Abstract: A call from a caller to a called party is forwarded to an answering service. A cadence of the call is determined, and an agent is selected to answer the call. To select the agent, a cadence of the selected agent is determined, and the determined cadence of the selected agent is matched to the determined cadence of the call. In particular, the called party has a geographic location associated therewith, and the selected agent has a cadence that matches a cadence associated with the determined geographic location. Contact between the selected agent and the call is then effectuated. The matched cadence is expected to heighten a connection the caller perceives from the selected agent.

Abstract: A first call from a caller to a called party is forwarded to an agent at an answering service. A notification is received from the agent that a level of seriousness of the first call has become dire, and a second call is established between the agent and a crisis service having a crisis counselor that can provide assistance to the caller. The agent is connected into the second call only when the crisis counselor has acknowledged being available, and the second call is joined with the first call. The crisis counselor and the caller are allowed to speak directly by way of the joined calls, so that the crisis counselor can address the caller and attempt to convince same to avoid any activity that would be harmful thereto.

Abstract: A call center answers calls from callers reporting incidents and dispatch responders in response thereto. A computing system at the call center receives a particular call from a caller regarding a particular incident, and determines whether the particular call is an original call that is reporting the particular incident for a first time to the call center, or is a repetitive call that is reporting the particular incident after the original call for the particular incident has already been received by the call center. If an original call, the computing system forwards the particular call to an agent at the call center for further attention. However, if a repetitive call, the computing system diverts the particular call from the agent at the call center. Accordingly, the resources of the call center may be concentrated on original calls and away from repetitive calls.

Abstract: To respond to a call from a client to an organization, the call is directed to a lower-level agent associated with the organization for answering thereby. The lower-level agent employs a computing system of the organization, where the computing system includes an actuation device for initiating contact with a higher-level agent of the organization if it is determined that the calling client is calling regarding a matter worthy of escalation from the lower-level agent to the higher-level agent. A selection from the lower-level agent is received during the call of the actuation device to escalate the call from the lower-level agent to the higher-level agent, and in response to the received selection of the actuation device the call is escalated from the lower-level agent to the higher level agent.

Abstract: An application instantiated on a computing device of a professional receives a selection of a client by a professional to place a call to the client by way of an identifier of the client, and upon receiving the selection of the client, presents to the professional a number of options for an identifier of the professional to be provided with the placed call to the client. The application receives from the professional a selection of one of the options for the identifier of the professional, places the call from the professional to the client, and in doing so provides the selected identifier of the professional with the placed call. The selected and provided identifier of the professional represents a favored location at which the professional or an associate thereof may be reached. The client may ascertain the provided identifier of the professional from the placed call and employ same to place a future call toward the professional or the associate thereof.

Abstract: A call center answers calls from callers reporting incidents and dispatch responders in response thereto. A computing system at the call center receives a particular call from a caller regarding a particular incident, and determines whether the particular call is an original call that is reporting the particular incident for a first time to the call center, or is a repetitive call that is reporting the particular incident after the original call for the particular incident has already been received by the call center. If an original call, the computing system forwards the particular call to an agent at the call center for further attention. However, if a repetitive call, the computing system diverts the particular call from the agent at the call center. Accordingly, the resources of the call center may be concentrated on original calls and away from repetitive calls.

Abstract: An application instantiated on a computing device of a professional receives a selection of a client by a professional to place a call to the client by way of an identifier of the client, and upon receiving the selection of the client, presents to the professional a number of options for an identifier of the professional to be provided with the placed call to the client. The application receives from the professional a selection of one of the options for the identifier of the professional, places the call from the professional to the client, and in doing so provides the selected identifier of the professional with the placed call. The selected and provided identifier of the professional represents a favored location at which the professional or an associate thereof may be reached. The client may ascertain the provided identifier of the professional from the placed call and employ same to place a future call toward the professional or the associate thereof.

Abstract: To respond to a call from a client to an organization, the call is directed to a lower-level agent associated with the organization for answering thereby. The lower-level agent employs a computing system of the organization, where the computing system includes an actuation device for initiating contact with a higher-level agent of the organization if it is determined that the calling client is calling regarding a matter worthy of escalation from the lower-level agent to the higher-level agent. A selection from the lower-level agent is received during the call of the actuation device to escalate the call from the lower-level agent to the higher-level agent, and in response to the received selection of the actuation device the call is escalated from the lower-level agent to the higher level agent.

Abstract: An application instantiated on a computing device of a professional receives transmitted information on an incoming call from a client and displays same, including an identifier of the client by which the professional can place a return call thereto. Upon the professional selecting the identifier of the client, the application presents a number of options for an identifier of the professional to be provided with the return call, receives a selection of one of the options, places the return call from the professional to the client, and in doing so provides the selected identifier of the professional. The provided identifier of the professional represents a favored location at which the professional or an associate may be reached. The client may ascertain the provided identifier from the return call and employ same to place a future call toward the professional or the associate.

Abstract: A receiving box receives items for later retrieval by an enterprise. Upon an amount of received items being detected within the receiving box, a report is sent to the enterprise. A detector detects an amount of the received items in the receiving box and outputs a corresponding signal. A controller receives the signal and determines based thereon whether a triggering event has occurred. The triggering event represents that the receiving box has an amount of received items therein such that a person or service should be dispatched from the enterprise to the receiving box to empty same. A reporter is employed by the controller to report the triggering event as a message to the enterprise upon the controller determining that the triggering event has occurred.

