User Routing System for Service Channel Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for managing user reception and communication with service providers fail to effectively accommodate users with varying profiles and needs, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis, leading to a 'digital divide' where some users are unable to access necessary services due to lack of IT skills or access to new communication channels.
Innovation Solution
A system that determines the most efficient communication channel for each user based on their specific characteristics and needs, utilizing a management center with modules for user profiling, request forecasting, waiting time estimation, and queue management, supported by artificial intelligence to optimize communication channel selection and user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single communication channel is used for all users, then the system is simple to manage, but it cannot accommodate users with different IT skills and preferences
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments users into different profiles (e.g., digital literate, digital illiterate, prefer phone, prefer in-person) and creates separate queues for each profile type. This allows the system to adapt to diverse user needs while maintaining manageable complexity through structured categorization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides multiple communication channels (phone, video conference, in-person reception) that can serve different user profiles. Each channel is optimized for specific user types, making the overall system universally applicable to all users regardless of their digital literacy or preferences.
2Ease of operation
If multiple communication channels are provided for different user profiles, then user satisfaction improves, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Users self-identify their profile type through simple input (e.g., selecting from predefined options or indicating their preferences). This automated self-service approach reduces the need for complex manual assessment by operators, making the system easier to operate while maintaining multiple communication channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The management center acts as an intermediary that automatically routes users to appropriate communication channels based on their profile. This mediator function simplifies the interface for users while managing the complexity of multiple channels internally through automated decision-making logic.
3Productivity
If users are directed to communication channels requiring IT skills, then service efficiency increases, but digital illiterate users are excluded
Solution Approach 1:
Different communication channels are assigned to different user profiles based on their specific needs and capabilities. Digital literate users are directed to efficient electronic channels (video conference, email), while digital illiterate users are directed to more accessible channels (phone, in-person reception). This local optimization ensures both efficiency and accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts the communication channel assignment based on real-time user profile assessment. Users are not statically assigned to a single channel but are dynamically routed to the most appropriate channel based on their demonstrated preferences and capabilities, ensuring both efficiency and inclusivity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a receptionist manually directs each user, then personalized service is provided, but the system becomes less scalable
Solution Approach 1:
The system collects feedback from users about their preferences and experiences, and uses this feedback to automatically refine routing decisions. This automated feedback loop enables personalized service at scale without requiring manual intervention from receptionists for each user interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical process of receptionist-based user direction is replaced with an automated electronic system that uses algorithms to assess user profiles and route them to appropriate communication channels. This substitution maintains personalized service quality while dramatically improving scalability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a system for directing users (1) to operators (2), comprising a control unit (4) communicating with input stations (10-13) for users and terminal stations (20-23) for operators. The system includes several communication channels (3) between said input stations and said terminal stations. The control unit (4) includes a user request scheduling module (1) in each of the communication channels (3), which receives user requests and, for each request received, flow forecast information in each of said communication channels (3), as well as wait time forecast information. The scheduling module creates, for each communication channel (3), connection queues between a user (1) and an operator (2).