Patents Assigned to Afiniti, Ltd.
  • Patent number: 11206331
    Abstract: Techniques for sharing control of assigning tasks between an external pairing system and a task assignment system with an internal pairing system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for sharing control of assigning tasks between an external pairing system and a task assignment system with an internal pairing system comprising receiving, from the task assignment system, a plurality of task pairing requests and an agent pairing request, wherein each task request of the plurality of task pairing requests is assigned to one of a first pairing strategy and a second pairing strategy. The agent pairing request may indicate an agent that is available for pairing. The method may further comprise transmitting, to the task assignment system, a pairing recommendation being based in part on the plurality of task pairing requests, the first pairing strategy, the second pairing strategy, and the agent pairing request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Afiniti, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ain Chishty, Hassan Afzal
  • Patent number: 11196865
    Abstract: Techniques for decisioning behavioral pairing in a task assignment system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for decisioning behavioral pairing in a task assignment system comprising: determining, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in the task assignment system, a plurality of possible task-agent pairings among at least one task waiting for assignment and at least one agent available for assignment; and selecting, by the least one computer processor for assignment in the task assignment system, a first task-agent pairing of the plurality of possible task-agent pairings based at least in part on a first offer set to be offered by the agent or a first compensation to be received by the agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Afiniti, Ltd.
    Inventors: Caroline O'Brien, Julian Lopez-Portillo, Karl Garbacik, Ittai Kan
  • Patent number: 11178283
    Abstract: Techniques for workforce management in a contact center system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for workforce management in a contact center system comprising generating historical workforce data regarding an agent workforce capacity of the contact center system, and initiating an increase or decrease to an agent workforce of the contact center system based at least in part on the historical workforce data to increase an amount of choice among available agents or waiting contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: AFINITI, LTD.
    Inventor: Zia Chishti
  • Patent number: 11165908
    Abstract: Techniques for benchmarking pairing strategies in a contact center system are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Afiniti, Ltd.
    Inventor: Zia Chishti
  • Patent number: 11144344
    Abstract: Techniques for behavioral pairing in a task assignment system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for behavioral pairing in a task assignment system comprising determining, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in the task assignment system, availability of at least one task in a queue; querying, based on at least one variable pertaining to the at least one task, at least one data source for information associated with the at least one task; receiving, from the at least one data source, the information associated with the at least one task; and pairing, based at least in part on the information associated with the at least one task, the at least one task to an agent in the task assignment system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Afiniti, Ltd.
    Inventor: Jason Delker
  • Patent number: 11122163
    Abstract: Techniques for workforce management in a contact center system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for workforce management in a contact center system comprising generating historical workforce data regarding an agent workforce capacity of the contact center system, and initiating an increase or decrease to an agent workforce of the contact center system based at least in part on the historical workforce data to increase an amount of choice among available agents or waiting contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: AFINITI, LTD.
    Inventor: Zia Chishti
  • Patent number: 11115534
    Abstract: Techniques for behavioral pairing in a contact center system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for pairing in a contact center including ordering one or more contacts, ordering one or more agents, comparing a first difference in ordering between a first contact and a first agent in a first pair with a second difference in ordering between a second contact and a second agent in a second pair, and selecting the first pair or the second pair for connection based on the comparing, wherein the first contact and the second contact are different or the first agent and the second agent are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Afiniti, Ltd.
    Inventor: Zia Chishti
  • Patent number: 11115535
    Abstract: Techniques for sharing control of assigning tasks may be realized as a method for sharing control of assigning tasks between an external pairing system and a task assignment system with an internal pairing system comprising receiving, from the task assignment system, a plurality of task pairing requests and an agent pairing request, wherein each task request of the plurality of task pairing requests is assigned to one of a first pairing strategy and a second pairing strategy. The agent pairing request may indicate an agent that is available for pairing. The method may further comprise transmitting, to the task assignment system, a pairing recommendation being based in part on the plurality of task pairing requests, the first pairing strategy, the second pairing strategy, and the agent pairing request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Afiniti, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ain Chishty, Hassan Afzal
  • Publication number: 20210250445
    Abstract: Techniques for pairing contacts and agents in a contact center system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for pairing contacts and agents in a contact center system comprising: assigning, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in the contact center system, a contact to an agent based on information associated with a prior interaction of the contact with the contact center system. The assigning of the contact to the agent may result in a less favorable outcome for the contact assigned to the agent and an increase in an overall performance of the contact center system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Applicant: Afiniti, Ltd.
    Inventor: Vikash KHATRI
  • Publication number: 20210241201
    Abstract: Techniques for benchmarking pairing strategies in a task assignment system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for benchmarking pairing strategies in a task assignment system, the method comprising: determining, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in the task assignment system, a first performance of a first pairing strategy based at least in part on a first plurality of historical task assignments assigned by a second pairing strategy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: Afiniti, Ltd.
