Abstract: A method, system and program product, the method comprising: obtaining for each call in one set of calls a respective pattern representing multiple different respective data fields; obtaining performance data for the respective patterns of the calls; obtaining performance data for the respective agents; determining agent performance sensitivity to call pattern performance for agents in a set of agents comprising the agent performance data correlated to call performance data for the calls the agent handles; and 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 respective pattern of the one call and on the agent sensitivity to call performance for the respective one agent of the set of agents.

Abstract: A modular interactive voice recognition (“IVR”) overlay system and a method of processing calls. The system provides an application server, a plurality of agent workstations and a graphical user interface (“GUI”) to allow a hybrid approach to processing calls using an automated IVR and live agents. The system and method allow a single agent to process multiple calls simultaneously and is compatible with existing IVR systems and can be implemented as an add-on to existing IVR systems.

Abstract: Method and systems are presented for presenting multiple activities associated with one of a plurality of call center agents correlated in time. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: determining at least one of the agents to be displayed; and displaying activity information in visual correlation with a timeline. The activity information includes a first plurality of activities originating from a first source and a second plurality of activities originating from a second source. Each of the activities is associated with the at least one agent.

Abstract: A method, a system, and computer readable medium comprising instructions for real-time monitoring of agent adherence. The method comprises collecting events and data for an agent from at least one phone router, collecting time keeping data from a time clock system, collecting data and events from a scheduling system, normalizing the events, data, time keeping data and generating at least one user interface comprising normalized data, presenting at least one view of the at least one user interface to at least one application, and refreshing the at least one view with updated events and data.

Abstract: A method for analyzing a telephonic communication between a customer and a contact center is provided. According to the method, a telephonic communication is separated into at least first constituent voice data and second constituent voice data. One of the first and second constituent voice data is analyzed by mining the voice data and applying a predetermined linguistic-based psychological behavioral model to one of the separated first and second constituent voice data. Behavioral assessment data is generated which corresponds to the analyzed voice data.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring call quality for calling centers using packet based call technology. A distributed system manages packet flow between a caller and a call center agent and storage servers. The distributed system is used to monitor, record and analyze real time communications between the caller and the agent and to identify whether certain predetermined parameters are occurring in any particular call. In the event that such a predetermined parameter does exist, a message can be sent to a supervisory station or dialog guidance messages may be sent to the agent.

Abstract: A history management apparatus that includes: an acquisition part that acquires a fragment data set indicating an action of a switchboard to a call, and an execution time of the action; a history generation part that generates a historical data set indicating a history of response states of an agent to one call, from a plurality of fragment data sets acquired; an image generation part that generates data of a display image indicating the history of response states of the agent to the one call, based on the historical data set; and a display control part that causes the display image to be displayed on a display unit.

Abstract: A history management apparatus includes: an acquisition part that acquires a fragment data set indicating an action of a switchboard to a call, and an execution time of the action; a history generation part that generates a historical data set indicating a history of response states of an agent to one call, from a plurality of fragment data sets acquired; an extraction part that extracts a historical data set satisfying predetermined conditions, respectively, among the historical data sets; an image generation part that generates data of a display image displaying information specifying a call corresponding to the historical data set extracted, along with information indicating the predetermined conditions; and a display control part that causes the display image to be displayed on a display unit.

Abstract: Technologies are generally presented herein pertaining to identifying a training topic for agents at a contact center. In various embodiments, these technologies comprise performing an analysis on communications conducted between agents at the contact center and contact parties over a time period. In particular embodiments, the analysis performed on the communications involves identifying a number of occurrences of a keyword or a keyphrase found in the communications between the agents and the contact parties. Further, in various embodiments, in response to the number of occurrences of the keyword or the keyphrase over the time period being more than a predetermined threshold, the technologies presented herein comprise automatically identifying a training topic associated with the keyword or the keyphrase, and then providing a training course to the agent.

