Abstract: Techniques for routing a telephone call are provided. A call interface device of an interactive voice response system is configured to receive the telephone call from a caller. A level one agent processing module routes the telephone all to a level one agent for an agent interview of the caller when level three and level two agents are not available. A level two agent processing module handles the telephone call when the level three agent is not available. A level three agent processing module facilitates the handling of the telephone call when the level three agent is available.

Abstract: Embodiments for managing customer wait time at a call center are provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a switch having a software engine that determines the customer wait time, a computing device executing a work force optimization (WFO) software module, such that the software engine transmits a query to the WFO software module. In one embodiment, the WFO software module transmits a number of unlogged agents and a next shift time in response to the query, and such that the software engine determines the customer wait time based on the number of unlogged agents and the next shift time.

Abstract: A system for handling call transfer contains a talker computer for providing a batch notification that enables a central data server to identify a batch of one or more customer records for calling, a central data server for receiving the batch notification that enables the central data server to identify the batch of one or more customer record, and a dialing agent computer for providing a connected notification that a customer that has been called has been connected, referred to herein as a connected customer, via a call, wherein a customer record of the connected customer is associated with the batch, wherein the central data server provides an identify notification and the talker computer receives the identify notification that enables the talker computer to distinguish the connected customer record, wherein the connected customer record is associated with the batch.

Abstract: System and method to select a contact handling mode in a contact center, the method including: receiving, by a communication interface, a contact from a customer; calculating, by a processor of the contact center, an expected wait time by the customer based upon historical contact information stored in a memory of the contact center; calculating an expected cost of queueing the customer for the expected wait time; and selecting the contact handling mode based upon the expected cost of queueing the customer.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing customer communications over communication channels are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method for receiving consent from a customer to be contacted on the customer's cellular phone may include (1) communicating, over a first communication channel, with a customer; (2) using at least one computer processor, prompting the customer for customer consent to be contacted on the customer's cellular phone; (3) receiving, from the customer, a response to the prompt for customer consent; and (4) storing the response in a database.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for conducting an outbound call campaign that involves multiple abandonment rates. In various embodiments, one or more filters are applied to a call list for an outbound call campaign to identify a first sub-list of telephone numbers with a first applicable abandonment rate and a second sub-list of telephone numbers with a second applicable abandonment rate. In particular embodiments, the first and second sub-lists are apportioned into sets of telephone numbers and a predictive dialer places telephone calls based on a first set for the first sub-list while targeting the first abandonment rate over a first particular period of time and, after placing the first group of calls, places telephone calls based on a first set for the second sub-list while targeting the second abandonment rate over a second particular period of time.

Abstract: A system and method for managing customer communications over communication channels are disclosed. A method may include (1) at least one of a plurality of computer processors determining a communication channel for contacting a customer; (2) at least one of the plurality of computer processors determining contact information for the customer to be used with the determined communication channel; (3) presenting the contact information to an agent; (4) receiving, at an electronic device, authorization to initiate contact with the customer using the contact information; and (5) at least one of a plurality of computer processors automatically initiating contact with the customer using the communication channel.

Abstract: A customizable call center dialing system, method and computer program product for providing computer based training module that permits an administrator to selectively adjust campaign variables associated with a calling campaign. The system preferably includes a server, a dialing algorithm having a plurality of variables associated with a dialing campaign wherein the dialing algorithm is executed by the server. An administrator interface is in communication with the server, and at least one agent interface in communication with the server. A dialing engine is controlled by an output from the dialing algorithm wherein the administrator interface permits an authorized user to selectively modify the output of the dialing algorithm. Advantageously, at least one dialing parameter can be modified, in real-time, such that a new call is predictively initiated close to a time when the call agent finishes a previous call.

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

Abstract: A system and machine-implemented method for automated communication relating to configuring a communication channel, selectively configurable between receiving a new inbound communication session and initiating a new outbound communication session, for receiving a new inbound communication session, processing an inbound communication session, determining the inbound communication session has terminated, determining that an outbound communication is pending in response to termination of the inbound communication session, and reconfiguring the communication channel for outbound communication and establishing an outbound communication session in response to the determination that an outbound communication is pending.

Abstract: Contact centers, such as outbound call centers, are provided with means by which they may attempt to contact individuals at a time and via a channel preferred by the contact. A history of prior contact interactions is used as one means to establish a preferred contact time and channel. With a preferred contact time and/or channel established, the contact center may attempt to reach the contact with a decreased likelihood of the attempt being consider a nuisance.

Abstract: A web-based hosted solution through which business entities create and manage communications campaigns is described. 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 do not impair the connections being established and maintained to the agents.

