Abstract: In the method of the present invention, a customer of a service provider would be placed in hold while waiting to speak to a customer service representative. The method and system of the invention would recognize the telephone number of the caller using a “caller ID” system. If this call is the first time the caller has ever called, the caller would be presented with an audible listing of listening choices that would include but not be limited to the latest news, the weather (of the caller's location), financial headlines, or a selection of music stations (via cable radio, for example). The caller would then speak or type his/her preference into the keypad and the selection would be played. If the caller does not like the selection, the caller can then speak another selection or type the new selection as many times as the caller prefers. The caller selection is recorded in a caller preference database.

Abstract: A distributed communication center configured to handle a plurality of communications includes a user zone, a web zone, and a network zone. The user zone includes a plurality of remote terminals that enable communication center personnel and end users to remotely interface with the distributed communication center through the web zone. The web zone includes one or more web servers configured and one or more mail servers to interface the remote terminals in the user zone with the network zone. The network zone includes one or more telephony servers and one or more application servers.

Abstract: A method and system for hierarchical prioritization and execution of call completion services are provided. When a caller applies for a call completion service, the caller is identified and assigned a priority from among different priorities such as high priority or regular priority. Thereafter, attempts to execute call completion services are performed hierarchically by launching call completion services for callers having a higher priority before similar attempts are performed for callers of a lower priority. Hence, call completion services are handled according to the priority assigned to the callers rather than the order in which each caller applied for a call completion service.

Abstract: An architecture that is operable to predict when a selected work item will be serviced in a contact center 100 includes a service time predictor 260 operable to (a) select a plurality of successive time intervals, each of the plurality of time intervals recurring cyclically over a period of time; (b) determine a number of work items likely to be serviced during each of the plurality of time intervals; (c) select an enqueued work item waiting to be serviced, the enqueued work item having a corresponding queue position; and (d) predict a time interval of the plurality of time intervals in which the selected work item will be serviced by comparing the queue position of the selected work item with the number of work items likely to be serviced in at least some of the time intervals.

Abstract: A one-to-multitude group communication method and group communication system enabling a user of each communication terminal to predict transmission permission and a communication terminal used in this one-to-multitude group communication system, where when a communication terminal requests the transmission permission from a communication management system, the information concerning communication terminals waiting for transmission permission in the communication system is provided from the communication management system to all communication terminals and this information is displayed on a display part of each communication terminal. Due to this, each communication terminal can determine communication terminals waiting for the transmission permission in the communication system, therefore, even if transmission is not permitted at a point of time when it issues the request, it can predict how long it must wait for obtaining the transmission permission.

Abstract: A portal system for secure, aggregated and centralized management and access of disparate customer service and social networking environments is disclosed. A user interface provides multiple, parameter-based automated service scripts, each configured to utilize customer information. The scripts link to vendor-specific, scenario-specific, and social networking-specific interfaces that have common user interface elements. Shared and dedicated reverse automation gateways are configured to emulate the step-by-step self-service aspects of web sites and interactive voice response systems. The portal system eliminates or reduces inbound toll-free telephone charges for vendor contact centers and additionally links the same to social networking systems.

Abstract: A system and method for servicing a caller at a contact center includes prompting the caller for a password associated with a certificate of disability of the caller, then accessing a database that contains the certificate authenticating the password to retrieve information listed in the certificate. The certificate information includes a type of disability of the caller. Following authentication, the system provides a service response appropriate for the type of disability of the caller. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for managing received calls. In response to receiving a first call from a user, the process stores a record of the first call in a table of received calls. Thereafter, in response to receiving a second call from the user within a predefined period of time after the first call was prematurely disconnected, the process identifies a second call as a prematurely terminated call. The process then places the prematurely terminated call in a queue of calls according to a set of configurable criteria and updates the record of the first call with a progress of the prematurely terminated call.

Abstract: A software application for recommending workforce resource allocation in a communication center based on requirements of events represented in a communication-center queue has a first interface for accessing information from the queue; a second interface for accessing information from a data source about workforce availability and state information; a processing component for processing queue information and workforce information; and a message generation and delivery component for generating a workforce allocation recommendation based on processing results and sending the recommendation to a target entity. In a preferred embodiment, the application periodically accesses the queue and the data source to obtain the most recent information for processing and generates periodic recommendations based on real-time requirements of events and availability states of resources, the recommendations sent ahead of time before the resources are required.

