System and Method for Multi-Channel Communication Queuing

Abstract

An apparatus and method for coordinating communication between one or more agents and a plurality of communication channels associated with different media formats such as telephone, email, and fax. A first request in a first media format can be received via a first communication channel and a second request in a second media format can be received via a second communication channel. Agents can be enabled to access requests in one or more of the media formats, and requests can be assigned to agents based on the types of media formats the agents can access, the subject matter of the requests, and/or the agents' skills. The requests can be placed in a queue until an agent is available to accept the request. Rules for assigning requests to agents can be included in a queuing engine. Agents can also decline a request routed to them, and route the request to another agent or return it back to the queue.

1 . A tangible computer readable medium that stores instructions that are executable by a computer system, the computer system implements a method in response to executing the instructions, the method comprising:
 receiving a first request in a first media format via a first communication channel, wherein
 the first communication channel can transmit requests that are in the first media format, but no in a second media format; 
   receiving a second request in the second media format via a second communication channel, wherein
 the second communication channel can transmit requests that are in the second media format, but not in the first media format; 
   determining media formats of requests that first and second agents can access;   assigning the first and second agents to handle the first and second requests, respectively, based on the media formats of the first and second requests and the media formats of requests that the first and second agents can access; and   communicating the first and second requests to the first and second agents, respectively.   
   
   
       2 . The tangible computer readable medium, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 indicating respective receipts of the first and second requests by the first and second agents, respectively, by virtue of sending first and second notifications to be displayed on first and second user interfaces presented to the first and second agents, respectively.   
   
   
       3 . The tangible computer readable medium, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 sending a notification to a customer that the first request has been assigned and received by the first agent.   
   
   
       4 . The tangible computer readable medium, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 sending first and second notifications to the first and second communication channels, respectively, in response to the first and second requests being processed by the first and second agents, respectively.   
   
   
       5 . The tangible computer readable medium, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 queuing the first and second requests until the first and second agents are available to accept the first and second requests, respectively.   
   
   
       6 . The tangible computer readable medium, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 the assigning the first and second agents to handle the first and second requests, respectively, is based on a subject matter of the first and second requests and skills associated with the first and second agents.   
   
   
       7 . The tangible computer readable medium, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 the assigning the first and second agents to handle the first and second requests, respectively, is based on a set of rules.   
   
   
       8 . A method performed by a circuit of a computer system, the method comprising:
 receiving a first request in a first media format via a first communication channel, wherein
 the first communication channel can transmit requests that are in the first media format, but no in a second media format; 
   receiving a second request in the second media format via a second communication channel, wherein
 the second communication channel can transmit requests that are in the second media format, but not in the first media format; 
   determining media formats of requests that first and second agents can access;   assigning the first and second agents to handle the first and second requests, respectively, based on the media formats of the first and second requests and the media formats of requests that the first and second agents can access; and   communicating the first and second requests to the first and second agents, respectively.   
   
   
       9 . The method, as set forth in  claim 8 , further comprising:
 indicating respective receipts of the first and second requests by the first and second agents, respectively, by virtue of sending first and second notifications to be displayed on first and second user interfaces presented to the first and second agents, respectively.   
   
   
       10 . The method, as set forth in  claim 8 , further comprising:
 sending a notification to a customer that the first request has been assigned and received by the first agent.   
   
   
       11 . The method, as set forth in  claim 8 , further comprising:
 sending first and second notifications to the first and second communication channels, respectively, in response to the first and second requests being processed by the first and second agents, respectively.   
   
   
       12 . The method, as set forth in  claim 8 , further comprising:
 queuing the first and second requests until the first and second agents are available to accept the first and second requests, respectively.   
   
   
       13 . The method, as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein
 the assigning the first and second agents to handle the first and second requests, respectively, is based on a subject matter of the first and second requests and skills associated with the first and second agents.   
   
   
       14 . The method, as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein:
 the assigning the first and second agents to handle the first and second requests, respectively, is based on a set of rules.   
   
   
       15 . A system comprising:
 a first computer server configured to receive a first request in a first media format via a first communication channel and a second request in a second media format via a second communication channel, wherein
 the first communication channel can transmit requests that are in the first media format, but no in the second media format, and 
 the second communication channel can transmit requests that are in the second media format, but not in the first media format; 
   a queuing engine configured to:
 determine media formats of requests that first and second agents can access; 
 assign the first and second agents to handle the first and second requests, respectively, based on the media formats of the first and second requests and the media formats of requests the first and second agents can access; and 
 communicate the first and second requests to the first and second agents, respectively. 
   
   
   
       16 . The system, as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the queuing engine is further configured to:
 indicate respective receipts of the first and second requests by the first and second agents, respectively, by virtue of sending first and second notifications to be displayed on first and second user interfaces, respectively, presented to the first and second agents.   
   
   
       17 . The system, as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the queuing engine is further configured to:
 send a notification to a customer that the first request has been assigned and received by the first agent.   
   
   
       18 . The system, as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the queuing engine is further configured to:
 send first and second notifications to the first and second communication channels, respectively, in response to the first and second requests being processed by the first and second agents, respectively.   
   
   
       19 . The system, as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the queuing engine is further configured to:
 queue the first and second requests until the first and second agents are available to accept the first and second requests, respectively.   
   
   
       20 . The system, as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein
 the assign the first and second agents to handle the first and second requests, respectively, is based on a subject matter of the first and second requests and skills associated with the first and second agents.   
   
   
       21 . The system, as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein
 the assign the first and second agents to handle the first and second requests, respectively, is based on a set of rules.