Abstract: Techniques are described for controlling communication devices using image analysis. For instance, when a communication is received by a communication device, the communication device outputs an alert to notify users of the received communication and accesses one or more images of an area proximate to the communication device. The one or more images cover an area proximate to the communication device at a time during which the communication device is outputting the alert. The communication device analyzes the one or more images to determine whether a user is present in the one or more images and in a position to perceive the received communication. The communication device handles at least one aspect of the received communication based on the determination of whether a user is in a position to perceive the received communication.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to a call center system providing network metrics based off of an individual's social networking connections, and more particularly embodiments of the invention are directed to methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for providing a recommendation to an individual contacting the call center, based on the reason the customer is contacting the call center and the customer's network metrics. The network metrics include analyzing an individual's social networks and the social network of connections associated with the customer. In this way, recommendations, such as a promotion, product, service, or response to the communication to the call center may be tailored to network metrics of an individual from social networks.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for contextual adaptive advertising. The method for personalized hold comprises collecting a set of data elements about a user, generating a user profile based on the set of data elements, selecting media content from one or more content repositories based on the user profile, and delivering selected media content to a device for playback to the user during noncommunicative gaps. One aspect provides further for recording a playback order of delivered media content in order to avoid playing the same media content back to back.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide systems, methods, and computer program products for sales force management that improves sales contacts, improves client service experience, and provides objective data on the end-to-end sales and service process. When a client calls his/her client manager the call will be automatically switched to a call center representative. Systems will capture relationship and call data associated with the clients making the call and the client managers that are being called. The relationship data is sent to the call center representative taking the call to help serve the client. The call data is sent to process owners to review and track the sales force management system as a whole. The call center representatives will either answer the customer's questions or prepare a notification form to capture the reason for the call and send the notification to the appropriate client manager.

Abstract: A system and a computer-implemented method for monitoring and guiding agents of call centers are described. The method includes receiving during an interaction call between an agent and a and a customer, real-time data associated with the interaction; retrieving by the call analysis system, a performance profile of the agent; using the performance profile of the agent and the real-time data associated with the interaction to determine whether a corrective action alert should be sent to the agent and generating and transmitting the alert to a terminal of the agent during the interaction if so determined.

Abstract: A method is provided for operating a directory assistance system having a plurality of different network elements operating on different protocols. The method includes receiving, at a first network element, operating on a first operating protocol, an incoming directory assistance call from a caller. A universal call identifier data is then assigned to the call. The call is then transmitted to a second network element, operating on a second operating protocol, wherein the same universal call identifier is accepted by the second network element. A record is generated of the exchange of the call between the first and second network elements based on the assigned universal call identifier data.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of automatically generating an electronic reminder is provided. The method includes identifying, using term-recognition circuitry, at least one key term within an electronic message received with an electronic communications device. The method further includes generating at least one reminder based upon the at least one key term. One or more reminders are, according to the method, electronically conveyed to a user at a time later than when the message was received.

Abstract: A 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, support the ability to flexibly apply a plurality of different work assignment algorithms simultaneously, weight work item routing decisions received from each work assignment algorithm, and then make a final work item routing decision based on a weighted combination of the work item routing decisions.

Abstract: A 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, reward positive agent behavior and performance by providing the agent with rewards and incentives. The rewards and incentives are provided to the agent by altering one or more aspects of the routing logic in the contact center.

Abstract: Communication requests (i.e., voice, video, text) are received at a contact center. The communication requests are presented to a contact center agent. The agent selects one of the communication requests. In response to the agent selecting the communication request, a communication is established between the agent and an initiator of the communication request. The communication requests can also be presented to multiple agents to allow each agent to select a specific communication to handle. Alternatively, in an out-bound call center, communication requests are generated in the call center. The communication requests are presented to the agent and the agent selects one of the communication requests. In response to the agent selecting the communication request, a communication is initiated to an address of the communication request. The out-bound communication requests can also be presented to multiple agents to allow each agent to select a specific communication to handle.

