Abstract: A peer to peer contact center is provided by individual user terminals registering with a server which acts as a proxy to receive contacts from callers to the contact center. The server redirects the calls to individual terminals according to simple rules without subjecting the calls to any contact center treatment. The individual terminal receiving a call subjects the call to a contact center treatment while holding the call, and then determines from among the registered terminals the most suitable terminal for handling the call. The call is then transferred to the selected terminal. In this way the complex infrastructure of traditional contact centers is dispensed with and each individual terminal acts as a mini contact centre in respect of the calls distributed to it in a dumb or semi-dumb fashion by the server.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a web cookie or information provided in a web cookie is accessed by a first communication client and forwarded to a second communication client during an interactive communication session (ICS). The second communication client can use the web cookie or information provided in the web cookie to operate in a defined manner. The operation may include accessing the web server that originally created and provided the web cookie to a web browser associated with the first communication client to obtain information related to a web session. This information related to the web session can be used to provide customized operation during the interactive communication session based on the prior web session. In another embodiment, an interactive communication session cookie or information in the ICS cookie can be retrieved by an associated web browser and forwarded to a web server during a web session.

Abstract: The present invention recognizes that there is a need to enable scripts or rules within workflow engines to be more dynamic, more easily created, more easily interpreted by other software entities and moreover to enable many different media types to be provided rather than only one such as voice. The present invention addresses this by making use of new types of web-based scripting applications such as VXML and SALT. One or more new commands are added to existing workflow engines to enable them to instruct media servers to access web-based instructions. Those web-based instructions are then executed at the media server to provide additional media treatment control.

Abstract: One problem faced by contact center providers is how to most effectively balance limited contact center resources against the need to provide good customer service. The present invention addresses this problem by enabling a contact center to use external resources such as freelance contact center agents and media servers. This is achieved in such a way that those external resources are controlled by the contact center and their use is effectively transparent to end users of the contact center.

Abstract: Some known Contact Centers rely on a Network Level Router to determine which of a number of available Contact Centers should deal with a given contact. This decision is made by the NLR based on real time information provided by the Contact Centers. However, the format of such information is proprietary which means that the NLR must translate and collate this information. This invention seeks to use session initiation protocol (SIP) Presence for such information transfer which enables improved decision making and further enables additional functionality to be added to the Contact Center system. The invention provides a SIP enabled Contact Center (180, 190, 200) comprising a Contact Center server arranged to send SIP messages to one or more other SIP enabled nodes in a SIP communications network, said SIP messages comprising SIP presence information about the current state of the Contact Center.

Abstract: When a user obtains information from a web-based information system this is usually being obtained for a task which then needs to be completed by the user. Often this task involves sending the information onto another device. For example, in the case that the web-based information system is a telephone directory, the task is typically to obtain a person's telephone number and then to make a call to that person. The present invention enables these types of processes to be automated. An additional web server (called a redirection server) is used to receive information from the web-based information system and redirect this information to a required information receiver (such as the user's telephone, video recorder, or other device). In this way the web-based information system does not require knowledge about the information receiver and it is not required to use a special web-browser.

Abstract: A peer to peer contact center is provided by individual user terminals registering with a server which acts as a proxy to receive contacts from callers to the contact center. The server redirects the calls to individual terminals according to simple rules without subjecting the calls to any contact center treatment. The individual terminal receiving a call subjects the call to a contact center treatment while holding the call, and then determines from among the registered terminals the most suitable terminal for handling the call. The call is then transferred to the selected terminal. In this way the complex infrastructure of traditional contact centers is dispensed with and each individual terminal acts as a mini contact centre in respect of the calls distributed to it in a dumb or semi-dumb fashion by the server.

Abstract: Email response management systems (ERMSs) have previously been developed for use with contact centers where email queries are received from customers. These ERMSs have contained pre-configured information suitable for incorporating into email responses. A major problem with this approach is that a large amount of work is required to pre-configure the information and to add that to the ERMS. A method and system are provided for enabling existing web-based information to be used to formulate such responses, not just for email but also for other media such as text chat, SMS, video, and more. The existing web-based information does not need to be altered or dedicated for a particular response management system and contact centre. Rather it can be pre-existing information used for other purposes.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, the concepts similar to web cookies are applied to interactive communication sessions (ICS). In particular, an ICS cookie is created by a first communication client in association with a first ICS, and delivered to a second communication client. In association with a second ICS, the ICS cookie is returned to the first communication client from the second communication client. The second communication client is configured to operate in a specified manner based on the ICS cookie or information associated therewith. The ICS cookie may be created or stored at or on the behalf of a particular communication client, or may be made accessible and applicable to a group of communication clients or users associated therewith. Accordingly, a given user may use the same ICS cookie on different communication clients of different communication terminals. In some embodiments, different users can use the same ICS cookie.

Abstract: Contacts received by a contact centre are auctioned to other contact centres to determine an optimum service or cost for each contact. By publishing requests for bids to a network visible space, multiple contact centres or agents can monitor for new requests, and if they can service the request, submit bids to take over the contact at the best price or service level. This enables contacts to be optimally distributed over a network without maintaining centrally records of currently available resources and current statistics for each contact centre. This also adds market competition to the distribution of contacts, providing the potential to increase the overall quality of service and to reduce costs.

Abstract: Contact centres are typically arranged to receive incoming contacts from customers and act accordingly. That is, the customer initiates contact with the contact centre. More recently, a need has arisen for contact centres to be able to initiate communication with customers. For example, to inform a customer that his or her flight has been cancelled and offer that customer the option to take part in an interactive communication session to book a new flight. A communications system such as a contact centre is interfaced with a business system such as customer relationship management system. In this way messages can be proactively sent to users.

Abstract: Email response management systems (ERMSs) have previously been developed for use with contact centres where email queries are received from customers. These ERMSs have contained pre-configured information suitable for incorporating into email responses. A major problem with this approach is that a large amount of work is required to pre-configure the information and to add that to the ERMS. A method and system are provided for enabling existing web-based information to be used to formulate such responses, not just for email but also for other media such as text chat, SMS, video, and more. The existing web-based information does not need to be altered or dedicated for a particular response management system and contact centre. Rather it can be pre-existing information used for other purposes.