Abstract: An operator management apparatus, includes a browsing times history storage unit configured to record a number of transmission times browsing information relating to a customer service is transmitted to an operator terminal used by an operator in association with an identifier of the operator that serves customers, for each of a plurality of operators, a load degrees storage unit configured to store load degrees of an operator in association with a number of transmission times of browsing information, a determining unit configured to specify a number of transmission times corresponding to a specific one of the identifies of the operators by referring to the browsing times history storage unit, and specify load degrees corresponding to the specified number of transmission times by referring to the load degrees storage unit, and an output unit configured to output the specified load degrees.

Abstract: In a disclosed method for interpreting automatic speech recognition (ASR) performance data, a data processing system may receive user input that selects a log file to be processed. The log file may contain log records produced by an ASR system as a result of verbal interaction between an individual and the ASR system. In response to receiving the user input, the data processing system may automatically interpret data in the log records and generate interpretation results. The interpretation results may include a duration for a system prompt communicated to the individual by the ASR system, a user response to the system prompt, and a duration for the user response. The user response may include a textual representation of a verbal response from the individual, obtained through ASR. The interpretation results may also include an overall duration for the telephone call.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of processing a customer call is disclosed. The customer call may be initiated for an IVR type system or a live agent. An example method of processing the call may include receiving customer call data and recording the customer call data in a database server. The method may also include performing speech analytics on the recorded customer call data to determine instances of predefined information that occurred during the customer call, and displaying the results of the speech analytics on a user interface. The call analytics may populate a dashboard interface that provides a data analyst with an opportunity to understand the positive and negative portions of the call for future call improvement.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for analyzing an electronic communication, more particularly, to analyzing a telephone communication between a customer and a contact center to determine communication objects, forming segments of like communication objects, determining strength of negotiations between the contact center and the customer from the segments, and automate setup time calculation.

Abstract: A system, device and method is provided for handling customer-agent interactions. An unsuccessful interaction may be detected between a customer and a first agent unable to resolve a problem. A successful interaction may be detected between the customer and a second agent that resolves the problem. The first agent may be sent a report summarizing the successful interaction by the second agent.

Abstract: The invention provides a computer-implemented method of handling a telephone call, comprising monitoring a conversation between an agent and a customer on a telephone line as part of the telephone call to extract the audio signal therefrom. Real-time voice analytics are performed on the extracted audio signal while the telephone call is in progress. The results from the voice analytics are then passed to a computer-telephony integration system responsible for the call for use by the computer-telephony integration system for determining future handling of the call.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for monitoring activities of a plurality of agents servicing a plurality of calls for an organization. The method includes the steps of monitoring a plurality of applications on a terminal of an agent of the plurality of agents, detecting selection of an application of the plurality of applications, identifying a call associated with the selected application of the plurality of calls and saving a time of selection and an identifier of the application in a respective file or database of the identified call for future retrieval.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a contact center is provided that includes: (a) a work item queue 208, 250 comprising an intra-enterprise contact associated with at least first and second internal endpoints of an enterprise; and (b) a selector operable to select and assign a work item to an agent. In selecting the work item, the selector considers both a customer contact and the intra-enterprise contact. The intra-enterprise contact, for example, can be a training notification.

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, selectively interrupt a contact center agent in an AUXILIARY state. This enables the contact center to accommodate sudden influxes of work items without substantially increasing customer wait time.

Abstract: A system implemented on one or more computer processors may comprise at least one subsystem configured for automatically purchasing a first certificate of deposit for an investor for a specified amount of money having a predetermined term, at least one subsystem configured for waiting a predetermined period of time no longer than the term of the first certificate of deposit, at least one subsystem configured for automatically purchasing another certificate of deposit for an investor for the specified amount of money and having the same predetermined term, at least one subsystem configured for repeating actions for which each subsystem above is configured until a second specified amount of money has been spent.

