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 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.

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

Abstract: A method and apparatus for resuming a session between a client device and an IVR system in customer service. The method includes the following steps: reestablishing the session in customer service; determining whether there is status information of an abnormally terminated session corresponding to the reestablished session in customer service; retrieving the status information of the abnormally terminated session in customer service; and resuming the session between the client device and the IVR system in customer service according to the retrieved status information.

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: System and method for recording communication sessions in a peer-to-peer communication networks. End-devices of the peer to peer communication network may register with a selected super-node that may fork media to a recording system for recording. Communication sessions arriving at a call center may be transferred between the external end-device and the target agent end-device via a recorder and the communication session media may be recorded. Alternatively, a conference call may be established between an external end-device, a target agent end-device of a call center and a recorder over a peer-to-peer communication network. After the conference call is established, the recorder may receive media transferred between the external end-device and the target agent end-device and record that media.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for recording media communications. An exemplary method is comprised of the following steps: configuring an endpoint recording device for relaying an incoming call to an endpoint component; receiving the incoming call from a communication system; determining whether to relay the incoming call to the endpoint component based on the configurations of the endpoint recording device; responsive to determining that the incoming call is to be relayed, relaying media communications associated with the incoming call to the endpoint component via the endpoint recording device; and recording the relayed media communications at the endpoint component.

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 and system for processing application logs describing transactions in a computer telephony integration (CTI) environment is disclosed. The CTI environment includes a plurality of CTI servers configured to execute CTI applications. Numerous instances or types of CTI applications may be executed. A user may request information for a transaction performed in the CTI environment. The relevant application logs indicating the transaction may be determined and output. Information indicating the relevant application logs may be output to the user.

Abstract: A method and system of an embodiment may include receiving at least a portion of a call recording request at a voice response unit, identifying a call received at the voice response unit as a call matching one or more parameters of the call recording request, and utilizing available digital signal processing resources of the voice response unit to record one or more specified portions of the call.

Abstract: A recording system has an interface enabled to monitor interaction between an agent of an enterprise and a second person, recording apparatus enabled to record the interaction and to store the recording in a data repository, and software stored in and executing from a machine-readable medium, the software providing functions for controlling the recording apparatus. The software responds to inputs from the second person to control the recording apparatus.

Abstract: A data recording system that includes a plurality of network interface cards that may be employed within a single recording device. Each card may be provided with a plurality of network connecting ports to receive packetized data, such as real-time protocol (RTP) streams. For each RTP packet stream being recorded, the system may note the sequence number for the most recently accepted packet and any packet received with a lower sequence number can be readily discarded. The system then may record payload associated with the RTP streams into an audio file saved on a storage device.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a system, method and technique for operating a communication device. According to an embodiment, information contained in a contact record is displayed, where the information includes a plurality of entries. Each entry is associated with one of a plurality of communication types and includes an identifier for use with an application of the associated communication type. An input is detected corresponding to a user's selection of one of the plurality of entries. In response to the user's selection, the application of the communication type associated with the selected entry is automatically executed by initiating a communication using the identifier included in the selected entry.

Abstract: A method may include receiving a call from a caller and determining whether the caller has previously called a call center. The method may also include identifying, in response to determining that the caller has previously called the call center, an agent that handled the previous call from the caller, and forwarding the call to the agent that handled the previous call.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for monitoring and evaluating multimedia telephonic and computer-communication interactions. The multimedia quality monitoring system may include an event manager, which may receive a notification associated with a VoIP communication between an agent and a customer and recording servers, which record data associated with the VoIP communication.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes identifying a first communication from a customer, identifying a second communication from the customer following a response to the first communication from a contact center, and analyzing the first and second communications at a contact center network device to determine a change in sentiment from the first communication to the second communication. An apparatus for contact center performance measurement is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method comprises receiving a plurality of voice sessions and creating a unique identifier for each of the plurality of voice sessions, wherein each identifier is unique for the duration of its associated voice session. The method also includes assigning the unique identifiers to the associated voice session, and creating a unique data session for each voice session. The method further includes assigning the unique identifier of each voice session to the data session associated with its voice session. The method also includes receiving a plurality of voice sessions and a plurality of data sessions at a manager, and matching one of the plurality of received voice sessions with its associated data session based at least in part on the unique identifier. The method further includes communicating the matched voice session and data session to one of a plurality of agents.

