Abstract: A system and method for handling calls at one or more call centers. In an exemplary method of the invention, it may be determined whether a call should be transferred from the VSS to an agent of a call center based on, for example, agent availability or queue wait times. When it is determined to transfer the call to the agent, it may be determined whether a callback call should be offered to the caller. When it is determined to offer the callback call, the method may include providing one or more time blocks to which the caller can initiate the callback call to receive higher priority routing. Upon calling back into the system within one of the time blocks, the call may receive preferential routing treatment.

Abstract: A communication device is provided for enabling a user to establish an automated call back from a communication system, such as a call center, for example. A software device application enables the communication device to communicate with the call center through the exchange of data. The communication device includes a display screen for displaying controls for allowing the user to interact with the communication system. The controls allow the user to request a list of providers from which to select a provider or company to contact. The communication device further provides controls for allowing the user to select a queue to join from a list of queues associated with the selected provider. An embodiment may also communicate contextual data between a communication device and a communication system, including information associated with the user of the communication device and information used to assist, instruct, or solve a user's problem.

Abstract: The problem of an automated telephony system having only a single way to measure a caller's difficulty in processing a transaction when using the system is solved by selecting from multiple thresholds for measuring the caller's difficulty. Having a choice of alternative thresholds to measure the caller's difficulty, referred to as inefficiency thresholds, allows for a more responsive approach to managing an automated telephony system. This choice of inefficiency thresholds overcomes multiple problems of systems only using one inefficiency threshold, such as: (1) transferring a call to a live agent too quickly, (2) transferring a call to a live agent too slowly, and (3) giving a caller a feeling that the automated telephony system is unresponsive to his or her needs. Having multiple inefficiency thresholds allows for a more dynamic response to a diverse audience of callers and serves different needs of a caller during various parts of a call.

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

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

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

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods to connect a call. The systems and methods provide techniques to receive a call from a caller and determine a call path for the call. The call path is used to connect the caller to a call path destination. The call path destination may vary depending on factors in addition to the call path, such as, for example, a classification of the caller and a classification of the representative to whom the caller is to be connected.

Abstract: A virtual queuing system and method provides for dynamic control of queue data in accordance with queue control instructions provided by a separate queue control source. The virtual queuing system comprises an interface to a queuing system and an interface to the separate queue control source. The interface to the queuing system provides for obtaining queue data and controlling the queue data in accordance with the queue control instructions provided by a separate queue control source. The interface to the separate queue control source for: i) providing the queue data to the separate queue control source; and ii) obtaining the queue control instructions there from.

Abstract: A first voice call is put in an on-hold state in response to a resource being unavailable. In response to putting the first voice call in the on-hold state, a first data communication is transferred for delivery to the communication device. The first data communication drives the communication device to display an offer for a media service. A second data communication transferred by the communication device is received indicating that the offer has been accepted. The first data communication drives the communication device, in response to the acceptance of the offer, to transfer the second data communication and to retrieve media from the media service. The first voice call is terminated in response to receiving the second data communication. A second voice call is established with the communication device in response to the resource becoming available.

Abstract: A system for providing a live agent with information on a telephone call has an interactive voice response (IVR) mechanism responding to a telephone call placed by a caller by providing a request signal transferred to the caller. The caller may be requested to produce a voice response indicating a purpose of the telephone call. A speech recognition mechanism processes the caller's voice response so as to produce a data signal representing a recognized voice response. A computer telephony integration (CTI) unit forwards to the live agent the telephone call from the caller, concurrently with forwarding the data signal representing the recognized voice response to a terminal for display to the live agent. The CTI unit may perform a screen popping function to display the data signal as a visual object at the terminal of the live agent. The visual object may include a text corresponding to the recognized voice response.

Abstract: A computer places in a call queue a call having caller identification information. The computer creates a database record that includes the caller identification information of the call placed in the call queue and an aggregate call queue duration value representing the aggregate time that one or more calls having the caller identification information have been in the call queue. The computer calculates a call queue duration for the call, and adds the calculated call queue duration for the call to the aggregate call queue duration value of the database record associated with the caller identification information of the call. If the aggregate call queue duration value exceeds a predetermined value, the computer provides special treatment to the call.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for operating a plurality of call center products. The method includes the steps of providing an enterprise administration server and disposing a respective terminal adapter between the enterprise administration server and each of the plurality of call center products. The method further includes the steps of a terminal adapter of a call center of the plurality of call center products receiving a database instruction from the enterprise administration server; the terminal adapter mapping a database instruction between a protocol of the enterprise administration server and a protocol of the call center product and the call center product executing the instruction.