    Inventors: Zia CHISHTI, Julian LOPEZ-PORTILLO, Ittai KAN
  • Publication number: 20210243306
    Abstract: Techniques for sharing control of assigning tasks between an external pairing system and a task assignment system with an internal pairing system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for sharing control of assigning tasks between an external pairing system and a task assignment system with an internal pairing system comprising receiving, from the task assignment system, a plurality of task pairing requests and an agent pairing request, wherein each task request of the plurality of task pairing requests is assigned to one of a first pairing strategy and a second pairing strategy. The agent pairing request may indicate an agent that is available for pairing. The method may further comprise transmitting, to the task assignment system, a pairing recommendation being based in part on the plurality of task pairing requests, the first pairing strategy, the second pairing strategy, and the agent pairing request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: Afiniti, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ain CHISHTY, Hassan AFZAL
  • Publication number: 20210243304
    Abstract: Techniques for error handling in a task assignment system with an external pairing system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for error handling in a task assignment system with an external pairing system comprising transmitting a request for the external pairing system to select a first pairing between one or more tasks awaiting assignment and one or more agents available for assignment, the first pairing to be selected according to a first pairing strategy; determining a timeout window to wait for the external pairing system to provide a response that identifies the first pairing; detecting an expiration of the timeout window without receiving the response; and, in response to detecting the expiration of the timeout window, selecting a second pairing between the one or more tasks and the one or more agents, the second pairing being selected according to a second pairing strategy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: Afiniti, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ain CHISHTY
  • Publication number: 20210240531
    Abstract: Techniques for pairing in a task assignment system with an external pairing system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for pairing in a task assignment system with an external pairing system comprising transmitting first information that identifies one or more tasks waiting for assignment and one or more agents available for assignment; transmitting a pairing request; determining an initial timeout window to wait for the external pairing system to respond to the pairing request; receiving at a first time within the initial timeout window, an extension request that includes an instruction to extend the initial timeout window; extending the initial timeout window in response to the receiving the extension request; and receiving at a second time within the extended timeout window, a pairing response that includes a selected pairing between the one or more tasks and the one or more agents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: Afiniti, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ain CHISHTY
  • Publication number: 20210240530
    Abstract: Techniques for behavioral pairing in a task assignment system with an external pairing system may be realized as a method comprising transmitting to the external pairing system over an application programming interface, a control flag and a benchmark flag. The control flag may indicate whether a task—agent pairing in the task assignment system is to be based on a response by the external pairing system to a routing request. The benchmark flag may indicate whether the pairing of the task to the agent is to be based on one of a first pairing strategy and a second pairing strategy. The method may further comprise receiving from the external pairing system, the task-agent pairing based on one of the first pairing strategy and the second pairing strategy, the task-agent pairing being based at least in part on the control flag and the benchmark flag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: Afiniti, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ain CHISHTY, Hassan AFZAL
  • Publication number: 20210243305
    Abstract: Techniques for sharing control of assigning tasks may be realized as a method for sharing control of assigning tasks between an external pairing system and a task assignment system with an internal pairing system comprising receiving, from the task assignment system, a plurality of task pairing requests and an agent pairing request, wherein each task request of the plurality of task pairing requests is assigned to one of a first pairing strategy and a second pairing strategy. The agent pairing request may indicate an agent that is available for pairing. The method may further comprise transmitting, to the task assignment system, a pairing recommendation being based in part on the plurality of task pairing requests, the first pairing strategy, the second pairing strategy, and the agent pairing request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: Afiniti, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ain CHISHTY, Hassan AFZAL
  • Publication number: 20210243303
    Abstract: Techniques for behavioral pairing in a task assignment system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for behavioral pairing in a task assignment system comprising: determining, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in the task assignment system, at least one behavioral pairing constraint; and applying, by the at least one computer processor, the at least one behavioral pairing constraint to the task assignment system to controllably reduce performance of the task assignment system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: Afiniti, Ltd.
    Inventors: Vikash KHATRI, Zia CHISHTI, Jason DELKER
  • Publication number: 20210241198
    Abstract: Techniques for assigning tasks in a task assignment system with an external pairing system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for assigning tasks in a task assignment system with an external pairing system comprising transmitting, by the task assignment system, to the external pairing system, a plurality of task pairing requests and an agent pairing request, wherein each task pairing request in the plurality of task pairing requests indicates a task that is received for pairing and each task pairing request in the plurality of task pairing requests indicates an agent that is available for pairing. The method may further comprise receiving, at the task assignment system, from the external pairing system, a pairing recommendation, the pairing recommendation being based at least in part on the plurality of task pairing requests and the agent pairing request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: Afiniti, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ain CHISHTY, Hassan AFZAL, Zia CHISHTI
  • Publication number: 20210234963
    Abstract: Method, system and program product, comprising obtaining agent performance data; ranking, agents based the agent performance data; dividing agents into agent performance ranges; partitioning callers based on criteria into a set of partitions; determining for each partition an outcome value for a first agent performance range and a second agent performance range; calculating for the partitions a respective outcome value difference indicator based on the outcome value for the first agent performance range and the outcome value for the second agent performance range for the partition; matching a respective agent to a respective caller in one of the partitions, based on the outcome value difference indicators for the partitions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: Afiniti, Ltd.
    Inventors: S. James P. SPOTTISWOODE, Zia CHISHTI
  • Publication number: 20210227075
    Abstract: Techniques for workforce management in a contact center system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method that includes determining a first score of a contact waiting for connection in a contact center system; determining a first agent is ready for connection in the contact center system; and determining a second score of the first agent. The method also includes after determining the first agent is ready, comparing the first score with the second score and delaying pairing the contact based on the comparing. The method also includes, after the delaying, determining no agent having a higher score than the second score became ready for connection in the contact center system; and connecting the contact to the agent after the delaying.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Applicant: Afiniti, Ltd.
    Inventor: Zia CHISHTI
  • Patent number: RE48846
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for estimating and assigning agent performance characteristics in a call routing center. Performance characteristics (e.g., sales rate, customer satisfaction, duration of call, etc.) may be assigned to an agent when the agent has made few calls relative to other agents or otherwise has a large error in their measure of one or more performance characteristics used for matching callers to agents (e.g., via a performance based or pattern matching routing method). A method includes identifying agents of a plurality of agents having a number of calls fewer than a predetermined number of calls (or an error in the performance characteristic exceeding a threshold), assigning a performance characteristic to the identified agents (that is different than the agent's actual performance characteristic), and routing a caller to one of the plurality of agents based on the performance characteristics of the plurality of agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Afiniti, Ltd.
    Inventors: Zia Chishti, S. James P. Spottiswoode