System and method for preemptive goals based routing of contact records

Abstract

A method and system is provided for the preemptive goals based distribution of contact records. This method and system includes devices receiving contact records and providing customer contacts to one or more agents. Interfaced with the device is a distribution module including pools and queues. The distribution module places the contact records into the pools and transfers less than all of the contact records to the queues to allow for processing by the devices at peak efficiency. The distribution module transfers the queues to the devices so that the device can place customer contact attempts. A goal module, associated with the distribution module, monitors the performance of the pools. The goal module modifies which queues the pools transfer contact records to based on the performance of the pools thereby allowing the contact records to be distributed in accordance with performance goals for the pools.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for distributing contact records utilizing preemptive goals based routing, the system comprising:
 at least one contact device operable to comprising a predictive dialer in a call center, the at least one contact device configured to receive a plurality of contact records, to establish contacts with using the plurality of contact records and to provide the contacts to plural agents a plurality of agents in the call center; and  
 a distribution module server interfaced with the at least one contact device and including a plurality of pools and a plurality of queues, the distribution module operable server configured to place the plurality of contact records into the plurality of pools, transfer less than all of the plurality of contact records from each of the plurality of pools to the plurality of queues, and transfer the plurality of queues to the at least one contact device; and, 
 a goal module interfaced with the distribution module, the goal module operablewherein the server is further configured to monitor the performance of the plurality of pools and modify which of the plurality of queues the plurality of pools transfer a remaining subset of the plurality of contact records to based on the performance of the plurality of pools. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  wherein the goal module server organizes the plurality of agents into one or more teams. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1  further comprising one or more performance metrics associated with the plurality of pools, the one or more performance metric metrics operable to determine how to measure the performance of each pool of the plurality of pools. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3  wherein the goal module server selects the one or more performance metric metrics for the each pool of the plurality of pools. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 3  wherein a user selects the one or more performance metric metrics for the each pool of the plurality of pools. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  wherein the goal module server modifies which of the plurality of queues the plurality of pools transfer the remaining subset of the plurality of contact records to by transferring one of the plurality of queues away from one or more of the plurality of pools having unsatisfactory performance. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1  wherein the goal module server modifies which of the plurality of queues the plurality of pools transfer the remaining subset of the plurality of contact records to by transferring one of the plurality of queues to one or more of the plurality of pools having unsatisfactory performance. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1  further comprising one or more goal strategies associated with the goal module server, the one or more goal strategies operable to control controlling how the goal module server modifies which one of the plurality of queues the plurality of pools transfer the remaining subset of the plurality of contact records to based on the performance of the plurality of pools. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1  wherein the goal module server identifies a corresponding final goal for each pool. pool of the plurality of pools. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9  wherein when a pool one of the plurality of pools satisfies the a first corresponding final goal for that pool, the goal module the one of the plurality of pools, the server transfers the queues a corresponding queue from the pool one of the plurality of pools satisfying the corresponding final goal to another one or more pools of the plurality of pools not satisfying the the final goals. corresponding final goal. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 1  wherein the goal module server prioritizes the plurality of pools relative to each other. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 1  wherein the goal module server determines one or more goals and one or more goal states for each pool, the goal state operable to indicate of the plurality of pools, wherein the one or more goal states indicates the performance of the pools relative to the goals. a corresponding pool relative to the corresponding one or more goals. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12  wherein the goal module server modifies which of the plurality of queues the plurality of pools transfer the remaining subset of the plurality of contact records to based on the one or more goal states for each pool of the plurality of pools. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 1  wherein the goal module server defines one or more levels of effort for each queue, of the plurality of queues, wherein each of the one or more levels of effort operable to determine the determines a number of agents that access contact records from a particular pool. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14  wherein the goal module server modifies which of the plurality of queues the pools the plurality of pools transfer the remaining subset of the plurality of contact records to by transferring the one or more levels of effort between the plurality of pools. 
     
