Abstract: A teleconferencing system for voice and data provides interconnections among user sites via a central station. User stations at user sites each alternate operation between a data mode connecting a user computer and modem to a user telephone communication path and a voice mode connecting a telephony circuit to the communication path. The teleconferencing system is adapted for conducting a voice conference over standard telephone lines while allowing simultaneous viewing of data objects such as slides, graphs, or text. A host computer connected to the central station serves as a central repository for storage and retrieval of data objects for use in teleconferences.

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: The invention disclosed is a new system and method for providing the mutual sharing of resources devoted to customer service. The system utilizes a telecommunications switching apparatus to rout incoming customer contacts to one or more pools of customer service agents. The system provides for a universal customer service interface that allows customer service agents to assist customers of other related companies. The automated system for sharing customer service resources includes a mutual assistance routing system in communication with requesting users of customer service agents, responding providers of customer service agents, databases containing customer information, thereby allowing customers who contact the requesting user to be served by shared agents.

Abstract: A call center for an inmate at a correctional facility is disclosed. The call center services inmate calls and coordinates inmate purchases of goods and services. The call center is staffed by live operators who are connected to the inmates. The live operators are provided with inmate data, such as personal and family information and sentencing data. A vendor agent terminal displays the inmate data. The operator may suggest goods and services of interest to the inmate based upon the inmate data. The inmate may be charged a fee to access the live-operator vendor service. Alternatively or additionally, the inmate may be charged a per-minute fee to access the vendor call center. The vendor call center or a detention facility call processing system may provide warnings to the inmate regarding an elapsed call duration, a time remaining on the call, or a fee amount due to continue the call.

Abstract: A user device may display, via a graphical user interface, questions associated with a voice menu that is used by an interactive voice response (IVR) system to forward calls. The user device may obtain, via the graphical user interface, user responses to the questions. In addition, the user device may send information corresponding to the user responses to the questions to a remote device. The remote device may query the IVR system to identify a call agent, in a call center, whose profile matches the information, obtain contact information of the call agent from the IVR system, and send the contact information to the user device. Furthermore, the user device may receive the contact information from the remote device and display the contact information via the graphical user interface.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for processing a call in a call center using information stored in the LIDB. A call center which has been configured in accordance with a preferred aspect of the present invention can include at least one phone handset coupled to a gateway to a PSTN. An enterprise application can be associated with the handset and a data terminal coupled to the enterprise application. A view to the enterprise application further can be disposed in proximity to the handset. A database of caller information can be coupled to the enterprise application. Each record in the database can have a configuration for location based upon a searching key.

Abstract: Systems and processes are disclosed for routing callers to agents in a contact center based on predicted call handle times. An exemplary process includes using predicted call handle time as a variable for call routing along with a performance matching and/or psychodemograhpic matching process of caller-agent pairs to maximize sales, customer satisfaction, and so on. The process may allocate the highest performing agents and/or the most “demographic matchable” agents to those callers that are predicted have the shortest duration. The process may further allocate the lowest performing agents and or the least “demographic matchable” agents to those callers that are predicted have the longest duration, or may not allocate the lowest performing agents to any callers at all.

Abstract: Systems and methods for recording a communication session between a customer and an agent of a customer center communication system are provided. In this regard, a representative method comprises: configuring a communication component of the customer center communication system to enable recording of a media stream associated with the communication session; transmitting the media stream over a network based on the configuration of the communication component; receiving the media stream over the network; and recording the received media stream.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing estimated wait times are provided. More particularly, an estimated wait time is calculated based at least in part on agent availability information entered by the agent. The agent availability information may be obtained from the agent through a user interface provided by a contact center communication device. The user interface may include soft keys. In addition, the estimated wait time can be provided to client communication devices.

Abstract: A contact center is provided. The contact center includes a processor; and a memory in communication with the processor. The memory includes computer code executable with the processor. The computer code is configured to place a phone call through a media gateway to a communication device, receive a tone message from the media gateway, the tone message including a call progress event that defines a type of tone that was detected in the audio stream, determine a call treatment as a function of the communication device status, and perform call treatment for the phone call.

