Method and system for regulating the dispatching of messages for requestors

A computer system for regulating the sending of messages that generate return contacts, comprising:

• a request store for storing requests to send messages to recipients, each request being received from one of a plurality of requestor systems;
• a message dispatcher for retrieving requests from the request store, generating messages, and sending the generated messages according to a requestor-specific rate;
• a return contact handler for forwarding return contacts by recipients of messages to the requestors and generating statistics relating to the forwarding of the return contacts to each requestor;
• a rate parameter store for storing requestor-specific rate parameters;
• and
• a set rate component that sets a message dispatch rate for each requestor based on the requestor-specific rate parameters of the rate parameter store and the generated statistics;
• wherein the message is an electronic mail message and
• wherein the electronic mail message includes instructions for the recipient to request the requestor to place a call to the recipient.

A method in a computer system for regulating the sending of messages from requestors to recipients, where each message, at the discretion of the recipient, results in a return contact to the requestor by the recipient, the method comprising:

• for each of a plurality of requestors,
• receiving messages from a computer system of the requestor;
• identifying a value for requestor-specific control indicating a characteristic of return contacts to the requestor by recipients;
• identifying a current message dispatch rate of sending messages to recipients;
• when the identified value is below a requestor-specific range of the requestor-specific control, setting a new message dispatch rate to a maximum message dispatch rate;
• when the identified value is within a requestor-specific range of the requestor-specific control, setting a new message dispatch rate based on the identified value relative to the requestor-specific range;
• when the identified value is above a requestor-specific range of the requestor-specific control, setting a new message dispatch rate to a minimum message dispatch rate;
• and dispatching the received messages at the new message dispatch rate wherein the requestor-specific control is based on the number of return contacts established between a recipient and a requestor.

An application service provider system for regulating the sending of messages that generate calls to be transferred to requestors, comprising:

• a request store for storing requests to send messages to recipients, each request being received from one of a plurality of requestor systems;
• a message dispatcher for retrieving requests from the request store, generating messages, and sending the messages according to a requestor-specific message dispatch rate;
• a call handler for transferring calls with recipients of messages to call centers of the requestors and generating statistics relating to the transferring of calls to each requestor's call center;
• a rate parameter store for storing requestor-specific rate parameters;
• and
• a set rate component that sets a message dispatch rate for each requestor based on the requestor-specific rate parameters of the rate parameter store and the generated statistics
• wherein a message is sent via a telephone call and
• wherein the call handler transfers a call only after the recipient of the message indicates a willingness to talk to an agent of the requestor.

An application service provider system for regulating the sending of messages that generate calls to be transferred to requestors, comprising:

• a request store for storing requests to send messages to recipients, each request being received from one of a plurality of requestor systems;
• a message dispatcher for retrieving requests from the request store, generating messages, and sending the messages according to a requestor-specific message dispatch rate;
• a call handler for transferring calls with recipients of messages to call centers of the requestors and generating statistics relating to the transferring of calls to each requestor's call center;
• a rate parameter store for storing requestor-specific rate parameters;
• and
• a set rate component that sets a message dispatch rate for each requestor based on the requestor-specific rate parameters of the rate parameter store and the generated statistics
• wherein the message is an electronic mail message and
• wherein the electronic mail message includes instructions for the recipient to request that the requestor place a call to the recipient.

A method in a computer system for regulating the sending of messages from requestors to recipients, each message inviting the recipient to have a telephonic discussion with the requestor, the method comprising:

• for each of a plurality of requestors,
• receiving messages from a computer system of the requestor;
• identifying a value of a requestor-specific control indicating a characteristic of telephone calls between the requestor and recipients;
• identifying a current message dispatch rate of sending messages to recipients;
• when the identified value is below a requestor-specific range of the requestor-specific control, setting a new message dispatch rate to a maximum message dispatch rate;
• when the identified value is within a requestor-specific range of the requestor-specific control, setting a new message dispatch rate based on the identified value within the requestor-specific range and the identified current message dispatch rate;
• when the identified value is above a requestor-specific range of the requestor-specific control, setting a new message dispatch rate to a minimum message dispatch rate;
• and
• dispatching the received messages at the new message dispatch rate
• wherein the requestor-specific control is based on the number of connections established between a recipient and a requestor.