Abstract: A system for automated vending and delivery of products to consumers is provided. The system may include a mobile delivery unit, a product dispenser, and a web server. The system may also include a pickup area. The web server may instruct the product dispenser to dispense a product to the mobile delivery unity. The web server may also provide instructions to the mobile delivery unit, which may then navigate to the consumer for delivery.

Abstract: A computerized-method for calculating an After-Call-Work (ACW) factor of an interaction in a contact center, by which a related recording may be filtered for evaluation is provided herein. The method includes an After-Call-Work (ACW) factor calculation module. The operating of the ACW factor calculation module includes: (i) receiving agent recording of the interaction. (ii) aggregating data fields associated with: (a) the interaction; and (b) the customer; (iii) retrieving ACW time of the interaction; (iv) forwarding the aggregated data fields to a machine learning model; (v) operating the machine learning model to calculate a predicted ACW time, based on the aggregated data fields; (vi) calculating an ACW factor based on the received time of ACW and the calculated predicted ACW time; and (vii) sending the calculated ACW factor to a platform by which the platform is preconfigured to distribute the interaction for evaluation, based on the ACW factor.

Abstract: A method of an electronic apparatus for providing information related to a fulfillment center, wherein the method includes confirming data request information for requesting data related to the fulfillment center, acquiring first data corresponding to the data request information from at least one other apparatus connected to the electronic apparatus, and generating second data by processing the first data based on template information corresponding to the data request information.

Abstract: Systems and methods for utilizing customer data in a communication system are provided. In exemplary embodiments, customer records at a customer data warehousing system are accessed. Customer data from the customer records are extracted and associated with a customer identifier. The customer data is then stored to an indexed database, the extracted customer data being indexed according to the identifier. When an incoming communication is received, the communication system will determine a communication identifier of the incoming communication. A lookup and matching process is then performed using the communication identifier in the indexed customer information database. If a matching customer identifier is found, associated customer data may be retrieved and used to provide enhanced communication system services including communication routing and customer data alerts.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing energy sources and energy consumers in an integrated system are provided. Certain subject matter presented herein relates to automatically scheduling jobs and their sub-tasks to maximize profit by comparing power source configurations and determining the best job schedule for the power source configurations. This system broadly involves two sub-problems: determining the best power source configuration and determining the best job schedule for the given power source configuration.

Abstract: A method and system for improving a functioning of critical execution computing machines. A promoted critical execution computing machine determines one or more correction actions for reducing an impact of an execution issue on execution of critical work units by respective critical execution computing machines on the execution of the critical work units by the respective critical execution computing machines according to global correction information, local correction information, and peer correction information. The global correction information had been received from a scheduling computing machine and relates to the critical work units and to the critical execution computing machines. The local correction information relates to each corresponding critical work unit and to a status of the promoted critical execution computing machine. The peer correction information relates to the corresponding critical work units and to a corresponding status of the other critical execution computing machines.

Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing management of routing across multiple voice or data networks with separate routing masters. In various embodiments, in response to receiving a request to establish a call between a calling party in a first network and a called party in a second network, a computing system might receive a first set of network information from a first routing database(s) that is operated by a first service provider and a second set of network information from a second routing database(s) that is operated by a second service provider separate from the first service provider; might analyze the received first and second sets of network information to generate a unified routing model for optimizing routing of the call through the first and second networks; and might establish the call through a selected optimized route based on the generated unified routing model.

Abstract: Embodiments of computer-implemented methods and systems for information streaming to a user interface include receiving, at a networked contact center, a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request to stream information to a user interface, establishing a persistent HTTP connection to the user interface, receiving the information, the information including one or more events associated with the networked contact center, and sending the one or more events via the persistent HTTP connection, the one or more events resulting in a change in the user interface without further HTTP requests from the user interface.

Abstract: Techniques for pairing contacts and agents in a contact center system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for pairing contacts and agents in a contact center system comprising: assigning, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in the contact center system, a contact to an agent based on information associated with a prior interaction of the contact with the contact center system. The assigning of the contact to the agent may result in a less favorable outcome for the contact assigned to the agent and an increase in an overall performance of the contact center system.