Abstract: A method is provided for processing a customer request through a plurality of communication interfaces and for supervising such processing. Upon reception of a supervision request from a supervisor client application for supervising an operator client application, the connections established with the operator client application are monitored. When an operator of a supervised operator client application is selected for processing a customer, a connection between the communication interface and the supervised operator client application is supervised, and discussion context information of the established connection is stored in a data repository. If a connection through a different communication interface concerning the same request is established by the supervised operator client application, the discussion context information of the connection made through the different communication interface is added to the information already stored in association with the session.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method of monitoring consumer calls placed to a business and conducted between a consumer and a business representative can comprise receiving a telephone call placed to a business from a consumer; directing the telephone call to a business representative for the business; recording a telephone conversation between the business representative and the consumer; storing the recorded conversation in a memory device; recording a plurality of conversations between a plurality of consumers and at least the business representative; providing the business representative with access to the plurality of recorded conversations in which the business representative participated so as to be able to play back at least one of the recorded conversations.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to a computer-implemented method of performing a quality evaluation. The method may include selecting from a plurality of interaction recordings at least one interaction recording according to at least one KPI. The method may include associating a selected interaction recording with a predefined evaluation form, presenting interactions selected for evaluation to an evaluator and performing a predefined action based on a result of the evaluation.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide computer program products, methods, and systems for providing an interactive interface to a particular agent of a plurality of call center agents. In various embodiments, display criteria for providing the interface are defined that relate to a performance parameter associated with the plurality of call center agents. Further, in various embodiments, interaction criteria for providing an opportunity to interact with the interface are defined that relate to a second performance parameter associated with the plurality of call center agents. Thus, in particular embodiments, the interactive interface is provided to the particular agent as a result of the agent having a measurement of the performance parameter meet the display criteria and/or a measurement of the second performance parameter meet the interaction criteria. Once the interactive interface has been provided, the agent may be awarded with an award based on the agent's interaction with the interface.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention provide a tool for reviewing the content of communications conducted between parties. A communication is analyzed between a first and second party to determine the words present. A set of keywords are developed that represent a subset of the words determined to be present in the communication. Occurrences of the keywords in the communication are mapped to times at which they occur. An interface is provided to a user that displays a representation of the communication comprising an identifier, such as an icon, representing a particular occurrence of a keyword with respect to a timeline. The user can search, locate and review a corresponding portion of audio containing the occurrence of the keyword. This may involve playing the corresponding portion of the audio containing the occurrence of the keyword and/or displaying the corresponding portion of a transcript of the audio portion.

Abstract: A learning management system provides e-learning to call center agents. Agents can receive training provided in various training formats, which are characterized as fixed-time, flex-time, human-initiated, or system-initiated. A training process flow illustrates how the various training formats can be provided using processes involving agent selection, registration, scheduling, content delivery, and post-training reporting. A modular system provides the training flow and coordinates the function of various call center components to provide training in a seamless and integrated manner using existing call center scheduling systems, such as workflow management components.

Abstract: A computer system is provided for automatically answering natural language questions. The system has an input to receive natural language questions and a data store to record linked pairs of questions and corresponding answers. A matcher is configured to compare a received natural language question with the linked question and answer pairs, and an output transfers the received natural language question to a researcher if no matches are found. The system links pairs of questions and corresponding answers into groups, to enable the generation of a prototypical answer for each group of pairs of questions and answers.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, methods, and media for generating an efficiency report in a communication service center are provided. According to the systems, apparatuses, methods, and media, communication statistics of an operator are obtained from a communication database. Work statistics of the operator are also obtained. An entry code that corresponds to an input statistic of the operator is received. The communication statistics, the work statistics, and the input statistic of the operator are integrated, and the efficiency report is generated based on the integrating of the communication statistics, the work statistics, and the input statistic of the operator.

Abstract: An architecture for the storage, processing, and display of service desk performance metrics data for a service desk department may include a call management system (CMS), an issue tracking system, a performance metrics (PM) database, a PM database module, a PM display data module, and a PM client module. The PM database module may retrieve call statistics data from the call management system database and issue tracking data from the issue tracking system database, and store the data in the PM database. The PM client module may obtain call statistics data and issue tracking data from the PM database via the PM display data module. The PM client module may display the obtained call statistics data and issue tracking data in one or more user interface elements.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for capturing user interface operations. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the system, among others, includes logic configured to monitor an operation performed by an application interface; logic configured to determine whether the operation is at least one milestone event that is to be saved, wherein the at least one milestone event is a user-interface operation for a process in a particular field of operation; and logic configured to save milestone event information from a user, the information including identification of the user performing the operation and a computer application that was being accessed by the user for the process. Other systems and methods are also included.