Abstract: A 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, include a break-type work item in a work pool that also contains traditional work items. The break-type work item comprises attributes that enable the break-type work item to be routed to one or more resources in the contact center with a work assignment engine that routes the traditional work items.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for processing messages in a networked automatic contact distribution system having a plurality of computer processors. The method includes the steps of a processor of the plurality of processors receiving a configuration message, the processor determining a type of the configuration message from metadata contained within the message and the processor executing a predetermined set of steps based upon the determined type of the configuration message.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for presenting structural relationships in an automatic contact distribution system. The method includes the steps of defining a plurality of structural elements within the automatic contact distribution system, selecting a structural element of the automatic contact distribution system as a root element, identifying any related elements of the plurality of elements that together with the selected element affect contact handling within the automatic contact distribution system and displaying the root element and related elements along with an indicia of the relationship between the root element and related elements.

Abstract: A message is received from a first device in an information/call center, wherein the message identifies a second device in an information/call center capable of providing a requested service and includes a command directed at he second device to activate the service. The first device may comprise, e.g., an operator terminal, The message may comprise a uniform resource locator (URL), and may additionally identify a software application residing on the second device. The message may also include one or more parameters used to provide the requested service. The command is retrieved from the message, and the command is transmitted to the second device, thereby causing the second device to provide the service.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for selecting and utilizing multiple recognizers to process an utterance based on a markup language document. The markup language document and an utterance are received in a computing device. One or more recognizers are selected from among the multiple recognizers for returning a results set for the utterance based on markup language in the markup language document. The results set is received from the one or more selected recognizers in a format determined by a processing method specified in the markup language document. An event is then executed on the computing device in response to receiving the results set.

Abstract: The call center processing system disclosed enhances the capabilities of traditional call centers. In particular, the processing system allows a call center to receive, aggregate, and index many different types of media obtained from a wide variety of sources and that relate to many different types of incidents. Thus, for example, the processing system provides a third party with the option of submitting call phone camera pictures, audio input, video camera footage, and other types of media when reporting an incident to the call center. The call center may be an emergency number (e.g., 911) call center, a service center (e.g., for a home appliance), a news reporting call center, or any other type of interactive information exchange.

Abstract: A complete social network based, urgent matter, communications solution and response system is provided. The system can monitor one or more social networks (or other sources of information) for the presence of keywords, scalar urgency ratings, the identity and/or number of the parties submitting the urgent requests, temporal factors such as day, date, time, time zone, or the like, in an effort to determine which social network posts or communications are urgent, and optionally prioritize or rank pending urgent matters. The system can also determine who should be involved with solving or addressing the urgent matter. The system can also determine the presence of the parties needed to solve the urgent matter, and can, based on the presence information, setup a real-time or near real-time communications session between the parties to address the urgent matter.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that coordinates the presentation of speech signals and screen images to a receiver of a call, without some of the costs, disadvantages, and limitations of techniques in the prior art. The illustrative embodiment of the present invention builds upon the infrastructure of the Session Initiation Protocol (or “SIP”) to distribute and transfer calls to agents who are associated with a call center or contact center system. A server-based system is used in conjunction with call distribution based on SIP to replace some desktop and agent computer/telephony integration arrangements, thereby providing first-party call control. Customer-related information is embedded in the call transfer itself; as a result, the display of the customer-related information occurs at the agent's telecommunications terminal at the same time the call arrives.

Abstract: Customer service agents within a communications handling center, such as a contact center handling telephone calls, are assigned to queues. One or more calling agents are also given rights to initiate calls through a manual dialing interface. In certain embodiments, these calling agents dial a telephone number by clicking a mouse on a designated button on a computer display. When a call is placed, if a live party is detected, the call will be routed to the next available customer service agent in the queue. As calls are initiated, the calling agent will see the number of calls connected and routed to customer service agents increase, and can compare this number to the total number of customer service agents available. By manually clicking to dial, the calling agent can manually place calls at a pace that will keep customer service agent occupancy at a maximum, without overflowing the queue.

