Abstract: A dynamic contact management system is provided for managing customer contacts in a customer service center and dynamically determining which actions to take—or which actions are permitted to be taken—with respect to customer contacts. The system can process data regarding attributes of an agent or group of agents, and generate scores to use in making the dynamic determinations. Based on the scores, the system can temporarily authorize agents to perform actions that they would not otherwise be authorized to perform, assign customer contacts to agents who are most likely to resolve a contact in a satisfactory manner, generate dynamic comparisons of agents, and the like.

Abstract: A customer support system diverts a customer to an integrated support service to serve the customer better in situations where the use of a single mode of interaction is insufficient. Embodiments of the invention find use where an email or SMS is sent to a customer's smart devices with a link to visual content which helps customer better understand the information.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for managing calls in a collaboration environment is provided. The method includes receiving, by a processor, a call into a collaboration session of the collaboration environment. The method also includes identifying, by the processor, a user from a plurality of users associated with the collaboration session, based on at least one of contextual information regarding the call and information regarding the plurality of users. The method further includes providing, by the processor, an interface on a device associated with the identified user, wherein the interface enables the identified user to instruct the device to handle the call within the collaboration session.

Abstract: Providing keyword-based notification and content includes monitoring, a communication interface, the communication interface configured to transport a communication between an agent communication device and a user communication device; recognizing an occurrence of a keyword in the communication; wherein the keyword is stored in a database; and retrieving from the database, an information related to the keyword, wherein the database comprises: a first memory area configured to store a mapping of keywords to keyword information; and a second memory area configured to store a mapping of a user identifier associated with a user to information related to how keyword information should be delivered to the user associated with the user identifier. Ultimately the information related to the keyword is transmitted to one of the agent communication device or the user communication device.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a device, a notification of a call from an application server and displaying, at the device, a pop-up view based on the notification, where the pop-up view includes a screen call option. The method also includes receiving, at the device, a selection of the screen call option and, in response to the selection of the screen call option, displaying a call screening view, where the call screening view includes a plurality of call screening action options. The method further includes receiving a second selection of a particular call screening action option of the plurality of call screening action options and handling the call based on the particular call screening action option.

Abstract: Apparatus for operating a multimedia contact center, comprising a multimedia contact center system for handling communications sessions between an organization and its customers and obtaining media-specific information relating to the communications session, and a search engine for performing a search in relation to the obtained media-specific information, wherein the multimedia contact center system is configured to use the results from the search in handling the communications session, wherein the results may include heterogeneous material not primarily intended for session handling purposes.

Abstract: In many computing scenarios, an individual may choose to interact with a service in a variety of roles, and may therefore create a set of accounts respectively representing the service. However, the use of multiple accounts by the same individual may introduce considerable administrative complications (e.g., failing to update all accounts with new information results in stale and/or conflicting account information), and may reduce the efficiency and/or scalability of the service. Presented herein are techniques for enabling individuals to interact with services through various roles. Such techniques involve evaluating the individual's role determinants to identify and automatically select the individual's current role; selecting a current role profile, as a subset of the details of the individual profile that are associated with the current role, and excluding details that are not associated with the current role; and performing the service according to the current role profile of the individual.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for enhancing interaction between a customer using a client computer and a customer service representative of a company using a workstation. A Web session is commenced on a Web site for the client computer of the customer, wherein the Web session includes displaying a first Web page to the customer. A telephonic interaction is commenced between the customer and the customer service representative and a split screen is displayed on the workstation. The split screen including the first Web page and a second Web page, wherein the second Web page is only viewable by the customer service representative. An application is caused to be moved from the second Web page to the first Web page for review and interaction by the customer via the client computer.