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: Methods and systems for providing a graphical depiction of a communication system incorporating multiple call centers distributed around the globe are provided. The user interface can present the graphical depiction in two or three dimensions. In addition, the user interface can provide a view of details concerning the performance of communication system components or events affecting the performance of such components, and can enable a supervisor to manipulate contact center parameters.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for processing and displaying call state and application usage information in a contact center environment. In a particular embodiment, a method provides receiving application usage information and call state information and processing the application usage information and the call state information to determine an amount of time spent using each application of a plurality of applications by each agent of a plurality of agents during each call state of a plurality of call states. The method further provides generating a representation of the amount of time spent using at least one of the plurality of applications by at least one of the plurality of agents during at least one of the plurality of call states.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for using automatic speech recognition to analyze a voice interaction and verify compliance of an agent reading a script to a client during the voice interaction. In one aspect of the invention, a method may include conducting the voice interaction between the agent and a client, wherein the agent follows the script via a plurality of panels. From there, the voice interaction is evaluated via the plurality of panels employing panel-by-panel playback with an automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze the voice interaction. As such, it may be determined, via generating a score using confidence level thresholds of an automatic speech recognition component such that confidence level thresholds are assigned to each of the plurality of panels and evaluating the score against at least one of a static standard and a varying standard, whether the agent has adequately followed the script.

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 console for monitoring contact center operations is provided. The console comprises a camera for capturing a field of view of a contact center environment and a screen for displaying the captured field of view. The camera further comprises an identifier recognition module for determining an identifier from an element in the captured field of view displayed on the screen; and an interface for transmitting a request including the identifier to a contact center server and receiving from the contact center server, information associated with the identifier; wherein the screen is further arranged to display an overlay of the information on the captured field of view, to create an augmented reality of the contact center environment on the screen.

Abstract: A method and apparatus trains agents in a call center by directing a plurality of telecommunication calls to an agent by a controller wherein a percentage of the telecommunication calls are unskilled telecommunication calls that the agent is unskilled at processing; calculating by the controller average success of the agent in handling all of the unskilled telecommunication calls; calculating by the controller average stress of the agent in handling all of the unskilled telecommunication calls; increasing the percentage of unskilled telecommunication calls by the controller upon average success being greater than a predefined level of success and the average stress being less than a predefined level of stress; and stopping after the percentage equals a predefined percentage.

Abstract: A system and method for balancing call session assignments on an agent console is provided. Incoming call sessions and one or more agent consoles, each managed by an agent, are monitored. An absolute upper limit on a number of the call sessions allowed at each agent console at any given time is assigned. A load of call session assignments is balanced on each agent console. Objective conditions regarding call sessions already assigned to each agent are collected. Subjective conditions regarding the agent's opinion of a current call session are also collected. The objective and subjective conditions are evaluated against the absolute upper limit to determine a load factor. Each incoming call session is assigned to one such agent console based on the load factor.

Abstract: Agents in a contact center are grouped dynamically by defining performance metrics against which agents are to be judged, and generating an evaluation score for each of a number of agents by comparing their actual performance data to the defined performance metrics. Agents are assigned to the groups based on their performance scores. This provides the ability to generate reports and route contacts according to actual agent performance judged relative to user-specified performance metrics. The sizes of groups can be adjusted in real time to take account of actual or anticipated levels of contacts with different requirements, and agents can be reallocated among the resized groups on the fly based on the ranking of their evaluation scores.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for monitoring communication of contacts for identifying contacts for potential supervision are disclosed. The method can include electronically monitoring communication between an agent and a customer associated with a contact. The method can include monitoring the communication for one or more characteristics of the communication. The method can include automatically identifying, based on the one or more characteristics of the communication, that the contact includes a risk of producing a negative customer response. The method can include presenting the identified contact to a supervisor.

