Patents by Inventor S. James P. Spottiswoode

S. James P. Spottiswoode has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20150381810
    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: June 30, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Applicant: SATMAP International Holdings Ltd.
    Inventors: S. James P. SPOTTISWOODE, Zia CHISHTI
  • Publication number: 20150326724
    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: June 30, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Applicant: SATMAP INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LTD.
    Inventors: S. James P. SPOTTISWOODE, Zia CHISHTI
  • Publication number: 20150304496
    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: June 30, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: S. James P. SPOTTISWOODE, Zia CHISHTI
  • Publication number: 20150304497
    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: June 30, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: S. James P. SPOTTISWOODE, Zia CHISHTI
  • Publication number: 20150271332
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for ranking individuals in a contact center system including ranking a first individual in a set of individuals based on relative amounts of data for the first individual and one or more other individuals in the set of individuals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Applicant: SATMAP INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LTD.
    Inventors: S. James P. SPOTTISWOODE, Zia CHISHTI
  • Publication number: 20150124955
    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: October 31, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: SATMAP INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LIMITED
    Inventors: S. James P. SPOTTISWOODE, Zia CHISHTI
  • Patent number: 9025757
    Abstract: A method, system and program product, the method comprising: determining a distribution of real agent performance from previous real agent performance data; determining a set of hypothetical agents with respective hypothetical agent performances APi ranging from a worst performance to a best performance; calculating for each of the set of hypothetical agents a posterior distribution taking into account actual results of a respective actual agent in multiple skills, using the distribution of real agent performance and the set of hypothetical agents with respective hypothetical agent performances APi, to obtain a total probability for each hypothetical agent of the set of the hypothetical agents; repeating calculating the posterior distribution steps for multiple of the hypothetical agents to obtain the respective total probabilities for the respective hypothetical agents; determining one hypothetical agent with a better value of total probability as the actual agent's most probable global performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Satmap International Holdings Limited
    Inventors: S. James P. Spottiswoode, Zia Chishti
  • Patent number: 8903079
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for routing callers to agents in a call-center routing environment. An exemplary method includes pooling incoming callers, and causing a caller from the pool of callers to be routed. The caller may be routed from the pool of callers to an agent, placed in another pool of callers, or placed in a queue of callers. The caller data may include demographic or psychographic data. The caller may be routed from the pool of callers based on comparing the caller data with agent data associated with an agent via a pattern matching algorithm and/or computer model for predicting a caller-agent pair outcome. Additionally, if a caller is held beyond a hold threshold (e.g., a time, “cost” function, or the like) the caller may be routed to the next available agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Satmap International Holdings Limited
    Inventors: Qiaobing Xie, S. James P. Spottiswoode
  • Patent number: 8879715
    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: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Satmap International Holdings Limited
    Inventors: S. James P. Spottiswoode, Zia Chishti
  • Patent number: 8781100
    Abstract: Systems and processes are disclosed for routing callers to agents in a contact center based on similar probabilities for an outcome variable. An exemplary probability multiplier process includes determining agent performance of a set of agents for an outcome variable (e.g., sales) and determining caller propensity of a set of callers for the outcome variable (e.g., the propensity or statistical chance of purchasing). Callers and agents are matched based on corresponding agent performance and propensity for the outcome variable of the caller, e.g., matching callers and agents having similar relative performance for the outcome variable, such as matching the highest ranked caller to the highest ranked agent, the worst ranked caller to the worst ranked agent, and so on. The performance and propensity of the callers and agents may be converted to percentile rankings, and callers and agents can be matched based on a closest match of percentile rankings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Satmap International Holdings Limited
    Inventors: S. James P. Spottiswoode, Zia Chishti
  • Patent number: 8750488
    Abstract: Systems and processes are disclosed for routing callers to agents in a contact center based on predicted call handle times. An exemplary process includes using predicted call handle time as a variable for call routing along with a performance matching and/or psychodemograhpic matching process of caller-agent pairs to maximize sales, customer satisfaction, and so on. The process may allocate the highest performing agents and/or the most “demographic matchable” agents to those callers that are predicted have the shortest duration. The process may further allocate the lowest performing agents and or the least “demographic matchable” agents to those callers that are predicted have the longest duration, or may not allocate the lowest performing agents to any callers at all.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Satmap International Holdings Limited
    Inventors: S. James P. Spottiswoode, Zia Chishti
  • Patent number: 8737595
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for routing callers to agents in a contact center, along with an intelligent routing system. One or more agents are graded on achieving an optimal interaction, such as increasing revenue, decreasing cost, or increasing customer satisfaction. Callers are then preferentially routed to a graded agent to obtain an increased chance at obtaining a chosen optimal interaction. In a more advanced embodiment, caller and agent demographic and psychographic characteristics can also be determined and used in a pattern matching algorithm to preferentially route a caller with certain characteristics to an agent with certain characteristics to increase the chance of an optimal interaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Satmap International Holdings Limited