     
       16. A system for distributing contact records utilizing preemptive goals based routing, the system comprising:
 at least onea contact device operablecomprising a predictive dialer in a call center configured to receive a plurality of contact records, to establish contacts with the plurality of contact records, and to provide the contacts to plural agents; and 
 a distribution module server interfaced with the plurality of devices contact device and including a plurality of pools and a plurality of queues, 
 the distribution module operable server configured to place the plurality of contact records into the plurality of pools, transfer less than all of the plurality of contact records from each of the plurality of pools to the plurality of queues, and transfer the plurality of queues to the at least one contact device; and, 
 a goal module interfaced with the distribution module, the goal module operablewherein the server is further configured to definereceive one or more levels of effort for each queue of the plurality of queues, determinereceive a goal for each pool,and determine a goal state for each pool of the plurality of pools, and modify which of the plurality of queues the plurality of pools transfer a remaining subset of the plurality of contact records to. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16  wherein the goal state for a particular pool indicates whether the particular pool satisfies the goal. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 16  further comprising, wherein one or more performance metrics are associated with the plurality of pools, the performance metric and operable to determine how to measure the a performance of each of the plurality of pools. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 18  wherein the goal module server selects the one or more performance metric metrics for each pool of the plurality of pools. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 16  wherein the goal module server calculates a goal status for each pool of the plurality of pools. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 16  wherein the goal module server identifies a final goal for each pool of the plurality of pools. 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 21  wherein when a particular pool satisfies the final goal for that the particular pool, the goal module server transfers the level one or more levels of effort from the particular pool satisfying the final goal to one or more other pools not satisfying the corresponding final goals goal for the one or more other pools. 
     
     
       23. The system of  claim 16  wherein the goal module prioritizes server is configured to prioritize the plurality of pools relative to each other. 
     
     
       24. The system of  claim 16  wherein the goal module server modifies which of the plurality of queues the plurality of pools transfer the remaining subset of the plurality of contact records to based on the goal states state for each pool. 
     
     
       25. The system of  claim 16  wherein the goal module server modifies which of the plurality of queues the plurality of pools transfer the remaining subset of the plurality of contact records to by transferring the one or more levels of effort between the pools. 
     
     
       26. The system of  claim 25  wherein the goal module server transfers the one or more levels of effort to one or more pools not satisfying the goals goal. 
     
     
       27. The system of  claim 25  wherein the goal module server transfers the one or more levels of effort away from one or more pools not satisfying the goals goal. 
     
     
       28. The system of  claim 16  further comprising one or more goal strategies associated with the goal module server, the goal strategies operable configured to control which of the one or more levels of effort are transferred between the plurality of pools. 
     
     
       29. The system of  claim 28  wherein the goal module server modifies which of the plurality of queues the plurality of pools transfer the remaining subset of the plurality of contact records to based on the goal states state for each pool and a selected goal strategy. 
     
     
       30. The system of  claim 16  wherein the goal module server sets a limit on the level one or more levels of effort that may be transferred away from each pool to the other pools. 
     
     
       31. The system of  claim 16  further comprising an effort map associated with the goal module server, wherein the effort map operable is used to identify the plurality of pools from which the plurality of queues and plural agents receive the remaining subset of the plurality of contact records and to identify the one or more levels of effort for each pool. 
     
     
       32. The system of  claim 31  further comprising one or more routing tables associated with the plurality of pools and the effort map, wherein the one or more routing tables operable are used by the server to determine how the goal module transfers to transfer the one or more levels of effort between the plurality of pools based on the goal states state for each pool. 
     
     
       33. A method for preemptive goals based routing of contact records from a server to at least one contact device comprising a predictive dialer, the method comprising:
 organizing a plurality of contact records by the server into a plurality of pools, wherein the plurality of pools are stored in the server; 
 transferring less than all of the contact records from each of the plurality of pools to a plurality of queues; 
 transferring the plurality of queues to the at least one contact device having a plurality of agents; 
 monitoring the performance of the plurality of pools; and 
 modifying the which queues to which of the plurality of queues the plurality of pools transfer a remaining subset of the plurality of contact records to based on the performance of the plurality of pools. 
 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 33  further comprising organizing the plurality of agents into one or more teams. 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 33  wherein monitoring the performance of the plurality of pools comprises determining how to measure the performance of each pool of the plurality of pools. 
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 35  wherein determining how to measure the performance of the plurality of pools comprises selecting a performance metric for each pool of the plurality of pools. 
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 33  wherein monitoring the performance of the plurality of pools comprises establishing a final goal for each pool of the plurality of pools. 
     
     
       38. The method of  claim 37  wherein modifying which of the plurality of queues to which the plurality of pools transfer the remaining subset of the plurality of contact records to comprises transferring one or more of the queues from a pool satisfying the final goal of the pool to one or more of pools other pool not satisfying the final goal the final goal of the other pool. 
     
