Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for determining expertise through speech analytics. The system associates speakers with respective segments of an audio conversation to yield associated speaker segments. The system also identifies a number of times a speaker has spoken about a topic in the audio conversation by searching the associated speaker segments for a term associated with the topic. The system then ranks the speaker as an expert in the topic when the number of times the speaker has spoken about the topic in the audio conversation exceeds a threshold. The audio conversation can include a compilation of a plurality of audio conversations. Moreover, the system can tag the associated speaker segments having the term with keyword tags and match a respective segment from the associated speaker segments with the speaker, the respective segment having a keyword tag.

Abstract: At least one social media channel includes a plurality of user messages, which are accessible via a communication network. At least some of the stored messages are retrieved from the at least one social media channel via the communication network, and a collection of frequently asked questions (FAQ) is generated or updated by analyzing the retrieved messages to form a plurality of topical issue clusters. Each topical issue cluster is associated with at least one topic parameter from among a plurality of topic parameters, each topic parameter relates to at least one of use, installation or maintenance of a product or service, and each topical issue cluster includes at least one issue identified by a community of users and at least one resolution of the issue identified by the community of users. The generated or updated FAQ is uploaded to a storage location accessible to the community of users.

Abstract: Contact centers may incorporate automated agents to respond to inquiries. The inquiries may solicit a substantive response, for example, by providing a time when the inquiry asks for the departure time for a flight. Such responses omit the normal conversational subject matter used to embellish person-to-person conversations and appear are very machine-like. Herein, a source of user context, such as a social media website, customer database, or other data, is accessed. Certain aspects of the customer may then be identified and used to embellish the reply with additional and/or alternative content. As a result, the reply may be more conversational.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for providing estimated wait times to consumers waiting to communicate with a customer service representative. The system accesses information about the consumer, analyzes that information, and based on that analysis places the consumer into a segment. The system then provides to the consumer an estimated wait time to communicate with a customer service representative based on the segment assigned to the consumer. Access to information about the consumer can be actively granted by the consumer, or passively acquired by a system configured to utilize publically available information.

Abstract: Questions are received for a conference call. The questions are submitted electronically, such as by email or Instant Messaging (IM). The questions can be submitted before and/or during the conference call. The questions are clustered into one or more similar categories. The clustered questions are sent to participants of a conference. For example, the questions can be sent to a presenter of the conference call as an agenda to follow for a question and answer section of the conference call. Likewise, the questions may also be sent to the conference participants as an agenda of the question and answer section of the conference call. The presenter can discuss the questions with the conference participants based on the categorization of the submitted questions.

Abstract: A contact center is operated, on behalf of an entity, by reference to social media analytics. A user profile, acquired for each of a plurality of social media users, identifies the user and includes at least one of three indications of sentiment derived over time through analysis of social media event activities and/or behavior. The sentiment indications of a profile include user sentiment toward the entity, user sentiment toward one or more competitor(s) of the entity, and/or user sentiment toward a particular product or service offered by the entity or a competitor(s) of the entity. A communication session is established between a communication terminal of a contact center agent and one of the users for whom a user profile is stored. A menu including at least one option for addressing or capitalizing on a change of sentiment reflected in the user's profile is displayed to the agent.

Abstract: Techniques for efficiently allocating ports and bandwidth in a communication system configured to establish interactive, real time communication sessions between endpoints are described. Requests are received at a server, from a requester endpoint device, to initiate an interactive, real time communication voice and/or video session requiring access to an interactive session resource. In an embodiment, the communication system is a contact center and the interactive session resource is an available contact center agent. Pending availability of the interactive session resource, a requester is assigned a place in a queue or otherwise scheduled to receive access to the interactive session resource. In the meantime, a data channel is established between the server and the requester's endpoint device. Resources, which can include an executable program and/or information operative to enable the endpoint device to emulate an active on-hold voice connection period, are downloaded to the endpoint device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for establishing and conducting communication sessions augmented by contextual information. A call originator initiates a request to establish a communication session. The endpoint furnishes information identifying the call originator and intended call recipient(s). The method receives the request from the call originator and retrieves contextual information relating the call originator to the intended call recipient. If no contextual information has yet been derived, the contextual information is generated from data attributes available from one or more social networking sites. In some embodiments, the method generates the contextual information according to a set of rules and, if applicable, user preferences. The method handles the call request based on at least one of a set of rules, user preferences, and scheduling input received from the intended recipient responsive to receipt of the contextual information.