Abstract: A method of providing a recent call list of calls recently received or initiated by a telecommunications device where information on recent services which are services recently handled by or using the telecommunications device other than calls are incorporated as entries in a recent call list of the telecommunications device. Each entry can be formed by a data structure being composed of a plurality of data fields. Each data field can include a data value. An entry representing a recent service other than a call in the recent call list can include a service code identifying a recent service as a data value. A device, system, and apparatus can be configured to utilize or execute the method.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for facilitating interactions via automatic agent responses is provided. Communication during an interaction between a user and an agent is monitored and a request from the user is identified during the interaction. A list of candidate responses to the request is compiled and provided to the agent. Time is measured upon providing the list to the agent and a predetermined amount of time is applied to the measured time. When the measured time exceeds the predetermined amount of time and the agent has failed to provide a response to the user, one of the candidate responses from the list is automatically selected and provided to the user.

Abstract: Activities performed by a client at a site of an organization are monitored and stored in an activity database. A call is thereafter received from the client at a telephone system of the organization, which performs an identification of the client. The identification is provided to a cross-channel router as a request for a prediction on where the call from the client should be routed, and the router indexes into the activity database based on the identification of the client to obtain the monitored activity of the client. The router employs predicting rules and the obtained activity to generate a prediction of client needs, and returns the generated prediction to the telephone-based system, which presents prioritized telephone prompts to the client according to the returned prediction to help in routing the call.

Abstract: A system and method for processing interaction requests includes a computer system that receives over a data channel from an end user device accessible to the customer, a request for an interaction. The request includes data from an application running on the end user device. The data is stored by the computer system upon receipt. When a voice call from a telephony device accessible to the customer is received, a voice media session is established with the telephony device over a voice channel. The data is identified based on information associated with the voice call. A contact center resource is further identified for routing the voice call. The data is attached to a request to route the call to the identified contact center resource.

Abstract: A method for optimum utilization of a queue for calls is provided in a telecommunication system and is controlled by an application, as well as an appropriate telecommunication system. Each call that is in the queue has a particular queue property and can be assigned to an agent, to a two-way announcement that is played by an announcement memory and that is capable of interaction with a call, or to remain in the queue. The method is distinguished in that a call assigned to a two-way announcement is allocated a parameter that causes the queue property of the call to be retained.

Abstract: In accordance with an example embodiment a computer-implemented method and an apparatus for predicting and tracking of mood changes in textual conversations are provided. The method includes determining, by a processor, one or more mood metrics in each of two or more chat stages of a real-time textual conversation between an agent and a customer. Changes in the one or more mood metrics across the two or more chat stages of the real-time textual conversation are tracked by the processor. Further, the method includes determining, by the processor, at least one action associated with the real-time textual conversation based on the changes in the one or more mood metrics.

Abstract: A system for providing integrated contact information with search results, comprising a plurality of contact centers, each comprising at least a plurality of contact agents; a callback cloud, comprising at least a plurality of contact agents; a queue manager, comprising at least a software components operating and stored on a computing device; wherein the contact agents receive and respond to customer interactions; further wherein the queue manager monitors contact agent availability; further wherein the queue manager receives interaction requests; and further wherein the queue manager provides queue information to interaction requestors.

Abstract: Text-based automated customer service agents provide an attractive contact center interaction for may customer-agent communications. However, the “say anything” nature of text may result in additional problems not encountered in prompted interactions. A single misunderstanding or error may cause an automated communication to fail, however, by providing micro-tasks to a human agent, an automated communication may be maintained longer with benefit of a human agent's input. A lack of progress towards completion of a work item may cause the communication to be routed to a human agent and/or a different channel (e.g., voice, email, etc.). Accordingly, a micro-task or an opt-out operation may be provided to maintain the communication with an automated agent for as long as possible but yet provide improved customer service when necessary.

Abstract: Customer service and/or care providers generally have multiple communications channels (i.e., modes of communications, such as an Internet webpage, live agent telephones, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system) of communication with which a customer may interact with the customer service provider. Currently, customers must select the communications channel by guessing which communications channel would best accommodate the customer's purpose/need for communicating with the customer service provider. In some scenarios, the customer may select the wrong communications channel because the selected channel is not able to service the customer's need. In another scenario, the customer may select a channel that is more cumbersome to service the customer's particular need than another channel of the customer service provider.

