# US 10,320,985 B2 · Techniques for hybrid behavioral pairing in a contact center system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,320,985 B2 - Document ID: US10320985B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/687,000 - Filed: 2017-08-25 - Published: 2017-12-07 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2008-01-28 - Assignees: Afiniti Europe Technologies Limited - Applicants: Afiniti Europe Technologies Limited - Inventors: Zia Chishti; Vikash Khatri - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10320985B2 ## CPC - H04M 3/5232: {Call distribution algorithms} - H04M 3/5233: {Operator skill based call distribution} - H04M 3/5235: {Dependent on call type or called number [DNIS]} - H04M 2201/18: Comparators - H04M 2201/36: Memories - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract Techniques for hybrid behavioral pairing in a contact center system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for hybrid behavioral pairing in a contact center system comprising: determining a first ordering of a plurality of agents according to a behavioral pairing strategy with a balanced agent utilization; determining a second ordering of the plurality of agents according to a performance-based routing strategy with an unbalanced agent utilization; determining a third ordering of the plurality of agents according to a combination of the first ordering and the second ordering having a skewed agent utilization between the balanced agent utilization and the unbalanced agent utilization; and outputting a hybrid behavioral pairing model based on the third ordering for connecting a contact to an agent of the plurality of agents in the contact center system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for hybrid behavioral pairing in a contact center system comprising: determining, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to perform behavioral pairing operations in the contact center system, a first ordering of a plurality of agents according to a behavioral pairing strategy with a balanced agent utilization; determining, by the at least one computer processor, a second ordering of the plurality of agents according to a performance-based routing strategy with an unbalanced agent utilization; determining, by the at least one computer processor, a third ordering of the plurality of agents according to a combination of the first ordering and the second ordering having a skewed agent utilization between the balanced agent utilization and the unbalanced agent utilization; outputting, by the at least one computer processor, a hybrid behavioral pairing model based on the third ordering for connecting a contact to an agent of the plurality of agents in the contact center system; and establishing, by the at least one computer processor, in a switch of the contact center system, a connection between the contact and the agent based upon the output hybrid behavioral pairing model. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the behavioral pairing strategy is a diagonal pairing strategy. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, by the at least one computer processor, a target amount of skew for the skewed agent utilization. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the combination of the first ordering and the second ordering is a weighted sum according to the target amount of skew. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first ordering can be expressed as percentiles or percentile ranges. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the third ordering can be expressed as percentiles or percentile ranges adjusted according to the combination of the first ordering and the second ordering. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the hybrid behavioral pairing model preferably pairs a higher-performing agent more frequently than a lower-performing agent. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the hybrid behavioral pairing model preferably pairs a higher-performing agent with a greater number of contact types than a lower-performing agent. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the hybrid behavioral pairing model preferably pairs a higher-performing agent with a higher-frequency contact type than a lower-performing agent. ### Claim 10 A system for hybrid behavioral pairing in a contact center system comprising: at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to perform behavioral pairing operations in the contact center system, wherein the at least one computer processor is configured to: determine a first ordering of a plurality of agents according to a behavioral pairing strategy with a balanced agent utilization; determine a second ordering of the plurality of agents according to a performance-based routing strategy with an unbalanced agent utilization; determine a third ordering of the plurality of agents according to a combination of the first ordering and the second ordering having a skewed agent utilization between the balanced agent utilization and the unbalanced agent utilization; output a hybrid behavioral pairing model based on the third ordering for connecting a contact to an agent of the plurality of agents in the contact center system; and establish, in a switch of the contact center system, a connection between the contact and the agent based upon the output hybrid behavioral pairing model. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the behavioral pairing strategy is a diagonal pairing strategy. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to: determine a target amount of skew for the skewed agent utilization. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the combination of the first ordering and the second ordering is a weighted sum according to the target amount of skew. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the first ordering can be expressed as percentiles or percentile ranges. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the third ordering can be expressed as percentiles or percentile ranges adjusted according to the combination of the first ordering and the second ordering. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the hybrid behavioral pairing model preferably pairs a higher-performing agent more frequently than a lower-performing agent. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the hybrid behavioral pairing model preferably pairs a higher-performing agent with a greater number of contact types than a lower-performing agent. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the hybrid behavioral pairing model preferably pairs a higher-performing agent with a higher-frequency contact type than a lower-performing agent. ### Claim 19 An article of manufacture for hybrid behavioral pairing 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 at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to perform behavioral pairing operations in the contact center system and thereby cause the at least one computer processor to operate so as to: determine a first ordering of a plurality of agents according to a behavioral pairing strategy with a balanced agent utilization; determine a second ordering of the plurality of agents according to a performance-based routing strategy with an unbalanced agent utilization; determine a third ordering of the plurality of agents according to a combination of the first ordering and the second ordering having a skewed agent utilization between the balanced agent utilization and the unbalanced agent utilization; output a hybrid behavioral pairing model based on the third ordering for connecting a contact to an agent of the plurality of agents in the contact center system; and establish, in a switch of the contact center system, a connection between the contact and the agent based upon the output hybrid behavioral pairing model. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the behavioral pairing strategy is a diagonal pairing strategy. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the at least one computer processor is caused to operate further so as to: determine a target amount of skew for the skewed agent utilization. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the combination of the first ordering and the second ordering is a weighted sum according to the target amount of skew. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the first ordering can be expressed as percentiles or percentile ranges. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the third ordering can be expressed as percentiles or percentile ranges adjusted according to the combination of the first ordering and the second ordering. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the hybrid behavioral pairing model preferably pairs a higher-performing agent more frequently than a lower-performing agent. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the hybrid behavioral pairing model preferably pairs a higher-performing agent with a greater number of contact types than a lower-performing agent. ### Claim 27 (depends on 19) The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the hybrid behavioral pairing model preferably pairs a higher-performing agent with a higher-frequency contact type than a lower-performing agent.