Abstract: The present invention is directed to architectures for receiving, from requestors, requests for information, identifying appropriate responders, unknown to the requestors, to provide the requested information, and effecting interactions between the requestors and responders.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a contact center is provided that includes: (a) a work item queue 208, 250 comprising an intra-enterprise contact associated with at least first and second internal endpoints of an enterprise; and (b) a selector operable to select and assign a work item to an agent. In selecting the work item, the selector considers both a customer contact and the intra-enterprise contact. The intra-enterprise contact, for example, can be a training notification.

Abstract: The system and method establish a communication with a first party. A first emotion is detected during a first step during the communication. Steps in the communication can include: establishing a call, waiting in a queue, talking with an agent, communicating with an IVR system, and the like. A second emotion is detected at a different step in the communication. Alternatively, the first and second emotions are detected in two different but related communications. The detection of the first and/or second emotion determines how to process the communication. Examples of processing a communication can include routing the communication differently, selecting a different script for an agent, selecting a different agent, and the like. In addition, the communication can also be processed differently based on other additional parameters.

Abstract: The system and method establish a communication with a first party. A first emotion is detected during a first step during the communication. Steps in the communication can include: establishing a call, waiting in a queue, talking with an agent, communicating with an IVR system, and the like. A second emotion is detected at a different step in the communication. Alternatively, the first and second emotions are detected in two different but related communications. The detection of the first and/or second emotion determines how to process the communication. Examples of processing a communication can include routing the communication differently, selecting a different script for an agent, selecting a different agent, and the like. In addition, the communication can also be processed differently based on other additional parameters.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a contact center using presence information to direct work items to experts. More specifically, a system is provided that includes a feature that allows for subject matter experts, which are individuals other than customer service agents, to assist in incoming calls in at least three different modes: an assist mode, an intercept mode and an overflow mode. Thus, customer service efficiency and customer satisfaction are increased. In addition, it is contemplated that subject matter experts may either selectively accept or deny the request for assistance.

Abstract: When a call to a call center is enqueued to await an agent or placed on hold by an agent, an applet customized to satisfy an in-queue experience selected by the caller is downloaded to and executed on the caller's terminal. The applet presents information to the caller, and may also interact with the caller by, for example, gathering information from the caller. The time needed for execution of the selected applet is within a wait time negotiated with the caller. Preferably, the caller is identified (e.g., via the caller's address or identifier), and the applet is further customized for that caller's preferences, e.g., based on previously-gathered and stored information about that caller. When the agent is about ready to take the call, the caller is alerted. When an agent dequeues the call or takes the call off hold, connection of the agent with the client is (re)established.

Abstract: A call center or other processing system receives an incoming communication over a computer network, determines at least a portion of a network source address of the originator, and utilizes information from the source address to select a particular type of treatment for the communication. The computer network may be an Internet Protocol (IP) network and the network source address may be an IP source address. The communication may be a service request delivered from the originator to a call center over the Internet. The source address may be processed to determine, e.g., a particular individual corresponding to the originator, or a company name, company size, Internet service provider, geographic region, or other characteristic associated with the originator. This information is then used to determine how the communication will be handled, e.g., provided with service within a designated time, handled by an agent having particular skills, etc.

Abstract: A call center is configured to determine variable rest periods for one or more agents, based at least in part on factors such as call center service state and agent occupancy. The call center service states may include a number of designated service states associated with a particular skill or type of communication supported by one or more agents of the call center. A particular one of the states represents a branded service level, while other states represent over-service and under-service conditions. The rest period determined for one or more of the agents can be used to implement features such as many-to-many work assignment, just-in-time (JIT) delivery of work, next opportunity for service (NOS) indicators, thereby facilitating the processing of communications in the call center.

Abstract: The alternate destination redirection (ADR) feature (102) of telephone switching systems (101) or an equivalent is used to implement a “post-route” routing architecture having the benefits of a “pre-route” routing architecture in a network ACD (FIG. 1). The ADR feature is administered in the network (100) for individual ACD systems and individual call types at each ACD system to identify another ACD system as an alternative destination for calls of the individual call type rejected by the individual ACD system. The network distributes (302) calls to the plurality of ACD systems (110-112) on a basis (e.g., fixed percentage, round-robin) that does not require the network to know the status of the individual ACD systems. Upon having a call of an individual type routed thereto, an individual ACD system checks (304) the status of the ACD system that is administered as the alternative destination for its rejected calls of the individual type.