     
       39. The method of  claim 33  wherein modifying which of the plurality of queues to which the plurality of pools transfers transfer the remaining subset of the plurality of contact records to comprises transferring additional contact records from one or more pools having satisfactory performance to the queues. 
     
     
       40. The method of  claim 33  wherein modifying which of the plurality of queues to which the plurality of pools transfers transfer the remaining subset of the plurality of contact records to comprises transferring additional contact records from one or more pools having unsatisfactory performance to the queues. 
     
     
       41. The method of  claim 33  wherein monitoring the performance of the pools comprises cycling through the pools to locate a pool having unsatisfactory performance. 
     
     
       42. The method of  claim 41  wherein cycling through the pools to locate a pool having unsatisfactory performance comprises selecting the pool having the unsatisfactory performance. 
     
     
       43. The method of claim  41  33 wherein modifying which of the plurality of queues to which the plurality of pools transfers transfer the remaining subset of the plurality of contact records to comprises transferring the queues away from the a pool having unsatisfactory performance. 
     
     
       44. The method of claim  41  33 wherein modifying which of the plurality of queues to which the plurality of pools transfers transfer the remaining subset of the plurality of contact records to comprises transferring the queues to the a pool having unsatisfactory performance. 
     
     
       45. The method of  claim 33  wherein organizing the plurality of contact records into a the plurality of pools comprises prioritizing the plurality of pools relative to each other. 
     
     
       46. The method of  claim 33  wherein modifying which of the plurality of queues to which the plurality of pools transfer the remaining subset of the plurality of contact records to comprises controlling which queues are transferred between the plurality of pools. 
     
     
       47. A method for preemptive goals based routing of contact records, the method comprising:
 organizing a plurality of contact records into a plurality of pools;   determining a goal for each pool;   transferring less than all of the contact records from the pools to a plurality of queues, each queue including one or more levels of effort;   transferring the queues to at least one contact device having a plurality of agents;   determining a goal state for each pool; and   modifying the queues to which the pools transfer contact records to based on the goal states for each pool.   
     
     
       48. The method of  claim 47  wherein determining a goal for each pool comprises determining how to measure the performance of each pool. 
     
     
       49. The method of  claim 48  wherein determining how to measure the performance of the pools comprises selecting a performance metric for each pool. 
     
     
       50. The method of  claim 47  further comprising calculating a goal status for each pool. 
     
     
       51. The method of  claim 47  wherein determining a goal for each pool comprises establishing a final goal for each pool. 
     
     
       52. The method of  claim 51  wherein modifying the queues to which the pools transfer contact records to comprises transferring the level of effort from a pool satisfying the final goal to one or more of pools not satisfying the final goal. 
     
     
       53. The method of  claim 47  wherein organizing the contact records into a plurality of pools comprises prioritizing the pools relative to each other. 
     
     
       54. The method of  claim 47  wherein modifying the queues to which the pools transfer contact records to comprises transferring the levels of effort between the pools. 
     
     
       55. The method of  claim 54  wherein transferring the levels of effort between the pools comprises determining the pools that receive the levels of effort from the other pools and the pools that transfer levels of effort to the other pools. 
     
     
       56. The method of  claim 54  wherein transferring the levels of effort between the pools comprises transferring the levels of effort to one or more pools not satisfying the goals. 
     
     
       57. The method of  claim 54  wherein transferring the levels of effort between the pools comprises transferring the levels of effort away from one or more pools not satisfying the goals. 
     
     
       58. The method of  claim 54  wherein transferring the levels of effort between the pools comprises limiting the levels of effort that may be transferred from a particular pool to a different pool based upon the goal state of the particular pool. 
     
     
       59. The method of  claim 47  wherein determining a goal state for each pool comprises determining if the pools are satisfying the goals. 
     
     
       60. the method of  claim 47  wherein determining a goal state for each pool comprises cycling through the pools to locate a pool having a desired goal state. 
     
     
       61. The method of  claim 60  wherein cycling through the pools to locate a pool having a desired goal state comprising selecting the pool having the desired goal state. 
     
     
       62. The method of  claim 61  wherein modifying the queues to which the pools transfer contact records to comprises transferring levels of effort away from the pool having the desired goal state. 
     
     
       63. The method of  claim 61  wherein modifying the queues to which the pools transfer contact records to comprises transferring levels of effort to the pool having the desired goal state.