Abstract: A company/organization is enabled to optimize sessions from an agent's perspective across multiple channels. Actions may be performed, such as monitoring the journey of a user across a self service application, raising alerts to the agent based on the journey, selecting an appropriate agent to whom a session may be routed, raising alerts for a supervisor, enabling the supervisor to track sessions and intervene if required, enable the agent to run commands from an interaction window, push links to launch applications to supplement the primary interaction through appropriate mechanisms, show appropriate responses to the agent on analyzing the session, and providing shortcut keys for the agent to allow the agent to insert appropriate responses into a chat session. Analysis is provided for the sessions, data is extracted from the sessions, and appropriate forms are populated with the data from the session and with agent information.

Abstract: A system, method and software for facilitating a speech-enabled call routing application using an action-object matrix is disclosed. In operation, a natural language user utterance may be evaluated to identify an action and object available in an action-object matrix indicating transactions or operations available to a user. Depending upon the contents of the natural language user utterance, additional prompts and/or a disambiguation dialogue may be effected to elicit an available action-object combination selection from the user. Following identification of an action-object combination from the natural language user utterance, the action-object matrix may cooperate with a look-up table to identify an appropriate use routing destination. Following identification of an appropriate routing destination, the user connection may be routed to a service agent or module configured to facilitate the user selected transaction as indicated by the action-object combination.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for routing callers to agents in a contact center, along with an intelligent routing system. One or more agents are graded on achieving an optimal interaction, such as increasing revenue, decreasing cost, or increasing customer satisfaction. Callers are then preferentially routed to a graded agent to obtain an increased chance at obtaining a chosen optimal interaction. In a more advanced embodiment, caller and agent demographic and psychographic characteristics can also be determined and used in a pattern matching algorithm to preferentially route a caller with certain characteristics to an agent with certain characteristics to increase the chance of an optimal interaction.

Abstract: An operator evaluation support device includes a speech recording unit configured to record speech times of a customer and an operator during a telephone call; a superposition identifying unit configured to refer to the speech recording unit and identify a superposition speech, which is a speech of the operator that has started during a speech of the customer; a problematic superposition identifying unit configured to identify a problematic superposition speech among the superposition speeches, by comparing a sound quality of a speech of the customer that has started after the superposition speech with a standard sound quality; a call information creating unit configured to refer to the speech recording unit and create telephone call information indicating the identified problematic superposition speech during the telephone call; and a sending unit configured to send the created telephone call information to an administrator terminal used by an administrator evaluating the operator.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention force a contact center agent to adhere to taking a scheduled break from handling communications for a contact center. In particular, a time corresponding to a start time for a scheduled break is detected and, upon detection, a current state is determined for the agent that indicates whether the agent is available to handle communications. In response to the state indicating the agent is available, the agent's state is automatically set without the agent's intervention to indicate the agent is unavailable to handle communications so that no communications are routed to the agent. At this point, the agent is to take his scheduled break. Accordingly, after a period of time, the agent's state is then automatically set to indicate the agent is available so that the agent's break is over and at least one communication is routed to the agent.

Abstract: A computer-readable storage device stores instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations including prompting a caller during a call for an order identifier. The order identifier identifies a pending order. The operations also include prompting the caller to provide a reason for the call. The operations further include transferring the call to an automated check order status system in response to receiving an indication that the reason for the call is to obtain an order status associated with the pending order. The operations also include, in response to receiving an indication that the order status is not locatable, automatically transferring the call to a customer service agent.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for managing customer service calls using a localhost service operating within a desktop environment. The system includes a web-based application configured to display browser windows including an overlayed or embedded softphone component, and a desk top application which serves a telephony application configured to receive call status information from a CTI adapter. The softphone is supported by an iFrame which exchanges call status information with the desk top application.

Abstract: The present invention provides a more accurate estimate as to time for completion of a call by using estimated time durations of separate phases of the call and by determining what phase a call is currently on. An important feature of the present invention is the use of automated speech processing techniques to estimate where the customer and agent are in their conversation and to gauge the rate of progress of the call.

Abstract: A communications center supports sales and/or customer support services corresponding to a plurality of business affiliations. Operator terminals within the communications center are configurable. A management module manages the allocation of the operator terminals between the plurality of different business affiliations being supported by the communications center. The management module loads a set of configuration information into an operator terminal to match a determined business affiliation with a customer's communications device capabilities. At different times, e.g. corresponding to an initial communications session and a follow-on communications session, the same customer may be connected to different physical operator terminals and be communicating with different actual operators; however, from the perspective of the customer, the customer is made to think that the communication is with the same operator terminal and same operator.