Abstract: Methods and systems for supporting manual control of automatic call distribution systems are provided. In particular, an administrator can manipulate parameters associated with call center queues and/or call center agents in order to improve the performance of an in-trouble queue. The changes are reversed after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, and/or after the previously in-trouble queue has returned to a healthy state.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for allowing a user to consent to call recording. A user is prompted to make a recording preference. The recording preference is stored in a table indexed by UCID (universal call ID) or as part of a UUI (user-to-user information) field of the call. A recording module and/or a compliance manager, both associated with a call center, are configured to record or not record the call based on the recording preference. The recording preference can be enforced on incoming and outgoing calls to and from the call center. Advantageously, the user's recording preference is enforced throughout the call, regardless of how the call is routed/transferred within the call center.

Abstract: A system evaluates callers, into a contact center, for possible employment. The evaluations occur while the caller waits in a contact center queue and provide a rating of the callers as potential employees. Ratings may be generated or accumulated from one or more interactions with the contact center, where each interaction with the caller can provide information about the caller's suitability as an employee. Good candidates may be interviewed automatically and/or by a manager. Those candidates that receive good ratings/evaluations and are interested in the position may be hired or provided incentives to help the call center respond to calls.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for associating contextual data with communication sessions, in particular in technical help desk scenarios. A context logger service running on a central server or on an individual computing device is used to create a log of application specific, often ephemeral, contextual data for a plurality of applications running one or more systems that are in communication with the context logger service across one or more networks. When a communication session between an initiating entity and a receiving entity to request assistance regarding a subject application running on one of the systems is initiated, and if the communication session is deemed to be a candidate for the automatic association of such context data, at least a portion of the application specific contextual data contained in the log is associated with the communication session and delivered to the receiving entity.

Abstract: An improved system and method that allows a customer waiting, for example, in a call center queue to leave contact information, a preferred callback time frame and drop out of the queue. The system and method computes a priority access code and a time frame when its use is valid that coincides with the preferred callback time frame of the call center or customer service department, etc. In response to the request for a priority access code to use when the customer calls back, the system and method sends the customer a callback message including the priority access code and time frame when its use is valid. During the time frame the priority access code is valid, the customer contacts the call center for example by calling back or by initiating a web chat, etc., re-enters the queue and uses the priority access code. This allows the customer to enter a general queue at their convenience and at a higher priority or go straight to the head of the general queue.

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

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for servicing a transaction in a contact center. When an instant message communication associated with a transaction is suspended prematurely, special treatment may be provided to the transaction initiator. The special treatment includes: (a) maintaining the assigned service priority for the transaction for assignment to a subsequent communication; (b) scheduling a subsequent outbound instant message to an external endpoint associated with the transaction initiator; (c) assigning to the transaction initiator a favored service priority when the subsequent inbound instant message is received by the contact center; and (d) maintaining previously selected item(s) in memory and providing the item(s) to the transaction initiator in a subsequent communication.

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: Methods and apparatus to provide incentives to deflect callers to websites are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein to deflect a caller to a webpage comprises receiving a call from the caller, offering an incentive to the caller to terminate the call and access the webpage, and providing an address of the webpage to the caller after the caller consents to terminate the call.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that enables the proper treatment of a queued call by a call center, or other data-processing system capable of queuing calls, in which the calling terminal of the queued call has been put on hold by its user. The call center is able to detect the terminal being put on hold by monitoring for a SIP re-INVITE request, in which the session description signifies an on-hold condition. When it is determined that the calling terminal is on hold, the call center modifies its treatment of the queued call. For example, the call center might freeze the call's position in the queue until the calling party takes the phone off of hold. As another example, the call center might allow the call to work its way to the top of the queue, with the terminal on hold, and then maintain the call's position at the top of the queue until a service agent is available.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to determine when to deflect callers to websites are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein to deflect a caller to a webpage comprises receiving a call from the caller, determining a performance metric associated with processing the call, and determining whether to offer the caller an option to terminate the call and access the webpage based on the at least one performance metric.