Abstract: A method and system for managing requests in a hold queue and the responses thereto are described. By providing a management system for handling requests in a call queue, a requesting party may be free to perform other tasks while waiting for a response. In addition, the management system may modify request priority independently of a party receiving the request. The method and system may further facilitate the entry of request related information by implementing an information database. The flexibility of a receiving party in responding to a request may also be enhanced through a greater selection of response options. The management system and method may further provide automatic backup and secondary options if a receiving party's first option is unfeasible.

Abstract: A system for optimizing response time to events or representations thereof waiting in a queue has a first server having access to the queue; a software application running on the first server; and a second server accessible from the first server, the second server containing rules governing the optimization. In a preferred embodiment, the software application at least periodically accesses the queue and parses certain ones of events or tokens in the queue and compares the parsed results against rules accessed from the second server in order to determine a measure of disposal time for each parsed event wherein if the determined measure is sufficiently low for one or more of the parsed events, those one or more events are modified to a reflect a higher priority state than originally assigned enabling faster treatment of those events resulting in relief from those events to the queue system load.

Abstract: A system and method gathers data from callers and call center sites and incorporates that information in call routing decisions. To make call routing decisions, a database structure keeps track of the calls in a queue before efficiently distributing the calls to agents at various call center sites. In one embodiment, a call routing system may comprise a web application server, a caller server, and a call center server. A method for distributing a call from a caller to a call center site may comprise collecting a first dataset relating to the call from the caller, queuing the call based on the first dataset, collecting a second dataset from the call center site, and routing the call to the call center site based on the first and second datasets.

Abstract: A telecommunications terminal is disclosed that is capable of displaying information about calls that are on hold or queued for delivery at a data-processing system, wherein the calls are to be delivered the terminal itself. The terminal displays characteristics of each call, such as: (i) the caller's name, (ii) the calling number, (iii) the subject of the call, (iv) the urgency of the call, (v) the holding time of the call, and (vi) a telecommunications address of a messaging resource (such as email) associated with the call. The user (e.g., an off-premises representative, etc.) of the telecommunications terminal in the illustrative embodiment, in contrast with some terminals in the prior art, has the ability to remotely reorder or otherwise dispose the calls based on one or more of the call characteristics.

Abstract: Calls made using the session initiation protocol (SIP) are augmented by exchanging data in the form of messages between terminals where the message content is defined by items of information expressed as uniform resource indicators (URIs). The receiving terminal can extract and process such information based on the semantic information in URI format.

Abstract: Statistics relating to the operation of physical, logical and software components of a contact center are generated by or on behalf of the components themselves rather than by a statistics engine based on event notifications from the components. In this way, the locally generated statistical information can be communicated as part of presence information for such components. By subscribing to a presence service for presence information for the components of interest, a statistics service can collect the locally produced statistics coming from each component. This provides a less centralised, more dynamic and adaptable way of managing statistical information in a contact center and provides in addition alternative methods of generating alarms and alerts.

Abstract: An on-hold interface system is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the system includes an interactive voice response system for providing a plurality of audio signals to a telecommunications device of a calling party, wherein the calling party has been placed on-hold. The system also includes a server for checking accessibility of a network connection of a network device, wherein the network device is associated with the telecommunications device of the calling party. The system also includes an enhanced on-hold interface system for providing a plurality of signals to the network device. In addition, the system includes an automatic call distributor for receiving a signal indicating the accessibility of the network connection of the network device, and for instructing the enhanced on-hold interface system and the interactive voice response system to provide the plurality of signals to the network device and the telecommunications device based the accessibility of the network connection.

Abstract: A call center having agent stations comprising telephones connected to computer stations by a Telephone Application Programming Interface (TAPI)-compliant bridge has data pertaining to callers stored in a database on a local area network (LAN) to which the computer stations are also connected. Origination data for incoming calls, both conventional calls to the telephones and computer-simulated calls to the computer platforms, is used as a key to extract data pertaining to calls from the database for display on video display units (VDUs) of the computer workstations where the calls are terminated. In some cases, data is only extracted and displayed for calls from previously listed origination points.

Abstract: A method and system for identifying an off-schedule software agent operating in a computer system is disclosed. When a software agent enters a queue a start time is associated with the agent. A queue threshold is established for the agent, wherein the queue threshold indicates the maximum length of time that an agent should be in the queue. A clock time is compared to the start time and if the result exceeds the threshold, the agent is flagged as being a late agent. The computer system may then address the late agent by, for example, changing an operating priority associated with the agent, increasing the threshold, removing the agent from the queue, or by notifying other agents relying on the flagged agent.