Abstract: An access-frequency estimating apparatus includes a storage unit that stores hours outside operating hours and for which a second-degree derivative of access frequency distribution for contact centers whose business is similar to that of a contact center subject to estimation is nearly 0, and a coefficient indicating relation between access frequency during operating hours of the other contact centers and access frequency outside the operating hours; an acquiring unit that acquires past access frequencies for operating hours of the contact center; an extracting unit that extracts, from the storage unit, a coefficient expressing relation between the access frequencies for the operating hours and an arbitrary hour outside the operating hours; a first calculating unit that calculates an estimated access frequency for the arbitrary hour of the contact center, based on the past access frequencies acquired and the coefficient; and an output unit that outputs the estimated the access frequency calculated.

Abstract: A communication support system is connected with a network enabling communication among user terminals and is capable of accessing a user information recording portion in which shared information concerning users and access information showing users who accessed the shared information are recorded. The communication support system includes: a user identification portion that acquires a communication start request from a user terminal and identifies an originator and a receiver; a retrieval portion that retrieves shared information concerning the receiver that the originator has not accessed from data recorded in the user information recording portion; and a control portion that, based on a result of the retrieval by the retrieval portion, controls the communication. Thereby, the communication support system can control whether or not to start the communication based on the presence or not of information about the receiver that the originator should confirm.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for passing a URL for XML documents via a telephone signaling system is presented. A communication is received at a first system, and a document including information relating to the communication is produced. The document is sent to a service, and the communication is transferred to a second system. The communication includes an address for retrieving the document from the service.

Abstract: Communications systems are provided, a representative one of which incorporates: a recorder operative to record information associated with a communication; and a first computer application operative to provide a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface being configured such that, responsive to a user input designating a portion of the communication via the graphical user interface, information corresponding to that portion of the communication and recorded by the recorder is presented to the user, the first computer application being further operative to construct an integrated data stream comprising at least some of the information recorded.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a message-based communications infrastructure for automated call center post-call processing is described. Verbal speech utterances in a stream of recorded user messages are identified. The recorded user messages are parsed from a call with a user into a call center. The stream of recorded user messages are stored into a database maintained by the call center. The call is processed through an agent. One or more of the user messages is presented to the agent. Commands on the user messages are executed responsive to the agent.

Abstract: A system and method for collecting contextual information from several parties and generating an analyzed response to the contextual information is provided. Multiple sets of contextual information may be received from one or more clients. Relevant contextual information may be identified and pushed into a module which is configured to aggregate the relevant contextual information until it meets its threshold within a predetermined period. A set of events relating to the relevant contextual information may be generated to execute appropriate actions. The appropriate actions may include notifying a potential problem or an issue, providing a known solution, and so on. In this manner, contextual data from multiple parties can be analyzed to identify potential issues/problems that are frequently reported.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for recording media communications. An exemplary method is comprised of the following steps: configuring an endpoint recording device for relaying an incoming call to an endpoint component; receiving the incoming call from a communication system; determining whether to relay the incoming call to the endpoint component based on the configurations of the endpoint recording device; responsive to determining that the incoming call is to be relayed, relaying media communications associated with the incoming call to the endpoint component via the endpoint recording device; and recording the relayed media communications at the endpoint component.

Abstract: A trend is identified by examining multiple communications in a contact center. For example, a trend can be a specific issue or problem related to a product. A communication related to the trend is identified. Based on identification of the trend, a process for routing the communications in the contact center is altered. In one embodiment, different menus/items in an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system are changed based on the identified trend. In other embodiments, communications related to the trend are identified and moved to different queues or held in queues until there is a valid response. The identified communications can be responded to automatically, by specific agents, by group mailings, and the like. In addition, prior communications that relate to the trend are identified. This allows additional responses to be sent or processes to be altered in order to provide the customer with a better quality of service.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a system, method and technique for operating a communication device. According to an embodiment, information contained in a contact record is displayed, where the information includes a plurality of entries. Each entry is associated with one of a plurality of communication types and includes an identifier for use with an application of the associated communication type. An input is detected corresponding to a user's selection of one of the plurality of entries. In response to the user's selection, the application of the communication type associated with the selected entry is automatically executed by initiating a communication using the identifier included in the selected entry.

