Transferring an interaction between an agent at a contact center and a party from a first channel of communication to a second channel of communication
Various embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for changing an interaction taking place between an agent and a party from a first channel of communication to a second channel of communication. A communication assembly comprising the interaction is linked to a first communication session currently being held between the agent and party using the first channel of communication. A second communication session to be held between the agent and party using the second channel of communication at a future time is reserved and linked to the communication assembly. The first communication session is then terminated and at the future time, a communication involving the party and using the second channel of communication is established. Accordingly, the communication is linked with the second communication session and routed to the agent so that the agent can interact with the party over the second channel of communication.
1. A method for transitioning an interaction taking place between an agent in a contact center and a party from a first instance of communication associated with a first channel of communication to a second instance of communication associated with a second channel of communication comprising:
establishing the first channel of communication between the agent and the party, causing creation of an instances data structure, a sessions data structure, and a communication assembly data structure all stored in a memory of a communications handler,
whereby the communication assembly data structure is associated with the sessions data structure, the sessions data structure is associated with the instances data structure, and
the instances data structure is associated with the first instance of communication;
modifying the communication assembly data structure to reflect the second communication session identified in the sessions data structure, wherein modifying the communication assembly data structure occurs while the agent and the party are interacting over the first channel of communication and before the agent and the party interact over the second channel of communication;
terminating the first communication session after modifying the communication assembly data structure and before the agent and the party interact over the second channel of communication;
identifying the second communication session at the communications handler based on the communications handler processing the second communication instance associated with the party; and
after identifying the second communication session:
linking the second communication instance with the second communication session, and
routing the second communication instance to the agent by the communications handler so that the agent can transition the interaction with the party over the second channel of communication.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first channel of communication is different than the second channel of communication.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
setting a state associated with the communication assembly data structure to “suspended” upon terminating the first communication session; and
setting the state associated with the communication assembly data structure to “active” upon routing the second communication instance to the agent.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the routing of the second communication instance to the agent comprises:
determining a current number of communication sessions the agent is actively engaged in;
determining a maximum number of communication sessions the agent is authorized to be actively engaged in; and
routing the second communication instance to the agent by the communications handler upon determining the current number of communication sessions the agent is authorized to be actively engaged in is less than the maximum number of communication sessions the agent is actively engaged in.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the routing of the second communication instance to the agent comprises:
determining a proficiency level for the agent using the second channel of communication; and
routing the second communication instance to the agent by the communications handler upon determining the proficiency level for the agent is greater than a predefined proficiency level for the second channel of communication.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
displaying an icon on a workstation used by the agent to alert the agent that the second communication instance has been routed to the agent, wherein the icon is configured to display information related to the first communication instance on the workstation in response to the agent selecting the icon.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the second communication session at the communications handler comprises identifying the second communication session initiated as a result of an incoming communication from the party at the communications handler.
8. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for transitioning an interaction taking place between an agent in a contact center and a party from a first instance of communication associated with a first channel of communication to a second instance of communication associated with a second channel of communication, that when executed, cause at least one computer processor to:
establish the first channel of communication between the agent and the party, thereby creating an instances data structure, a sessions data structure, and a communication assembly data structure all stored in a memory of a communications handler,
whereby the communication assembly data structure is associated with the sessions data structure, the sessions data structure is associated with the instances data structure, and
the instances data structure is associated with the first instance of communication;
modify the communication assembly data structure to reflect the second communication session identified in the sessions data structure, wherein the communication assembly data structure is modified while the agent and the party interact over the first channel of communication and before the agent and the party interact over the second channel of communication;
terminate the first communication session after modifying the communication assembly data structure and before the agent and the party interact over the second channel of communication;
identify the second communication session at the communications handler based on the communications handler processing the second communication instance associated with the party; and
after identifying the second communication session:
link the second communication instance with the second communication session, and
route the second communication instance to the agent by the communications handler thereby transitioning the interaction of the agent with the party to the second channel of communication.
9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the first channel of communication is different than the second channel of communication.
10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at least one computer processor to:
set a state associated with the communication assembly data structure to “suspended” upon terminating the first communication session; and
set the state associated with the communication assembly data structure to “active” upon routing the second communication instance to the agent.
11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at least one computer processor to:
determine a current number of communication sessions the agent is actively engaged in;
determine a maximum number of communication sessions the agent is authorized to be actively engaged in; and
route the second communication instance to the agent by the communications handler upon determining the current number of communication sessions the agent is authorized to be actively engaged in is less than the maximum number of communication sessions the agent is actively engaged in.
12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at least one computer processor to:
determine a proficiency level for the agent using the second channel of communication; and
route the second communication instance to the agent by the communications handler upon determining the proficiency level for the agent is greater than a predefined proficiency level for the second channel of communication.
13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at least one computer processor to:
display an icon on a workstation used by the agent to alert the agent that the second communication instance has been routed to the agent, wherein the icon is configured to display information related to the first communication instance on the workstation in response to the agent selecting the icon.
14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at least one computer processor to:
identify the second communication session initiated as a result of an incoming communication from the party at the communications handler.
15. A communications handler for transitioning an interaction taking place between an agent in a contact center and a party from a first instance of communication associated with a first channel of communication to a second instance of communication associated with a second channel of communication comprising a computer processor configured to:
establish the first channel of communication between the agent and the party, thereby creating an instances data structure, a sessions data structure, and a communication assembly data structure all stored in a memory of a communications handler,
whereby the communication assembly data structure is associated with the sessions data structure, the sessions data structure is associated with the instances data structure, and
the instances data structure is associated with the first instance of communication;
modify the communication assembly data structure to reflect the second communication session identified in the sessions data structure, wherein the communication assembly data structure is modified while the agent and the party interact over the first channel of communication and before the agent and the party interact over the second channel of communication;
terminate the first communication session after modifying the communication assembly data structure and before the agent and the party interact over the second channel of communication;
identify the second communication session at the communications handler based on the communications handler processing the second communication instance associated with the party; and
after identifying the second communication session:
link the second communication instance with the second communication session, and
route the second communication instance to the agent by the communications handler thereby transitioning the interaction of the agent with the party to the second channel of communication.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first channel of communication is different than the second channel of communication.
17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to:
set a state associated with the communication assembly data structure to “suspended” upon terminating the first communication session; and
set the state associated with the communication assembly data structure to “active” upon routing the second communication instance to the agent.
18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to:
determine a current number of communication sessions the agent is actively engaged in;
determine a maximum number of communication sessions the agent is authorized to be actively engaged in; and
route the second communication instance to the agent by the communications handler upon determining the current number of communication sessions the agent is authorized to be actively engaged in is less than the maximum number of communication sessions the agent is actively engaged in.
19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to:
determine a proficiency level for the agent using the second channel of communication; and
route the second communication instance to the agent by the communications handler upon determining the proficiency level for the agent is greater than a predefined proficiency level for the second channel of communication.
20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to:
display an icon on a workstation used by the agent to alert the agent that the second communication instance has been routed to the agent, wherein the icon is configured to display information related to the first communication instance on the workstation in response to the agent selecting the icon.