Patent ID: 7630487

Claim:
A method for distributing calls, comprising: receiving a plurality of calls each for connection with one of a plurality of agents; storing each of the plurality of calls in a queue; monitoring the time that each of the plurality of calls has spent in the queue; determining that a first agent is available to receive a call; determining, for a first call that has spent the most time in the queue, a first amount of time that the first call has spent in the queue; determining whether the first amount of time has exceeded a service level time; if the first amount of time has not exceeded the service level time, distributing the first call to the first agent; and if the first amount of time has exceeded the service level time: maintaining the first call in the queue; determining, for a second call that has spent the second-most time in the queue, a second amount of time that the second call has spent in the queue; determining whether the second amount of time has exceeded a service level time; and if the second amount of time has not exceeded the service level time, distributing the second call to the first agent.