Systems and methods for routing a contact to an agent in a contact center
Techniques for handling contacts and agents in a contact center system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for handling contacts and agents in a contact center system including determining a first caller grade for a first call, determining a first agent grade for a first agent, and matching the first caller and the first agent based on a comparison of the first caller grade with the first agent grade.
1. A method for handling contacts and agents in a contact center system comprising:
determining, by at least one computer processor, a first contact grade and a first connection priority for a first contact in a queue of contacts;
determining, by the at least one computer processor, a second contact grade and a second connection priority for a second contact in the queue of contacts, wherein the second connection priority is higher than the first connection priority;
determining, by the at least one computer processor, a first agent grade for a first agent;
matching, by the at least one computer processor, the first contact and the first agent based on a comparison of the first contact grade with the first agent grade;
increasing, by the at least one computer processor, the first connection priority of the first contact to be higher than the second connection priority of the second contact based on the comparison; and
connecting, by the at least one computer processor, the first contact to the first agent within the contact center system;
wherein connecting the first contact to the first agent increases an expected performance of the contact center system.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a relationship between the first contact grade and the first agent grade satisfies a threshold relationship.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first contact grade is based on historical contact outcomes of the first contact.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first agent grade is based on historical contact outcomes of the first agent.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first contact grade and the first agent grade are based on weighted combinations of types of performance measurements.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first contact grade or the first agent grade is based on a type of performance measurement comprising a likelihood of at least one of increasing revenue, decreasing cost, and increasing customer satisfaction.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
connecting, by the at least one computer processor, the second contact to a second agent within the contact center system after connecting the first contact to the first agent,
wherein the second contact arrived before the first contact.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a second agent grade for a second agent, wherein the second agent became available before the first agent.
9. A system for handling contacts and agents in a contact center system comprising:
at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to the contact center system, wherein the at least one computer processor is configured to:
determine a first contact grade and a first connection priority for a first contact in a queue of contacts;
determine a second contact grade and a second connection priority for a second contact in the queue of contacts, wherein the second connection priority is higher than the first connection priority;
determine a first agent grade for a first agent;
match the first contact and the first agent based on a comparison of the first contact grade with the first agent grade;
increase the first connection priority of the first contact to be higher than the second connection priority of the second contact based on the comparison; and
connect the first contact to the first agent within the contact center system;
wherein connecting the first contact to the first agent increases an expected performance of the contact center system.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein a relationship between the first contact grade and the first agent grade satisfies a threshold relationship.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first contact grade is based on historical contact outcomes of the first contact.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first agent grade is based on historical contact outcomes of the first agent.
13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first contact grade and the first agent grade are based on weighted combinations of types of performance measurements.
14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first contact grade or the first agent grade is based on a type of performance measurement comprising a likelihood of at least one of increasing revenue, decreasing cost, and increasing customer satisfaction.
15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to:
connect the second contact to a second agent within the contact center system after connecting the first caller to the first agent,
wherein the second caller arrived before the first contact.
16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to determine a second agent grade for a second agent, wherein the second agent became available before the first agent.
17. An article of manufacture for handling contacts and agents in a contact center system comprising:
a non-transitory processor readable medium; and
instructions stored on the medium;
wherein the instructions are configured to be readable from the medium by a processor communicatively coupled to the contact center system and thereby cause the processor to operate so as to:
determine a first contact grade and a first connection priority for a first contact in a queue of contacts;
determine a second contact grade and a second connection priority for a second contact in the queue of contacts, wherein the second connection priority is higher than the first connection priority;
determine a first agent grade for a first agent;
match the first contact and the first agent based on a comparison of the first contact grade with the first agent grade;
increase the first connection priority of the first contact to be higher than the second connection priority of the second contact based on the comparison; and
connect the first contact to the first agent within the contact center system;
wherein connecting the first contact to the first agent increases an expected performance of the contact center system.
18. The article of manufacture of claim 17 , wherein the first contact grade is based on historical contact outcomes of the first contact.
19. The article of manufacture of claim 17 , wherein the first agent grade is based on historical contact outcomes of the first agent.
20. The article of manufacture of claim 17 , wherein the first contact grade and the first agent grade are based on weighted combinations of types of performance measurements.