Return Call Routing System for Agent Incentives
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional call centers face inefficiencies in routing return calls from contacts to the original agent who initiated the call, leading to missed incentives and reduced productivity, as return calls often get routed through queues or voicemail, rather than directly to the agent.
Innovation Solution
A system that tags the outbound call with the agent's phone extension, allowing return calls to be directly routed to the initiating agent within a set time window, bypassing the normal call center routing flow, ensuring the agent receives the call if available.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If return calls are routed through the normal ACD queue system, then calls can be handled by any available agent, but the original agent who initiated the call does not receive the return call, causing loss of incentive and productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary tagging of outbound calls with the initiating agent's identification information before the call is answered or returned. This pre-established tag enables automatic routing of return calls to the original agent without requiring manual intervention or complex real-time routing decisions, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the ACD monitors incoming calls, detects tags matching previously placed outbound calls, and automatically routes these return calls to the original initiating agent. This closed-loop feedback system ensures that productivity incentives are maintained while keeping the routing operation simple and automated.
2Productivity
If return calls are automatically routed to the original agent, then the agent receives the incentive, but the system requires complex tagging and recognition mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a tag as an intermediary element that links the outbound call to the initiating agent and enables automatic recognition of return calls. This simple intermediary mechanism avoids the need for complex agent identification and matching algorithms, thereby maintaining system simplicity while ensuring agents receive their incentives.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a simplified copy or representation of the routing decision through tagging, where the essential information (initiating agent identification) is captured and stored as a tag. This copying approach reduces system complexity by avoiding the need to store and process complete call history and agent information for every return call routing decision.
3Productivity
If all return calls are directed to the original agent, then agent incentive is maximized, but flexibility to handle calls through ACD queues is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic routing logic that adapts based on the nature of the incoming call. Return calls with matching tags are automatically routed to the original agent to maximize incentives, while other calls continue to flow through the normal ACD queue system. This dynamic behavior maintains both productivity incentives and routing flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different routing qualities to different call types: tagged return calls receive special treatment (direct routing to original agent), while untagged or non-return calls receive standard treatment (ACD queue routing). This local differentiation ensures that incentive maximization applies only where appropriate, preserving overall system flexibility and adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A return call routing system verifies that the telephone number of an outbound call being placed by an agent is the telephone number of a contact assigned to the agent. The outbound call is then assigned a tag identifying the contact's phone number as associated with the agent's station. When the routing system recognizes a contact's return call phone number as being tagged, the system bypasses the normal call flow at the call center and the return call is routed directly to the assigned agent's station. A time window for the return call may be set beyond which the return call is directed to the next available agent through a call flow manager.