Abstract: Techniques for aiding an email recipient in the management of inbound email by detecting, and configurably responding to, dynamically variable patterns of activity and behavior are described. Characteristics are extracted from new email messages originated by senders and intended for a recipient. One or more patterns of sender activity, recipient message management behavior, and/or message response behavior, relating to treatment of messages from individual senders and/or plural senders in the aggregate, are identified. The patterns are identified by analyzing statistics collected by the extraction of characteristics from email messages previously received by the recipient. Before the recipient reads a new email, a determination is made as to whether any deviation from an identified pattern exists; and, if so, a pre-existing rule for treatment of the new message is enforced and/or a new rule specifying treatment of at least some messages from the sender of the email is proposed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamically responding to requests for information, derived from one or more data sources, relating to at least one event participant. A notification of a scheduled event is received at a server. The notification identities a plurality of individuals invited to attend or participate in an event. Data attributes relating to the event participants are retrieved from one or more data sources and stored. The data attributes can include personal attributes, professional attributes, and social interaction attributes. Before, during or after an event, requests are received and processed to provide event participants and other interested parties access to contextual information relating event participants to one another, the identities of event participants possessing one or more attributes, and lists of attributes for one or more known event participants. The requests can include images and sound recordings captured during the event.

Abstract: Contact centers may incorporate automated agents to respond to inquiries. The inquiries may solicit a substantive response, for example, by providing a time when the inquiry asks for the departure time for a flight. Such responses omit the normal conversational subject matter used to embellish person-to-person conversations and appear are very machine-like. Herein, a source of user context, such as a social media website, customer database, or other data, is accessed. Certain aspects of the customer may then be identified and used to embellish the reply with additional and/or alternative content. As a result, the reply may be more conversational.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for dynamically guiding a user to a target conversation area with a communication device. In a particular embodiment, a method provides receiving a call request to establish a call with a communication device and determining a location of the communication device. The method further provides determining a target conversation area for a user of the communication device to participate in the call based on the location of the communication device. The method also provides directing the user to the target conversation area.

Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a meeting scheduling system that can apply an enterprise rule to determine one or more requirements for a scheduled meeting.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for determining call importance using social network context. A system can receive a call from a caller and establish the identity of the caller. The system can then retrieve a social network context associated with the caller identity from a social network and determine an importance score for the call using the social network context. Social network contexts can be derived from a social network profile, caller utterances, and a social graph. Based on the importance score, the contact center provides an appropriate level of customer service. The level of customer service a contact center provides can be based on resource availability, call type, call time, agent queue selection, offered communication modalities and customer follow-up.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for dynamically guiding a user to a target conversation area with a communication device. In a particular embodiment, a method provides receiving a call request to establish a call with a communication device and determining a location of the communication device. The method further provides determining a target conversation area for a user of the communication device to participate in the call based on the location of the communication device. The method also provides directing the user to the target conversation area.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for determining expertise through speech analytics. The system associates speakers with respective segments of an audio conversation to yield associated speaker segments. The system also identifies a number of times a speaker has spoken about a topic in the audio conversation by searching the associated speaker segments for a term associated with the topic. The system then ranks the speaker as an expert in the topic when the number of times the speaker has spoken about the topic in the audio conversation exceeds a threshold. The audio conversation can include a compilation of a plurality of audio conversations. Moreover, the system can tag the associated speaker segments having the term with keyword tags and match a respective segment from the associated speaker segments with the speaker, the respective segment having a keyword tag.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for providing multimodal interaction aids in multimedia events. The system presents a multimedia event to a participant which has limited access to the multimedia event, wherein the limited access prevents the participant from experiencing every mode of the multimedia event. The system also generates a cue associated with the multimedia event, wherein the cue is structured according to the limited access of the participant. The system then transmits the cue to a device associated with the participant.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for determining call importance using social network context. A system can receive a call from a caller and establish the identity of the caller. The system can then retrieve a social network context associated with the caller identity from a social network and determine an importance score for the call using the social network context. Social network contexts can be derived from a social network profile, caller utterances, and a social graph. Based on the importance score, the contact center provides an appropriate level of customer service. The level of customer service a contact center provides can be based on resource availability, call type, call time, agent queue selection, offered communication modalities and customer follow-up.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for personalizing applications, such as web applications, based on social networking data. A system configured to practice the method first identifies a user of an application, such as by requesting the user to log in to or create a user profile. The system optionally requests authorization from the user to access the social networking data, such as if all or part of the social networking data is private. The system can cache the social networking data in order to save bandwidth or keep requests within the terms of service of a social networking API. The system can assign the user into a user category based on the social networking data, and customize a user interface of the application based on the social networking data and/or the user category by adjusting at least one of location, size, and appearance of a user interface element.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for providing estimated wait times to consumers waiting to communicate with a customer service representative. The system accesses information about the consumer, analyzes that information, and based on that analysis places the consumer into a segment. The system then provides to the consumer an estimated wait time to communicate with a customer service representative based on the segment assigned to the consumer. Access to information about the consumer can be actively granted by the consumer, or passively acquired by a system configured to utilize publically available information.