Abstract: Agents operating at call centers or other customer support service networks may assist large numbers of customers consecutively and in a dynamic manner. One example may include populating a portion of a first agent user interface of a first agent device with a first customer profile, identifying a second agent device currently assigned a second customer call with second customer call information related to the first customer call information, comparing the first customer call information to the second customer call information, determining the second customer call information exceeds a relevancy threshold when compared to first customer call information, populating a portion of a second agent user interface of the second agent device with the portion of the first agent user interface, and updating the first agent user interface by removing the first customer call information and providing another customer call to the first user agent device.

Abstract: A system and method of managing and prioritizing tasks amongst resources and, more particularly, to a system and method for providing automatic task assignment and notification amongst globally dispersed human resources. The system includes a change of management application configured to store a list of tasks and a task notifier configured to retrieve a list of geographically-dispersed resources and notify selected ones of the geographically-dispersed resources of a priority of completion of one or more tasks retrieved from the change of management application. The system further includes a message application configured to be polled by the task notifier to determine which of the geographically dispersed resources is online or currently working.

Abstract: The availability of one or more agents of an institution to communicate with a user may be determined and reported to the user. Information pertaining to whether at least one of a plurality of agents is available to communicate with a user is determined. A number of selectable agent characteristics is provided to the user. A selection of at least two of a plurality of the selectable agent characteristics is received from the user, as is a priority ordering of the selectable agent characteristics. A call is established between the user and the at least one of a plurality of agents based on the information and the priority ordering. Call volume statistics may be provided to the user and may be used to determine when an agent is most likely unavailable and/or most likely available.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method is provided, including the following method operations: receiving a request to generate a first post data item at a first location; providing for presentation of the first post data item at a second location; receiving a request to generate a second post data item at the second location, the second post data item being in reply to the first post data item; identifying a destination for notification about the second post data item; providing in association with the destination a notification identifying the second post data item, the notification being associated with the first location.

Abstract: A method for workload distribution for a contact center includes identifying a work item for distribution based on an assigned distribution criteria; identifying a target for routing the work item; determining availability of the target; in response to determining that the target is available, transmitting a routing request for the work item to a routing server, and in response to the request, the routing server is configured to independently determine availability of the work item for routing the work item to the target; and in response to determining that the target is not available, refraining from transmitting the routing request for the work item to the routing server.

Abstract: The disclosed solution uses machine learning-based methods to improve the knowledge extraction process in a specific domain or business environment. By formulizing a specific company's internal knowledge and terminology, the ontology programming accounts for linguistic meaning to surface relevant and important content for analysis. Based on the self-training mechanism developed by the inventors, the ontology programming automatically trains itself to understand the business environment by processing and analyzing a defined corpus of communication data. For example, the disclosed ontology programming adapts to the language used in a specific domain, including linguistic patterns and properties, such as word order, relationships between terms, and syntactical variations. The disclosed system and method further relates to leveraging the ontology to assess a dataset and conduct a funnel analysis to identify patterns, or sequences of events, in the dataset.

Abstract: Contact center agents are often presented work items utilizing voice, video, and text. Text messages are often processed concurrently with other text or non-text messages. In order to avoid over or under utilizing agents, contact centers may determine an initial complexity for a work item and route the work item to an agent having the skills and capacity to accommodate the initial complexity. However, the initial complexity may differ from an observed complexity as the agent processes the work item. Accordingly, systems and methods are provided to monitor ongoing text message complexity and route subsequent work items to agents based on an observed complexity provided, at least in part, by the complexity of text-based work item current being processed, and the agents capacity to process the subsequent work item.

Abstract: According to an example, connections may be routed in a contact center by determining if a current connection from a customer terminal to the contact center is a repeat connection or a first connection. In response to determining that the connection is a repeat connection, the repeat connection is routed to an originating agent terminal when an originating agent is verified as employed, logged-in, and available. In response to determining that the connection is a first connection, the first connection is routed to a best available agent terminal.