Abstract: A method includes defining multiple recipient candidates for a media session request; identifying a geographic location of a communication device that initiates the media session request; identifying a geographic location of each of the recipient candidates at the time of the media session request; determining the optimal recipient candidate for the media session request based on the geographic location of the communication device that initiates the media session request and the geographic location of each of the recipient candidates; and automatically routing the media session request over a network to the determined optimal recipient candidate.

Abstract: A machine-implemented method includes enabling a script writer to enter a line of dialog for use by a call center in a connection with a machine-implemented, speech-based, caller-interaction, assigning a line type to the line of dialog, determining, based on the assigned line type, information to incorporate the line into the user-interaction and enabling the script writer to provide the information anytime after the line is entered, and, an integrated database and delivery system that can automatically make the results available to callers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for handling contact requests among a plurality of dissimilar automatic contact distributors. The method includes the steps of providing a plurality of workflows scripts, translating each of the plurality of workflows scripts into a respective native language of each of the plurality of dissimilar automatic contact distributors. The method further includes the steps of tendering a request for a contact to the plurality of dissimilar automatic contact distributors, selecting a automatic contact distributor of the plurality of dissimilar automatic contact distributors to handle the contact based upon a response from at least some of the plurality of dissimilar automatic contact distributors and transferring the contact to the selected automatic contact distributor.

Abstract: A method includes receiving speech of a call from a caller at a processor of a call routing system. The method includes using the processor to determine a first call destination for the call based on the speech. The method includes using the processor to determine whether the caller is in compliance with at least one business rule related to an account of the caller. The method includes routing the call to the first call destination when the caller is in compliance with the at least one business rule and routing the call to a second call destination when the caller is not in compliance with the at least one business rule.

Abstract: Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for automating the activation of agents in particular workgroups. A call queue server receives incoming communications. A scheduling server is coupled to the call center server over a network and analyzes historical communication data to calculate a forecasted load for a particular time period. The system uses the forecasted load to create agent schedules for the workgroups for the particular time period. The system programmatically activates and deactivates the agents into and out of the workgroups at scheduled points in time based on the calculated schedules. The call center server routes each of the queued communications to a particular agent that is activated on a particular one of the workgroup.

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 and apparatus are described for routing a call received by an organization. The method includes the steps of determining a subject matter of the received call, routing the call to an agent of the organization when a agent of the organization is available to handle the subject matter of the call and routing the call to a client of the organization when an agent of the organization is not available.

Abstract: A voice communication controller (e.g., private branch exchange (PBX)) is described herein which can automatically enable an outbound dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) feature for one of it's extensions that is attached to a phone which belongs to a user while that user is or is likely to be participating in a session with an external DTMF communication system (e.g., a conference/collaboration bridge, an interactive voice response (IVR) system, or a voice mail system). This is desirable because if the user presses button(s) on their phone then the voice communication controller which has enabled the outbound DTMF feature will not attempt to process the corresponding DTMF digit(s) but instead will automatically transfer the corresponding DTMF signal(s) to the external DTMF communication system.

Abstract: A method includes receiving performance data associated with a service provided by at least one component of a communication network to one or more subscribers. The performance data may be gathered by one or more passive listening devices that monitor a performance characteristic of the at least one component of the communication network. The method further includes identifying the at least one component that provides a particular service to a particular subscriber based on a subscriber inquiry received from the particular subscriber. The method further includes identifying particular performance data within the received performance data. The particular performance data may be associated with the particular service provided by the at least one component. The method further includes determining a performance status of the at least one component, based on the particular performance data.

Abstract: Call center agent training is provided on a non-scheduled basis and is characterized as having a duration that is less than a scheduling interval used to schedule the agent for their work shift, as well as schedule other activities in the work shift. The delivery of snippet training content may be triggered by various conditions, including in response to: a request for training originating from the agent, a period of continuous call processing activity of the agent, various agent performance metrics, or probabilistically assigned to an agent in a group. Various parameters may selectively limit provision of a snippet training session. The agents provided with training are placed in an unavailable state prior to the snippet training session, and placed back into an available state afterwards. The snippet training content may be variously structured and can be grouped together to form an e-learning course delivered to the agent.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer-readable media for dynamically assigning contacts to agents include calculating a unique contact proficiency score for at least a portion of a plurality of agents, the unique contact proficiency score corresponding to a unique contact type. By assigning contacts to agents based on unique contact proficiency score and availability, an embodiment can reduce or eliminate a need for static assignment of one or more call center agents to a specific type of contact.

