Abstract: An interactive voice response (IVR) system performs automatic language selection without requiring the caller to provide a manual language selection input. The IVR system receives an incoming call along with appropriate caller identification. The IVR system sends a request for the caller's language preference information either to the caller's device or to a service provider that hosts the caller's account. After receiving the caller's language preference information, the IVR system selects a language for the caller and provides an IVR menu tree using the selected language. The selected language is persisted as the caller's preferred language at either the IVR system or at a service provider for future use.

Abstract: The methods, apparatus, and systems described herein facilitate optimizing routing decisions. The methods include retrieving and/or predicting a profile of a current customer and future customers, determining which agents are currently available and which agents are expected to be available, and providing a routing recommendation based on the profile retrieval or prediction for the current customer and the future customers, and the currently available agents' and expected available agents' proficiency at handling customers with the retrieved and/or predicted profiles.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a call block system, an indication of a call to a communication device. The method includes, in response to the indication and based on a determination that a call block feature is disabled for the communication device, outputting a first tone from the call block system to the communication device. The method further includes, in response to the indication and based on a determination that the call block feature is enabled, outputting a second tone from the call block system to the communication device.

Abstract: A computer-implemented call center architecture and method for optimizing customer experience through in-band expert intervention is provided. Calls conducted between an agent and a caller are monitored. A need for assistance by an expert agent in one such call based on an inquiry by the caller is identified. Expert selection criteria to a predetermined group of expert agents with expertise in subject matter relating to the caller's inquiry is applied. One of the expert agents that matches with the expert selection criteria is selected and a notification to the agent that the selected expert agent will assist with the call is transmitted. The expert agent is then patched into the call.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for determining a pattern for communications conducted between agents at a contact center and contact parties. In particular embodiments, the pattern is based on a utilization of one or more information resources by the agents during the communications. Depending on the embodiment, the communications may comprise one or more of telephone calls, text messages, emails, and Web chats. In addition, in various embodiments, a particular information resource from among the one or more information resources is identified based on the pattern and is associated with a keyphrase found in at least two of the communications. Accordingly, as a result of the association, the particular information resource is made available to at least one agent at the contact center during a time the agent is fielding a subsequent communication in which the keyphrase is detected.

Abstract: A multimedia call from an originating device is provided. At least one session may be created at an application server in response to receiving the multimedia call. An endpoint may be created within the session for communication between the originating device and the application server. The endpoint may be a composite endpoint for communication between the originating device and two or more terminating devices. The composite endpoint may be include two or more logical endpoints for communicating with and respectively associated with the two terminating devices. A portion or more of the multimedia call may be delivered from the application server to each of the terminating devices using the logical endpoint associated with each terminating device.

Abstract: A communications session call is established between first and second call devices. A SIP Reinvite command is sent to the second call device without any SDP media parameters to gain new and current media parameters. The second call device acknowledges the Reinvite command as corresponding to the first SDP offer with new and current media parameters. A third call device is sent a SIP Reinvite command as a second SDP offer using new and current media parameters. The third call device acknowledges the SIP Reinvite command as corresponding to the first SDP answer to the first SDP offer. The second call device acknowledges as a second SDP answer to the second SDP offer. The call with the first call device is terminated to change the destination of the call and maintaining any media stream between the second and third call devices.

Abstract: Telemarketing calls may originate from a call center based on processing a telephone number record which includes a telephone number. The telephone number record may also include other information pertaining to the telephone number, including whether it is a wireline or wireless number. Further information may indicate whether the solicitation call is being originated on behalf of a wireless carrier serving the wireless subscriber associated with the telephone number. The call center may use location information associated with the wireless number to ascertain a location of the wireless subscriber and to then ascertain a time zone of the wireless subscriber, so as to originate the telemarketing call within the appropriate regulatory calling time window. A dialer may originate calls for an agent using a list of wireline numbers and then using a list of wireless numbers.

Abstract: A method of collecting and indexing data by appending a tracking identifier (generated directly or indirectly by a tracking company) into a data file, wherein the data file is acquired from a computer system operated by a user. The data file could be data collected by a form made available through a website hosted by a web server. Additional data collected from other sources (stored as a record), such as a computer system operated by an agent, would be associated with the collected data file by an inquiry management company. The collected data and associated records are forwarded to a computer system that tracks online users and visitors. The process can many computer collected data (other than the data file) about website activity with other activities that are independent of the website.

Abstract: A system, method, apparatus, means, and computer program code is provided wherein an electronic communication is received. A communication routing matrix is accessed, from a relational database platform, to select a service representative for the received communication. It may then be arranged for the received communication to be routed in accordance with the selected service representative.