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. 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. The associated communication data is transmitted to a switching signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for routing a call to a subject matter expert via a packet network is described. In one embodiment, a request to route said at least one call to the SME is received. A predefined location associated with the SME is also obtained. The call is then routed to a foreign Internet Protocol gateway associated with the predefined foreign location to communicate with the SME.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for enabling a virtual physician office (VPO) that uses a network-based physician practice application and leverages the assets of a shared, communications network of legacy systems. A data connection is established with a rule-based application dataserver of a telecommunications network facility to control access, sharing, notification, security, and/or management of electronic healthcare communications. Typically, the rule-based application dataserver is associated with a central office (“CO”), a mobile telephone switching center (“MTSO”), or a combination CO/MTSO.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to guide an emergency dispatcher in responding to emergency calls involving a patient manifesting symptoms of a pandemic illness. The systems and methods may include an emergency dispatch protocol configured to facilitate uniform and consistent gathering of information concerning the emergency situation. The emergency medical dispatch protocol may include one or more dispatch protocols configured for particular emergency situations, such as to aid the dispatcher in processing calls relating to a pandemic illness (e.g., severe respiratory infection like influenza). The emergency dispatch protocol may present a pre-scripted interrogation, including preprogrammed inquiries for a dispatcher to ask the caller. The pre-scripted interrogation of the dispatch protocol facilitates uniform and consistent gathering of symptom information relating to a pandemic outbreak.

Abstract: A method implemented to provide voice calls in a network. The method comprises receiving a voice call initiation request at a caller agent, wherein the voice call initiation request is triggered by a caller initiating a voice call via a caller equipment, wherein the voice call is destined to a callee equipment communicatively coupled with the network to reach a caller, and wherein the caller agent and a callee agent interact with the caller equipment and the callee equipment respectively. The method further comprise sending a call connection message to the caller equipment, receiving an acknowledgment message from the caller equipment, and opening a voice channel between the caller and the caller agent without waiting for a callee agent response.

Abstract: A system for customer interaction includes a telephony-enabled device for receiving voice calls from customers, a voice recognition engine connected to the telephony-enabled device for monitoring the voice channel, and an application server connected to the voice recognition engine for receiving notification when specific keywords phrases or tones are detected. The system is characterized in that the application server selects scripts for presentation to the customer based at least in part on the notifications received from the voice recognition engine.

Abstract: Systems and methods for scheduling workforces are provided.

Abstract: A call routing system employs a primary call outing device configured to receive directory assistance calls from callers at a first directory assistance system, and determines, for each of the calls, whether they will be handled by the first directory assistance system, or by a second directory assistance system among a plurality of directory assistance systems. A secondary router is also provided, configured to route the calls within the first directory assistance system to the primary call routing device The secondary router has a default call distribution logic, such that if the primary call routing device is off-line, the secondary call router routes the calls among the first directory assistance system and the plurality of directory assistance systems according to the default distribution logic.

Abstract: A method for determining a number of calls to generate for a specific outbound campaign in an automated contact center based upon a prediction of agent occupancy in a future time period, wherein the automated contact center processes one or more outbound campaigns. The estimates a total number of outbound agents available to the one or more outbound campaigns. By using the total number of outbound agents, an effective number of agents for the specific outbound campaign is determined according to a ratio. The effective number of agents is used to determine a number of outbound calls to generate for the specific outbound campaign according to a dialing method. Calls are then generated for the specific outbound campaign based upon the determined number of outbound calls to generate.

Abstract: A system and method for routing an agent to a preferred communications platform in order to receive a customer call. The system may include a web server call notification module that receives an automatic number identification and information relating to an establishment whose phone number was dialed, and a virtual automated call distributor (VACD). Further, the system may include an interactive voice response (IVR) system that requests an agent's identification from the VACD, wherein the VACD and the web server are coupled to the IVR system, and wherein the VACD selects the agent's identification and routes a customer's information to an agent desktop environment (ADE) coupled to the VACD. Also included may be an access platform that receives the customer's information and updates an ADE phone control state session on an agent's desktop, wherein the customer's information is routed to the ADE environment through a message transfer layer.