Abstract: A method, program product and system for retrieving customer data in a call center environment, includes completing a connection between a customer and a call agent. It also includes searching a database for a customer account or a business agreement based on information provided by the customer to the call agent. It further includes searching the database optionally for a premises that is either dependent of the customer account or business agreement or that is independent of the customer account or business agreement. It still further includes determining a contract corresponding to the premises and the customer account or business agreement. It also includes a search process that is completely flexible regarding search criteria and sequence. It finally includes dealing with the customer to resolve an issue related to the contract.

Abstract: A recording system that includes software configured to enable a first guest operating system to function in a virtual machine operating environment, a first recording software enabled to function by the first guest operating system, at least one processor, and at least one communication interface configured to receive first data corresponding to a first contact corresponding to a first contact center agent. The at least one processor is instructed by the first recording software to cause the first data to be stored in memory.

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 method, apparatus and computer program product for determining customer routing in a call center is presented. Information relating to a customer in a communication session with the call center is recorded. The information relating to the customer in a communication session with the call center is evaluated and a determination made whether to transfer the customer to a generalist. The customer is transferred to a generalist when a result of the determining is that the customer should be transferred to a generalist and the customer is not transferred to a generalist and when the result of the determining is that the customer should not be transferred to a generalist.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for maintaining data for multi-channel communication queuing associated with different media formats such as telephone, email, and fax. A list of agent data includes information related to types of communication media an agent can access. The data can further include information related to an agent's skills, a list of media routes, statistics for communication channels of specified media types, statistics for an agent, and journals for work items. Priority values for the media routes, the maximum number of queued items for the media routes, and times for escalating a work item can also be included.

Abstract: A call flow guidance system helps a call center agent navigate the maze of complex call flows that apply to an enormous spectrum of caller issues, and further improves adoption rates and training timelines for the call center agents. Through the system, call center agents easily navigate multiple call flows and view information tailored to improve average handle time (AHT) and first call resolution (FCR). The system provides dynamic content attached to call flows and improve call flow navigation by implementing links that bridge nodes between display sections of a particular call flow and links that cross from one call flow to another.

Abstract: A method of determining the complexity of a telephonic communication received by a contact center is provided. The method comprises the step of establishing a call rule based on one or more of a call duration threshold, a non-interaction threshold, a distress event threshold, a third party dialog threshold, and a call transfer threshold. A recorded telephonic communication is received and call attributes associated with the telephonic communication are determined. The call attributes include one or more of the following: call duration data, non-interaction data, distress event data, third party dialog data and call transfer data. The established call rule is compared to the call attributes of the telephonic communication, and data indicative of the complexity of the telephonic communication is generated.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for recording media communications an exemplary method is comprised of the following steps: receiving instructions at a gateway to record an incoming call; receiving the incoming call from a calling communication device; determining whether to record the incoming call based on the received instructions; routing the incoming call to a called communication device in a customer center; responsive to the determination to record the incoming call, duplicating the media communications via the gateway; transmitting the duplicated media communications associated with the incoming call via the gateway; and recording the duplicated media communications.

Abstract: A call center system used for receiving incoming calls in accordance with the present information has a plurality of terminals, an incoming-call control apparatus and an exchange. Each of the terminals is accommodated by the exchange and includes a display unit as well as a telephone unit; an audio recording & playback unit for recording voices of a conversation between an operator operating the terminal and a caller making an call in a conversation-voice recording file and for playing back voices from the conversation-voice recording file and a response-information-creating unit for creating a response to an incoming call.

Abstract: Multiple communication types (e.g. chat, email, voice, etc.) are integrated into a call center. Embodiments can allow a single agent to handle multiple endpoints and multiple communication types. An agent user interface allows the agent to have control over accepting multiple communications and provides information to the agent about the communications and the customer. The agent can drag and drop canned responses, images, URLs, or other information into a window for immediate display on a customer's computer. The system also provides flexibility in transferring large amounts of historic and current data from one agent to another, and from storage to an active agent. The system also provides for “blending” of different communication types to provide a single interface to the agent.

Abstract: A method for discovering customer center information includes receiving a plurality of customer center information from a plurality of respective information sources, and correlating the plurality of customer center information to determine an identity of a customer center agent accessing customer center resources.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for determining wait treatment for a customer in a call center is presented. Information relating to a customer in a communication session with the call center is recorded. The information relating to a customer in a communication session with the call center is then evaluated. From the evaluation the type of wait treatment to use for the customer is determined and is provided to the customer.

