Contact Routing System with Agent Replacement Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Contact centers face challenges in providing the most suitable agent to customers when the preferred agent is unavailable, leading to potential customer dissatisfaction due to routing to less skilled agents, and missed opportunities for better service when a preferred agent is not utilized efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that allows a contact to be initially served by a first agent while searching for a second, more preferred agent, by matching agent and contact attributes to find a suitable first agent and then replacing them with a second agent once available, ensuring a better match.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the contact is routed to a non-preferred agent to avoid wait time, then the idle or wait time is reduced, but the customer satisfaction may be compromised due to mismatched agent skills
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by initially routing the contact to an available agent (first agent) who can provide immediate service, while simultaneously continuing to search for a preferred agent (second agent) who better matches the contact's needs. This allows the system to avoid idle time while preserving the opportunity for better customer satisfaction later.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the agent assignment by allowing the contact to be served by a first agent temporarily, then transitioning to a second preferred agent when available. This dynamic reassignment optimizes both response time and service quality based on real-time agent availability.
2Reliability
If the contact is waited for a preferred agent, then the customer satisfaction is improved, but the wait time increases and abandonment risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of waiting idle for a preferred agent, the system takes preliminary action by routing the contact to an available first agent who can begin service immediately. This eliminates unnecessary wait time while the system continues to search for a preferred second agent in the background.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuity of useful action by ensuring the contact is continuously served - first by the first agent, then potentially transferred to the second preferred agent. This continuous service approach prevents abandonment while still achieving better agent matching.
3Productivity
If the preferred agent is not utilized efficiently, then the agent availability is improved, but the service quality is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by initially assigning contacts to available agents while continuing to search for preferred agents. This ensures preferred agents are utilized efficiently when they become available, improving both productivity and service quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback by continuously monitoring agent availability and contact attributes to dynamically reassign contacts from first agents to second preferred agents when they become available, optimizing both agent utilization and service quality.
Data Source
AI summary
System and method for servicing a contact by a first agent while searching for a second agent to service the contact is provided. At least one agent attribute is used to produce a set of agent attribute values, and at least one contact attribute is used to produce a set of contact attribute values; relating agent attribute values to contact attribute values in order to search for at least one available first agent having at least a first predetermined level of matching attributes; delivering the contact to the first agent; relating agent attribute values to contact attribute values in order to search for at least one second agent having at least a second predetermined level of matching attributes, wherein the second predetermined level is greater than the first predetermined level; waiting until the second agent is available; and replacing the first agent with the second agent to service the contact.