Automatic call distributor and method for routing incoming telephone calls based on proficiency ratings of agents

Abstract

An automatic call distributor,and method for selectively connecting incoming telephone calls from telephonic units,to a plurality of available agents located at agent telephonic units,is provided. The automatic call distributor,includes a central processing unit,which controls a multiport switch,to interconnect the incoming telephone calls and the agent telephonic units,. Each agent is assigned one or more agent-skill indicators indicative of the agent's skills. A proficiency rating indicative of the skill level of the agent is also assigned for each agent-skill indicator. Skill groups,and,are formed from available agents having a common agent-skill indicator. Within the skill groups, the agents are arranged by decreasing proficiency rating. Agents with identical proficiency ratings are further arranged by the amount of time each agent has been available to accept an incoming telephone call. When received, an incoming telephone call is matched with a common agent-skill indicator deemed useful in satisfying a need of the caller and a minimum proficiency rating and the telephone call is routed to the skill group associated with the matched agent-skill indicator. The telephone call is offered to the agent within the skill group having the highest proficiency rating and, amongst the agents having an identical proficiency rating, having been available for the longest time.