Abstract: Automatically accepting applications, and testing, training, certifying, assigning, allocating, controlling, and scheduling remote agents. An applicant (100) transmits an application to a remote agent center (RAC) (130) via a Communications Network (120). The application contains the person's profile, training, and experience. The RAC validates the skills via testing or third party confirmation, accepts the person as a remote worker, certifies the person's skill levels, and places the person in the remote worker pool. The remote worker can also obtain remote training on new or additional topics. The RAC evaluates the business demands of an external party, identifies remote workers with the needed skills who are available, and transmits the work at the appropriate time to the remote workers. The work is transmitted via or through the RAC. The external parties thus do not have to recruit, train, or test persons, or be concerned with staffing issues.

Abstract: A method and a computer program product are provided for processing an insurance claim. In particular, an example method may comprise receiving policy information associated with a particular insurance policy. The policy information may comprise a plurality of rules that define one or more benefits under the insurance policy. The example method may further comprise organizing the plurality of rules into a predefined tabular format. Furthermore, the example method may comprise providing a claims processing engine with the organized plurality of rules and thereafter processing the insurance claim in accordance with the plurality of rules.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product are provided for creating software that can be used to reformat incoming insurance-related data into a format that conforms to the requirements or preferences of the receiving party. In particular, the software generated is capable of causing a particular action to be taken which will result in the transfer of the received data from one format to another in response to certain conditions being met. These conditions are defined by a decision table, from which the software is automatically generated. A means is further provided for using the received data, which has been reformatted where necessary, to create a user-friendly table that defines the rules and parameters of a particular insurance policy. The table is capable of being easily understood by those unfamiliar with the intricacies of insurance claim processing and programming code, and is further capable of being read by a claims processing engine when processing an insurance claim.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product are provided for creating software that can be used when processing insurance claims. In particular, the software generated is capable of recognizing and flagging certain situations or sets of conditions when they arise in an insurance claim that is being processed. These situations or sets of conditions, as well as the type of flag, or “edit,” that should be posted when each occurs, are defined in a decision table from which the software is automatically generated. A method of processing an insurance claim using the automatically generated software is also provided.

Abstract: A business has a main office (13) which has a controller (225), a plurality of telephones, a plurality of computers, a PBX and/or an ACD (216), and a plurality of corporate resources (220) such as servers, hosts, applications, databases, routers, gateways, switches, a voicemail system, an e-mail system, and facsimile servers. A user at the main office (13) has access to the various corporate resources and also has a portable communications device (10), such as a laptop computer, with which to place a call to the controller via a communications link (11) such as the Internet, to send user commands to and receive the resultant status, information, or operation, from, the controller, to access any of the corporate resources and data, and to make calls to and receive communications from outside parties (12). In addition, the user may create a personal profile which causes the controller to forward selected communications to him, via the Internet, wherever the user may be.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product are provided for creating software that can be used when processing insurance claims. In particular, the software generated is capable of recognizing and flagging certain situations or sets of conditions when they arise in an insurance claim that is being processed. These situations or sets of conditions, as well as the type of flag, or “edit,” that should be posted when each occurs, are defined in a decision table from which the software is automatically generated. A method of processing an insurance claim using the automatically generated software is also provided.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product are provided for creating software that can be used to reformat incoming insurance-related data into a format that conforms to the requirements or preferences of the receiving party. In particular, the software generated is capable of causing a particular action to be taken which will result in the transfer of the received data from one format to another in response to certain conditions being met. These conditions are defined by a decision table, from which the software is automatically generated. A means is further provided for using the received data, which has been reformatted where necessary, to create a user-friendly table that defines the rules and parameters of a particular insurance policy. The table is capable of being easily understood by those unfamiliar with the intricacies of insurance claim processing and programming code, and is further capable of being read by a claims processing engine when processing an insurance claim.

