Abstract: A call-center ACD switch and queuing method are modified either to respond to an arriving call by determining, for those splits that could handle the call, the present values of a parameter that defines what is a best split for handling the call, determining from those present values which split is the best split for handling the call, and then enqueuing the call in the call queue of the best split, or to respond to a call that overflows the call queue of its primary agent split by determining which backup split in which call center is the best backup split for the call, and enqueuing the call in the call queue of the best backup split. Any desirable criteria may be used to determine the best split. A preferred criterion is queue waiting time: the best split is the one whose call queue offers the shortest in-queue waiting time.

Abstract: A call-center ACD switch and queuing method are modified either to respond to a call that overflows the call queue of its primary agent split by determining which backup split in which call center is the best backup split for the call, and enqueuing the call in the call queue of the best backup split, or to respond to an arriving call by determining, for those splits that could handle the call, the present values of a parameter that defines what is a best split for handling the call, determining from those present values which split is the best split for handling the call, and then enqueuing the call in the call queue of the best split. Any desirable criteria may be used to determine the best split or the best back-up split. A preferred criterion is queue waiting time: the best split or the best backup split is the one whose call queue offers the shortest in-queue waiting time. The waiting time may be either the real estimated waiting time (EWT), or the EWT weighted for other factors (WEWT).

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus (12) for handling calls in a call center predicts (206, 312, 410) a caller's level of motivation for making the call and uses (208-212, 314-330, 412-416) the prediction as a basis for determining how to handle the call. The method and apparatus respond to a call coming in to the call center by determining (206, 306, 404) a number of call attempts--either all call attempts whether answered or unanswered by an agent, or only unanswered call attempts--made by the caller to the call center within a predetermined elapsed period of time, and possibly also by determining (308-310, 406) other predictors of the level of motivation of the caller in making the call, prior to the call being answered.