Granted Patent B1

US 9,253,324 · App. 14/535,882 · Granted Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

Claims (51)

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by an outdial server, a first group of agents available to process a phone call, the outdial server interfaced with a telephone number database that stores a plurality of phone numbers, wherein the outdial server runs an outdial application adapted to place outbound calls to customers in an automated manner;

wherein the first group of agents is selected from a plurality of groups of agents, and each respective group of agents has an assigned call ratio based on a skill set of agents within the respective group;

adjusting, by the outdial server, a first predetermined number of phone numbers to be retrieved based on an agent idle time, a queue load of calls assigned to the first group of agents and based on an unexpected lull in live answers or a peak in live answers;

retrieving, by the outdial server, the adjusted first predetermined number of phone numbers per available agent based on a call type and the first group of agents assigned to process the phone call;

measuring, by the outdial server, the idle time of the first group of agents;

comparing, by the outdial server, the idle time of the first group of agents with an idle time threshold, wherein the adjusting the first predetermined number of phone numbers is based on an amount of the idle time for the first group of agents that exceeds the idle time threshold;

measuring, by the outdial server, the queue load of calls assigned to the first group of agents;

comparing, by the outdial server, the queue load with a queue load threshold, wherein the adjusting the first predetermined number of phone numbers is based on an amount of the queue load of calls that exceeds the queue load threshold;

determining, by the outdial server, an agent from the first group of agents is available by the outdial application;

connecting, by the outdial server, a call placed by the outdial application, with the agent determined to be available;

retrieving, by the outdial server, a second predetermined number of phone number per a second group of available agents, wherein the second predetermined number of phone number is adjusted in relation to a number of remaining phone number to be called of the first predetermined number; and

awaiting, by the outdial server, a predefined interval of time prior to determining the second group of available agents.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the outdial application determines the agent is not available to process the call, the method further comprising awaiting an interval prior to determining if the agent is available.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining if another agent is available by the outdial application upon connecting the call with the agent.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for execution by a processing system, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for:

determining, by an outdial server, a first group of agents available to process a phone call; the outdial server interfaced with a telephone number database that stores a plurality of phone numbers, wherein the outdial server runs an outdial application adapted to place outbound calls to customers in an automated manner;

wherein the first group of agents is selected from a plurality of groups of agents, and each respective group of agents has an assigned call ratio based on a skill set of agents within the respective group;

adjusting, by the outdial server, a first predetermined number of phone numbers to be retrieved based on an agent idle time, a queue load of calls assigned to the first group of agents and based on an unexpected lull in live answers or a peak in live answers;

retrieving, by the outdial server, the adjusted first predetermined number of phone numbers per available agent based on a call type and the first group of agents assigned to process the phone call;

measuring, by the outdial server, the idle time of the first group of agents;

comparing, by the outdial server, the idle time of the first group of agents with an idle time threshold, wherein the adjusting the first predetermined number of phone numbers is based on an amount of the idle time for the first group of agents that exceeds the idle time threshold;

measuring, by the outdial server, the queue load of calls assigned to the first group of agents;

comparing, by the outdial server, the queue load with a queue load threshold, wherein the adjusting the first predetermined number of phone numbers is based on an amount of the queue load of calls that exceeds the queue load threshold;

determining, by the outdial server, an agent from the first group of agents is available by the outdial application;

connecting, by the outdial server, a call placed by the outdial application with the agent determined to be available;

retrieving, by the outdial server, a second predetermined number of phone number per a second group of available agents, wherein the second predetermined number of phone numbers is adjusted in relation to a number of remaining phone numbers to be called of the first predetermined number; and

awaiting, by the outdial server, a predefined interval of time prior to determining the second group of available agents.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the outdial application determines the agent is not available to process the call, the computer-readable medium further comprising instructions for awaiting an interval prior to determining if the agent is available.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4 , further comprising instructions for determining if another agent is available by the outdial application upon connecting the call with the agent.

7. A system, comprising:

a call center front office including an automatic call distributor adapted to connect an agent with an outbound call;

a plurality of agent stations communicatively coupled with the call center front office, wherein each of the plurality of agent stations are operated by a respective one of a plurality of agents;

an interface to a carrier network for placing the outbound call to a customer;

an outdial server interfaced with a telephone number database that stores a plurality of phone numbers, wherein the outdial server runs an outdial application adapted to place outbound calls to customers in an automated manner;

wherein the outdial server is disposed in the call center front office, and wherein the call center front office is communicatively coupled with a public switched telephone network;

wherein the outdial server determines a first group of agents available to process a phone call;

wherein the first group of agents is selected from a plurality of groups of agents, and each respective group of agents has an assigned call ratio based on a skill set of agents within the respective group;

wherein the outdial server adjusts a first predetermined number of phone numbers to be retrieved based on an agent idle time, a queue load of calls assigned to the first group of agents and based on an unexpected lull in live answers or a peak in live answers;

wherein the outdial server retrieves the adjusted first predetermined number of phone numbers per available agent based on a call type and the first group of agents assigned to process the phone call;

wherein the outdial server measures the idle time of the first group of agents;

wherein the outdial server compares the idle time of the first group of agents with an idle time threshold, wherein the adjusting the first predetermined number of phone numbers is based on an amount of the idle time for the first group of agents that exceeds the idle time threshold;

wherein the outdial server measures the queue load of calls assigned to the first group of agents;

wherein the outdial server compares the queue load with a queue load threshold, wherein the adjusting the first predetermined number of phone numbers is based on an amount of the queue load of calls that exceeds the queue load threshold;

wherein the outdial server determines an agent from the first group of agents is available by the outdial application;

wherein the outdial server connects a call with the agent determined to be available;

wherein the outdial server retrieves a second predetermined number of phone number per a second group of available agents, wherein the second predetermined number of phone number is adjusted in relation to a number of remaining phone number to be called of the first predetermined number;

wherein the outdial server awaits a predefined interval of time prior to determining the second group of available agents; and

a bridge that terminates the call with the customer and the agent.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the outdial application determines the agent is not available to process the call, and wherein the outdial server awaits an interval prior to determining if the agent is available.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the outdial application determines if another agent is available upon connecting the call with the agent.

Assignments (8)