Abstract: Customer relationship management (‘CRM’) implemented in a computer system, including administering, by an artificial intelligence agent (‘AIA’) of a CRM application of the computer system, with a customer representative on behalf of a tele-agent, as structure of computer memory of the computer system, a communications session comprising one or more communications contacts with the customer representative; and effecting by the AIA communications with the tele-agent in support of the communications session.

Abstract: A machine learning system and method for contact center use. Activities associated with a plurality of contact centers are monitored and a knowledge base is updated based on the monitored activities. An outcome for a particular contact center may be predicted based on monitored interactions for the particular contact center, and based on information in the knowledge base. An output is then generated based on the predicted outcome.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for sending a forked media stream of an electronic communication between a customer and an agent to an analysis system for a duration. Receiving analysis results obtained from one or more analytics performed on the forked media stream. Then, determining whether to perform one or more operations in response to the analysis results.

Abstract: In a data processing system coupled for communication to a plurality of agent terminals, a message is received indicating that an agent associated with the agent terminal handled a service request utilizing a skill in which the agent is not indicated as certified by an agent database of the data processing system. The data processing system compares an amount of utilization of the skill by the agent to a threshold. In response to a favorable comparison, the data processing system updates the agent skill record to indicate certification of the agent in the skill. The data processing system performs skill-based routing in a contact center by reference to the agent skill record.

Abstract: Techniques for generating an expert database and verifying an expert using member data are described. A search request can be received from a device of the user. The search request can include a specific skill associated with the expert. Additionally, profile data can be accessed from a database in the online social network. Additionally, an expert recommendation process can determine an expert from the members of the online social network based on the search request and the profile data of the members. Moreover, social graph data can be accessed from a second database in the online social network. Furthermore, a connection path process can determine the connection path between the user and the expert based on the social graph data. Subsequently, the determined expert and the determined optimal path between the user and the expert can be presented on a display of the device.

Abstract: Embodiments provide systems and methods for providing customer insights across multiple channels based on cross-channel interactions with the customer. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a customer insight hub that leverages data sources across a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) product suite of a plurality of different CRM applications to generate rich customer insights that can be easily leveraged across customer channels including but not limited to web, telephony, chat, emails, social, etc. These insights can be used by different processes and/or provided on an agent desktop to facilitate the delivery of a personalized, efficient, and consistent end customer experience across customer touch points or channels. Embodiments include defining and generating commonly used customer insights, including but not limited to customer identity, customer intent, customer priority, and customer preferences, as well as custom insights.

Abstract: A computing apparatus configured in the communication system to store data about advisers, including availability status of the advisers for real time communications with customers, ratings of the advisers by prior customers, compensate rates of the advisers, probability of being connected within a period of time for real time communication with customers, etc. The computing apparatus customizes the selection of lists of advisers for presentation to customers and/or the sequences of the lists to reduce collisions in concurrent requests for connections to same advisers for real time communication connections. The customization may include randomizing top portions of the lists, selecting and/or ranking the advisers in real time based on probability of advisers being connected within a period of time for real time communication with customers, etc.

Abstract: Systems and methods described herein enable call center managers to identify behavioral drivers for improving call agents' performance. A computing device obtains call data for multiple calls received at a call center and plots individual calls of the multiple calls, based on the call data, against three behavioral measures related to agent activities. The computing device identifies an optimal zone, among the plotted individual calls, for a selected performance metric value over the three behavioral measures. The computing device also plots a particular agent's calls, based on the call data, against the three behavioral measures and identifies an agent's zone, among the plotted agent's calls, for the selected performance metric value. The computing device generates a visual model of the optimal zone and the agent's zone within the context of the three behavioral measures.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to facilitating communications between customers and customer service representatives. A method for facilitating communications between customers and customer service representatives is provided. The method generates a graph of expressions of a customer. The method generates a graph of expressions of each customer service representative of a plurality of customer service representatives. The method performs a graphical text analysis on the graph for the customer to identify an interaction style of the customer. The method performs a graphical text analysis on the graph for each customer service representative to identify an interaction style of the customer service representative. The method selects a customer service representative from the plurality of the customer service representatives based on the interaction style of the customer and the interaction styles of the plurality of the customer service representative.