    Inventors: Zia Chishti, S. James P. Spottiswoode, Chris W. Jones
  • Patent number: 8731178
    Abstract: A methods for routing callers to agents in a contact center, along with an intelligent routing system. One or more agents are graded on achieving an optimal interaction, such as increasing revenue, decreasing cost, or increasing customer satisfaction. Callers are then preferentially routed to a graded agent to obtain an increased chance at obtaining a chosen optimal interaction. In a more advanced embodiment, caller and agent demographic and psychographic characteristics can also be determined and used in a pattern matching algorithm to preferentially route a caller with certain characteristics to an agent with certain characteristics to increase the chance of an optimal interaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Satmap International Holdings Limited
    Inventors: Zia Chishti, S. James P. Spottiswoode, Chris W. Jones
  • Patent number: 8724797
    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: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Satmap International Holdings Limited
    Inventors: Zia Chishti, S. James P. Spottiswoode
  • Patent number: 8718271
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for routing callers to agents in a contact center, along with an intelligent routing system. An exemplary method includes combining multiple output variables of a pattern matching algorithm (for matching callers and agents) into a single metric for use in the routing system. The pattern matching algorithm may include a neural network architecture, where the exemplary method combines output variables from multiple neural networks. The method may include determining a Z-score of the variable outputs and determining a linear combination of the determined Z-scores for a desired output. Callers may be routed to agents via the pattern matching algorithm to maximize the output value or score of the linear combination. The output variables may include revenue generation, cost, customer satisfaction performance, first call resolution, cancellation, or other variable outputs from the pattern matching algorithm of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Satmap International Holdings Limited
    Inventor: S. James P. Spottiswoode
  • Publication number: 20140119533
    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: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: THE RESOURCE GROUP INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
    Inventors: S. James P. SPOTTISWOODE, Zia CHISHTI
  • Patent number: 8712821
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for routing callers to agents in a contact center. Exemplary methods and systems include using one of a plurality of different methods or computer models for matching callers to agents, the method or model selected based on a type of phone or phone number associated with a caller (e.g., residential, business, or mobile). The models may include queue routing, performance based matching, adaptive pattern matching algorithms, or the like. In one example, similar adaptive models may be used for two or more different types of phones, but trained differently, e.g., based on data and outcomes for the particular type of phone. Different models for routing callers to agents may perform differently for different types of phones. Further, training correlation or adaptive pattern matching algorithms based on different types of phones may improve performance compared to a single algorithm for all types of phones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Satmap International Holdings Limited
    Inventor: S. James P. Spottiswoode
  • Patent number: 8699694
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for preprocessing caller-agent pairs in a contact routing center, along with an intelligent routing system. A method includes determining at least one agent data for each agent of a set of agents, determining at least one caller data for each caller of a set of callers, and determining a score for each possible caller-agent pair of the set of agents and the set of callers using the agent data and the caller data in a pattern matching algorithm. The scores for each possible caller-agent pair may then be stored, e.g., in a look-up table, for retrieval, where matching a caller of the set of callers to an agent of the set of agents is based on the previously determined or calculated scores. For example, the caller-agent pair having the best score of all potential caller-agent pairs may be connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Satmap International Holdings Limited
    Inventors: Zia Chishti, S. James P. Spottiswoode
  • Patent number: 8670548
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for routing callers to agents in a call-center routing environment. An exemplary method includes identifying caller data for a caller in a queue of callers, and jumping or moving the caller to a different position within the queue based on the caller data. The caller data may include one or both of demographic data and psychographic data. The caller can be jumped forward or backward in the queue relative to at least one other caller. Jumping the caller may further be based on comparing the caller data with agent data via a pattern matching algorithm and/or computer model for predicting a caller-agent pair outcome. Additionally, if a caller is held beyond a hold threshold (e.g., a time, “cost” function, or the like) the caller may be routed to the next available agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Satmap International Holdings Limited
    Inventors: Qiaobing Xie, S. James P. Spottiswoode
  • Patent number: 8634542
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for routing callers to agents in a contact center. Exemplary methods and system include using one of a plurality of different computer models for matching callers to agents, the model selected based on a degree and/or type of caller data available. The models may include queue routing, performance based matching, adaptive pattern matching algorithms, or other computer models for matching callers to agents. In one example, similar adaptive models may be used for two or more different degrees/types of caller data, but are trained differently, e.g., based on the degree/type of caller data. Different models for routing callers to agents may perform differently for different degrees/types of caller data. Further, training correlation or adaptive pattern matching algorithms based on different degrees/types of caller data may improve their respective performance compared to a single algorithm for all degrees/types of caller data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Satmap International Holdings Limited
    Inventors: S. James P. Spottiswoode, Zia Chishti