Abstract: A computer-implemented method is described for optimizing prompts for a speech-enabled application. The speech-enabled application is operable to receive communications from a number of users and communicate one or more prompts to each user to illicit a response from the user that indicates the purpose of the user's communication. The method includes determining a number of prompt alternatives (each including one or more prompts) to evaluate and determining an evaluation period for each prompt alternative. The method also includes automatically presenting each prompt alternative to users during the associated evaluation period and automatically recording the results of user responses to each prompt alternative. Furthermore, the method includes automatically analyzing the recorded results for each prompt alternative based on one or more performance criteria and automatically implementing one of the prompt alternatives based on the analysis of the recorded results.

Abstract: A method and system of routing calls. In a particular embodiment, the method includes prompting a caller of a call for caller information with a first system. The first system has a first interface characteristic. The method further includes selecting a destination for the call based on the caller information. The destination has a second interface characteristic. The method also includes identifying a call interface characteristic change based on a difference between the first characteristic and the second characteristic, and advising the caller of the call interface characteristic change prior to routing the call.

Abstract: A method and system for automating customer slamming and cramming complaints includes an automated reporting system having one or more receiving devices and a complaint module. Customers who want to report a slam or cram access the automated reporting system and report the complaint without having to speak with a customer service representative. The complaint module obtains the customer telephone number and retrieves customer account information using the customer telephone number. Using the customer account information, the complaint module extrapolates a type of complaint for the customer complaint and prompts the customer for information regarding the customer complaint and the type of the complaint. The customer provides customer responses to the prompts and the complaint module provides an indication to the customer regarding each customer response.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing speech are provided. A system may include an acoustic model to transform speech input into one or more word strings. The system may also include a semantic model to convert each of the one or more word strings into a detected object and a detected action. The system may also include a synonym table to determine a preferred object based on the detected object and to determine a preferred action based on the detected action.

Abstract: A method of evaluating a design for a call center system. A particular system is put into use and data collected to quantify various quality of service factors. Each quality of service factor is multiplied times an expense multiplier and added to an agent cost factor. The result is a metric that describes the system in monetary terms.

Abstract: A method of accessing content at a speech-enabled automated system is disclosed and comprises receiving a verbal input at an interactive voice response system. The interactive voice response system can include one or more table-driven state tables, in which action-objects are embedded. Further, the method can include retrieving content from an information store, wherein the content is associated with the verbal input. The information store is logically external to the interactive voice response system.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring and reporting automated call-processing performance is disclosed. Initially, performance metrics can be established for normal or acceptable system performance. Performance metrics may be determined for individual components and/or a combination of components in a system, wherein the individual metric may help to provide a performance indicator for the call processing system. The performance metrics can be established by utilizing historical data gathered from past operating characteristics or operating parameters. The performance metric can be calculated from past operating characteristics and could be a statistical distribution or a statistical value. This statistical distribution will often conform to a Gaussian distribution also known as a bell curve. However, acceptable performance limits can be set based on nearly any statistical distribution.

Abstract: A method for analyzing and adjusting the performance of a speech-enabled application includes selecting a number of user utterances that were previously received by the speech-enabled application. The speech-enabled application receives such user utterances and associates each user utterance with an action-object based on one or more salient terms in the user utterance that are associated with the action-object. The method further includes associating one of a number of action-objects with each of the selected user utterances. Furthermore, for each action-object, the percentage of the utterances associated with the action-object that include at least one of the salient terms associated with the action-object is determined. If the percentage does not exceed a selected threshold, the method also includes adjusting the one or more salient terms associated with the action-object.

Abstract: A call routing system can be used to route calls. An action object identifier, a result identifier, and a reason identifier can be generated in response at least in part to a call. The call can be routed by the call routing system based at least in part on the action object identifier, the result identifier, and the reason identifier. The routing can be performed automatically without requiring an attendant. In another embodiment, an attendant can be used, if desired. In still another embodiment, the processing of the call can be interrupted by the caller, a data processing system used within the call routing system, or an attendant. In a particular embodiment, the call routing system can be used when authenticating a caller or determining an account status of the caller.

Abstract: A method and system of handling a call received at a call center is disclosed. The method includes determining that the call is a repeat call, determining whether the repeat call is to receive a first treatment type and servicing the repeat call with the first treatment type when the repeat call is determined to receive the first treatment type. The system includes an automated call processing system, a first computer readable memory including a repeat caller definition table, a second computer readable memory including a repeat caller action-object table, and a third computer readable memory including a special treatment resolution table. The automated call processing system has access to the repeat call definition table to identify a repeat call request and has access to the action-object table and the special treatment resolution table to determine whether the identified repeat call is to receive a first treatment type.