Abstract: A server device configured to receive first-information associated with a call that was received by a first server device; receive second-information associated with the call, where the second-information is associated with processing of the call by the first server device and at least one second server device; generate a unified record associated with the call, where the unified record includes at least some of the first-information and at least some of the second-information; determine, based on the unified record, that a condition exists with respect to the call; and send an instruction to perform a customer operation with respect to the call when the condition is determined to exist, where the customer operation includes increasing a priority for handling of the call by a customer service agent.

Abstract: A server may include logic configured to receive a call-back request from a customer, where the call-back request includes an identifier associated with the customer. The server may further include logic configured to identify, based on the identifier, a call center from a group of call centers having a group of agents qualified to handle the call-back request; and logic configured to forward the call-back request to the identified call center, where the call-back request causes the identified call center to select one of the group of agents to handle the call-back request.

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

Abstract: A system and method for communicating in a communication network, comprising presenting a communication comprising data over a communications network to a router, said router being adapted to route the communication to one of a plurality of available network destinations; automatically executing a communication targeting algorithm in the router, based at least in part on the data, wherein the communication targeting algorithm operates to contextually jointly analyze a plurality of parameters extracted from the data and a plurality of contextual parameters, to determine an optimum target for the communication, wherein the optimum target varies in dependence on both the data and the context of the communication; and routing the communication in dependence on the algorithm execution.

Abstract: An online and offline communication processing and tracking using data processing and data/voice networks is described. A phone address from a phone address number pool is automatically assigned to a first entity. A call quality rating is determined and recorded. A call from a caller directed to the phone address is received at a call bridging system coupled to at least one network, wherein the call is associated with call signaling information. Based at least in part on the call quality associated with the caller call, the caller call is assigned to a first location in a call queue. An outbound call is generated from the call bridging system and the inbound and the outbound calls are bridged. One or more parameters of the bridged call are compared to the call quality rating. An indication is recorded regarding the successful bridging of the calls in association with an entity identifier.

Abstract: A method for determining call center resource allocation can include modeling call center performance over an operations time period using a computer. A number of replicas of the modeled call center performance are simulated, using the computer, over a planning time period, each replica having random contact arrivals and contact service times following a stochastic arrival and service process according to a probability distributions of inter-arrival time and service time. Multiple iterations of each simulation are run on the computer to optimize call center resource allocation. A particular simulation iteration is tested against a criterion of convergence, and call center resource is allocated based on the particular simulation iteration with a successful criterion of convergence.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system, method, and computer program product for automatically detecting any unnecessary repetition by customers of specific types of information in a multi-channel (e.g., self-service application, IVR system, live agent center) customer service session. For each channel used in the customer service session, the information provided by the customer in the channel is recorded in a log, transcription, or other record. The record(s) for the customer service session are subsequently parsed for specific types of information provided by the customer. From the parsed records, specific types of information provided by the customer in two or more channels during the customer service session are identified. In one embodiment, the results are analyzed to determine if providing such information in two or more channels is redundant, and, if so, this is counted as a redundancy.

Abstract: A method is implemented by one or more server devices associated with a network. The method includes receiving information relating to a customer service request, where the information includes data to identify a category of the customer service request. The method also includes receiving a request to speak with a customer service agent, and placing a service call request in a calling queue associated with the category of the customer service request. The method further includes monitoring availability of customer service agents associated with the calling queue, and sending a call initiation message to the access terminal when a customer service agent associated with the calling queue is available. Based on the call initiation message, the access terminal may automatically initiate a voice session with an available customer service agent.

Abstract: A routing system includes a router, a statistics server (Stat Server) coupled to the router, receiving, processing and storing statistics related to event handling, and providing information regarding the statistics for use by routing intelligence in the router, and a first proxy data server coupled to the Stat Server and to a second proxy data server at a remote contact center over a network. The system is characterized in that the Stat Server receives event statistics regarding the local queue, and through the coupled first and second proxy data servers, event statistics regarding the remote queue, provides information related to the statistics to the router, and the router determines to route incoming events to local queue or to the remote queue based on the information provided.

