Patent ID: 8239241

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for improving a service center's handling of a newly waiting customer experiencing delays comprising: collecting, by a computer, market data comprising delay information from a first firm's service center and a second competing firm, wherein said delay information includes a first indicator of delay for said first firm's service center and a second indicator of delay for said second competing firm, and wherein said first firm's service center advertises a measure of expected delay, as said first indicator of delay, said measure of expected delay including real-time updated expected delay and static average delay, and said second firm advertises an exact number of customers, as said second indicator of delay; estimating, by said computer, features of said market data, including historical tolerance of said newly waiting customer to being on hold with said first firm's service center; modeling, by said computer, a potential market share for said first firm's service center based on combinations of said delay information including said real-time updated expected delay and said static average delay from said first firm's service center, and said delay information of an advertised exact number of customers from said second competing center firm; calculating, by said computer, potential revenue derived from said modeling of said potential market share based on said combinations of said delay information including said real-time updated expected delay and said static average delay from said first firm's service center and said advertised exact number of customers from said second competing center firm; performing, by said computer, a cost-benefit analysis of said potential market share based on costs of obtaining said combinations of said delay information including said real-time updated expected delay and said static average delay from said first firm's service center and said advertised exact number of customers from said second competing center firm, and said potential revenue; selecting, by said computer, one of said combinations of said delay information being one of: said real-time updated expected delay from said first firm's service center and said advertised exact number of customers from said second competing center firm, and said static average delay from said first firm's service center and said advertised exact number of customers from said second competing center firm based on said cost-benefit analysis; and communicating, by said computer, said one of said combinations of said delay information that is selected to said newly waiting customer of said first firm's service center based on said selecting of said one of said combinations of said delay information.