Reverse Call Branch Off-Load Routing System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Call centers often face long wait times due to insufficient agent availability during peak periods, leading to increased costs and customer dissatisfaction, as existing systems struggle to efficiently route incoming calls to available agents across branches and geographic regions.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented system that uses an interactive voice response (IVR) session to classify calls, route them to either a branch office or a call center based on call type, geographic region, and agent availability, employing a throttle mechanism to manage call distribution and re-routing during peak times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If more agents are hired to handle peak call volumes, then customer service quality improves, but operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the call handling function by creating a distributed network of branch offices that can independently handle calls, rather than concentrating all call handling at a central call center. This allows call processing capacity to be distributed across multiple locations, reducing the need to hire additional central agents during peak periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a spatial dimension to call routing by enabling calls to be routed to branch offices in different geographic regions. The reverse call branch off-load mechanism routes calls from the central call center to appropriate branch offices based on geographic location, distributing the call handling load across multiple dimensions (central office + distributed branches).
2Loss of time
If calls are routed to branch offices, then wait times are reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a gateway server as an intermediary that manages the complexity of routing calls between the central call center and multiple branch offices. The gateway server handles the logic for determining which branch should receive a call, abstracting this complexity away from the individual call center and branch systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where branch offices report their call handling status and availability back to the central system. This feedback enables dynamic routing decisions, allowing the system to automatically direct calls to branches with available capacity, reducing wait times without requiring complex manual coordination.
3Productivity
If all calls are handled at the central call center, then service consistency is maintained, but call processing efficiency decreases during peak periods
Solution Approach 1:
The system makes branch offices multi-functional by enabling them to handle not only local customer service calls but also overflow calls from the central call center. This universal capability allows branches to serve dual purposes: maintaining local service consistency while contributing to overall system productivity during peak periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary classification of incoming calls at the gateway server before routing, determining which calls are appropriate for branch handling based on criteria such as geographic location and call type. This preliminary action enables efficient distribution of calls to branches before they reach the central call center queue, improving overall processing efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented system for routing a call to a call center may generally comprise a computer system comprising at least one processor and a storage device comprising computer-readable medium in communication with the processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to receive a call from a caller at an automated call distributor, initiate an interactive voice response interrogation session with the caller, and classify the call as one of a first type and a second type based on the interactive voice response interrogation session, when the call type is classified as the first type, route the call to at least one of a plurality of branches comprising at least one agent designated to receive calls classified as the first type, when the call type is classified as the second type, route the call to a call center comprising at least one agent designated to receive calls classified as the first type and the second type.