Automatic call distribution center with queue position restoration for call-back customers

Abstract

A novel Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) Center allows an on-hold customer, upon learning of an unacceptable waiting time for service, to accept a date- and time-stamped “Priority Token,” and then end the current telephone call. If the customer calls the ACD Center back within a predefined Token Window (stored in the ACD system memory and announced to the customer as he/she is receiving the Priority Token), as indicated by the automatic presentation of the Priority Token, the customer is placed back into the queue position he/she had during the previous call, or if that queue position has already passed, the customer is placed at the top of the queue to be served by the next available agent. The Priority Token stored in the ACD system memory includes the Directory Number in the preferred embodiment for ease of detection of calls incoming to the ACD Center. In a more advanced version of the present invention, the customer also receives a multi-digit Priority Code corresponding to the Priority Token. The Priority Code allows the customer to make a return telephone call from a different Directory Number, key-in a feature activation code (e.g., “*42”) followed by the Priority Code, and be returned to his/her previous queue position.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.