Abstract: A mid-point call management node subject to monitoring through a workstation communicatively coupled thereto, provides call services (e.g., through extensible markup language (XML), and in particular call control extensible markup language (CCXML) and/or voice extensible markup language (VXML), instructions) for an inbound call received from an originating network at an originating point-of-presence (POP) associated with multiple, disparate call centers, the call services being provided in response to call management application instructions issued according to enterprise-specific strategies for optimizing call handling between the originating POP and domestic and/or international ones of the disparate call centers communicatively coupled thereto. Call center information (e.g., call load information) received at the management node from the multiple call centers may be used in connection with providing the call services.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer readable medium for utilizing agent availability by an outdial application are provided. A routine may be periodically run by an outdial server that evaluates agent availability in a call center backend. If any agents are available, the routine may schedule a pre-defined number of calls per available agent. A number of phone numbers corresponding to the number of scheduled calls may then be fetched by the routine from a phone number database. Once calls are initiated by the outdial server, the routine again checks if any agents are available. In the event that an agent is available, a scheduled phone number is retrieved, and a call is placed thereto and connected with an available agent. After a successful call connection is made, the outdial application may again check the agent availability. If no agent is available, the outdial application may reschedule itself.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for synchronizing changes from a plurality of dissimilar automatic contact distributors to an electronic workforce management server. The method includes the steps of determining a type of data received from each of the dissimilar automatic contact distributors and identifying a data criteria for the determined type of data. The method further includes the steps of detecting a difference between the data criteria and data, identifying a correction for the detected difference, reformatting the data based upon the identified correction and saving the reformatted data in a database of the electronic workforce management server.

Abstract: Various method and apparatus are provided to perform call routing, queuing and other call processing in packet telephony networks.

Abstract: Information pertaining to selected events occurring during an information assistance call is recorded in a database. The database is maintained by a device in the information/call center referred to as a call tracker. For example, with respect to a given call, a record may be generated in the database when the call is received, which servers and/or applications interact with the user during the call, which services are provided to the user, etc. Upon the occurrence of a selected event during a call, an “event message” conveying information about the event is generated and transmitted to the call tracker. The event message comprises an identifier associated with the call and one or more values indicating a type of event that has occurred with respect to the call. The call tracker stores information from the event message in the database.

Abstract: A method is provided in one embodiment and includes establishing a communication session involving a first endpoint and a second endpoint that are associated with a video conference in a network environment. The first endpoint is associated with a first identifier and the second endpoint is associated with a second identifier. The method also includes evaluating first audio data for the first endpoint, and determining a vocative parameter associated with the first audio data, where image data can be rendered on a user interface at the first endpoint based on the detecting of the vocative parameter.

Abstract: A custom call flow is implemented by receiving a sequence of user inputs provided as part of an interactive call between a caller requesting a service and a service provider that provides the service. The sequence of user inputs includes data path inputs, security inputs, and a termination input. The custom call flow is further implemented by identifying placement of the security inputs in the sequence, removing the security inputs from the sequence, and creating a custom sequence that includes the data path inputs, a placeholder representing the placement of the security inputs, and the termination input. The custom sequence utilizes the placeholder to prompt the caller to enter the security inputs at a location specified in the placeholder of the custom sequence. The custom call flow is invoked from the custom sequence received from the caller each time the caller initiates a request for the service.

Abstract: Methods and systems implemented in an information handling system are provided for managing call event data between agents and callers for calls completed through a carrier. Functionality provided by certain embodiments includes, but is not limited to, one or more of the following features: the ability to automatically update customer information databases according to call event data in real-time, dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) activity of the caller and/or agent, do-not-call (DNC) verification and updating, agent identification, lead source and content identification, the recording of calls, the automatic translation of voice communications to textual transcripts, key word detection, communication of customer demographic data to an agent before or during phone calls, audio file management, agent call tracking, and other functions and advantages as will be apparent with the benefit of this disclosure. Methods and systems are also included for data associated with managing broadcast campaigns.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a device, a request to initiate a call with respect to a contact and a communication device associated with a caller. In a particular embodiment, the method may further include initiating presentation, at a display device, of a selectable call placement indicator to initiate the request. In another particular embodiment, the method may further include sending display data to the display device, where the display data indicates that the call has been placed to the contact.

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: An apparatus and methods for a call routing system is disclosed whereby the call routing service provider is associated with a series of partners. By providing a system supporting not only the main user, but also the partners, efficiencies are gained through cost-spreading. Agents can be qualified to field calls for multiple business entities. Cross-selling and proactive servicing based on caller demographic and profile data can be effectuated. The system employs a centralized or global bank of shared Interactive Voice Response (IVR) units so that unnecessary post-routing and call site interflow are reduced. The system comprises a central server system that interfaces with a long distance provider so that route requests are received, caller data is retrieved from one or more databases, routing and handling strategies are developed, load balancing is effectuated, and calls are appropriately routed to one of a plurality of geographically separated call center systems with queues staffed by agents.

