System and method for managing a hold queue based on customer information retrieved from a customer database

A hold queue prioritizing system comprising:

• an automated telephone system;
• a call receiver/director for connecting a plurality of calls to said automated telephone system;
• a customer database including a plurality of database records, each database record including caller identifying information and information relevant to call prioritization based on a previous interaction with said customer;
• a means for obtaining identifying information from each of said plurality of calls connected to said automated telephone system;
• at least one hold queue coupled to said call receiver/director, said at least one hold queue for holding call records related to said plurality of connected calls;
• a plurality of call center agent terminals coupled to said automated telephone system for handling said connected calls;
• and
• a hold queue prioritizer responsive to said caller identifying information from each of said plurality of calls connected to said automated telephone system, for retrieving at least a portion of said call prioritizing information stored in each said database record corresponding to each connected call, prioritizing said plurality of calls in said hold queue based on at least said retrieved call prioritizing information, and for selecting a connected call to direct from said plurality of prioritized calls in said hold queue.

A system for prioritizing calls on hold and connected to an automated telephone system comprising:

• a call receiver/director for receiving a plurality of calls connected to said automated telephone system and for directing said plurality of connected calls to a plurality of agent terminals coupled to said call receiver/director;
• a customer database, including customer database records including caller identifying information and call prioritizing information based on a previous interaction with said customer;
• at least one hold queue;
• and
• a hold queue prioritizer, coupled to said call receiver/director, said hold queue prioritizer including:
• a means for obtaining caller identifying information from each of said plurality of connected calls;
• a means responsive to said obtained caller identifying information, for searching said customer database to identifying customer database records corresponding to said obtained caller identifying information for each of said plurality of connected calls, and retrieving said call prioritizing information from each of said identified customer database records;
• a means for creating a call record for each of said plurality of connected calls, each call record including said caller identifying information and said call prioritizing information;
• a means for prioritizing said plurality of calls in said hold queue based on at least said retrieved call prioritizing information, and
• a means for selecting a connected call from said prioritized hold queue to direct to an available agent based on said call prioritizing information.

A method of prioritizing calls connected to an automated telephone system comprising the steps of:

• connecting a call of a customer to said automated telephone system;
• obtaining caller identifying information from said connected call;
• placing said connected call on hold;
• searching a customer database and identifying a customer database record corresponding to the caller identifying information for said connected call, said identified customer database record including information pertinent about a previous interaction with said customer;
• retrieving information from said identified customer database record that is relevant to call prioritization of the said connected call associated with said customer;
• creating a call record for said connected call, said call record including said caller identifying information and said retrieved call prioritizing information of said connected call associated with said identified customer;
• inserting said created call record into a hold queue based on at least said retrieved call prioritizing information of said connected call associated with said identified customer;
• prioritizing said plurality of calls in said hold queue;
• and
• directing said connected call from said plurality of prioritized calls in said hold queue to an available agent.