Abstract: Techniques for improving customer relationship management are disclosed. The techniques may be realized via a call processing system that may efficiently rout an incoming call to an agent of a call center. Also, the call processing system may provision a telephone number to a web-based help desk call center. Further, the call processing system may include a communication framework enabling a communication between a plurality of browser windows and a local storage medium.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for voice response unit optimization are presented. Embodiments of the invention relate to providing a user with the ability to specify actions within a voice response unit (VRU). The specified actions may involve transferring a caller to a customer service representative (CSR) rather than following a pre-determined VRU call flow. In addition, users can specify how forced transfers can be routed: (1) stand alone (e.g., routing the call to the first call center), (2) shared service (e.g., routing the call to a second call center or the first call center based on the first call center's business hours or other factors), or (3) full service (e.g., routing the call to the second call center). The forced transfers can consider routing factors (e.g., call center hours of operation, wait time, skill set of CSRs).

Abstract: A call center system has a computerized server executing software (SW) from a machine-readable medium, a data collection function of the SW enabled for collecting data regarding incoming transactions, a data processing function coupled to the data collection engine and enabled for processing the data collected against a set of business rules, the data processing function determining a priority level for individual ones of the incoming transactions, and a distribution function enabled for distributing a priority indication determined by the data processing function to one or more presentation interfaces accessible to agents, at or near the time the associated transaction is engaged by the agent.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system and method for routing interactions. A method may include receiving a message related to the interaction. Text included in the message may be analyzed. A destination may be selected for the message based on analysis of the text. The message may be routed to the selected destination.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for tracking, reconciling, and reporting on data representing Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) tones and voice signals communicated between call center and users during interactions therebetween. The system may include a data store adapted to store the DTMF data and a text corresponding to the voice data; a transcription process receiving data representing the voice signal and converting it into corresponding text; a report generation process obtaining the DTMF data and the text, transmitting a report containing the same to a client, and updating the date store accordingly; and a reconciliation process receiving data enabling reconciliation of data as tracked by the call center and as tracked by an entity other than the call center. The transcription process may operate as a third-party or an in-house entity relative to the at least one call center.

Abstract: A networking system and method for assisting a user. The system includes a call center with a plurality of representatives. The user establishes communication with one of the representatives and communicates a problem to the representative. The representative enters the problem into a database including a plurality of affiliates and affiliate information. The database identifies an assistance category and prioritizes a list of affiliates as a function of the affiliate information, the assistance category and the user's information. The representative and the user then select one of the affiliates, and the representative sends the user's information to the selected affiliate. After the referral, the representative follows up with the user to ensure that the service provided by the affiliate was satisfactory.

Abstract: A workforce requirement calculation device 10 accepts at least call volume in a particular period of time, an average handle time for a call by the operator, and a maximum queuing time before abandoning queuing of a call, as input parameters, initializes a number of the operators, calculates a probability of queuing of the call using the Erlang C formula based upon at least the call volume and the number of the operators, calculates a call abandonment rate as a service objective based upon at least the probability of queuing of the call and the input parameters, and calculates the workforce requirement for operators in order to meet a predetermined service objective by recurrently repeating the calculation of the probability of queuing of the call and the calculation of the call abandonment rate, with respect to an increase and a decrease in the number of the operators.

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 method and system to distribute transactions among a plurality of transaction processing systems is described herein. The method includes automatically receiving data from a first transaction processing system; identifying scheduled handling resources for each of the transaction processing systems for a first time interval based on the data from each transaction processing system; determining transaction allocations for each of the transaction processing systems based upon generated forecast data; and distributing transactions among the plurality of transaction processing systems by producing routing decisions based upon the determined transaction allocations and the scheduled handling resources.