Abstract: A system for enabling collaboration between two or more customer contact campaigns running within a call center environment includes at least one outbound contact server (OCS) resident on a digital medium, the OCS including an automated dialer application resident on a digital medium thereon or accessible thereto for dialing contact numbers from contact records assembled for the running campaigns, a call monitoring and recording system executing from software on a digital medium, for monitoring call dialing progress and business results of completed calls, a central data repository for storing dialing progress and business results data collected by the running outbound campaigns, and a data sharing mechanism executing from software resident on a digital medium, accessible to each campaign running on the OCS for sharing collected data among the running campaigns.

Abstract: Systems for executing a number of agents in a multiagent system are presented including: an agent executing apparatus for managing a number of active agents and for controlling activities associated with the number of active agents such that the number of active agents are cooperatively processed, where the agent executing apparatus is configured to provide an intra-transaction message mechanism and an out-of-transaction message mechanism; a cache for temporarily storing the number of active agents, where the number of active agents include a first active agent in a committed transaction and a second active agent in an uncommitted transaction; a permanent storage device for storing the number of agents before the number of agents enter a running state.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for routing a contact with a client to one of a plurality of automatic contact distributors, each having a plurality of agents, by a network router. The method includes the step of determining by each automatic contact distributor of the plurality of automatic contact distributors a largest relative difference between a target occupancy and actual occupancy of each agent among the plurality of agents of the automatic contact distributor and for each contact type processed by the automatic contact distributor.

Abstract: A method for an automated call distribution system to re-associate a caller with a queue position previously established in an on-hold queue. The method includes receiving a first incoming call from a caller and assigning the caller to a position in an on-hold queue when the caller is placed on-hold by the automated call distribution system. A placeholder for the caller may then be assigned in the on-hold queue when the caller disconnects with the automated call distribution system. The placeholder corresponds to the position of the caller in the on-hold queue and is associated with a caller identifier. The method further includes receiving a second incoming call from the caller and associating the second incoming call with the caller identifier. It is then determined that the caller is associated with the placeholder. The caller is placed back into the on-hold queue at the position of the placeholder.

Abstract: A cellular mobile telephone apparatus has circuits for generating messages, a storage circuit for storing messages, and transmitter/receiver circuit for transmitting a message. When the user of the cellular mobile telephone apparatus cannot immediately respond to an incoming call, a desired one of a plurality of previously generated and stored messages can be transmitted to a calling party through simple key manipulations or by other means.

Abstract: A cellular mobile telephone apparatus has circuits for generating messages, a storage circuit for storing messages, and transmitter/receiver circuit for transmitting a message. When the user of the cellular mobile telephone apparatus cannot immediately respond to an incoming call, a desired one of a plurality of previously generated and stored messages can be transmitted to a calling party through simple key manipulations or by other means.

Abstract: A method for performing an SUPL-based triggered location service, comprising: sending a pause message for a triggered session to a server, starting the triggered session for a triggered location service with the server; and sending a end message to the server if a condition added to the triggered session is satisfied during pause of the triggered session.

Abstract: A contact center establishes a communication with a user. The communication is placed into a position in a wait queue that has other position(s) with other communication(s) that are waiting to be serviced by contact center agents. An offer is made to the user to change an amount of time to wait in the wait queue before being connected to a contact center agent. The offer can be based on a commodity such as money, frequent flyer miles, willingness to listen to an advertisement while holding, completing a survey, and the like. In response to the user accepting the offer, the position of the communication in the wait queue is changed to a different position. This allows the user to interactively adjust their wait time.

Abstract: A method for improving user satisfaction with automated response computer driven systems is provided. In one embodiment the automated computer system utilizes a Web browser accessing at least a Web site. In another embodiment, the automated computer system is a telephonic response system with voice recognition and generation capability. In each embodiment the user is first prompted to provide indications of user language usage preferences which are then analyzed and stored in a user profile. Thereafter, subsequent information from the automated system is modified in accordance with the stored user profile before presentation to the user.