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: In the method of the present invention, a customer of a service provider would be placed in hold while waiting to speak to a customer service representative. The method and system of the invention would recognize the telephone number of the caller using a “caller ID” system. If this call is the first time the caller has ever called, the caller would be presented with an audible listing of listening choices that would include but not be limited to the latest news, the weather (of the caller's location), financial headlines, or a selection of music stations (via cable radio, for example). The caller would then speak or type his/her preference into the keypad and the selection would be played. If the caller does not like the selection, the caller can then speak another selection or type the new selection as many times as the caller prefers. The caller selection is recorded in a caller preference database.

Abstract: Call features for an Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) system implemented within a packet-based telephone environment are disclosed. Within a packet-based network, data messages are transferred between the ACD system and customer telephone stations while the customer waits for an attendant to become available. These data messages allow the customer to be informed of his/her current status within the priority order and further allows the customer to initiate a number of customer oriented operations. These operations include selecting music to listen to while waiting, requesting to be alerted when an attendant becomes available, and initiating a browser session for accessing data information. Overall, the status reports in combination with the initiating of one or more of the customer oriented operations can make the time spent waiting for an attendant a more productive and pleasant experience for the customer.

Abstract: In embodiments, the present invention is directed to methods of handling calls received from customers. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a call from a customer who called a promotional telephone number. The phone call is connected to an IVR system. The IVR system maintains a set of rules for handling calls. The method further includes creating a call detail record, which includes a unique identifier, a source telephone number, and the promotional telephone number. A customized greeting is then played to the customer based on the promotional telephone number the customer dialed. Based on the rules for handling calls, the call is redirected from the IVR system to an agent along with transmitting and displaying the call detail record to the agent.

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 method is provided for distribution and assignment of calls to an agent that has confirmed its current availability status. In one embodiment an agent is selected by the system and prompted for its current availability. If the agent is available, the call is routed to the agent. If the agent is not available the system selects another agent and the process is repeated. Then, a call is assigned to an available agent based on current availability information.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for allocating a resource to enqueued requests using a predicted wait time that is based on a prior contribution of the resource to service the requests in a particular queue. A resource is allocated to one of a plurality of requests. Each request is stored in at least one of a plurality of queues, each having a predicted wait time. Once it is determined that the resource has become available, the predicted wait times of the queues are updated based on a prior contribution of the resource to the queues; a performance level of each of the queues relative to one or more service level targets; and the resource is assigned, in response to the determination, to the request based on the evaluation. The service level targets can include one or more thresholds for the predicted wait time. The predicted wait time is based on a prior contribution of the resource to servicing one or more of the queues.

Abstract: Methods for enabling call center agents to adapt their servicing of incoming calls based on the estimated value of the calls are disclosed. In accordance with the first illustrative embodiment, when there is a “high-value” call waiting in the queue while one or more agents are currently servicing lower-value calls, an agent who is servicing a lower-value call is informed that there is a higher-value call waiting in the queue, and is prompted to provide an estimate of how much longer he or she will be servicing his or her current call. The call center system selects which agent the high-value call will be routed to based on: (i) the agents' responses to the prompts, and (ii) for each of the responding agents, a measure of how closely prior responses from the agent compared to the actual amount of time taken by the agent to complete servicing the call.

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 method for recording automatic call distributor calls includes receiving from a caller a call for distribution to one of a plurality of agents and distributing the call to a first agent of the plurality of agents for handling. The method includes creating a call signature associated with the call for recording verification and recording communications of the call to a recording file. The method also includes embedding the call signature in the recording file.

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: An outbound-operation support apparatus extracts a set of materials corresponding to received contents of an operation from a material database (DB) and extracts a theme and a knowledge-level value having a success rate larger than a predetermined threshold value from a value DB. Thereafter, a set of customer identifications corresponding to each of the extracted themes and the knowledge-level values is extracted from another value DB, and customer information corresponding to each of the customer identifications is extracted from a customer DB. The extracted material and the customer information are associated with each another and transmitted to an outbound agent terminal.

Abstract: The present invention provides a graceful transfer of a contact from a queue to another party. More particularly, exit points are defined within a given wait treatment for the contact. While the contact is in queue waiting for service the initiator of the contact is able provided with the wait treatment. When the contact is ready to be removed from the queue (e.g., because a servicing agent is ready to available to service the contact), the contact is kept in the queue and continues to be provided the wait treatment until an exit point has been reached.

Abstract: A method for mapping ready agents to incoming transactions has steps for (a) placing incoming transactions in a first queue managed by software executing from a machine-readable medium on a computerized appliance; (b) issuing a determined number of invitations in a period of time to agents known to be available to consider an invitation to interact with an incoming transaction; (c) placing identification of ready agents, who have accepted an invitation to interact, in a second queue managed by the software; (d) mapping transactions from the first queue to agents from the second queue; (e) monitoring changes in state of both the first and the second queues in the time period; and (f) adjusting determined number of invitations in step (b) in a manner to drive a chosen system performance metric toward a desired target value.