Abstract: An application instantiated on a computing device of a professional receives transmitted information on an incoming call from a client and displays same, including an identifier of the client by which the professional can place a return call thereto. Upon the professional selecting the identifier of the client, the application presents a number of options for an identifier of the professional to be provided with the return call, receives a selection of one of the options, places the return call from the professional to the client, and in doing so provides the selected identifier of the professional. The provided identifier of the professional represents a favored location at which the professional or an associate may be reached. The client may ascertain the provided identifier from the return call and employ same to place a future call toward the professional or the associate.

Abstract: An aural volume feedback system is implemented in a center having agents each situated at a work station in calling contact with a client. At the work station, a first microphone closer to the agent transforms aural speech thereof into an electrical format forwarded toward the client. A second microphone farther from the agent transforms aural speech thereof into an electrical format forwarded toward a volume detector which samples same and generates based thereon an instantaneous volume level. The volume detector compares the generated volume level to a predetermined threshold to determine that the agent is speaking excessively loudly, and outputs a trigger signal. A feedback generator receives the trigger signal, and generates a feedback to be perceived by the offending agent at the work station, where the perceived feedback hopefully causes the offending agent to reduce the aural volume thereof.

Abstract: A chatting party initiates a computer chat with a chatted-to party by way of a computing system of a chatting service acting on behalf of the chatted-to party. The computing system collects from the chatting party in connection with the chat identifying information identifying the chatting party, and an initial indication of the general nature of the chat. A priority is then assigned to the chat based at least in part on the collected identifying information and the collected initial indication of the general nature of the chat, and the chat is assigned to the attention of one of the chatted-to party, an agent at the chatting service on behalf of the chatted-to party, and an automated chat engine of the chatting service for chatting with the chatting party. The chat is assigned based at least in part on the assigned priority of the chat.

Abstract: An aural volume feedback system is implemented in a center having a plurality of agents working thereat. Each agent is situated at a work station for being in calling contact with a client. At the work station, a microphone transforms aural speech of the agent into an electrical format, and a volume detector samples the electrical format and generates based on the sampling an instantaneous volume level. The volume detector compares the generated volume level to a predetermined threshold to determine that the agent is speaking excessively loudly, and thereafter outputs a trigger signal. A feedback generator receives the trigger signal, and based thereon generates a feedback to be perceived by the offending agent at the work station, where the perceived feedback hopefully causes the offending agent to reduce the aural volume thereof.

Abstract: Each agent in a work setting is able to take work breaks as needed to devote personal time to attend to personal matters. An agent module is associated with a computing device of each agent and a central module is central to all of the agents. The agent module receives a request from the agent for a work break and forwards the request to the central module for processing thereat. The central module examines the request according to a set of rules to determine whether and/or when the request for the work break from the agent is to be approved, and grants the request based on the set of rules. Thereafter, the central module notifies the agent by way of the agent module that the request has been granted. Thus, the agent may take the requested work break.

Abstract: An aural volume feedback system is implemented in a center having agents each situated at a work station in calling contact with a client. At the work station, a first microphone closer to the agent transforms aural speech thereof into an electrical format forwarded toward the client. A second microphone farther from the agent transforms aural speech thereof into an electrical format forwarded toward a volume detector which samples same and generates based thereon an instantaneous volume level. The volume detector compares the generated volume level to a predetermined threshold to determine that the agent is speaking excessively loudly, and outputs a trigger signal. A feedback generator receives the trigger signal, and generates a feedback to be perceived by the offending agent at the work station, where the perceived feedback hopefully causes the offending agent to reduce the aural volume thereof.

Abstract: An aural volume feedback system is implemented in a center having a plurality of agents working thereat. Each agent is situated at a work station for being in calling contact with a client. At the work station, a microphone transforms aural speech of the agent into an electrical format, and a volume detector samples the electrical format and generates based on the sampling an instantaneous volume level. The volume detector compares the generated volume level to a predetermined threshold to determine that the agent is speaking excessively loudly, and thereafter outputs a trigger signal. A feedback generator receives the trigger signal, and based thereon generates a feedback to be perceived by the offending agent at the work station, where the perceived feedback hopefully causes the offending agent to reduce the aural volume thereof.

Abstract: An aural volume feedback system is implemented in a center having a plurality of agents working thereat. Each agent is situated at a work station for being in calling contact with a client. At the work station, a microphone transforms aural speech of the agent into an electrical format, and a volume detector samples the electrical format and generates based on the sampling an instantaneous volume level. The volume detector compares the generated volume level to a predetermined threshold to determine that the agent is speaking excessively loudly, and thereafter outputs a trigger signal. A feedback generator receives the trigger signal, and based thereon generates a feedback to be perceived by the offending agent at the work station, where the perceived feedback hopefully causes the offending agent to reduce the aural volume thereof.

Abstract: An answering service answers calls on behalf of called parties when callers place incoming calls to the called parties and the called parties are unable or unwilling to answer the incoming calls directly. A dynamic shield is employed to detect and respond to unwanted (“junk”) calls from nuisance callers. The dynamic shield includes: a detection module that detects patterns from calls received at the answering service and, for each of one or more nuisance callers, identifies the nuisance caller from the detected patterns; a database module within which the detection module creates and stores a caller record corresponding to the identified nuisance caller; and a shield module operating with reference to the caller record in the database module to screen out further junk calls from the identified nuisance caller.

Abstract: A computing system of an answering service answers an incoming call from a calling party on behalf of a called party, and allows an agent to converse with the calling party. Contact with the called party is established while the incoming call from the calling party is still in progress, and a signal is received from the called party for the called party to monitor the incoming call without joining in. Upon detecting a disconnection of the monitored incoming call between the agent and the calling party, the called party is notified that the incoming call has ended and the agent and the called party are allowed to converse with each other over the called party call regarding the incoming call from the calling party.