Abstract: A method and system for operating a multitenancy telephony system including a call queue that stores call requests received from a plurality of users; an expandable and contractible telephony resource cluster that establishes call sessions for call requests; a analysis system that calculates capacity requirements of the system; a resource allocator that manages the scaling and operation of the telephony resource cluster; and a plurality of telephony network channels that are used as telephony communication channels for call sessions.

Abstract: The system allows a consumer to shortcut through a call queue to reach a human agent faster. For phone or voice-based calls that require a consumer wait on hold, the system can give that consumer an accurate estimate of the wait time and allow them to skip all or some of it. It does this by using automated processes to proactively dial and wait in those call queues, measuring their time in queue. A new consumer making an incoming call can then join the call queue occupied by of those automated processes, shortcutting the consumer past all or some of the wait time.

Abstract: A customer support system diverts a customer to an integrated support service to serve the customer better in situations where the use of a single mode of interaction is insufficient. Embodiments of the invention find use where an email or SMS is sent to a customer's smart devices with a link to visual content which helps customer better understand the information.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a communication method and a user equipment. The method includes: establishing, by a first user equipment, Internet-based Web Real-Time Communication WebRTC multimedia communication with a second user equipment, where the Internet-based WebRTC multimedia communication includes Internet-based WebRTC audio communication and Internet-based WebRTC non-audio communication; and performing, by the first user equipment, a first audio communication change operation, where the performing, by the first user equipment, a first audio communication change operation includes: establishing, by the first user equipment, telecommunications domain-based audio communication with the second user equipment, and disconnecting, by the first user equipment in a case in which the Internet-based WebRTC non-audio communication with the second user equipment remains, the Internet-based WebRTC audio communication with the second user equipment.

Abstract: A multichannel routing system for multichannel routing administration is disclosed. The multichannel routing system includes a data mining module configured to gather a plurality of profiles of agents and a plurality of parameters associated with one or more incoming work items. The multichannel routing system further includes a monitor module configured to monitor current status of the agents and priority of the incoming work items. The multichannel routing system further includes an analysis module configured to generate a multiplicity configuration of the agents based on the monitored current status of the agents and the priority of the incoming work items. The multichannel routing system further includes an assignment module configured to assign a plurality of media channels to the agents based on the generated multiplicity configuration, wherein the assignment of the media channels enables the multichannel routing administration.

Abstract: Systems and methods described herein may describe how enterprise system devices (e.g., servers) may be used to consolidate multiple disparate data sources (e.g., databases) into a single data source (i.e., “Datamart”). The Datamart may be a database or cluster of aggregated data from disparate data sources, which the Datamart may convert into a compatible format using various application programmable interfaces (APIs). In some cases, a software product may query the Datamart and then generate reports for understanding the data pulled from disparate sources. The reporting software application may enable enhanced analytics by humans or additional software applications, to build a more sophisticated understand around a member's call experience, reasons for call transfers, effectiveness of sales by a member service representative (MSR), and how to better train or equip MSRs to optimize their efforts.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system, method, or computer program product for determining most effective call parameters for a representative-customer interaction for a representative working to recover payment in arrears. Embodiments of the invention retrieve call history data and date of payment data; correlate the call history data and the payment data; determine success information based on the correlation of call history data and payment data; and present the success information to the representative for improving likelihood of future success. Other embodiments retrieve call history data and determine best time and/or channel for contacting the customer in order to achieve customer contact.

Abstract: While performing or initiating a transaction with a self-service video transaction device, a user may interact with a video agent and a terminal associated therewith. Video and/or audio functionalities may be enabled or disabled based on a length of a wait time to connect to a video agent. If the wait time exceeds a predetermined threshold, video and/or audio functionalities may be disabled, and the self-service device may generate a display indicating that video and/or audio functionalities are unavailable. If the wait time does not exceed the predetermined threshold, video and/or audio functionalities may be enabled, and the self-service device may generate a display indicating that video and/or audio functionalities are available. Also, on-site assistance features are provided that may allow for additional functionality to be provided to a user of the self-service video transaction device or other type of transaction device.

