Abstract: To provide better metrics for a contact center, the system determines when a contact center agent has been assigned to a plurality of agent skills in a skill group. A skill group is a set of skills for which the contact center seeks to calculate overall metrics across those skills. Information is received that the contact center agent is in a first state for the plurality of agent skills. For example, the contact center agent is available to support the different products. A status is calculated for the contact center agent in the skill group. The status for the contact center agent in the skill group is calculated based a minimum or maximum of the first state of the contact center agent in the skill group. The status of the first agent in the skill group is sent to a contact center administrator to better manage the contact center.

Abstract: Contact centers comprise agents, human and automated, interacting with customers over a network to accomplish an objective for the interaction. While a blunt, factual exchange may appear to be the most expeditious means to accomplish the objective, often this is not the case. Humans often respond better when the interaction comprises a mix of progress (e.g., portions of the interaction directed towards the objective) and banter (e.g., portions of the interaction not directed to the progress). Determining the mix may be provided by analyzing historic interactions and their success. A current interaction may be analyzed and when the mix is outside an acceptable range and an automated agent may be configured to alter the mix accordingly or, when the agent is a human, signal the agent to make the alteration. Success may be continually monitored and the target mix adjusted based on subsequent interactions.

Abstract: Information utilized in a contact center may be temporary. Facts may be directly verified (primary factor); however, contact centers may not have the resources to perform primary factor determinations. Validation factors may be utilized, such as by providing a customer of a contact center with a response and determining, based on feedback, whether the information is still proving to be valid. Over time, information may become more and more suspect, even if factually correct. Providing the information, such as in a text message to a customer or agent, who in turn is interacting with a customer, and an indication of the aging of the validity of the information, may provide an appropriate level of confidence in a reply to a customer and facilitate more accurate information dissemination.

Abstract: Contact centers comprise agents, human and automated, interacting with customers over a network to accomplish an objective for the interaction. While a blunt, factual exchange may appear to be the most expeditious means to accomplish the objective, often this is not the case. Humans often respond better when the interaction comprises a mix of progress (e.g., portions of the interaction directed towards the objective) and banter (e.g., portions of the interaction not directed to the progress). Determining the mix may be provided by analyzing historic interactions and their success. A current interaction may be analyzed and when the mix is outside an acceptable range and an automated agent may be configured to alter the mix accordingly or, when the agent is a human, signal the agent to make the alteration. Success may be continually monitored and the target mix adjusted based on subsequent interactions.

Abstract: A predictive model for abandoned calls provided by a contact center communication system for routing optimization is described along with various methods and mechanisms for administering the same. Based on multiple attributes, the system can calculate the probabilities, risks, and costs associated with abandonment and wait, taking into account the patience of a caller, region where the caller lives, agents available to handle the call, length of time that the caller has already been waiting, potential cost of having the caller and call type abandon, and potential total cost of having the caller wait to be served.

Abstract: A graph database is described for use in connection with a contact center. The graph database includes a plurality of nodes and relationships that describe the operations, entities, personnel, and attributes in the contact center. Also included in the graph database is an attribute tree that enables a work assignment engine in the contact center to make proximity-based work assignment decisions.

Abstract: A predictive model for abandoned calls provided by a contact center communication system for routing optimization is described along with various methods and mechanisms for administering the same. Based on multiple attributes, the system can calculate the probabilities, risks, and costs associated with abandonment and wait, taking into account the patience of a caller, region where the caller lives, agents available to handle the call, length of time that the caller has already been waiting, potential cost of having the caller and call type abandon, and potential total cost of having the caller wait to be served.

Abstract: To provide better metrics for a contact center, the system determines when a contact center agent has been assigned to a plurality of agent skills in a skill group. A skill group is a set of skills for which the contact center seeks to calculate overall metrics across those skills. Information is received that the contact center agent is in a first state for the plurality of agent skills. For example, the contact center agent is available to support the different products. A status is calculated for the contact center agent in the skill group. The status for the contact center agent in the skill group is calculated based a minimum or maximum of the first state of the contact center agent in the skill group. The status of the first agent in the skill group is sent to a contact center administrator to better manage the contact center.

Abstract: In order to provide better service with self-service applications, metrics for a communication session between a user and a self-service application are identified. Based on the metrics, a pattern is determined that will likely predict an initial outcome of the communication session with the self-service application. In response to determining that the pattern will likely predict the initial outcome of the communication session with the self-service application, the way the user is managed in the communication session is changed. For example, if a particular pattern of IVR responses is detected that will likely lead to a caller abandoning a voice call, the voice call can be automatically transferred from the IVR system to a contact center agent. This provides for increased customer satisfaction and better utilization of contact center resources.