Abstract: A method and system for assigning tasks to contact center agents is disclosed, wherein an automatic call distributor (ACD) used for distributing incoming contact center calls to the agents is used to distribute other tasks to the agents. When an agent task (different from handling an incoming call) is determined, a corresponding “proxy” telephone call is generated from within the contact center to a PBX to assign an agent to the task. The ACD processes the proxy call substantially identically to any other incoming call requesting an agent's services. A proxy call has as its destination phone number the directory number of a call group used in selecting an appropriate agent for performing the task. The proxy call phone number additionally identifies the location of detailed information about the task.

Abstract: A contact center is provided that includes a plurality of agents for servicing incoming contacts and a target behavior identification module operable to (i) process a set of events to yield a corresponding measure; (ii) compare the measure to a plurality of rule sets, each of the rule sets corresponding to a different type of target behavior; and (iii) when the measure is defined by the a selected rule set, associate the measure with a type of target behavior corresponding to the selected rule set.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for utilizing the camera or video capability of particular communication devices, such as cell phones, to enhance handling of calls, such as emergency calls. In one implementation, when a call is made to an emergency response center (ERC) using an image/video capable communication device is queued until an agent is available for handling the call, one or more images or video may be collected from such caller by utilizing the image/video capability of the caller's communication device. The images collected from a plurality of different callers may then be sorted into different event groups. For instance, all the images/video that relate to a same emergency event, such as a traffic accident, are grouped together into a same event group. The different groups can then be prioritized for handling by an available agent. Additionally, the individual callers for each group may also be prioritized based on the collected images/video, e.g.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a contact center using presence information to direct work items to experts. More specifically, a system is provided that includes a feature that allows for subject matter experts, which are individuals other than customer service agents, to assist in incoming calls in at least three different modes: an assist mode, an intercept mode and an overflow mode. Thus, customer service efficiency and customer satisfaction are increased. In addition, it is contemplated that subject matter experts may either selectively accept or deny the request for assistance.

Abstract: An accessory device for a plurality of servers, the servers allocating client primary resource requests to primary resources, each server having a primary queue, the device including: a controller; a plurality of server communication links adapted to communicate with a respective server and to intercept client primary resource requests in response to the controller; an auxiliary queue, the device storing the intercepted requests in the auxiliary queue in response to the controller; and a secondary resource communication link adapted to communicate with at least one secondary resource. The device allocates secondary resource requests to at least one secondary resource in response to the controller. The device routes the intercepted requests to a selected server via at least one of the server communication links in response to a desired condition.

Abstract: A notification method and a notification system of a call center are disclosed. The method includes that the call center establishes a session with a client, inquires state information of agents, and if there is no idle agent, places the session in a waiting queue to wait for an idle agent allocated, and synchronously plays broadcast media for the client corresponding to the session in the waiting queue. In the embodiment of the invention, services with the same content are provided for part or all of the clients of the sessions in a waiting state by the broadcast way Compared with a unicast way adopted in the conventional art, the same content is not required to be respectively and repeatedly played for various client, and the clients of the sessions in the waiting state exit the call center after obtaining the desired information, which relieves queuing pressure of the call center, saves waiting time of the clients in sessions and increases work efficiency of the call center.

Abstract: One problem faced by contact center providers is how to most effectively balance limited contact center resources against the need to provide good customer service. The present invention addresses this problem by enabling a contact center to use external resources such as freelance contact center agents and media servers. This is achieved in such a way that those external resources are controlled by the contact center and their use is effectively transparent to end users of the contact center.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer readable medium for routing an agent to a preferred communications platform in order to receive a customer call comprises: a web server call notification module that receives an automatic number identification and information relating to an establishment whose phone number was dialed, a virtual automated call distributor (VACD), an interactive voice response (IVR) system that requests an agent's identification from the VACD, where the VACD and the web server are coupled to the IVR system, where the VACD selects the agent's identification and routes a customer's information to an agent desktop environment (ADE) coupled to the VACD, and an access platform that receives the customer's information and updates an ADE phone control state session on an agent's desktop, where the IVR system queries the ADE for user name information relating to the web server, where the ADE queries an agent table for a user name, and where the agent is routed to a preferred communications platform at any

Abstract: A queue interface system and method for queuing voice calls for use with a communication system having queues includes a queue selector allowing a user to select a queue from a list of queues on a display. In an embodiment, one or more of the queues on the list of queues is a service agent queue. Further, the queue interface system includes an expected wait time component for displaying an expected wait time for a customer for the selected queue. The system also includes a call options selector providing a hold option and a call option. The hold option places a call in the selected queue and the call option causes a call to occur. In an embodiment, the call option further includes assigning a placeholder for a customer in the selected queue and causing a call to the customer to occur after the expected wait time.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention provides for receiving a call from a caller, the call being associated with a first merchant; placing the call in a queue; determining a second merchant; and establishing a connection, the connection enabling communication between the caller and the second merchant while the call is in the queue.