Abstract: A system for integration of client interaction technologies, comprising a plurality of resource managers, each comprising at least a software component operating and stored on a computing device; a plurality of resources, each comprising at least an interactive element; a monitoring service, comprising at least a software service operating and stored on a computing device; and a callback cloud, comprising at least a plurality of contact agents; wherein the monitoring service tracks resource status; further wherein upon receiving an interaction request the resource managers handle the request according to known resource information; and further wherein the callback cloud responds to at least a plurality of received interaction requests.

Abstract: A method(s) and system(s) through which non-voice interactions or activities can be routed through existing systems presently utilized for voice (or telephone call) routing.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are described for automated routing of voice calls using time-based predictive clickstream data. A server captures clickstream data comprising uniform resource locators (URLs) and one or more timestamps of a web session. The server converts the clickstream data into tokens and generates a frequency matrix based upon the tokens. The server generates a feature vector based upon the frequency matrix. The server receives an incoming voice call from a remote device and identifies that the remote device is associated with a user of the client computing device. The server determines intent for the incoming voice call based upon the feature vector, and routes the incoming voice call to a destination device based upon the determined intent.

Abstract: An event occurring in a particular geographic region is identified based on disseminated information containing public commentary in the particular geographic region. Attributes that are related to the event are identified, and sentiment words relating to the identified event are extracted from the disseminated information, where the extracted sentiment words are in a local language of the particular geographic region. A sentiment trend visualization is generated that depicts a trend of sentiments of at least a particular one of the identified attributes, wherein the sentiments are based on the sentiment words for at least the particular attribute.

Abstract: Apparatus, and an associated method, for a PoC (Push-to-Talk over Cellular)-capable communication system. A user equipment PoC box is provided, and a corresponding network PoC box is also provided. A transport mechanism is defined and provided by which to communicate a PoC media burst that is delivered to a PoC box and stored thereat. Control functionality is provided by which to control disposition of the media burst, such as to make notification of a delivered media burst or to dispose of the media burst when no longer needed, is further provided.

Abstract: Techniques for hybrid behavioral pairing in a contact center system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for hybrid behavioral pairing in a contact center system comprising: ordering an agent; ordering a plurality of contacts; applying, by at least one processor, a hybridization function to the ordering of the plurality of contacts to bias a first strategy for pairing toward a second strategy for pairing; comparing, by the at least one processor and based on the hybridization function, a first difference in ordering between the agent and a first contact in a first pair with a second difference in ordering between the agent and a second contact different from the first contact in a second pair; and selecting, by the at least one processor, the first pair or the second pair for connection based on the comparing.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods, systems and computer program products for creating event reminders on a computational system. Aspects include receiving an alarm system input, the alarm system input including an event identifier, an event time, and an event influencer. Aspects also include calculating an alarm time based upon the alarm system input. Aspects also include creating an alarm signal at the alarm time. Aspects also include outputting the alarm signal.

Abstract: Detecting an IP address mismatch in a contact center includes receiving a workstation login request from a workstation of the center that include login credentials associated with an agent of the center for logging into the workstation. The method also includes retrieving from a database a predetermined first IP address assigned to the agent; receiving an application login request related to an application from a workstation of the center on which the application is executing; extracting a second IP address from the application login request; and comparing the predetermined first IP address with the second IP address and granting the agent access if the addresses match.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for providing a policy realization framework for a communications network are disclosed. The policy realization framework can be an application and service layer policy framework that is separate and distinct from the network layer policy framework. As such, policy decisions can be made remote from the network layer, and common policies across multiple networks are possible. Methods and systems for providing these and other features are disclosed. A policy intelligence rules system for a policy realization framework, and methods of implementing a policy intelligence rules system, are also disclosed.

