Communication Routing Log for Context Preservation

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Solution Overview

Problem

In modern high-volume customer engagement centers, communication routing decisions are often lost by the time it reaches the customer service representative, leading to delays and errors due to a lack of context, as existing systems fail to provide a readable record of these decisions.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for logging communication routing, where a routing log is created and updated with initial and decision log entries, and transmitted to the handling agent, allowing them to understand the context of the communication, including manual or automated decisions, and enabling analysis of routing processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple automated and manual routing systems are used to handle high-volume communications, then routing efficiency and communication distribution are improved, but information about routing decisions is lost and context is unavailable to CSRs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication distribution efficiencyVSAvoidrouting decision context

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by creating and maintaining a routing log that records all routing decisions before the communication reaches the CSR. The log is populated in advance during the routing process, capturing entry points, routing decisions, and system actions. This ensures the context is already available when the CSR needs to handle the communication, eliminating the need for CSRs to investigate routing history afterward.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The routing log serves as an intermediary between the multiple routing systems and the CSR. Instead of the CSR directly interacting with complex routing systems to understand why a communication was routed to them, the routing log provides a simplified, readable record that mediates this information transfer. The log translates complex routing decisions into understandable context for the CSR.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If routing decisions are made by multiple systems without recording, then routing flexibility and adaptability are improved, but CSRs must expend valuable time determining why communications were delivered to them

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverouting decision flexibilityVSAvoidCSR time for determining routing context

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The routing system provides self-service by automatically generating and maintaining the routing log without requiring CSR intervention. The log is populated automatically as communications pass through various routing systems, capturing all decisions and actions. This eliminates the need for CSRs to manually investigate routing history, as the information is already prepared and available to them.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The routing log provides feedback to CSRs about the routing decisions that led to their receiving a particular communication. This feedback loop allows CSRs to understand the context and rationale behind routing decisions, enabling them to make more informed handling decisions without wasting time investigating the routing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If routing context is not provided to CSRs, then system complexity is reduced, but errors in responsive communications and misprioritization occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverouting system complexityVSAvoidcommunication handling accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies copying by creating a readable copy of the routing decisions in the routing log, separate from the actual routing systems. This copy captures the essential information about routing decisions without requiring changes to the complex routing systems themselves. The log provides a simplified representation that can be easily viewed by CSRs, maintaining system complexity while improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

4Reliability

If a readable record of routing decisions is maintained, then communication handling accuracy is improved, but system complexity and logging overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication handling accuracyVSAvoidlogging system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The routing log serves multiple functions: it records routing decisions for context, provides feedback to CSRs, enables auditing, and supports analysis of routing effectiveness. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity, as a single logging mechanism provides numerous benefits that improve communication handling accuracy and support various operational needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11601350B2System and method for logging and displaying routing of communication

Publication Date: 2023.03.07 VERINT AMERICAS INC

AI summary

The present invention allows a user to review the routing of various communications. The system receives incoming communications for analysis by a smart routing engine (SRE) software module. The SRE module analyzes the communication at various system routing points, which is used by SRE to route the communication to an appropriate party. The SRE updates a routing log at each point to ensure a record of the reasons for routing the communication in a certain way. The routing log passes with the communication. This ensures that the ultimate recipient of the communication understands why they have received the communication and reduces the time required for a communication to be acted upon.