Skill based chat function in a communication system

Abstract

The apparatus and method provide assistance to an agent in a communication system, such as a communication system having an automatic call distributor. The method has the steps of determining skills of each agent of a plurality of agents, storing the determined skills for respective agents of the plurality of agents as skill records in a database, retrieving the skill record of a predetermined agent from the database, comparing the skill record of the predetermined agent to the skill records of the other agents in the database, selecting an agent from the plurality of agents based on the comparison of skill records, and establishing communication between the predetermined agent and the selected agent. The skill record of a predetermined agent is retrieved when the predetermined agent of the plurality of agents requests to communicate with another of the agents of the plurality of agents. The apparatus implements the method. The method and apparatus provide the ability for an agent or an inbound caller to solicit assistance from a group of similarly or higher skilled agents, especially in remote environments where, in the case of an agent, the agent does not have direct contact with other agents.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for providing assistance to an agent in a communication system including a comparator, comprising the steps of:
 determining skills of each agent of a plurality of agents; 
 storing the determined skills for respective agents of the plurality of agents as skill records in a database; 
 retrieving, when a predetermined agent of the plurality of agents requests to communicate with another of the agents of the plurality of agents, the skill record of the predetermined agent from the database; 
 the comparator comparing the skill record of the predetermined agent to the skill records of the other agents in the database; 
 selecting an agent from the plurality of agents based on the comparison of skill records; and 
 establishing communication between the predetermined agent and the selected agent. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the determined skills for agents are stored in skill records in a database. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein each of the skill records contains at least an agent identifier and at least one associated skill classification. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of skill sets are predetermined, and wherein the method further comprises associating at least one skill set with a respective agent of the plurality of agents, the at least one skill set being identified based on the determined skills of the respective agent. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein an identification of the respective agent, and the association of the respective agent and the at least one skill set are stored in skill records in a database. 
     
     
       6. A method for a chat function in an automatic call distribution system including a comparator, comprising the steps of:
 determining skills of each agent of a plurality of agents; 
 receiving a request from a predetermined person for communication with one of the agents of the plurality of agents; 
 determining skills of the predetermined person; 
 the comparator comparing the skills of the predetermined person to the skills of the agents; 
 selecting an agent from the plurality of agents based on the comparison of skills; and 
 establishing communication between the predetermined person and the selected agent. 
 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the predetermined person is one of the agents of the plurality of agents. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the predetermined person is an agent that is remote from the plurality of agents. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the determined skills for agents are stored in skill records in a database. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein each of the skill records contains at least an agent identifier and at least one associated skill classification. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein a plurality of skill sets are predetermined, and wherein the method further comprises associating at least one skill set with a respective agent of the plurality of agents, the at least one skill set being identified based on the determined skills of the respective agent. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein identification of the respective agent, and the association of the respective agent and the at least one skill set are stored in skill records in a database. 
     
     
       13. A method for providing a chat function in an automatic call distribution system, comprising the steps of:
 a skill determination module of the automatic call distribution system determining the skills of each agent of a plurality of agents in the automatic call distribution system; 
 grouping the agents in the automatic call distribution system according to skills thereof into a plurality of skill groups; and 
 a chat session module of the automatic call distribution system providing chat sessionssession between agents in a respective skill group of the plurality of skill groups. 
 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the determined skills for agents are stored in skill records in a database. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 14 , wherein each of the skill records contains at least an agent identifier and at least one associated skill classification. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein a plurality of skill sets are predetermined, and wherein the method further comprises associating at least one skill set with a respective agent of the plurality of agents, the at least one skill set being identified based on the determined skills of the respective agent. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 16 , wherein identification of the respective agent, and the association of the respective agent and the at least one skill set are stored in skill records in a database. 
     
     
       18. A computer program product embedded in a non-transitory tangible computer readable medium for use in providing assistance to an agent in an automatic call distribution system, comprising:
 a the computer readable media containing code segments comprising: 
 a skill determining computer program code segment that determines skills of each agent of a plurality of agents; 
 a storing computer program code segment that stores the determined skills for respective agents of the plurality of agents as skill records in a database; 
 a skill record retrieving computer program code segment that, when a predetermined agent of the plurality of agents requests to communicate with another of the agents of the plurality of agents, retrieves the skill record of the predetermined agent from the database; 
 a skill record comparing computer program code segment that compares the skill record of the predetermined agent to the skill records of the other agents in the database; 
 an agent selecting computer program code segment that selects an agent from the plurality of agents based on the comparison of skill records; and 
 a communication establishing computer program code segment that establishes communication between the predetermined agent and the selected agent. 
 
     
     
       19. A computer program product embedded in a non-transitory tangible computer readable medium for use in providing assistance to an agent in an automatic call distribution system, comprising:
 a the computer readable media containing code segments comprising: 
 a skill record retrieving computer program code segment that, when a respective agent of a plurality of agents requests to communicate with another of the agents of the plurality of agents, retrieves a skill record of the respective agent from a database: 
 a skill record comparing computer program code segment that compares the skill record of the predetermined agent to the skill records of the other agents in the database; 
 an agent selecting computer program code segment that selects an agent from the a plurality of agents based on the comparison of skill records; and 
 a communication establishing computer program code segment that establishes communication between the predetermined agent and the selected agent. 
 