Abstract: A method for determining a number of calls to generate for a specific outbound campaign in an automated contact center based upon a prediction of agent occupancy in a future time period, wherein the automated contact center processes one or more outbound campaigns. The estimates a total number of outbound agents available to the one or more outbound campaigns. By using the total number of outbound agents, an effective number of agents for the specific outbound campaign is determined according to a ratio. The effective number of agents is used to determine a number of outbound calls to generate for the specific outbound campaign according to a dialing method. Calls are then generated for the specific outbound campaign based upon the determined number of outbound calls to generate.

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

Abstract: A method for partitioning a call center having N agents associated with M agent groups, for computation by a plurality of computational nodes, has steps for (a) assigning each agent as a vertex in a hypergraph; (b) assigning each agent group as a hyper-edge in the hypergraph; and (c) applying a hypergraph partitioning algorithm to partition the agents and groups relative to the nodes with the hypergraph cost function awarding equal load distribution to nodes and minimizing inter-node traffic.

Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, limiting contact to a networked contact center that is a host to multiple tenants. In an example embodiment, a communication is received by a networked contact center. In determining whether to allow the communication to reach contact center resources, a contact rate value may be examined. The contact rate value may represent an allowable quantity of contact within a time interval. For some example embodiments, a determination of whether the network contact center is to accept or reject the communication is made based on the contact rate value.

Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, limiting contact to a networked contact center that is a host to multiple tenants. In an example embodiment, a communication is received by a networked contact center. In determining whether to allow the communication to reach contact center resources, a contact rate value may be examined. The contact rate value may represent an allowable quantity of contact within a time interval. For some example embodiments, a determination of whether the network contact center is to accept or reject the communication is made based on the contact rate value.

Abstract: A system for handling call transfer contains a talker computer for providing a batch notification that enables a central data server to identify a batch of one or more customer records for calling, a central data server for receiving the batch notification that enables the central data server to identify the batch of one or more customer record, and a dialing agent computer for providing a connected notification that a customer that has been called has been connected, referred to herein as a connected customer, via a call, wherein a customer record of the connected customer is associated with the batch, wherein the central data server provides an identify notification and the talker computer receives the identify notification that enables the talker computer to distinguish the connected customer record, wherein the connected customer record is associated with the batch.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer readable medium for real time feedback of script logic that comprises counting at least one agent utilizing at least one panel associated with at least one caller, establishing an average length of time required to utilize the at least one panel associated with the at least one caller, tallying a number of callers terminating interaction during utilization of the at least one panel, calculating statistics associated with the counted agents per panel, the established average length of time required per panel and the tallied number of callers terminating interaction per panel, and displaying the calculated statistics.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a cloud computing call center that may provide a multi-tenanted platform for scalable, dynamic allocation of telephony, PBX, and call center capabilities. Embodiments of the invention include implementations of a software telephony switch in a cloud computing environment that may dynamically allocate software based PBXes, virtual interactive voice responses (IVRs), and other system components to particular calls.

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

Abstract: A system and method for generating a list of natural language comments during a telecommunication session between a customer and an operator wherein the system and method comprises of receiving a geographical code corresponding to the customer's location and obtaining data associated with the geographical code and processing the obtained data to generate a dynamic interface which comprises of a contextual content and the list of natural language comments.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer readable medium for routing an agent to a preferred communications platform comprises accessing a server comprising a routing strategy, wherein the routing strategy consists of a site value, a project identification value, a project load value, and an attribute value of the agent, and wherein the site value takes precedent over the project identification value which takes precedent over the project load value which takes precedent over the attribute value of the agent, and routing the agent to the preferred environment based on a result of the routing strategy.

Abstract: A system and method for providing guidance to persuade a caller is provided. A call is received from a caller into a call center and an offer is provided to the caller. A likelihood of the caller to accept the offer is measured by analyzing voice input of the caller during the call. One or more paralinguistic voice characteristics in the voice input are determined. A stage of persuasion is assigned to the caller based on the paralinguistic voice characteristics and a recommendation is made for guidance to persuade the caller to accept the offer.

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

Abstract: A system and method for creating, storing, and retrieving data associated with initiated communications to a vendor are disclosed. An exemplary system includes a response server in communication with a database that provides a platform for storage and retrieval of records created by the response server. The response server is configured to provide a series of menus including a group of selections during the initiated communications to the vendor and receive inputs in response to the menus. The response server is further configured to create a record for each initiated communication as the initiated communication is occurring, and to create a report including at least a portion of the data from each record. The portions of data taken from each record each describe a characteristic of at least one of the inputs for the initiated communication associated with each respective record.

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 system and method for automated communication to at least one end user. In one example, a system includes an interactive voice response (IVR) platform and a decision engine for creating a campaign that configures the IVR platform to perform outbound calls to the at least one end user to execute a task. The IVR based system calls the at least one end user based on the created campaign, records results of the call which indicate execution status of the task, and controls the future calls made by the campaign based on the results of the at least one call.

