Apparatus and methods enhancing call routing to and within call-centers

An Internet Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT) call-routing system, comprising:

• an initial call-processing system adapted for receiving IPNT calls from customers over a wide area network (WAN), and including a first processor adapted for routing incoming IPNT calls to selected destinations;
• and
• a call center remote from the call-processing system, the call center comprising a second processor coupled to a plurality of computer platforms at operator workstations and adapted to route IPNT calls to individual ones of the computer platforms, and also connected to WAN;
• wherein the second processor is adapted to monitor transactional activity of the call center, to process the activity information according to selected routines, and to communicate the processed activity information to the first processor over the WAN, and wherein the first processor uses the processed activity information to select destinations to route the incoming IPNT calls.

An Internet Protocol Network Telephony call processing system adapted for routing incoming calls to selected destinations, comprising:

• an Internet routing server adapted to route IPNT calls;
• and
• a database connected to the Internet server adapted for receiving and storing processed information about transactions at remote IPNT call centers;
• wherein the Internet routing server is adapted to select destinations for routing incoming calls based on the stored processed information about transactions at the remote IPNT call centers.

A method for routing an incoming IPNT call to a selected destination, comprising steps of:

• (a) collecting information at an INPT call center regarding operations of the call center;
• (b) processing the collected information;
• (c) transferring the processed information to a database associated with a routing processor adapted for intercepting and routing incoming calls;
• (d) receiving incoming IPNT call at the routing processor;
• (e) retrieving the processed information from the database;
• and
• (f) selecting a destination for the call based on the processed information retrieved.