Abstract: A mechanism for adaptive modification of an attribute tree in a graph based contact center is described along with various methods and mechanisms for administering the same. Adaptive modification methods are disclosed that allow a graph database to automatically remove and create categories as well as block removal of categories with active relationships. Staff assignment, administrator productivity, and customer service are improved with the assessment, merging, and removal of atrophied categories and the operationally desirable expansion and/or addition of categories.

Abstract: A graph database is described for use in connection with a contact center. The graph database includes a plurality of nodes and relationships that describe the operations, entities, personnel, and attributes in the contact center. The graph database enables previously discrete contact center components such as work assignment components, reporting components, work force management components, forecasting components, and the like to operate in a seamless and integrated manner.

Abstract: A graph database is described for use in connection with a contact center. The graph database includes a plurality of nodes and relationships that describe the operations, entities, personnel, and attributes in the contact center. Also included in the graph database is an attribute tree that enables a work assignment engine in the contact center to make proximity-based work assignment decisions.

Abstract: A mechanism for avoidance of one or more resources for work assignment based on nodes and relationships within an attribute tree of a graph based contact center is described along with various methods and mechanisms for administering the same. Avoidance methods are disclosed that allow an administrator to set up a graph database operable to automatically block work assignment to certain resources based on set rules and conditions. The graph database is additionally designed as a learning system that can adapt and respond to changing rules and conditions over time, including historically successful and unsuccessful interactions, attribute changes for customers and agents, and changes in desired results. Agent matching and customer satisfaction are improved with the avoidance of inappropriate or undesirable resources.

Abstract: A graph database is described for use in connection with a contact center. The graph database includes a plurality of nodes and relationships that describe the operations, entities, personnel, and attributes in the contact center. Also described is the operation of a work assignment engine that leverages the graph database to make intelligent and flexible work assignment decisions.

Abstract: The system and method identify a plurality of call flow events in a call analysis system. Call statistics are associated with the call flow events. The call flow events are organized into event groups each containing a plurality of call flow events. Once an event group is selected, call statistics for the events of the event group are displayed. In addition, the system and method allow for selection of individual call flow events in order to display calls associated with the events.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for associating a caller utterance with corresponding elements of a flowgraph that depicts a voice-response system. Thus, an analyst who selects an element in a flowgraph receives immediate access to those utterances—and only those utterances—that are associated with the selected element. The analyst can easily listen to the utterances and review statistics associated with them. The utterances are stored, retrieved, and presented in a systematic and organized way. In some embodiments in accordance with the present invention, an utterance is associated with the link between two events in the voice-response system. In some alternative embodiments, an utterance is associated with other data, including, but not limited to: the event that precedes it; the event that follows it; the telephone number of the caller.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for associating a caller utterance with corresponding elements of a flowgraph that depicts a voice-response system. Thus, an analyst who selects an element in a flowgraph receives immediate access to those utterances—and only those utterances—that are associated with the selected element. The analyst can easily listen to the utterances and review statistics associated with them. The utterances are stored, retrieved, and presented in a systematic and organized way. In some embodiments in accordance with the present invention, an utterance is associated with the link between two events in the voice-response system. In some alternative embodiments, an utterance is associated with other data, including, but not limited to: the event that precedes it; the event that follows it; the telephone number of the caller.

Abstract: The system and method identify a plurality of call flow events in a call analysis system. Call statistics are associated with the call flow events. The call flow events are organized into event groups each containing a plurality of call flow events. Once an event group is selected, call statistics for the events of the event group are displayed. In addition, the system and method allow for selection of individual call flow events in order to display calls associated with the events.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for estimating a location of a plurality of wireless terminals. Signal strength measurements are obtained for at least one packet transmitted by each of the wireless terminals; and a Bayesian algorithm is applied to the signal strength measurements to estimate the location of each wireless terminal. In an infrastructure-based deployment, signal strength measurements are obtained from one or more signal monitors. In a client-based model, signal strength measurements are obtained from a client associated with a respective wireless terminal.

Abstract: A system is disclosed that enables the estimation of the location of a wireless terminal in a wireless network. The illustrative embodiment works without requiring modifications to be made to the wireless terminal. Furthermore, the hardware of some embodiments of the present invention can be inexpensively deployed indoors. Some embodiments of the present invention are, therefore, ideally suited for use with legacy indoor systems. The system of the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, in some embodiments, uses an offline process and an online process for location estimation. The described system, however, can be used with other techniques for location estimation.