Abstract: A method of initiating outbound calls through a telephony interface. The method accepts an inbound call from a user, authenticates the inbound call against a predetermined user identity, accesses an address book associated with the user identity, receives an spoken request from the user, selects a telephone record in the address book associated with the spoken request, initiates an outbound call to the telephone record; and connects the inbound call with the outbound call responsive to a connection established on the outbound call. In an alternative embodiment the method accepts an inbound call, authenticates the inbound call against a predetermined user identity, receives a dual-tone frequency-modulated input representing a desired outbound call target, initiates an outbound call to the outbound call target, and connects the inbound call with the outbound call responsive to a connection established on the outbound call. A corresponding computer system for each embodiment is also provided.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for processing telephone calls from a plurality of customers directed to a call center. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving a telephone call at a call center from a first customer, determining that all agents of the call center are unavailable, placing the telephone call in a queue, obtaining first customer information, and matching the first customer information to second customer information associated with an ongoing communication between a second customer and an agent. The first customer is then offered an opportunity to monitor the ongoing communication, and in some embodiments is connected to the ongoing communication.

Abstract: A method for determining an amount of time required to download a data file to a wireless device includes receiving information indicating a first amount of wireless bandwidth allocated for the download of the data file, calculating a first length of time required to download the data file to the wireless device based on the first amount of wireless bandwidth allocated, and comparing the first length of time required to a predetermined amount of time. If the first length of time required is less than the predetermined amount of time, the download begins. If the first length of time required is more than the predetermined amount of time, information indicating the first length of time required is sent to the wireless device, a start download signal is received from the wireless device, and download of the data file to the wireless device begins in response to the start download signal.

Abstract: A system and method for handling calls at one or more call centers. In an exemplary method of the invention, it may be determined whether a call should be transferred from the VSS to an agent of a call center based on, for example, agent availability or queue wait times. When it is determined to transfer the call to the agent, it may be determined whether a callback call should be offered to the caller. When it is determined to offer the callback call, the method may include providing one or more time blocks to which the caller can initiate the callback call to receive higher priority routing. Upon calling back into the system within one of the time blocks, the call may receive preferential routing treatment.

Abstract: A method is provided for the production of accurate waiting time estimates based on at least one of (i) a queue arrival rate and (ii) estimated queue length. In a first embodiment of the present invention, the waiting time for a caller is determined on the basis of a queue arrival rate. In a second embodiment of the present invention, the waiting time for a caller is determined on the basis of a queue length estimate. The queue length estimate is a prediction of the size of the queue at a given time instant.

Abstract: Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for skill and level assignment. In some examples, the method includes providing for display of a graphical user interface (GUI) with one or more sets of graphical objects. Each set of graphical objects corresponds to a decision factor and each graphical object in each set of graphical objects corresponds to a level of the decision factor. The method further includes receiving an assignment configuration for a contact routing device. The assignment configuration is generated based on the one or more sets of graphical objects and associated one or more agents. The method further includes routing the contact to the selected one or more contact agents based on the assignment configuration.

Abstract: A communications routing system, and method, for representing a plurality of predicted characteristics of a plurality of communications sources, each having an economic utility; representing a plurality of predicted characteristics of a plurality of communications targets each having an economic utility; and determining an optimal routing between the plurality of communications sources and the plurality of communications targets, by maximizing an aggregate utility with respect to the respective predicted characteristics of communications source and communications destination represented by linkages.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for routing callers to agents in a contact center, along with an intelligent routing system. An exemplary method includes mapping a first portion of callers to agents according to a performance and/or pattern matching algorithm based on comparing caller data associated with the callers and agent data associated with the agents and mapping a second portion of the callers (e.g., the remaining portion callers) to agents differently than the first portion of the callers (e.g., mapping based on queue order), which may provide a control group for monitoring or analyzing the effect and/or training of the pattern matching algorithm. The first and second portion may be varied separately for each agent within the contact center.

Abstract: A method and structure for reducing customer dissatisfaction for waiting includes a queue monitoring subsystem which detects an entry of a customer into a waiting queue. A reward computing subsystem calculates a reward for the customer for being in the waiting queue, and a communication subsystem communicates the reward to the customer. At least one of subsystems is automated.