Abstract: A system and method for analyzing agent interactions is provided. An interaction between an agent and a business is provided to analysts. Performance scores for the interaction are received from each of the analysts and compared. A deviation between the performance score is determined. The deviation is compared to a threshold. Further interactions are provided to at least one of the analysts when the deviation falls below the threshold. A further performance score for the interaction is received from the analyst and provided to the agent associated with the interaction.

Abstract: This disclosure details the implementation of methods, systems and computer program products for a customer satisfaction engine (CSE). Embodiments of the CSE allow callers to key in customer satisfaction data using a rating system and/or to change customer service representatives (CSR) during the course of a customer service call rather than after the call has ended. Caller generated ratings may be stored in a database in association with the respective CSR profile for later access, analysis, and/or review. CSE embodiments may also allow customers to log in to a website and view operations made by the CSR as a service call progresses. CSE systems may provide for improved customer service and allow companies improved efficiency, monitoring and reporting of CSR performance.

Abstract: Systems and methods for analyzing contact center interactions are provided. In this regard, a representative method includes: receiving information corresponding to an interaction between a contact center agent and a customer; and assessing quality of the interaction based, at least in part, on information corresponding to at least one of: a history of the customer; and an event corresponding to the customer and occurring subsequent to the interaction.

Abstract: An architecture for the storage, processing, and display of service desk performance metrics data for a service desk department may include a call management system (CMS), an issue tracking system, a performance metrics (PM) database, a PM database module, a PM display data module, and a PM client module. The PM database module may retrieve call statistics data from the call management system database and issue tracking data from the issue tracking system database, and store the data in the PM database. The PM client module may obtain call statistics data and issue tracking data from the PM database via the PM display data module. The PM client module may display the obtained call statistics data and issue tracking data in one or more user interface elements.

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 visualizing performance metrics are disclosed. The system includes a data acquisition component which collects information related to a set of agents operating in a work environment, a performance metric computation component which computes, for one of the agents, values for a performance metric at each of a plurality of times within a selected time period, and a representation generator which generates a representation for display to the agent, the representation providing the agent with information on the agent's current value for the performance metric. A processor implements the data acquisition component, the performance metric computation component, and the representation generator.

Abstract: A system, device and method is provided for handling customer-agent interactions. An unsuccessful interaction may be detected between a customer and a first agent unable to resolve a problem. A successful interaction may be detected between the customer and a second agent that resolves the problem. The first agent may be sent a report summarizing the successful interaction by the second agent.

Abstract: An approach is provided for initiating a service observing session by tracking a number of concurrent service observing sessions to an automatic call distributor, and selectively restricting the number of concurrent sessions based on a predetermined restriction criterion. Each of the service observing sessions is established for a user to monitor a voice call involving an agent.

Abstract: An agent presence application for monitoring target agent resources and rendering agent states to subscribing applications is provided. The presence application has at least one first portion for collecting data regarding states of activity of the target agent resources, and at least one second portion for integrating the data and rendering the agent states to the subscribing applications.

Abstract: Systems and methods for capturing communications data are provided. An exemplary method comprises the steps of: establishing connection with a customer center, the customer center being associated with a communications infrastructure; obtaining information that is related to the communications infrastructure, the information obtained being related to a communications protocol that is associated with the communications infrastructure; determining the type of communications protocol based on the information obtained; determining whether the type of communications protocol is supported by a recording system; responsive to determining that the type of communications protocol is supported, receiving communications data using the determined communications protocol; determining whether to record the received communications data; and responsive to determining that the received communications data are to be recorded, recording the received communications data.

Abstract: Some general aspects of the invention relate to systems and methods for improving contact center agent performance, for instance, by integrating real-time call monitoring with speech analytics to present agents with information useful to the handling of the current calls. In some implementations, phonetically based speech analysis techniques are applied to process live audio streams to identify key words and/or phrases of relevance, based on which knowledge articles can be selectively presented to agents to drive more efficient business processes.