Abstract: Embodiments for providing roles based system access to a user include systems for identifying an application login event and a role associated with the login event. Further the embodiments include selecting code associated with the identified role, inserting, by a processor, the code into an application shell; and providing, by a processor, the content of the shell to an application associated with a computing device of the user in response to the login event, the content of the shell comprising only role specific data. In specific embodiments, data unrelated to the identified role is not provided to the application or stored in the computing device.

Abstract: A self-service terminal service contingency method and a site server are provided. The method includes: acquiring self-service services corresponding to a self-service terminal under a self-service site; detecting whether a service is lacked among the self-service services, and if yes, acquiring resources and/or components required by the lacked service, of the self-service terminal; detecting whether the self-service site has the resources and/or components required by the lacked service, of the self-service terminal, and if yes, integrating the resources and/or the components under the self-service network according to a preset combination rule; and driving the integrated resources and/or the components to cooperate with each other according to a preset optimization rule, so as to enable the self-service site to provide a self-service service corresponding to the lacked service.

Abstract: Methods and systems for handling speech recognition processing in effectively real-time, via the Internet, in order that users do not experience noticeable delays from the start until they receive responsive feedback. A user uses a client to access the Internet and a server supporting speech recognition processing. The user inputs speech to the client, which transmits the user speech to the server in approximate real-time. The server evaluates the user speech, and provides responsive feedback to the client, again, in approximate real-time, with minimum latency delays. The client upon receiving responsive feedback from the server, displays, or otherwise provides, the feedback to the user.

Abstract: A communication software module executing on a computerized appliance from a machine-readable medium includes functionality enabling a user to direct a communication event to a particular destination by an address of the destination, functionality for transmitting the destination address to a remote trust authority, functionality for initiating the communication event, and functionality for receiving trust information from the remote trust authority, the trust information associated with an enterprise or a person associated with the destination address. Various communication modules are provided, such as email clients, instant messaging systems, chat systems, and voice communication systems.

Abstract: An automatic list scheduling (“ALS”) system monitors usage of calling lists by an administrator where the administrator terminates usage of a calling list based on various measured parameters. The ALS system is configure to learn the conditions associated with the measured parameters and, in one embodiment, recommends to the administrator when to terminate use of a current calling list in favor of another list. A learning mode gathers various samples of the measured parameters associated with calling lists, and analyzes the sample to determine a threshold value. Upon monitoring the measured values for subsequent usage of calling lists, the current measured parameters are compared to the threshold value to determine whether to generate a recommendation to the administrator. In one embodiment, the time zone of the called party and the applicable calling window is used to determine whether the current list can continued to be used.

Abstract: Systems and methods for utilizing customer data in a communication system are provided. In exemplary embodiments, customer records at a customer data warehousing system are accessed. Customer data from the customer records are extracted and associated with a customer identifier. The customer data is then stored to an indexed database, the extracted customer data being indexed according to the identifier. When an incoming communication is received, the communication system will determine a communication identifier of the incoming communication. A lookup and matching process is then performed using the communication identifier in the indexed customer information database. If a matching customer identifier is found, associated customer data may be retrieved and used to provide enhanced communication system services including communication routing and customer data alerts.

Abstract: In a data processing system coupled for communication to a plurality of agent terminals, a message is received indicating that an agent associated with the agent terminal handled a service request utilizing a skill in which the agent is not indicated as certified by an agent database of the data processing system. In response to receipt of the message, the data processing system updates in the agent database an agent skill record indicative of an amount of utilization of the skill by the agent in handling service requests. The data processing system compares the amount of utilization of the skill by the agent to a threshold. In response to a favorable comparison, the data processing system updates the agent skill record to indicate certification of the agent in the skill. The data processing system performs skill-based routing in a contact center by reference to the agent skill record.

Abstract: A computer device may include logic configured to receive a request to route a call from an interactive voice response system; obtain information associated with the call; and obtain one or more metrics associated with a plurality of automatic call distribution centers. The logic may be further configured to select a rule to route the call based on the information associated with the call; and select a particular automatic call distribution center for the call based on the selected rule, based on the obtained information associated with the call, and based on the obtained one or more metrics.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods, systems, and computer-readable media for conducting communications. One method includes determining a context associated with a communication between a first participant and a second participant while the communication is occurring, determining a failure of the communication, and resuming the communication based, at least in part, on the context.