Abstract: An indicator of a channel capacity of a wireless link between a wired telephone and a wireless hands free device is measured. Based on the indicator of the channel capacity, a call server decides whether to route a call to the wired telephone. The indicator of channel capacity may be is based on measurements of channel capacity between the telephone and the wireless hands free device taken at different times and at different locations. The measurements of channel capacity may be used to construct a map relating physical location and time to channel capacity available between one or more wired telephones and wireless hands free devices. The available channel capacity can also be used to cause indicators associated with low channel capacity to be displayed by the wired telephone or signaled to the wireless hands free device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of applying user profile information to a customized application are disclosed. One example method of operation may include receiving an inquiry message or call from a user device, identifying and authorizing the user from inquiry message information received from the inquiry message, retrieving a user profile comprising at least one user preference, applying the at least one user preference to a user call processing application, and transmitting menu options to the user device based on the applied at least user preference.

Abstract: A communication terminal that determines the types of SIP servers, and stores SIP server information in association with the determined types so that SIP communication can be normally performed. The communication terminal carries out network packet communication using the SIP servers. SIP server information on the SIP servers is acquired, and types of the SIP servers are determined based on the acquired SIP server information. The SIP server information is stored in association with the determined types of the SIP servers.

Abstract: A call handling platform receives a call placed by a caller to a calling number and computes an experience score for the caller based on measuring a subset of data points corresponding to an interaction between the caller and an interactive voice response (IVR) module. The experience score provides a numerical measure of a level of satisfaction of the caller in interacting with the IVR module during the call. Determining to route the call to a human agent based on the experience score, the call handling platform accesses historical data corresponding to past calls placed by the caller and received by human agents, and obtains agent scores associated with the human agents. The call handling platform matches the caller to a human agent at a call center based on one or both of the historical data and the agent scores, and routes the call to the human agent.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and system for identifying experts is described. An indication of a subject matter area associated with a user is received. A list of experts regarding the subject matter area is determined based upon, at least in part, identifying one or more members included in one or more contact rosters associated with the user. A set of experts, included in the list of experts, that are available for instant messaging communication, is identified. A portion of the list of experts is provided to the user in the context of an instant messaging application associated with the user.

Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, limiting contact to a networked contact center that is a host to multiple tenants. In an example embodiment, a communication is received by a networked contact center. In determining whether to allow the communication to reach contact center resources, a contact rate value may be examined. The contact rate value may represent an allowable quantity of contact within a time interval. For some example embodiments, a determination of whether the network contact center is to accept or reject the communication is made based on the contact rate value.

Abstract: An call evaluation device pairs an utterance of the first speaker and an utterance of the second speaker, which are associated with the same screen identification information, to be a question and answer, obtains a totalized value of the number of question and answers for each screen identification information and an utterance time of the second speaker for each question and answer, and generates display information to cause an output device to display the totalized value of the number of question and answers for each screen identification information and the utterance time of the second speaker for each question and answer.

Abstract: There is provided an information processing system including an identifying unit that identifies a user and a target with whom the user requests to converse based on a signal detected by a first sensor arranged around the user, a signal processing unit that performs predetermined signal processing on signals detected by the first sensor and a second sensor arranged around the target, an output control unit that causes the signal detected by at least the second sensor and processed by the signal processing unit to be output to a first output unit arranged around the user, and a recognizing unit that recognizes, when a plurality of the targets are identified by the identifying unit, a selection request for selecting a specific target from among the plurality of targets based on the signal detected by the first sensor.

Abstract: A method for automatically routing a telephonic communication to at least one of a plurality of communication destination addresses is provided. The method is implemented by a computer readable medium having a plurality of code segments. The method comprises the step of receiving customer identifier and communicating with a customer history database configured to store historic data. The method also includes determining whether the received customer identifier corresponds to a stored customer identifier in the customer history database, wherein the customer profile included in the stored historic data is based on one or more components of a customer's demographic identity. Historic data corresponding to the stored customer number is identified based on the comparison of the received customer identifier and the stored customer identifier. The telephonic communication is associated with a predetermined communication destination based on the identified historic data.