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: This apparatus calculates, from the spoken dialogue data between a customer and an operator, the speech length of each speech. Then, it estimates the structure of the spoken dialogue data based on the speech length and specifies a speech-length-characteristic change time point (time) when the speaker who makes longer speeches changes. Then it extracts an information search time point (time) when the operator performs information search from operation log information about operator's operations performed during this conversation and determined both the ending time point of a part-to-elicit from the information search time point and the starting time point of the part-to-elicit from the speech length-characteristic change time point.

Abstract: A method and system automatically generates flow charts of call flow programs used in a call center based on information about the call flow program and other telephone system resources collected from the call center. Such collected information includes automatic call distributor (ACD) programming. The method and system generate the flow chart of the call flow programs without prior knowledge of such collected information.

Abstract: Systems and methods for analyzing communications of a contact center are provided. A representative system incorporates a first computer application operative to reconstruct progress of a communication through the contact center such that information corresponding to the progress of the communication is presented to a user.

Abstract: A system for call processing is disclosed that includes voice recognition enabled activity code support. The system operates routes a received call to an agent, based on dialed number, other caller provided information, and/or load balancing across agents. The call is then handled by the agent as appropriate. After the call is ended, the system allows the agent to describe the call using voice commands or phrases that result in one or more associated activity codes being electronically recorded in association with the call. The stored activity codes can then be used as the basis for various types of high level functions, such as report generation, customer billing, etc. Voice commands are also recognized relating to agent status. Such agent status commands may, for example, include commands indicating changes in agent status, such as when an agent logs off the system, or when the agent becomes temporarily unavailable to take calls.

Abstract: Information about a caller is provided to an agent, such as a customer service operator in a customer service call center. In one embodiment, the agent may receive detailed account and/or personal information about the caller before being connected to the actual or live call. For example, the agent receives information from a customer database regarding a customer profile and information from an order database regarding order or transaction information. The customer database and the order database are external to the call center. The agent may modify the customer profile and/or the order or transaction information. The customer database and order database are update accordingly and the information may be transferred along with the call to another agent.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which provide availability of information on a network wide basis, with the network or information technology (IT) fabric spanning a wide range of institutions and other sources of information, including correctional facilities, without regard to which jurisdiction the source of information belongs, e.g. police, courts, federal investigation agencies, public databases etcetera. Embodiments provide an electronic based capability to identify useful information and for locating, collecting, compiling, aggregating, distilling, and/or reporting robust data.

Abstract: A call routing and supervising system includes an input receiving customer speech from a remote location, and a voice characteristics extractor extracting voice characteristics from the customer speech, such as language/dialect/accent, age group, gender, and eigendimension coordinates. A customer service representative selector selects one or more customer service representatives based on profiles of the customer service representatives respective of customers having voice characteristics similar to the extracted voice characteristics. In other aspects, a call monitor automatically analyzes dialogue between the customer and the customer service representative, such as detected interruptions, tracked dialogue turns, and recognized key phrases indicating frustration, polity, and/or resolution characteristics of dialogue. The call monitor records performance of the customer service representative respective of customers having the voice characteristics.

Abstract: Systems and methods for integrating contact center surveys are provided. In this regard, a representative method comprises: obtaining performance data pertaining to a contact center agent, the agent being designated to assist a customer of the contact center; providing a survey to the customer; receiving survey data responsive to the survey and corresponding to interaction with the customer by the contact center agent; and correlating the performance data with the survey data.

Abstract: A call is established between a circuit-switched network element and a packet-switched network element. A first call record is generated to record the circuit switched network element's involvement in the call, and a second call record is generated to record the packet-switched network element's involvement in the call. The first and second call records include the same call identification information to identify the call. The call identification information may include an internetwork call identifier, an identification of a carrier or service provider associated with the call, and other information that, in combination, uniquely identifies the call. The first and second call records are stored, e.g., in a centralized call record repository. Call records for a given call can be retrieved based on the call identification information for the given call.

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 apparatus and method provide assistance to an agent in a communication system, such as a communication system having an automatic call distributor. The method has the steps of determining skills of each agent of a plurality of agents, storing the determined skills for respective agents of the plurality of agents as skill records in a database, retrieving the skill record of a predetermined agent from the database, comparing the skill record of the predetermined agent to the skill records of the other agents in the database, selecting an agent from the plurality of agents based on the comparison of skill records, and establishing communication between the predetermined agent and the selected agent. The skill record of a predetermined agent is retrieved when the predetermined agent of the plurality of agents requests to communicate with another of the agents of the plurality of agents. The apparatus implements the method.