     
     
       20. An apparatus for providing a chat function in an automatic call distribution system, comprising:
 means for determining skills of each agent of a plurality of agents in the automatic call distribution system; 
 means for grouping the agents according to skills thereof into a plurality of skill groups; and 
 means for providing chat sessions between agents in a respective skill group of the plurality of skill groups. 
 
     
     
       21. The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the determined skills for agents are stored in skill records in a database. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein each of the skill records contains at least an agent identifier and at least one associated skill classification. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein a plurality of skill sets are predetermined, and wherein at least one skill set is associated with a respective agent of the plurality of agents, the at least one skill set being based on the determined skills of the respective agent. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein identification of the respective agent, and the association of the respective agent and the at least one skill set are stored in skill records in a database. 
     
     
       25. An apparatus that provides assistance to an agent in a communication system, comprising:
 means for determining skills of each agent of a plurality of agents; 
 means for storing the determined skills for respective agents of the plurality of agents as skill records in a database; 
 means for retrieving, when a predetermined agent of the plurality of agents requests to communicate with another of the agents of the plurality of agents, the skill record of the predetermined agent from the database; 
 means for comparing the skill record of the predetermined agent to the skill records of the other agents in the database; 
 means for selecting an agent from the plurality of agents based on the comparison of skill records; and 
 means for establishing communication between the predetermined agent and the selected agent. 
 
     
     
       26. The apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the determined skills for agents are stored in skill records in a database. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein each of the skill records contains at least an agent identifier and at least one associated skill classification. 
     
     
       28. The apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein a plurality of skill sets are predetermined, and wherein at least one skill set is associated with a respective agent of the plurality of agents, the at least one skill set being based on the determined skills of the respective agent. 
     
     
       29. The apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein identification of the respective agent, and the association of the respective agent and the at least one skill set are stored in skill records in a database. 
     
     
       30. An apparatus that provides assistance to an agent of a plurality of agents in an automatic call distribution system, comprising:
 a skill determination module that determines skills of each agent of the plurality of agents; 
 a database in which is stored as skill records the determined skills for respective agents of the plurality of agents, the database being operatively connected to the skill determination module; 
 a retrieving module operatively connected to the database that, when a predetermined agent of the plurality of agents requests to communicate with another of the agents of the plurality of agents, retrieves the skill record of the predetermined agent from the database; 
 a comparator having inputs for the skill record of the predetermined agent and the skill records of the other agents in the database, the comparator outputting comparisons of the skill records of the predetermined agent and the other agents; 
 a selector that receives the output of the comparator and in response thereto selects an agent from the plurality of agents based on the comparison of skill records; and 
 a connection module that establishes communication between the predetermined agent and the selected agent. 
 
     
     
       31. The apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein the determined skills for agents are stored in skill records in a database. 
     
     
       32. The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein each of the skill records contains at least an agent identifier and at least one associated skill classification. 
     
     
       33. The apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein a plurality of skill sets are predetermined, and wherein at least one skill set is associated with a respective agent of the plurality of agents, the at least one skill set being based on the determined skills of the respective agent. 
     
     
       34. The apparatus according to  claim 33 , wherein identification of the respective agent, and the association of the respective agent and the at least one skill set are stored in skill records in a database. 
     
     
       35. A method for providing assistance by an agent of a plurality of agents in a communication system, comprising:
 determining skills of each agent of the plurality of agents in the communication system;   receiving a data messaging call request from a first agent of the plurality of agents;   selecting an agent from the plurality of agents to handle the data messaging call request based on a comparison by a comparator of the communication system of the determined skills of each of the plurality of agents with the determined skills of the first agent; and   a connection module of the communications system establishing communication between the first agent and the selected agent so that the selected agent provides assistance to the first agent.   
     
     
       36. The method of providing assistance as in claim 35 herein the data messaging call further comprises a chat call. 
     
     
       37. The method of providing assistance as in claim 35 further comprising storing the determined skills for respective agents of the plurality of agents in a database. 
     
     
       38. The method of providing assistance as in claim 37 wherein the first agent is a remote agent. 
     
     
       39. The method of providing assistance as in claim 38 further comprising retrieving a skill record of the remote agent from the database. 
     
     
       40. The method of providing assistance as in claim 39 wherein the selected agent further comprises an agent with a higher relative skill than the remote agent. 
     
     
       41. The method of providing assistance as in claim 40 further comprising connecting the caller with two or more agents of the plurality of agents. 
     
     
       42. An apparatus for providing assistance by an agent of a plurality of agents in a communication system, comprising:
 an agent skill determination module that determines skills of each agent of the plurality of agents in the communication system;   a data messaging call request received from a first agent of the plurality of agents;   a selector that selects an agent from the plurality of agents to handle the data messaging call request based on a comparison of the determined skills of each of the plurality of agents with the determined skills of the first agent; and   an agent connection module that establishes communication between the first agent and the selected agent so that the selected agent provides assistance to the first agent.   
     
     
       43. The apparatus for providing assistance as in claim 42 wherein the data messaging call further comprises a chat call. 
     
     
       44. The apparatus for providing assistance as in claim 42 further comprising a database that stores the determined skills for respective agents of the plurality of agents. 
     
     
       45. The apparatus for providing assistance as in claim 44 wherein the first agent is a remote agent. 
     
     
       46. The apparatus for providing assistance as in claim 45 further comprising a skill record that is retrieved from the database. 
     
     
       47. The apparatus for providing assistance as in claim 39 further comprising a comparator that compares the skill record of the remote agent with the skill records of the plurality of agents to identify the selected agent.