Pooling callers for matching to agents based on pattern matching algorithms

A method for routing callers to agents in a call-center system, the method comprising:

• pooling, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to perform call routing operations in the call-center system, at least two incoming callers to the call-center system;
• determining, by the at least one computer processor, a second caller of the at least two callers has exceeded an individually assigned hold threshold of the second caller based on data associated with the second caller;
• selecting, by the at least one computer processor, the second caller to be routed to a first agent, wherein the data associated with the second caller is compared to historical agent performance data associated with the first agent in a pair-wise fashion, wherein the comparing comprises passing the caller data and the historical agent performance data to a pattern matching algorithm to create a computer model that pairs each caller with the first agent and estimates the probable outcome of each caller-agent pair for a plurality of optimal caller-agent interactions;
• and
• establishing, by a communication server of the call-center system, a communications channel between communication equipment of the second caller and communication equipment of the first agent based upon a computer processor-generated routing strategy, wherein routing the second caller to the first agent via the communication channel has a lower predicted call-center system performance outcome than the higher predicted call-center system performance outcome;
• wherein any of the at least two incoming callers are available to be routed according to the computer processor-generated routing strategy;
• wherein routing the second caller to the first agent has a higher predicted call-center system performance outcome than each other possible caller-agent pair according to the computer model.

A method for routing callers to agents in a call-center system, the method comprising:

• when a first agent of a plurality of agents becomes available, comparing, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to perform call routing operations in the call-center system, caller data for at least two callers of a set of callers and historical agent performance data for an agent via a pattern matching algorithm, wherein the comparing comprises a pair-wise comparison for each possible caller-agent pair, wherein any of the at least two callers are available to be routed according to a computer processor-generated routing strategy and depending on which agent of a plurality of agents becomes available, wherein the comparing comprises passing the caller data and the historical agent performance data to the pattern matching algorithm to create a computer model that pairs each caller with the agent and estimates the probable outcome of each caller-agent pair for a plurality of optimal caller-agent interactions;
• determining, by the at least one computer processor, a first caller of the set of callers based on the pattern matching algorithm, wherein the routing of the caller to the first agent has a higher predicted call-center system performance outcome than each other possible caller-agent pair according to the computer model;
• determining, by the at least one computer processor, a second caller of the at least two callers has exceeded an individually assigned hold threshold of the second caller based on data associated with the second caller;
• selecting, by the at least one computer processor, the second caller to be routed to the first agent;
• and
• establishing, by a communication server of the call-center system, a communications channel between communication equipment of the second caller and communication equipment of the first agent based upon the routing strategy, wherein routing the second caller to the first agent via the communication channel has a lower predicted call-center system performance outcome than the higher predicted call-center system performance outcome.

A system for routing callers to agents in a call-center system, the system comprising:

• at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to perform call routing operations in the call-center system, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to:
• identify caller data for at least two callers of a set of callers, wherein each of the at least two callers are available to be routed according to a computer processor-generated routing strategy;
• when a first agent becomes available, compare the caller data for the at least two callers to historical agent performance data associated with the first agent in a pair-wise fashion for each possible caller-agent pair, wherein the comparing comprises passing the caller data and the historical agent performance data to a pattern matching algorithm to create a computer model that pairs each caller with the first agent and estimates the probable outcome of each caller-agent pair for a plurality of optimal caller-agent interactions;
• determine a first caller of the set of callers based on the comparison, wherein routing of the first caller to the first agent would have a higher predicted call-center system performance outcome than each other possible caller-agent pair according to the computer model;
• determine a second caller of the at least two callers has exceeded an individually assigned hold threshold of the second caller based on data associated with the second caller;
• select the second caller to be routed to the first agent;
• and
• establish, by a communication server of the call-center system, a communications channel between communication equipment of the second caller and communication equipment of the first agent based upon the routing strategy, wherein routing the second caller to the first agent via the communication channel has a lower predicted call-center system performance outcome than the higher predicted call-center system performance outcome.

An article of manufacture for routing callers to agents in a call-center system comprising:

• a non-transitory computer processor;
• 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 call routing operations in the call-center system and thereby cause the at least one computer processor to operate so as to:
• identify caller data for at least two callers of a set of callers, wherein each of the at least two callers are available to be routed according to a computer processor-generated routing strategy;
• when a first agent becomes available, compare the caller data for the at least two callers to historical agent performance data associated with the first agent, wherein the comparing comprises a pair-wise comparison for each possible caller-agent pair, wherein the comparing comprises passing the caller data and the historical agent performance data to a pattern matching algorithm to create a computer model that pairs each caller with the first agent and estimates the probable outcome of each caller-agent pair for a plurality of optimal caller-agent interactions;
• determine a first caller of the at least two callers based on the comparing, wherein routing of the first caller to the first agent would have a higher predicted call-center system performance outcome than each other possible caller-agent pair according to the computer model;
• determine a second caller of the at least two callers has exceeded an individually assigned hold threshold of the second caller based on data associated with the second caller;
• select the second caller to be routed to the first agent;
• and
• establish, in a communication server of the call-center system, a communications channel between communication equipment of the second caller and communication equipment of the first agent based upon the routing strategy, wherein routing the second caller to the first agent via the communication channel has a lower predicted call-center system performance outcome than the higher predicted call-center system performance outcome.