Abstract: A system and method for processing a call between a caller and a live agent is provided. A stream of verbal speech utterances is received from the caller and converted into text. Text messages are received from the agent in response to the stream of verbal speech utterances and converted into synthesized speech utterances. The synthesized speech utterances are provided to the caller. A record of the call is processed and presented to a further live agent for manipulation. The manipulated record is stored.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a contact center with speaker identification and verification (SIV) capabilities. In the invention, a set of contact center components can provide automated interactive communications with callers, can provide queue management for callers waiting to communicate with live agents, and can provide skills based routing for assigning live agents to callers. The SIV component can analyze speech utterances to determine a speaker identify based upon biometric characteristics of the analyzed speech utterances. Additionally, the SIV component can process speech from contact center sessions. In one embodiment, the SIV component can prevent agent substitutions from occurring of which the call center is unaware. The SIV component can also be used to distinguish whether communication session content was spoken by a contact center agent or a caller.

Abstract: A call to a wireless number can be originated by a contact center while enforcing various compliance requirements. A dialer and PBX cooperate to originate the call to the wireless number. The dialer selects the next eligible number in the calling list that should be dialed by an agent. Account information provided by the dialer is displayed on the agent's computer, and a call is placed to the agent's phone by the dialer, wherein the call uses the selected number as the ANI. The call is shortly terminated by the dialer, so that it is not answered by the agent. The agent can then redial that number or invoke a callback function to originate the call to the selected number. A PBX handing the call may inform the dialer of the call origination. The dialer may thus monitor the status of the call without actually originating the call.

Abstract: A distributed method of delivering events to agent devices. A first software module generates an event, e.g., a screen pop event or a ringing event, for delivery to a second module responsible for an agent device. A third module, which may be the same module as the first module, evaluates a hash function to determine an identifier for the second module from an identifier for the agent device. The first module delivers the event to the second module, which responds to the event, e.g., by causing an agent device to generate a ringing alert or to display a screen pop.

Abstract: A Web-based hosted system through which business entities create and manage communications campaigns. The system carries out a communications campaign on behalf of a client. A campaign is a series of calls to a contact list using one or more sub-campaigns. A sub-campaign associates a list of contacts, a script, and a timeframe. An agent typically is a contact center operator. A skill group is a set of agents that are trained to handle a given script. Call pacing enhancements are implemented to allow simultaneous progress on multiple sub-campaigns under a skill group. The techniques enable control over the pacing of individual sub-campaigns when multiple sub-campaigns are running under a single skill group. The service also provides a framework by which a set of “pluggable” pacing models are provisioned and managed, preferably on a per-model basis.

Abstract: Methods and systems for occupancy prediction using historical occupancy patterns are described. In an embodiment, an occupancy probability is computed by comparing a recent occupancy pattern to historic occupancy patterns. Sensor data for a room, or other space, is used to generate a table of past occupancy which comprises these historic occupancy patterns. The comparison which is performed identifies a number of similar historic occupancy patterns and data from these similar historic occupancy patterns is combined to generate an occupancy probability for a time in the future. In an example, time may be divided into discrete slots and binary values may be used to indicate occupancy or non-occupancy in each slot. An occupancy probability for a defined future time slot then comprises a combination of the binary values for corresponding time slots from each of the identified similar occupancy patterns.

Abstract: A system and method for real-time process management. An attribute of a process currently performed may be related to a key performance indicator (KPI) threshold. A system may determine, in real-time, the KPI threshold was breached. An indication may be provided to, for example, a mobile device. Feedback related to an intervention of an expert may be received on the mobile device.

Abstract: A method can include determining a number of cases received (e.g., a case load), a number of cases processed (e.g., a case rate), and dividing the case load by the case rate. The resource demand can be compared to a resource allocation, and the resource allocation can be changed based upon the resource demand. A information handling system can include a processor and a memory. The memory can have code stored therein, wherein the code can include instructions, which, when executed by the processor, allows the information handling system to perform part or substantially all of the method.

Abstract: Embodiments for implementing virtual dialing campaigns using virtual calling modes include systems for receiving account data associated with customer accounts and identifying an account status associated with each of the accounts based on the account data. The embodiments further include grouping the accounts into one or more queues based on the identified account status, selecting a first call mode for at least one queue, determining dialing parameters associated with the first call mode, providing the at least one queue to a user via a display of a computing device that is in communication with the system, and launching an account from the at least one queue.

Abstract: In a remote technical support system, a technical support controller receives an indication of a maximum number of support sessions to be serviced by a remote technician. Thereafter, the technical support controller receives a service request for a user device, which service request is classified into a category and added to a preliminary queue corresponding to the category. The technical support controller determines if handling of the service request by the remote technician would cause the number of support sessions currently being handled by the remote technician to exceed the previously-indicated maximum number of support sessions. If not, the service request is added to a work queue for the remote technician and removed from the preliminary queue.