Abstract: A communication system includes a selection module for selecting appropriate user interface types for nodes within a task. The selection module interacts with a selection criteria library and a user interface dialogue model library to determine an appropriate user interface. Selection criteria library and user interface dialogue model library may be selectively and dynamically adapted to reflect environmental, customer and organization changes.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and method configured to establish a connection with a party at an interactive voice response (IVR) system and provide a plurality of virtual agents associated with virtual departments based on a current stage within the process. A caller or party can be prompted with a first virtual agent when addressing content related to a first virtual department and prompted by a second virtual agent when addressing content related to a second virtual department.

Abstract: A method and system for error prevention and recovery of voice activated navigation through a menu having plural nodes provides situation dependent utterance verification by relating confirmation to utterance determination confidence levels. In one embodiment, a high confidence level results in implicit confirmation, a medium confidence level results in explicit confirmation and a low confidence level results in a concise interrogative prompt of a single word that requests the user to repeat the utterance. In situations where voice recognition is difficult, dual modality with DTMF navigation is provided as an option for menu selections.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and method configured to provide a caller with selectable activities and entertainment when the caller is on-hold. The system and method establishes a connection between a caller and a receiving system, wherein the receiving system is configured to access a plurality of entertainment sources utilizing a selectable link. The receiving system can determine a caller's selection and retrieve the selection from an entertainment provider that stores the selection. The caller can select an entertainment category from a plurality of entertainment categories and select specific audible selections within the categories to be played to the caller. The system and method can provide a menu driven interaction and respond to voice commands and touchtone input to provide the selected entertainment from specific artists, games, and entertainers.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and method configured to provide a caller with selectable music options when the caller is on hold. The method establishes a connection between a caller and a receiving system, wherein the receiving system is configured to retrieve one of the plurality of music selections. The caller can select music from a plurality of selections. The system and method can provide a menu driven interaction and utilize voice commands and touchtone input to provide selected music to the caller.

Abstract: A method for processing a call is disclosed. The method receives a speech input via a call and transforms at the speech input into a textual format. The method also creates a list of salient terms of actions and objects from the text, adjusts the confidence level of objects on the list if the dominant term is an action and selects a complimentary object from the list to combine with the action to form an action-object pair.

Abstract: A method for processing a call is disclosed. The method receives a speech input in connection with a call and transforms at least a segment of the speech input into a first textual format. The method also generates a first list of entries based, at least partially, on a consideration of the first textual format, the first list comprising at least one action with a corresponding confidence level and at least one object with another corresponding confidence level, selects an entry of the first list having a higher corresponding confidence level, outputs a second textual format. The method further generates a second list based, at least partially on consideration of the selected entry and the second textual format and suggesting a routing option for the call based on the selected entry and a pairing entry in the second list having a high corresponding confidence level.

Abstract: A method of processing a call is disclosed. The method can transform speech input from a caller of a call into text and convert the text into an object and an action. The method determines a call destination based on the object and the action. The method can route the call to a destination when a caller is not in compliance with at least one business rule. The method can further route the call to the call destination when the caller is in compliance.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is described for optimizing prompts for a speech-enabled application. The speech-enabled application is operable to receive communications from a number of users and communicate one or more prompts to each user to illicit a response from the user that indicates the purpose of the user's communication. The method includes determining a number of prompt alternatives (each including one or more prompts) to evaluate and determining an evaluation period for each prompt alternative. The method also includes automatically presenting each prompt alternative to users during the associated evaluation period and automatically recording the results of user responses to each prompt alternative. Furthermore, the method includes automatically analyzing the recorded results for each prompt alternative based on one or more performance criteria and automatically implementing one of the prompt alternatives based on the analysis of the recorded results.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for processing a call by receiving caller input in a speech format and utilizing phonemes to convert the speech input into word strings. The word strings are then converted into at least one object and at least one action. A synonym table is utilized to determine actions and objects. Objects generally represent nouns and adjective-noun combinations while actions generally represent verbs and adverb-verb combinations. The synonym table stores natural language phrases and their relationship with actions and objects. The actions and objects are utilized to determine a routing destination utilizing a routing table. The call is routed based on the routing table.