Abstract: Dialog management within a call handling system includes monitoring a dialog between a contact and an operator. A first dialog attribute confidence score is generated based on an acoustical analysis of the dialog, and a second dialog attribute confidence score is generated based on a keyword analysis of the dialog. The first and second dialog attribute scores are combined, and a rule is effected in response to a value of the combined dialog attribute score.

Abstract: The automatic selection of interfaces can result in the optimization of interaction between entities. Such selection of interfaces can be applied specifically in the context of interactive voice response systems, and can allow the interface presented to a caller to be optimized based on factors including the caller's usage of the system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to online and offline communication processing and tracking using data processing and data/voice networks. A phone address 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 a first entity identifier.

Abstract: An apparatus has a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to schedule a communication between a contact center and a communication device associated with a user, prompt the user to configure a geographic location for the communication device, track geographic location for the communication device, and initiate the communication in response to determining that the geographic location of the communication device appliance is the configured geographic location.

Abstract: A method for providing continuity over a series of transactions is provided, comprising the steps of (a) creating a Portable Continuity Object (PCO) as a defined digital package by an instance of PCO software executing on a computerized appliance also capable of communication transaction; (b) providing identity of a person, an address of a communication device and a continuity context in the PCO; (c) sharing the PCO in related transactions, with the PCO updated with information concerning individual transactions by digital equipment enhanced with an instance of PCO software; and (d) providing context continuity in succeeding transactions by accessing the PCO by one or both parties to a transaction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is presented for enabling an agent to assume the identity or persona of a called party and process calls directed to the called party. In one embodiment, methods, which enable an agent to assume the identity or persona of a called party, and process calls directed to the called party are considered a call center functions and may be implemented in a call center. A call is initiated to a called party. Initiating the call generates called party information. Using the called party information a server retrieves information associated with the called party and then forward the information associated with the called party to an agent. The call is then forwarded to the agent. As a result, the agent may use the information associated with the called party to assume the identity or persona of the called party when responding to the call.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes various ways of monitoring the needs of a contact center in real-time and pushing training to a number of agents to address those needs. In determining to push training to agents, the short-term efficiency of the agent is balanced with the long-term efficiency of the contact center. When agents receive and then complete training events designed to address the monitored contact center needs the attributes associated with the agents are updated to allow them to handle the contacts requiring training.

Abstract: A VoIP-enabled communications system includes IVR authentication for web initiated telephone calls. A web-based user initiates a telephone call by providing his telephone number and one or more target telephone numbers. In some embodiments, the target telephone number is identified by clicking on a call hyperlink. The system calls the user's telephone number and plays an IVR recording that asks the user to accept or reject the proposed connection to the target telephone number. If the user rejects, then he may be subject to being added to a Do Not Call list. If the user accepts, then the target number is called, and the connection bridged. Alternatively, if the user accepts, then the target number is called, and an IVR recording played. If the target also accepts, then the system bridges the telephone numbers and connects the call. Additional features may also be provided through the IVR recordings, for example, adding or removing numbers from the Do Not Call list.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an open contact center formed from multiple contact center components that conform to open standards and that intercommunicate utilizing open standards. The open contact center can provide automated interactive communications with callers, can provide queue management for callers waiting to communicate with live agents, can provide skills based routing for assigning live agents to callers based upon skills of the live agents and skills needed by the callers, and can provide tooling for provisioning and monitoring the live agents. In one configuration, the contact center components can execute within a middleware solution, such as WEBSPHERE, that has IP Multimedia Subsystem capability. Additionally, the contact center components can be implemented as service oriented architecture (SOA) components that communicate over an enterprise service bus (ESB).

Abstract: A queueless contact center is described along with various methods and mechanisms for administering the same. The contact center proposed herein provides the ability to, among other things, achieve true one-to-one matching. Solutions are also provided for managing data structures utilized by the queueless contact center. Furthermore, mechanisms for generating traditional queue-based performance views and metrics for the queueless contact center are proposed to help facilitate a smooth transition from traditional queue-based contact centers to the next generation contact centers described herein.