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: A system, method, and computer readable medium for utilizing agent availability by an outdial application are provided. A routine may be periodically run by an outdial server that evaluates agent availability in a call center backend. If any agents are available, the routine may schedule a pre-defined number of calls per available agent. A number of phone numbers corresponding to the number of scheduled calls may then be fetched by the routine from a phone number database. Once calls are initiated by the outdial server, the routine again checks if any agents are available. In the event that an agent is available, a scheduled phone number is retrieved, and a call is placed thereto and connected with an available agent. After a successful call connection is made, the outdial application may again check the agent availability. If no agent is available, the outdial application may reschedule itself.

Abstract: A system and method for answering a call on a communication device is provided and includes: detecting an incoming call on the communication device, automatically answering the incoming call, and detecting whether an audio signal is received through the microphone of the communication device. Upon not detecting an audio signal, the call is disconnected.

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, methods, and a computer-readable storage media for placing a plurality of calls with a common message to a plurality of subscribers are provided. The systems, methods, and a computer-readable storage media include receiving an instruction to place the plurality of calls with the common message to the plurality of subscribers. The instruction includes call information that identifies the plurality of subscribers. One of the plurality of auto-dialers for placing each of the plurality of calls based on the call information is determined, and an instruction is transmitted to each of the plurality of auto-dialers based on results of the determination. The plurality of auto-dialers places the plurality of calls to the plurality of subscribers based on the instruction transmitted to each of the plurality of auto-dialers.

Abstract: A system for scheduling outbound agents comprises an instruction execution system. The instruction execution system is configured to identify a workload comprising a plurality of outbound contacts. The instruction execution system is further configured to receive historical information comprising connection rates of past outgoing contact attempts. The instruction execution system is further configured to schedule the outbound contacts based at least on the connection rates of the past outgoing contact attempts.

Abstract: A method of designing a customer interface for a service center, such as an automated speech recognition (ASR) self-service center. Customer activity to an existing service center is monitored, providing customer model, which includes a collection of customer tasks. These tasks are assigned to action-object pairs, which are further assigned to routing destinations. Dialog modules are designed, based on the customer model data, including disambiguation dialogs.

Abstract: A method for providing inbound call reservations to a communication center has steps for monitoring service access points into the communication center by reservation software executing from a machine-readable medium, evaluating communicators and potential communicators, and issuing invitations for reserved communication sessions to qualified communicators and potential communicators, the reserved times coordinated according to data pertaining to predicted communication load and resource availability statistics.

Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, limiting contact to a networked contact center that is a host to multiple tenants. In an example embodiment, a communication is received by a networked contact center. In determining whether to allow the communication to reach contact center resources, a contact rate value may be examined. The contact rate value may represent an allowable quantity of contact within a time interval. For some example embodiments, a determination of whether the network contact center is to accept or reject the communication is made based on the contact rate value.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying a customer include storing account information, the account information including one or more associated phone numbers and an account number, the account number having a last 4-digit portion, receiving a phone number, comparing the phone number to the account information of various account holders to determine whether the phone number matches an associated phone number, prompting the user to input 4 digits if there is a match, and comparing the received 4 digits to the respective 4-digit portion to identify the customer.

Abstract: An agent assisting system for providing assistance to agents of contact center during calls is provided. The agent assisting system includes a monitoring module configured to monitor parameters of a call coming to the contact center. The agent assisting system further includes a sentiment detector module configured to detect sentiments of a user during the call. The agent assisting system further includes a pattern matching module configured to determine a script for an agent handling the call, based on the parameters of the call and the sentiments of the user during the call, wherein the script providing instructions to the agent to improve handling of the call. The agent assisting system further includes a script publishing module configured to publish the script to the agent handling the call.

Abstract: A dynamic call connection distributor and a related method, the distributor including an agent pool, having information of call agents, the agent pool is at least partly configurable by a plurality of individual call agents, a recipient dialer, including circuitry for dialing at least one number of predefined potential recipients for establishment of a recipient connection, an agent dialer including circuitry for establishing an agent connection from the dynamic connection distributor to a call agent, and a call linker, having circuitry for linking the agent connection with the recipient call.

Abstract: Providers of goods and services may desire human input regarding the products that they offer. A vocal query service provides a mechanism to present queries to human respondents. A human respondent may be presented with information and subsequently queried as to their opinion. The respondents receiving the query may be selected based upon profiles containing demographic information, interest information, desired contact time, and the like. Prospective respondents may be contacted via a personal telephone at a time of their choosing and may choose whether or not to respond. During the query, should a respondent require assistance, the respondent may be contact a customer service agent. Query respondents may be motivated to participate, as the query is designed to appeal to respondent's interest and is presented at a convenient time. The query service may also increase the customer service agents to expand the query to additional human respondents in near-real time.