Abstract: Software that preserves information provided by a user in a first application utilizing a first interaction mode for use by a second application utilizing a second interaction mode, by performing the following steps: (i) generating a natural language log describing an interaction between a user and a first application, where the user interacts with the first application utilizing a first interaction mode; (ii) analyzing the natural language log using natural language processing to determine first user data; and (iii) utilizing the first user data by a second application, where the user interacts with the second application utilizing a second interaction mode different from the first interaction mode, and where the second application does not receive the first user data from the user via the second interaction mode.

Abstract: Method, system and program product, comprising obtaining agent performance data; ranking, agents based the agent performance data; dividing agents into agent performance ranges; partitioning callers based on criteria into a set of partitions; determining for each partition an outcome value for a first agent performance range and a second agent performance range; calculating for the partitions a respective outcome value difference indicator based on the outcome value for the first agent performance range and the outcome value for the second agent performance range for the partition; matching a respective agent to a respective caller in one of the partitions, based on the outcome value difference indicators for the partitions.

Abstract: Software that preserves information provided by a user in a first application utilizing a first interaction mode for use by a second application utilizing a second interaction mode, by performing the following steps: (i) generating a natural language log describing an interaction between a user and a first application, where the user interacts with the first application utilizing a first interaction mode; (ii) analyzing the natural language log using natural language processing to determine first user data; and (iii) utilizing the first user data by a second application, where the user interacts with the second application utilizing a second interaction mode different from the first interaction mode, and where the second application does not receive the first user data from the user via the second interaction mode.

Abstract: A user is presented with a list of languages sent by an interactive response system in a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) communication session. For example, the user is presented with a list of languages supported by an Interactive Voice Response system. The interactive response system receives a selection of a language from the list of languages supported by the interactive response system from the user. The SIP communication session with the user is sent (e.g., forwarded) to another communication device by sending a first SIP message, such as a SIP INVITE message. The first SIP message includes a SIP History-Info header that identifies the selected language for the first SIP communication session. The selected language can then be used to forego presenting a list of languages to the user later on during the SIP communication session.

Abstract: Omni-channel routing broker technology is usable to improve the experience for customers and for workers using service channels, especially for very large enterprise service operation centers that have large pools of agents, helping businesses determine the relative priority for handling a variety of service channels, and to efficiently route issues accordingly. Omni-channel routing broker includes intelligent routing of service requests in a large, distributed service center operation, efficiently prioritizing the routing of work across organizations to agents based on availability, capacity and priority—in a multi-tenant environment. The disclosed methods are usable for managing digital data for many tenants to software instances, including groups of users who share common access with a specific set of privileges to a software instance of at least one application.

Abstract: A system and method for asynchronous conversation routing and tracing that allows a client and agent to connect and reconnect to one another over a discontinuous engagement. The system and method facilitate this by allowing multiple methods of communication between the client and agent, including live communications and out-of-band communications. All communications between a client and agent are tied to a client case accessible by the agent, and the client case can include context and environmental data to further assist the agent or to route a customer service call to an appropriate agent. At any time, the client or agent can send out-of-band messages to one another to advance the customer service process, or the client or agent can seek to re-establish live communication with each other. This provides the client with a consistent point of contact not easily supportable with phone based call centers where support is single-threaded.

Abstract: Apparatus for initiating a phone call is provided. The apparatus may comprise a receiver configured to receive a request from a user to initiate a phone call. The apparatus may also comprise a transmitter. In response to the receipt of the request to initiate the phone call, the transmitter may be configured to transmit user data over a data communications network to a remote computer platform. The remote computer platform may be in communication with one or more agent desktops.

Abstract: A method and system for operating a multitenancy telephony system including a call queue that stores call requests received from a plurality of users; an expandable and contractible telephony resource cluster that establishes call sessions for call requests; a analysis system that calculates capacity requirements of the system; a resource allocator that manages the scaling and operation of the telephony resource cluster; and a plurality of telephony network channels that are used as telephony communication channels for call sessions.