Abstract: Customer assistance is provided by leveraging certain contact center infrastructure components to a retail setting. Often contact centers have a wealth of information regarding individual products and services a retail setting may offer. The information, as provided herein, may then be delivered to the customer in the form of a dialogue. The dialogue may be based, in part, on a contact center dialogue for the same or similar item. The customer may then be instructed to perform an act, such as retrieving another item at a certain location. Unlike a contact center, the physical presence of the customer provides an opportunity to receive feedback in the form of monitor the customer's actions to determine if the customer complied with instructions. Optionally, a follow up activity may be imitated based on the customer's compliance.

Abstract: Communications between agents and customers are a key feature of contact centers. Agents may have a question about how to perform a particular task, a response to the question that other agents may know. A supervisor may be presently unavailable and transferring the customer requires significantly more overhead and resources. The systems and methods herein disclose an agent-to-agent (A-to-A) channel that enables a question to be posed to an agent and receive a response via a dedicated channel for A-to-A communications. Accordingly, the agent may stay engaged with the customer and resolve issues without the need to wait for a supervisor or transfer the customer to another agent.

Abstract: Agent-to-Agent channel interactions enable one agent to pose a question to another agent and have the request routed utilizing at least a portion of the routing hardware and algorithms utilized to route work items received from customers. A question may be asked and the network routing components notified of the question and routed to selected agent or agents to address the issue. The selected agents are then connected via the Agent-to-Agent channel and enabled to converse thereon. A successful (or failed) resolution may be utilized to update or modify question repositories for future access and/or training.

Abstract: Interactions between agents of a contact center and customers provide the bulk of many communications and generally work well, except when the customer is deaf or mute. Customers that sign would often prefer to conduct interactions in sign language but the pool of agents having such skills is limited. By providing systems and methods to alter an image of a non-signing agent, a customer may be presented with an image of a signing agent. Additionally, systems and methods herein enable a non-signing agent to be presented with generated speech and/or text translated from the signing gestures provided by the image of the signing customer.

Abstract: Contact centers strive to match the best resource, commonly an agent, with a customer for an interaction, such as telephone call, text exchange, or email exchange. Often the initial best match is not the best match upon a different agent being identified and/or new information being gathered. Therefore, it is often beneficial to take a call routed to an agent, who may or may not have answered the call, and reroute it to a different agent. If the agent has already answered the call, the benefits need to at least exceed the costs associated with the transfer. To avoid creating an unstable or unending re-assessment, if the cost-benefit for a particular routing (or rerouting) calls between agents has reached a Nash Equilibrium, the system is stable and, absent new information, re-evaluation unnecessary.

Abstract: A computer-implemented process includes receiving an incoming contact at a contact center from a user; identifying a plurality of different portions of the incoming contact, each of a plurality of portions associated with a respective topic; and for each of the different portions, routing that different portion to a respective agent of the contact center based on its associated respective topic. Furthermore, the process includes receiving a respective response from one or more of the respective agents, the respective response pertaining to the different portion routed to that agent; combining the respective response from the one or more of the respective agents to form a first composite response; and forwarding the first composite response to the user.

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: A number of phantom communication sessions and a number of contact center agents are assigned to a high priority contact center queue. The number of phantom communication sessions are greater than or equal to the number of assigned contact center agents. The high priority contact center queue is used for coordinating communication session routing with an external control application. A first contact center agent of the number of contact center agents is determined to be available. The first contact center agent is assigned to a first phantom communication session in response to determining that the first contact center agent is available. This results in a notification being sent to the external control application that the first contact center agent is available. This allows the external control application to coordinate routing of the communication session.

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: The delivery of goods to a customer comprises a substantial portion of human activity. To correct address errors and/or to more precisely locate delivery locations, systems are provided to assist human, human operated vehicle, or autonomous vehicles to locate a delivery point. Often the location of a delivery point is inaccurate or imprecise. GPS and other coordinate systems often fail or are imprecise without an unobstructed view of the sky. Even with coordinates available, the delivery point may be different from the coordinates or, more commonly, coordinates that are different from some standard point within a postal address associated with the coordinates. Providing a delivery system that utilizes a broadcasted identifier, such as an identifier associated with the order of the item, the delivery of the item may be made proximate to the source of the broadcasted identifier or further refined using the broadcasted identifier as a reference.

Abstract: A semantic translation model system is described along with various methods and mechanisms for administering the same. The semantic translation model system proposed herein creates an intermediate representation and a knowledge base in multiple languages, reducing the amount of time and expensive resources typically required for translation and automatic response to written communications. The system also removes the problem of a translation being influenced by a person's writing style and human misinterpretation and provides ongoing translation to keep the system current.