Abstract: A method for consolidating the information from multiple information sources so as to provide a uniform set of screens for an agent. All of the information sources are automatically linked in a coherent manner, which is defined by the user. The provision of an information item into a field automatically accesses user-specified information items from the various information sources. The station (10) receives (501) the initial information item and then sends (503) this information item to the sources specified by the information field, receives additional information items from these sources, and displays or presents the information items received in any desired media type.

Abstract: In a campaign, a customer's file is reviewed to determine the offer or solicitation to send to the customer and the time such will remain open, and an e-mail message is sent to the customer that contains the offer or solicitation in text, a packet, or a URL address for a protected personalized web page (501). The packet may be opened on-line or off-line allowing the customer to provide information or terms that are subsequently sent to (505) the originator. Alternatively, such information is obtained via the protected, personalized web page to which the customer is referred. If the customer provides acceptable information and terms (510, 515), the transaction is completed (520).

Abstract: An automated customer service system and method which maintains and uses a customer sensitivity profile to contact the customer in a manner, at a time and date, and at a location which are preferred by the customer. The automated customer service system also maintains and uses an agent qualification profile, in conjunction with the customer sensitivity profile, to automatically assign agents to the various campaigns. An agent qualification profile identifies any special skills or qualifications that an agent may possess, such as language skills, type of voice, efficiency, and type of call processing skills. The system administrator devises a strategy script based upon the customer sensitivity requirements and the agent qualifications. The strategy script determines which agents meet which requirements, and whether there are adequate agents to handle the requirements of concurrent campaigns.

Abstract: Automatically accepting applications, and testing, training, certifying, assigning, allocating, controlling, and scheduling remote agents. An applicant (100) transmits an application to a remote agent center (RAC) (130) via a Communications Network (120). The application contains the person's profile, training, and experience. The RAC validates the skills via testing or third party confirmation, accepts the person as a remote worker, certifies the person's skill levels, and places the person in the remote worker pool. The remote worker can also obtain remote training on new or additional topics. The RAC evaluates the business demands of an external party, identifies remote workers with the needed skills who are available, and transmits the work at the appropriate time to the remote workers. The work is transmitted via or through the RAC. The external parties thus do not have to recruit, train, or test persons, or be concerned with staffing issues.

Abstract: A business has a main office (13) which has a controller (225), a plurality of telephones, a plurality of computers, a PBX and/or an ACD (216), and a plurality of corporate resources (220) such as servers, hosts, applications, databases, routers, gateways, switches, a voicemail system, an e-mail system, and facsimile servers. A user at the main office (13) has access to the various corporate resources and also has a portable communications device (10), such as a laptop computer, with which to place a call to the controller via a communications link (11) such as the Internet, to send user commands to and receive the resultant status, information, or operation, from, the controller, to access any of the corporate resources and data, and to make calls to and receive communications from outside parties (12). In addition, the user may create a personal profile which causes the controller to forward selected communications to him, via the Internet, wherever the user may be.

Abstract: A method for consolidating the information from multiple information sources so as to provide a uniform set of screens for an agent. All of the information sources are automatically linked in a coherent manner, which is defined by the user. The provision of an information item into a field automatically accesses user-specified information items from the various information sources. The user may combine and present the information from the various information sources in a uniform manner so that a given item of information always appears at the same location on the screen, and in the form desired, regardless of the original display format that is used by the information source. The station (10) receives (501) the initial information item and then sends (503) this information item to the sources specified by the information field, receives additional information items from these sources, and displays or presents the information items received in any desired media type.

Abstract: The invention determines when an Internet browsing customer should be provided assistance by monitoring factors such as the customer profile saved at the server or in cookies, the time a customer spends on particular web pages, errors in forms submitted by the customer, web pages repeatedly viewed by a customer, and statistically established abandon points. When the invention determines a customer should be provided assistance, the invention reviews the availability and probability of availability of the customer service representatives (CSRs). If a CSR is available or predicted to be available, the customer is presented with a HELP option. If the customer does not respond to the HELP option within a predetermined time, the HELP option is removed. By dynamically determining the appropriate time to provide a HELP option and only providing the HELP option when a CSR is available, the invention proactively provides meaningful service at the critical time.