Abstract: A dialing strategy determination engine (DSDE) for selecting a dialing strategy for placing an outbound call has determination software executing on a computerized server from a machine-readable medium, access to stored dialing strategies, contact data, and a rules set, and a port for receiving a request for dialing strategy from an outbound dialer. The determination software, upon receiving a request for a dialing strategy associated with a contact identification, consults the rule set and the contact data, selects a dialing strategy based on the rules and the data, and returns the selected strategy to the outbound dialer.

Abstract: A system for making outbound calls includes a first node connected to a network for placing outbound telephone calls, a second node connected to the network and accessible to the first node for reporting agent status relative to busy, ready, and time to ready, a number of agent appliances connected to the network and accessible to the second node, and a number of agent activity applications installed one per on the agent appliances. In a preferred embodiment outbound calls are predicted based on the number of agents reported ready to accept a call plus the number of agents predicted to be ready to accept a call within a specified time window.

Abstract: A method for partitioning a call center having N agents associated with M agent groups, for computation by a plurality of computational nodes, has steps for (a) assigning each agent as a vertex in a hypergraph; (b) assigning each agent group as a hyper-edge in the hypergraph; and (c) applying a hypergraph partitioning algorithm to partition the agents and groups relative to the nodes with the hypergraph cost function awarding equal load distribution to nodes and minimizing inter-node traffic.

Abstract: A Web-based hosted system through which business entities create and manage communications campaigns. The system carries out a communications campaign on behalf of a client. A campaign is a series of calls to a contact list using one or more sub-campaigns. A sub-campaign associates a list of contacts, a script, and a timeframe. An agent typically is a contact center operator. A skill group is a set of agents that are trained to handle a given script. Call pacing enhancements are implemented to allow simultaneous progress on multiple sub-campaigns under a skill group. The techniques enable control over the pacing of individual sub-campaigns when multiple sub-campaigns are running under a single skill group. The service also provides a framework by which a set of “pluggable” pacing models are provisioned and managed, preferably on a per-model basis.

Abstract: A campaign strategy manager (CSM) component for a hosted communications campaign system allows users to define more granular and specific campaign strategies, including pass escalation for alternative channels (e.g., text and email) and/or based upon attempt results, contact attributes and response group data. The campaign strategy manager allows users to define pass strategies statically and dynamically, to manage lists across multiple campaigns, and to view results in real-time. A defined strategy is a static strategy created by a user for a particular campaign that, once created, typically is not modified. A dynamic strategy is one where, during the course of a day (e.g., as a sub-campaign is running), a user may alter the defined strategy, preferably just for that day (or portion thereof). The CSM may be used to implement a recovery strategy using a dialer pass.

Abstract: In one example, a method provides at least one service to a web-enabled user by detecting a stalled web session related to the user accessing the at least one service and providing a stall alert to a computer telephony interface, the stall alert based on the stalled web session. In response to the stall alert, the method includes using a computer telephony interface to automatically query availability of an agent. If the query determines an agent is available, the method includes automatically communicating instructions from a real-time chat module in communication with the computer telephony interface to a computing device operated by the user, the instructions to initialize a real-time chat application executed on the computing device. The method includes providing the agent with outbound call specifications related to the user and disabling the stall alert when the stalled web session is no longer detected.

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 hosted list service provider (“HLSP”) provides list management services for compliance purposes. The HLSP receives electronic consent information from an enterprise that may comprise a telephone number and stores the same in at least one database, to facilitate retrieving the electronic consent information for a particular telephone number. A telephone number list is provided to a call center, which can originate calls for a calling campaign using the telephone numbers on behalf of the enterprise. After the campaign is completed, the call center may provide data to the HLSP indicating which callers have requested to opt-out, and the HLSP updates its databases appropriately. The HLSP may process the telephone number data against other databases, and may inform the enterprise of called parties that have requested a change of status. Follow up communication can occur to the called party to confirm or re-establish consent for subsequent calls.

Abstract: A system and method for processing calls in a call center are described. A call session from a caller via a session manager and including incoming text messages of a verbal speech stream is assigned. The incoming text messages are progressively visually presented throughout the call session to a live agent on an agent console operatively coupled to the session manager. The incoming text messages are progressively processed through a customer support scenario interactively monitored and controlled by the live agent via the agent console. The incoming text messages are processed through automated script execution in concert with the live agent. Outgoing text messages are converted into a synthesized speech stream. The synthesized speech stream is sent via the agent console to the caller.