outbound communication before the dialing of the outbound number associated with the outbound communication.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flag is set or not set using binary numbers.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions cause the processor to place an internal call to the available agent in order to reserve the available agent for handling of the outbound communication.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the program instructions cause the processor to bridge the internal call and the outbound communication in order to establish the communication session between the available agent and the customer.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein in response to the customer failing to answer the outbound communication, the available agent is released from reservation.
9. A method for routing an outbound communication comprising:
searching a repository;
detecting, by a processor, whether the outbound communication to a customer requires live assistance by detecting whether a flag is associated with one of a plurality of outbound numbers associated with the outbound communication, wherein the associated flag and the plurality of outbound numbers are stored on the repository;
dialing, by the processor, the one of the plurality of outbound numbers associated with the outbound communication without first reserving an agent in response to not detecting the flag;
identifying, by the processor, an available agent to handle the outbound communication in response to detecting the flag;
reserving, by the processor, the available agent for handling the outbound communication;
dialing, by the processor, the one of the plurality of outbound numbers associated with the outbound communication; and
establishing, by the processor, a communication session between the available agent and the customer in response to the customer answering the outbound communication.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising, placing, by the processor, the customer in a queue in response to not detecting the flag and in response to the customer answering the outbound communication.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the outbound communication is a telephony communication.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein reserving the available agent for handling the outbound communication occurs before dialing of the outbound number associated with the outbound communication.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the flag is set or not set using binary numbers.
14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising, placing, by the processor, an internal call to the available agent in order to reserve the available agent for handling of the outbound communication.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising bridging, by the processor, the internal call and the outbound communication in order to establish the communication session between the available agent and the customer.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein in response to the customer failing to answer the outbound communication, the available agent is released from reservation.