Abstract: Call center personnel, i.e., company agents may be monitored and information from monitoring the call center agents may be presented on a portable device. The information from monitoring the call center agents may include various key performance indexes (KPIs) that enable the performance of the call center agents to be assessed. The KPIs may be updated in near-real time based on monitoring pending calls handled by the agents. Sound analytics may also be performed on the calls. Information regarding the call center agents may be graphically organized by the portable device so that call centers agents who may need assistance may be easily identified. The portable device may join a call. For example, a setting for a session associated with the call may be modified to include the manager device in the session.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of updating Care knowledgebase for specific device models with identification of common device problem types and possible corrective actions for specific mobile device models based on the actions performed by the CSR remotely on the device or by the end user on the device during remote control session.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of establishing a call to or from a user equipment in a wireless communication system comprising a first wireless network and a second wireless network, the second wireless network having an association with the first wireless network, the wireless communication system having a serving node and an application server capable of communication with said serving node, and the method comprising: receiving a message from said serving node at the application server, said message having information regarding network capabilities of said user equipment; and determining at the application server whether to anchor said call in the first wireless network or the second wireless network dependent on said information regarding network capabilities of said user equipment.

Abstract: In a data processing system coupled for communication to a plurality of agent terminals, a message is received indicating that an agent associated with the agent terminal handled a service request utilizing a skill in which the agent is not indicated as certified by an agent database of the data processing system. In response to receipt of the message, the data processing system updates in the agent database an agent skill record indicative of an amount of utilization of the skill by the agent in handling service requests. The data processing system compares the amount of utilization of the skill by the agent to a threshold. In response to a favorable comparison, the data processing system updates the agent skill record to indicate certification of the agent in the skill. The data processing system performs skill-based routing in a contact center by reference to the agent skill record.

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: According to one embodiment, a first request of a first user is received for communicating with an agent concerning a content item of a media presentation presented to the first user. In response, agents associated with the content identifier are identified. Status of the identified agents is determined. Agent identifiers are transmitted to the second server, the agent identifiers identifying one or more available agents, including a geographic location of the agents. A second request is received from a first user device of the first user, including an agent identifier identifying a first agent selected by the first user from the list and contact information of the first user. In response, a first message is transmitted to a first agent device of the first agent, the first message including the content identifier identifying the content item and the contact information of the first user.

Abstract: A contact received by a service center from a customer may be assigned to one of a plurality of agents or representatives based on any prior experience with the customer or with the contact, any preferences of the customer or any skills required in order to address the contact. Preferably, an agent who previously handled an issue on behalf of the customer may be identified, and the contact may be assigned to that agent. Alternatively, the contact may be assigned to an agent preferred by the customer, or to a particularly skilled agent. If no preferred agents or particularly skilled agents are available to respond to the contact, the contact may be assigned at random to one or more particular agents. The contact may be initiated by way of a reply to a message containing a response to a previous contact, and the message may include metadata that associates the reply with the previous 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: A method, system and program product, the method comprising: obtaining for calls in one set of calls a respective pattern representing one or multiple different respective data fields; obtaining performance data for the respective patterns of the calls; performance data for agents in a set of agents; determining pattern performance sensitivity to agent performance comprising the pattern performance data correlated to agent performance data; matching a respective one of the agents from the set of agents to one of the calls based at least in part on the performance data for the one agent and on the pattern performance sensitivity to agent performance for the respective call.

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.

Abstract: A system and method for establishing contact between a customer contact center agent and a customer based on customer availability information. A plurality of communication channels that may be used to communicate with the customer is monitored by the contact center. The availability of the customer is identified for each of the plurality of communication channels and user availability data is dynamically adjusted for each of the plurality of communication channels. The user availability data is provided to a contact center agent handling, for example, an offline task involving the customer. The contact center agent may use the availability data to establish contact with the customer to better handle the offline task.