Abstract: Various technologies described herein pertain to using detected physical gestures to cause calls to transfer between client devices. A physical gesture between a first client device and a second client device can be detected (e.g., utilizing the first client device, the second client device, a disparate client-side device, a server, etc.). The first client device participates in a call, while the second client device is not participating in the call at a time of the detection of the physical gesture. Responsive to detection of the physical gesture, participation of the second client device in the call can be initiated. Participation of the second client device in the call can be initiated by causing the call to transfer from the first client device to the second client device or causing the second client device to join the call while the first client device continues to participate in the call.

Abstract: A system and method for summarizing a multiuser communication session is disclosed. A processing unit receives data about the multiuser communication session. A session management module manages the multiuser communication session. A feature extraction module extracts features from the data. An analyzing module analyzes the features to identify segments of interest for the multiuser communication session including a beginning and an end of each segment of interest and a list of participants in each segment of interest. A summarizing engine generates a summary for the multiuser communication session including at least one segment of interest.

Abstract: Outbound contact records for a contact center can be arranged as an ordered list reflecting a priority for reaching a party during defined time periods. For each time period, the corresponding prioritized list is used for originating outbound contacts. Originating outbound contacts involves first determining when an agent is available and determining an agent profile of the available agent. Then, records in the ordered list are searched to identify parties having a compatible called party profile matching the agent profile. When an agent is available, the selected contact records are used to generate outbound contacts and a responding party is matched to the agent. Other responding parties may be matched with other agents having the same agent profile or matched with second-best compatible agents. At certain conditions, the remaining records may be processed in a list-centric manner wherein a responding party is matched with any available agent.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a control message that identifies a first video conference terminal as an active talker. The method includes sending, in response to the control message, outgoing video conference data from the first video conference terminal via a first multicast group to two or more video conference terminals joined to the first multicast group. The method also includes sending a command to join a second multicast group in response to the control message.

Abstract: Multiple users participate in a conference while taking maximum advantage of hardware and bandwidth capabilities of each participant. Each user's system makes known to a directory service its hardware sending and receiving capabilities. The directory service makes this information available to other users who may then wish to join a conference with the user. An initiating user sends invitations via the directory service to the remote users. Each user that accepts an invitation transmits its network address to the initiating user, who then establishes a peer-to-peer connection with each of the remote users. Each participant system exchanges information about hardware capabilities and bandwidth, and a conference manager determines a best model for connecting each of the participants. Depending on the hardware and bandwidth capabilities of the participants, the manager chooses from a duplicate streams model, a multicast model, and a host-among-peers model for connecting the participants.

Abstract: A system and machine-implemented method relating to enhanced customer service via processing a first communication from a customer via a first communication service, automatically obtaining a first classification, included in a plurality of predefined classifications for customer support issues, associated with the first communication, establishing a second communication between the customer and a customer service representative, and displaying to the customer service representative information about the first communication with an indication that the first classification is associated with the first communication.

Abstract: Establishing a telephone call includes enabling display of a visual indicator of a call destination entity and detecting selection by a user of the visual indicator. The availability of the user to receive a first telephone call is determined. Voice communications between the call destination entity and the user are established in response to detection of the selection by the user of the visual indicator and conditioned on the user being determined to be available to receive the first telephone call. Establishing voice communications includes enabling placement of the first telephone call to the user to establish a first PSTN link with the user and enabling a voice communications link to be setup with the call destination entity.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention pertain to an apparatus, method, and a computer program configured to connect a translator located in a remote area to a conference holding area, and also connect a customer and customer service representative to the translator in order for the translator to translate between the customer service representative and the customer, when the customer services representative determines that a translator is needed.

Abstract: A contact center dialing a telephone number to a destination party, such as a debtor, may discover that the number is obsolete, e.g., the number has been reassigned to a new subscriber. A purportedly current number (called a ‘skip-trace’ number) may be obtained for the debtor, which may be a wireless number. Until the wireless skip-trace number has been confirmed as being associated with the debtor, an agent manually dials that number to minimize liability to the contact center. Once the agent has verbally confirmed the skip-trace number is associated with the debtor, a record for this number in a dialing list is updated allowing future dialing attempts to occur automatically, by using a predictive dialer. In one embodiment, a dialing list module processes the dialing list so as to detect when a number is obsolete and update the corresponding record when the number is confirmed.

Abstract: A method and system including receiving a communication from a source, the communication including a request to connect to a destination, connecting, via a communication link, to the destination, detecting an event on the communication link to the destination, and connecting the source to the destination after detecting the event.