Abstract: A system and method for processing multi-modal communications during a call session are provided. A call is received from a caller and assigned to an agent. A caller identification is assigned to the call. Voice communication from the call is processed and displayed. One or more text messages from the caller are received during the call. The caller identification is assigned to each of the text messages. The text messages are matched to the call using the caller identification and are displayed to the agent for review during the call.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for improving a contact with a customer in a contact handling system by introducing a slower expected communication rate to the contact are disclosed. The method can include communication via a first media having a first communication rate. The method can include ceasing communication via the first media. The method can include beginning communication via a second media having a second communication rate slower than the first communication rate. The method can further include ceasing communication via the second media and beginning communication via a third media having a third communication rate faster than the second communication rate.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for improving confidentiality of sensitive information received from a customer in a contact handling system including an agent are disclosed. The method can include opening a first connection path between the customer and the contact handling system. The method can include making communication sent by the customer through the first connection path available to the agent. The method can include opening a second connection path between the customer and the contact handling system as the agent and customer communicate over the first connection path. The method can include preventing the agent from accessing communication sent over the second communication path. The method can include receiving sensitive information through the second communication path.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide for providing a plurality of information to a caller associated with a call to a service provider. The method includes: receiving, from the caller, the voice call to the service provider; determining that the voice call cannot be answered; responsive to the determination that the voice call cannot be answered, retrieving a first information from a web service associated with the service provider; and transmitting the first information to the caller.

Abstract: A system and method for processing out-of-order caller responses during automated call processing is provided. A call session of a caller into a call center is monitored. The call session includes a non-sequential dialogue between the caller and the call center. An interaction with the caller is based on a script. Ordered information-gathering queries, including automated voice prompts are sent to the caller by executing the script. Responses from the caller are evaluated against a topic of conversation addressed in the script through call disposition criteria. A determination is made as to whether an affect on the ordering by the call disposition criteria is met through the responses. The ordering of the information-gathering queries is dynamically modified prior to selecting a next of the information-gathering queries to send.

Abstract: A method for transferring an automatic call distributor call includes receiving from a caller a call for distribution to one of a plurality of agents and distributing the call to a first agent of the plurality of agents for handling. The method includes receiving a transfer request to transfer the call to a supervisor and selecting an available supervisor to receive the call. The available supervisor comprises a supervisor not in an uninterruptible state. The method includes transferring the call to the selected available supervisor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for exchanging configuration information within a call center system between a central server and a plurality of dissimilar contact centers. The method includes the steps of the central server monitoring an contact center of the plurality of dissimilar contact centers for a configuration change message and converting the configuration change between a format of the central server and a format of a subscribing contact center of the plurality of contact centers, where the subscribing contact center is different than the monitored contact center.

Abstract: A design interface is described for maintaining call information for creating a voice user interface. An initial set of sample call paths is defined for a dialog application. Each sample call path has associated call information including a sequence of system prompts and caller responses that model a user interaction through the dialog application for the sample call path. A call design database stores the call information. A set of subsequent call paths is defined for the dialog application using the call information in the call design database. The call information in the call design database is updated to reflect current versions of the call information for all the call paths.

Abstract: A system for cross-registration of a phone device is provided. The system includes a local call processing system that stores phone device information for a local phone that is operable to be used by a user; and a remote call processing system that stores a user phone profile for the user, the remote call processing system being operable to generate a visitor registration for the local phone device. The phone device is operable to use the visitor registration to register with the remote call processing system.

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: Methods are disclosed for servicing incoming calls at a call center based on one or more of the following: the geo-locations of the calling telecommunications terminals; the direction of movement of the calling telecommunications terminals (e.g., north, south, toward a particular geo-location or area, away from a particular geo-location or area, etc.); the speed of movement of the calling telecommunications terminals; and the local time at the calling telecommunications terminal. For example, in accordance with the illustrative embodiments, a person who calls the Home Depot® call center from his or her cell phone while in a Home Depot® store might be given priority over another call that was received earlier but was not placed from a Home Depot® store.