Abstract: A method includes: determining that an agent-assisted service session should be initiated between a user and a human agent at some point after the user has initiated a user session, wherein the user session produces user session data; generating one or more temporary agent access numbers through which a communication channel may be established between the user and the human agent for the agent-initiated session; communicating a selected one or more of the temporary agent access numbers to the user in response to the determination that an agent-assisted service session should be initiated; establishing a communication channel for the agent-assisted session between the user and the human agent via a particular agent access number among the selected one or more temporary agent access numbers; associating the user session data with the agent-assisted session; and communicating the user session data to the human agent in conjunction with the agent-assisted session.

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 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 user of a personal computing device may identify an item of interest provided by a network-based service for which additional information is desired. Customer service agents (CSAs) of the network-based service may be contacted by the user to respond to queries. To assess the quality of a contact, a contact review service may record the contact between the CSA and the user and edit the contact to reduce its length for ease of review. The edited contact may be submitted to one or more reviewers to obtain reviews characterizing the contact quality. Reviewers may include CSAs not participating in the contact or other human reviewers. The reviewers may return their reviews to the contact review service, which generates a composite review from the returned reviews. The composite review may be employed for CSA evaluation and/or training purposes, amongst others.

Abstract: A contact center auditing work assignment engine communication system hosts a multi-functional automatic bot agent to discover issues, update properties, identify and solve problems, and provide operational support for contact center managers, creating a proactive and flexible automatic audit and cooperation between a bot agent, human agents, and supervisors.

Abstract: A system for assuring agent connection for outbound calls placed in an automated outbound calling campaign includes an outbound dialing server, a digital data repository coupled to the outbound dialing server, the data repository storing outbound dialing records for automated outbound dialing, and software executing on the outbound dialing server from a non-transitory physical medium, the software providing a first function for determining for a specific outbound dialing record if the connection to a live agent must be an assured connection, a second function for dialing and engaging an agent via an internal call for reservation of the agent, and a third function for bridging the call connections forged between the system and the agent and the system and the outbound party upon answer of the outbound call.

Abstract: A method of routing a session from a calling party in a serving communication network of the calling party to a called party is described. The serving communication network of the calling party is distinct from a home communication network of the calling party. The method is executed by a session routing node in the serving communication network of the calling party. In order to optimize a session routing path of signaling data of the session, the method comprises receiving from the home communication network of the calling party a session routing request requesting routing the signaling data of the session to the called party via the serving communication network of the calling party, and routing the signaling data of the session to the called party via the serving communication network of the calling party based on the received session routing request.

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, simultaneously execute two different work assignment algorithms on the same work flow either in real-time as the work flow is received or in a simulation environment. The differences in the way that each work assignment algorithm handles the same work flow are compared and contrasted to help describe the differences in the work assignment algorithms.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed herein for contextual lead generation in an automated communication link establishment and management system. In addition, systems and methods are disclosed for automatically integrating an automated calling system with a customer relationship management system, contact management system, and/or task management system, so that historical information stored concerning past contact activity and automated calling sessions relating to contacts is automatically updated in the customer relationship management system, contact management system, and/or task management system.

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

Abstract: Method, system and program product, comprising: obtaining agent parameter data; percentiling agents based on the agent parameter data, to obtain an agent distribution of agent percentiles; partitioning callers based on criteria into partitions; obtaining caller propensity data; percentiling the callers based on propensity for an outcome to obtain a caller distribution; performing distribution compensation using one algorithm selected from an edge compensation algorithm applied to the distribution of agent percentiles or the distribution of the caller percentiles, near at least one distribution edge to provide edge compensation, and a topology altering algorithm applied to either or both of the agent distribution and the caller distribution to change one or more of the distributions to a different topology; and matching an agent to a caller in one of the partitions with a closest respective percentile, where one of the caller percentile or the agent percentile has been distribution compensated.

Abstract: A peer to peer contact center is provided by individual user terminals registering with a server which acts as a proxy to receive contacts from callers to the contact center. The server redirects the calls to individual terminals according to simple rules without subjecting the calls to any contact center treatment. The individual terminal receiving a call subjects the call to a contact center treatment while holding the call, and then determines from among the registered terminals the most suitable terminal for handling the call. The call is then transferred to the selected terminal. In this way the complex infrastructure of traditional contact centers is dispensed with and each individual terminal acts as a mini contact centre in respect of the calls distributed to it in a dumb or semi-dumb fashion by the server.