Automated right-party contact telephone system
OwnerBlake Riceinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system is provided for routing telephone calls between at least first aid second groups of call-handling stations. A dialer is configured to automatically place telephone calls. Once the call is placed, the dialer routes the call to a first-level hunt group. The first-level hunt group searches for an available first-level call-handling station and routes the call to the available first-level call-handling station. Once the first-level call-handling station establishes contact with the right-party, the first-level call-handling station sends a routing signal to the dialer. The dialer then routes the call to a second-level hunt group, which searches for an available second-level call-handling station. Then the second-level hunt group routes the call to the available second-level call-handling station.
Claims37
A hierarchical system for routing outbound telephone calls between first and second groups of call-handling stations, the hierarchical system comprising:
- a dialer configured to dial an outbound telephone call;
- a first hunt group configured and arranged to route the outbound telephone call placed by the dialer to a call-handling station within the first group of call-handling stations;
- and
- a second hunt group configured and arranged to route the outbound telephone call placed by the dialer to a call-handling station within the second group of call-handling stations;
- the first hunt group and first group of call-handling stations being in one hierarchical level and the second hunt group and second group of call-handling stations being in another hierarchical level;
- and
- wherein an operator staffing a call handling station in the first group of call-handling station determines whether a right-party contact is available to talk on the outbound telephone call and transfer the call to the second hunt group when the right-party contact is available.
A hierarchical system for routing outbound telephone calls between call-handling stations, the hierarchical system comprising:
- a dialer configured to dial an outbound telephone call and transfer the outbound telephone call to a first hunt group for connection to a first call-handling station for determining whether a right-party contact is available, the dialer being responsive to routing signals received from the first call-handling station;
- and
- a second hunt group configured and arranged to route the outbound telephone call placed by the dialer to a second call-handling station when the right-party contact is available and upon receiving a call routing signal from the first call-handling station;
- the first hunt group and first cal-handling station being in one hierarchical level and the second hunt group and second call-handling station being in another hierarchical level;
- and
- wherein an operator staffing the first call-handling station can determine whether a right-party contact is available to talk on the outbound telephone call and transfer the call to the second hunt group when the:
- right-party contact is available.
A method for routing telephone calls between first and second groups of call-handling stations, the method comprising:
- automatically placing an outbound telephone call;
- routing the outbound telephone call to a call-handling station within the first group of call-handling stations;
- determining whether the right-party contact is available to talk on the outbound telephone call while the outbound telephone call is routed to the call-handling station within the first group of call-handling stations;
- and
- routing the outbound telephone call to a call-handling station within the second group of call-handling stations when the right-party contact is available.
A method for routing outbound telephone calls between a first-level call-handing station and a second-level call-handling station selected from a plurality of second-level call-handling stations, the method comprising:
- routing the outbound telephone call to the first-level call- handling station;
- determining whether the right-party contact is available to talk on the outbound telephone call while the outbound telephone call is routed to the first-level call-handling station;
- selecting a criterion;
- matching a second-level call handling station and the selected criterion;
- and
- routing the outbound telephone call to the matched second-level call-handling station when the right-party contact is available.
A method of operating a system for routing telephone calls between first and second groups of call-handling stations, the method comprising:
- activating a predetermined number of call-handling stations in the first group;
- activating a predetermined number of call-handling stations in the second group;
- and
- determining the relative number of first call-handling stations from a first equation:
- (DIAL*CONNECT)/1ST_LEV_CALLAVE=1ST_LEV_HOURS
- wherein DIAL represents a number of calls per hour placed by a predictive dialer;
- CONNECT represents a connect rate for the calls placed by the predictive dialer;
- and 1ST_LEV_HOURS represent an average number of calls handled per hours by one first call-handling station
- determining the relative number of second call-handling stations from a second equation:
- (DIAL*CONNECT*R_CONNECT)/2D_LEV_CALLAVE=2D_LEV_HOURS
- wherein 2D_LEV_HOURS represents a right-party connect rate;
- and 2D_LEV_HOURS represents an average number of calls handled per hour by one second call-handling station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.