Abstract: A robotic customer service agent (“robot”) is provided to a service location. The robot may present a number of security concerns that, whether realized or not, present barriers to acceptance. A robot is provided that is determined to be in compliance with a security criteria. The security criteria may be related to software (e.g., running anti-virus software), hardware (e.g., an added camera is secure), communication (e.g., no unexpected communications), or other aspect. Should the robot be in compliance, it may operate in a secure mode, such as to perform or access more sensitive information. If the robot is not in compliance, the robot is operated in a non-secure mode, such as to block data transmissions, information capturing, or other process or operation that may present a security risk.

Abstract: A customer service robot may be selected, or configured, to address a particular work item. Robots may comprise different functionality due to absent software or hardware or due to existent but worn or non-compliant components. A particular work item may have several means of resolution. A particular resolution path is selected in accord with the ability of a robot. Should no path exist, the robot may be transformed by the addition or installation of hardware and/or software to provide the absent functionality. Resolution paths may also be weighted based on the level of success provided by prior resolution paths and/or the requirement for human involvement. Accordingly, a resolution path may be provided that balances robot capability with the likelihood of success and an appropriate level of human involvement.

Abstract: A geo-spatial grammar comprises rules, syntax, and other means by which a data input is determined to have a meaning associated with a particular event. The event may then be provided to an application, such as a calendaring or messaging application. As a benefit, an input, such as a user speaking the phrase, “I'll be there in an hour,” may be interpreted, via the geo-spatial grammar, as an event (e.g., “I'll be in the office,” “I'll join you for dinner,” “I'll be home,” etc.). An application may then perform an action based upon the event (e.g., reschedule the meeting that starts in five minutes, present directions to the restaurant on the user's car's navigation system, notify the user's spouse, etc.).

Abstract: Acceptance of robotic service agents may be improved if robots are compliant with a monitoring program of a third party. A robot may be allowed to perform certain operations if monitored or prevented from such operations if unmonitored. If authorized, a robot may be able to perform certain operations unmonitored; however, the third party may report the authorized exception. Should the robot be unmonitored, and absent unauthorized exception, the robot performs only those operations approved for unmonitored mode. Otherwise, the robot is enabled to perform tasks approved for monitored and unmonitored mode. The third party may report the monitoring, lack of monitoring, and compliance with a monitoring program accordingly.

Abstract: Methods and systems for identifying specified phrases within audio streams are provided. More particularly, a phrase is specified. An audio stream is them monitored for the phrase. In response to determining that the audio stream contains the phrase, verification from a user that the phrase was in fact included in the audio stream is requested. If such verification is received, the portion of the audio stream including the phrase is recorded. The recorded phrase can then be applied to identify future instances of the phrase in monitored audio streams.

Abstract: Acceptance of robotic service agents may be improved if robots are compliant with a monitoring program of a third party. A robot may be allowed to perform certain operations if monitored or prevented from such operations if unmonitored. If authorized, a robot may be able to perform certain operations unmonitored; however, the third party may report the authorized exception. Should the robot be unmonitored, and absent unauthorized exception, the robot performs only those operations approved for unmonitored mode. Otherwise, the robot is enabled to perform tasks approved for monitored and unmonitored mode. The third party may report the monitoring, lack of monitoring, and compliance with a monitoring program accordingly.

Abstract: The delivery of goods to a customer comprises a substantial portion of human activity. To correct address errors and/or to more precisely locate delivery locations, systems are provided to assist human, human operated vehicle, or autonomous vehicles to locate a delivery point. Often the location of a delivery point is inaccurate or imprecise. GPS and other coordinate systems often fail or are imprecise without an unobstructed view of the sky. Even with coordinates available, the delivery point may be different from the coordinates or, more commonly, coordinates that are different from some standard point within a postal address associated with the coordinates. Providing a delivery system that utilizes a broadcasted identifier, such as an identifier associated with the order of the item, the delivery of the item may be made proximate to the source of the broadcasted identifier or further refined using the broadcasted identifier as a reference.

Abstract: A number of phantom communication sessions and a number of contact center agents are assigned to a high priority contact center queue. The number of phantom communication sessions are greater than or equal to the number of assigned contact center agents. The high priority contact center queue is used for coordinating communication session routing with an external control application. A first contact center agent of the number of contact center agents is determined to be available. The first contact center agent is assigned to a first phantom communication session in response to determining that the first contact center agent is available. This results in a notification being sent to the external control application that the first contact center agent is available. This allows the external control application to coordinate routing of the communication session.

Abstract: Automated kiosks are often provided in retail settings to provide a convenient and cost-effective means to assist customers of the retail setting and as an alternative or supplement to human agents. Kiosks may work well for certain customers and actions, however, the customer and/or kiosk may fail to effectively interact with each other and leave the customer dissatisfied with the interaction. By determining a meta-meaning associated with a customer's actions with a kiosk, the kiosk may be able to determine whether an agent should be summoned to assist the customer. For example, a customer may be using the kiosk for an unusually long time. In response, an available agent may be notified and approach the customer to offer their assistance; without the customer explicitly requesting such assistance. As a benefit, the retail setting may appear more in-touch with the needs of the customer.