Patent ID: 6990458

Claim:
A system for handling a plurality of unassigned service requests, the system comprising: means for receiving the plurality of service requests which are upon receipt are unassigned; means for using programming to process the plurality of unassigned service requests for the purpose of assigning to each of the plurality of unassigned service requests one or more of a plurality of technicians as a function of at least a skill level of each of the plurality of technicians, a skill level required by each of the plurality of unassigned service request; means for considering prior service requests assigned to each of the plurality of technicians via the programming; and an amount of time to complete each of the plurality of unassigned service requests; means for displaying an indication if one or more of the plurality of unassigned service requests remain unassigned as a result of processing performed via the programming; and means for displaying an indication of a status of one or more service requests that have been assigned to at least one technician via the programming.