Abstract: A web-based hosted solution (a managed service or system) through which business entities create and manage communications campaigns, such as interactive campaigns that afford target recipients an opportunity to be connected to a call center. To reduce latency of customer-to-agent connections, the system implements an agent stay-on-line function by which a persistent telephony connection is established and maintained between the system infrastructure and an available agent. In this manner, the agent may handle multiple customers while avoiding an ACD hold queue. In addition, preferably a service-side hold queue also is established and maintained on the service-side of the infrastructure. This hold queue maintains calls that are waiting to be connected to available agents. It ensures that any customer abandons (on the service side) do not impair the connections that are being established and maintained to the agents. The managed service carries out a communications campaign on behalf of a client.

Abstract: A queue management system interfaces with a resource management system and a queuing system in an environment that further includes an interim system. The queue management system comprises an interface to the resource management system for obtaining resource availability data and a management system. The resource availability data represents a resource termination time—and may include the resource termination time or data useful for calculating the resource termination time. The control system: i) obtains a value representing the expected interim system handling time, and ii) makes the interim system available for handling a subject client only if the expected interim system handling time period terminates prior to the resource termination time.

Abstract: The present invention relates to queue-theoretic models for integration of automated call routing systems with human operators. Organizations are increasingly turning to spoken dialog systems for automated call routing to reduce call center costs. To maintain quality service even in cases of failure, these systems often resort to ad-hoc rules for dispatching calls to a human operator. The present invention provides queue-theoretic methods that provide a modeling and simulation capability in support of decisions about the staffing of call-handling centers based on the frequency of incoming calls and the competency of automated dialog systems. The methods include a procedure for identifying when callers should be transferred to operators. The procedure integrates models that predict when a call is likely to fail using spoken dialog features with queuing models of call center volume and service time.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a contact center for servicing contacts having (a) an input to receive a first contact from a first customer; (b) a selector (i) to determine whether the first contact is related to another contact with the first customer and (ii) when the first contact is related to another contact with the first customer, to service the contact differently than when the first contact is unrelated to another contact with the first customer; and/or (c) a repeat contact determining agent (i) to track, a set of the plurality of agents over a selected time period, a number of contacts serviced by the agent set that are related to another contact serviced by the plurality of agents and (ii) to maintain, for each of the plurality of agents, an indicator indicating one or more of (a) a number of contacts, serviced by the agent set during the selected time period, that are not related to another contact serviced by the agent and (b) a number of contacts, serviced by the agent set during the selec

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for servicing a transaction in a contact center. When a communication associated with a transaction is terminated prematurely, special treatment may be provided to the transaction initiator.

Abstract: A mobile device can be assigned to an extension configured as a Queue Agent (“QA”) in a call-queuing enabled virtual private branch exchange (vPBX). This and other mobile or fixed devices can be interconnected to form a virtual call center. Each extension can be assigned various rules, which specify how the incoming calls are answered at the extension and how calls in the call queue are selected for answering by the QA. As part of the rules, the vPBX system forwards calls from a call queue to the QA based on QA's availability status. If a location-aware mobile device is associated with the QA, the vPBX system can determine the QA's availability status based on a geographic location of the mobile device. A most geographically proximate agent can be selected for answering the call.

Abstract: A method for communicating with an automatic call distributor system agent includes communicating through a communications link with a first agent of a plurality of agents associated with an automatic call distributor (ACD) system. The plurality of agents are able to receive user calls distributed by the ACD system. The user calls comprise requests for service. The method includes receiving an audible state command from the first agent through the communications link and changing the state of the first agent with respect to the ACD system in response to the audible state command.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a contact center system based upon open standards. The contact center system can include at least one agent node, a portal server, and an application server. An agent node can include a standard HTTP browser that communicates over a standard Internet Protocol network using standard protocols. The portal server can be configured to communicate with an agent node via an agent portal, which can consist of multiple agent portlets to present information. The application server can be configured to execute contact center applications that can collect and distribute information via the agent portlets and transfer calls to agents.