Abstract: An online and offline communication processing and tracking using data processing and data/voice networks is described. A phone address from a phone address number pool is automatically assigned to a first entity. A call quality rating is determined and recorded. A call from a caller directed to the phone address is received at a call bridging system coupled to at least one network, wherein the call is associated with call signaling information. Based at least in part on the call quality associated with the caller call, the caller call is assigned to a first location in a call queue. An outbound call is generated from the call bridging system and the inbound and the outbound calls are bridged. One or more parameters of the bridged call are compared to the call quality rating. An indication is recorded regarding the successful bridging of the calls in association with an entity identifier.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing multi-tenant callback services may be provided via a multi-tenant services integration platform. Several multi-tenant software as a service applications may be offered as a hosted software solution via the multi-tenant services integration platform. Various applications may deploy and support a shared tenant and shared services environment where there can be many different customers (companies and users) running in their own virtual partition from a single application instance. The applications may be multi-tenant aware and integrated into an administration portal which integrates several shared tenant services. The tenant model may allow for customized application configurations to be run from a single application instance. Further, improved methods for providing callback management, calculating estimated wait times, and providing for callback initiation may be integrated in such multi-tenant services.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and computer-program are provided to receive a request to connect a translator to a conference call holding area, and transmit a request to the translator for a personal identification number prior to connecting the translator to the conference call holding area. Upon verification of the person identification number, the translator is connected to the conference call holding area.

Abstract: A user is identified based at least in part on a user identification designation associated with an incoming communication. A message recipient is then determined based at least in part on the identified user and one or more address books associated with message recipients by comparing the user identification designation to one or more entries in the one or more recipient databases. The incoming communication is routed to the determined message recipient. Escalation procedures are implemented up to a configured level in the recipient organization based on various criteria. As messages are escalated and deposited in mailboxes associated with the determined message recipients, the determined message recipients are notified of the deposited messages.

Abstract: A method of predicting expected performance of a processing center system is accessed. The method includes receiving performance information from a performance monitoring system associated with the processing center system. A computer model of the processing center system is developed based on the performance information. The method further includes generating predictions based on the computer model, and analyzing the predictions to generate performance scenarios for the processing center system.

Abstract: System and method to select a contact handling mode in a contact center, the method including: receiving, by a communication interface, a contact from a customer; calculating, by a processor of the contact center, an expected wait time by the customer based upon historical contact information stored in a memory of the contact center; calculating an expected cost of queueing the customer for the expected wait time; and selecting the contact handling mode based upon the expected cost of queueing the customer.

Abstract: Techniques for routing a telephone call are provided. A call interface device of an interactive voice response system is configured to receive the telephone call from a caller. A level one agent processing module routes the telephone all to a level one agent for an agent interview of the caller when level three and level two agents are not available. A level two agent processing module handles the telephone call when the level three agent is not available. A level three agent processing module facilitates the handling of the telephone call when the level three agent is available.

Abstract: A contact center system can receive messages from consumers. The system can then interact with the consumer or customer using a dialog. Before conducting the session with the consumer, past interactions using the dialog are reviewed to determine words, phrases, and other information that caused the dialog to be successful. The information is stored as norms. Upon beginning a new interaction with the dialog, the norms and the past successful dialogs are retrieved and compared to the active dialog while the interaction is on-going. The comparison is then used to ensure that the present active dialog will lead to a successful outcome or to resolve any issued if the outcome is not likely to be successful.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for sharing state information using a web-enabled system and a phone service system are disclosed. In some embodiments, a presence module is used to identify a currently accessed web page to an agent during an on-line session. In some embodiments, documents are delivered to a user through a web browser concurrent with an audio message delivered by phone. Concurrent delivery of documents configured to accept an electronic signature is disclosed.

Abstract: A method and system for indicating in real time that an interaction is associated with a problem or issue, comprising: receiving a segment of an interaction in which a representative of the organization participates; extracting a feature from the segment; extracting a global feature associated with the interaction; aggregating the feature and the global feature; and classifying the segment or the interaction in association with the problem or issue by applying a model to the feature and the global feature. The method and system may also use features extracted from earlier segments within the interaction. The method and system can also evaluate the model based on features extracted from training interactions and manual tagging assigned to the interactions or segments thereof.

Abstract: A system and method for processing multi-modal communications is provided. A call is received into a call center via a telephone. The call includes an inquiry of incoming speech utterances from a caller. The call is assigned to an agent within the call center. Transcribed text is generated by performing automatic speech recognition on the incoming speech utterances. The transcribed text is displayed to the agent via a display. Text messages from the caller are separately received into the call center via the telephone during the call. The text messages are identified as originating from the caller of the call and displayed to the agent.