Abstract: A method for consolidating the information from multiple information sources so as to provide a uniform set of screens for an agent. All of the information sources are automatically linked in a coherent manner, which is defined by the user. The provision of an information item into a field automatically accesses user-specified information items from the various information sources. The user may combine and present the information from the various information sources in a uniform manner so that a given item of information always appears at the same location on the screen, and in the form desired, regardless of the original display format that is used by the information source. The station (10) receives (501) the initial information item and then sends (503) this information item to the sources specified by the information field, receives additional information items from these sources, and displays or presents the information items received in any desired media type.

Abstract: A business has a main office (13) which has a controller (225), a plurality of telephones, a plurality of computers, a PBX and/or an ACD (216), and a plurality of corporate resources (220) such as servers, hosts, applications, databases, routers, gateways, switches, a voicemail system, an e-mail system, and facsimile servers. A user at the main office (13) has access to the various corporate resources and also has a portable communications device (10), such as a laptop computer, with which to place a call to the controller via a communications link (11) such as the Internet, to send user commands to and receive the resultant status, information, or operation, from, the controller, to access any of the corporate resources and data, and to make calls to and receive communications from outside parties (12). In addition, the user may create a personal profile which causes the controller to forward selected communications to him, via the Internet, wherever the user may be.

Abstract: An object is dynamically created which contains all of the information relating to connections established during a transaction. This object also contains information and/or pointers to information which was used in a communication during the transaction. The object further contains tests for triggering events. When a triggering event occurs the connections are automatically re-established so that a further communication relating to a transaction may be accomplished with excellent efficiency and without any duplication of effort by an agent (including an electronic agent or device) to locate information which was located during the previous communication. The test is administered by a business process mediator, which invokes a business task mediator, which may invoke multiple lesser task mediators, each of which may invoke additional lesser task mediators.

Abstract: The automated customer service system maintains and uses a list of available resources, such as an agent qualification profile, in conjunction with a customer sensitivity profile, to automatically assign available resources, such as agents, to the various campaigns. The agent qualification profile identifies any special skills or qualifications that an agent may possess, such as language skills, type of voice, efficiency, and type of call processing skills. The customer sensitivity profile contains information regarding the manner, time and date, and location for contact which are preferred by the customer. The system administrator devises a strategy script based upon the customer sensitivity requirements and the agent qualifications. The strategy script determines which resources, such as agents, meet which requirements, and whether there are adequate resources to handle the requirements of concurrent campaigns.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are disclosed which provide for non-offensive termination of an outbound call which has been answered when an agent is not available to handle said outbound call. An outbound call is placed (10) and a determination is made (11) as to whether the call has been answered. If the call has been answered then a determination is made (12) as to whether the call was answered by a person or an answering machine. If the call was answered by a person then a determination is made as to whether an agent is available to handle said outbound call. If an agent is available then the agent is connected (13) to the outbound call. If an agent is not available then a termination message is played (15). If the call was answered by an answering machine then, depending upon a user-selected option (16), a termination message will be played (15) or an interactive session will be started (17). Also disclosed are a method and an apparatus for detecting an answering machine.

Abstract: A method for optimizing the pacing and processing of inbound calls and outbound calls. Statistics are generated concerning inbound calls and outbound calls, and concerning the performance of each agent for inbound calls and outbound calls. Separate statistics concerning inbound calls and outbound calls allow a more accurate prediction of call pacing and handling requirements and of the availability of an agent so as to maximize the productivity of each agent and control the on-hold time of inbound and outbound calls. Each trunk line is designated for inbound calls or outbound calls and the status of each trunk is monitored. If all of the trunks allocated to inbound service are in use then some of the trunks designated for outbound service are redesignated for inbound service. If more than a predetermined number of trunks designated for inbound service are not in use then some of these trunks will be redesignated for outbound service.