Techniques for behavioral pairing in a dispatch center system

Abstract

Techniques for behavioral pairing in a dispatch center system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for behavioral pairing in a dispatch center system comprising determining, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in the dispatch center system, a dispatch request for a customer; determining, by the at least one computer processor, a plurality of field agents available to service the customer's dispatch request; determining, by the at least one computer processor, a model of preferred field agent-customer pairings based at least in part on historical field agent-customer interaction outcome data; selecting, by the at least one computer processor, one of the plurality of field agents based on the model; and outputting, by the at least one computer processor, the selection to facilitate dispatching the selected field agent to the customer.

1 . A method for behavioral pairing in a dispatch center system comprising:
 determining, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in the dispatch center system, a dispatch request for a customer;   determining, by the at least one computer processor, a plurality of field agents available to service the customer's dispatch request;   determining, by the at least one computer processor, a model of preferred field agent-customer pairings based at least in part on historical field agent-customer interaction outcome data;   selecting, by the at least one computer processor, one of the plurality of field agents based on the model; and   outputting, by the at least one computer processor, the selection to facilitate dispatching the selected field agent to the customer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dispatch request comprises at least one requested dispatch time, and wherein determining the plurality of field agents available to service the customer's dispatch request is constrained based on the at least one requested dispatch time. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting, by the at least one computer processor, at least one suggested dispatch time, wherein the selected field agent is available during the at least one suggested dispatch time. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected field agent is dispatched immediately or as soon as practicable after the selection. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 recording, by the at least one computer processor, results for a first plurality of field-agent customer interactions paired using a behavioral pairing strategy;   recording, by the at least one computer processor, results for a second plurality of field-agent customer interactions paired using a FIFO pairing strategy; and   outputting, by the at least one computer processor, a measure of relative performance between the behavioral pairing strategy and the FIFO pairing strategy based on the recorded results for the first and second pluralities of field-agent customer interactions.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising updating, by the at least one computer processor, the model based at least in part on one or more of: the results for the first plurality of field-agent customer interactions, the results for the second plurality of field-agent customer interactions, and the measure of relative performance. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the model is based on a diagonal strategy. 
     
     
         8 . A system for behavioral pairing in a dispatch center system comprising:
 at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in the dispatch center system, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to:
 determine a dispatch request for a customer; 
 determine a plurality of field agents available to service the customer's dispatch request; 
 determine a model of preferred field agent-customer pairings based at least in part on historical field agent-customer interaction outcome data; 
 select one of the plurality of field agents based on the model; and 
 output the selection to facilitate dispatching the selected field agent to the customer. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the dispatch request comprises at least one requested dispatch time, and wherein determining the plurality of field agents available to service the customer's dispatch request is constrained based on the at least one requested dispatch time. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to select at least one suggested dispatch time, wherein the selected field agent is available during the at least one suggested dispatch time. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the selected field agent is dispatched immediately or as soon as practicable after the selection. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to:
 record results for a first plurality of field-agent customer interactions paired using a behavioral pairing strategy;   record results for a second plurality of field-agent customer interactions paired using a FIFO pairing strategy; and   output a measure of relative performance between the behavioral pairing strategy and the FIFO pairing strategy based on the recorded results for the first and second pluralities of field-agent customer interactions.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to update the model based at least in part on one or more of: the results for the first plurality of field-agent customer interactions, the results for the second plurality of field-agent customer interactions, and the measure of relative performance. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the model is based on a diagonal strategy. 
     
     
         15 . An article of manufacture for behavioral pairing in a dispatch center system comprising:
 a non-transitory processor readable medium; and   instructions stored on the medium;   wherein the instructions are configured to be readable from the medium by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in the dispatch center system and thereby cause the at least one computer processor to operate so as to:
 determine a dispatch request for a customer; 
 determine a plurality of field agents available to service the customer's dispatch request; 
 determine a model of preferred field agent-customer pairings based at least in part on historical field agent-customer interaction outcome data; 
 select one of the plurality of field agents based on the model; and 
 output the selection to facilitate dispatching the selected field agent to the customer. 
   
     
     
         16 . The article of manufacture of  claim 15 , wherein the dispatch request comprises at least one requested dispatch time, and wherein determining the plurality of field agents available to service the customer's dispatch request is constrained based on the at least one requested dispatch time. 
     
     
         17 . The article of manufacture of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one computer processor to operate so as to select at least one suggested dispatch time, wherein the selected field agent is available during the at least one suggested dispatch time. 
     
     
         18 . The article of manufacture of  claim 15 , wherein the selected field agent is dispatched immediately or as soon as practicable after the selection. 
     
     
         19 . The article of manufacture of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one computer processor to operate so as to:
 record results for a first plurality of field-agent customer interactions paired using a behavioral pairing strategy;   record results for a second plurality of field-agent customer interactions paired using a FIFO pairing strategy; and   output a measure of relative performance between the behavioral pairing strategy and the FIFO pairing strategy based on the recorded results for the first and second pluralities of field-agent customer interactions.   
     
     
         20 . The article of manufacture of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one computer processor to operate so as to update the model based at least in part on one or more of: the results for the first plurality of field-agent customer interactions, the results for the second plurality of field-agent customer interactions, and the measure of relative performance.