GB2257869A

GB2257869A - Telephone call answering evaluation

Info

Publication number: GB2257869A
Application number: GB9115386A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Steven John Abbott
Original assignee: British Telecommunications PLC
Current assignee: British Telecommunications PLC
Priority date: 1991-07-17
Filing date: 1991-07-17
Publication date: 1993-01-20
Also published as: GB9115386D0

Abstract

An evaluation system for telephone call answering response including a connection point 11 for exchange lines 10 to a number of telephones 15 - 18. A ring detector 20 and busy detector 21 allows the system to evaluate via timing circuit 22 what length of time has elapsed before a call is answered. This is compared in comparator 24 with the target time. A calculation circuit 25 determines the percentage of calls answered within this target period and the result is displayed on display 28 via display driver 27. A call summer 23 allows information on total number of calls to be determined and displayed. <IMAGE>

Description

TELEPHONE CALL ANSWERING EVALUATION The invention related to telephone call answering and evaluation and display of performance results.

In sales offices and repair/maintenance offices, for example, there are a number of telephones with personnel available to answer and process calls. Targets can be set for the number of calls to be handled within a predetermined period (eg. an 8 hour shift).

At present there is no mechanism available for evaluating the results of calls taken and for providing an indication to the telephone personnel in "real time".

Such real time performance evaluation and display would provide an incentive for personnel to improve performance if the displayed result showed a fall-off of effort, for example.

According to the invention there is provided a telephone call answering evaluation system including means for connection to a plurality of telephone lines; means for determining the commencement of a ringing signal on a line; means for determining when the call is answered; means for determining the period elapsed between start and answering the call; means for comparing the elapsed period with a target period; and means for displaying to all users current information on the number of calls answered within the target period.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the system of the invention; Figure 2 shows a ringing detector circuit for use in the Figure 1 arrangement; Figure 3 shows a busy detector circuit for use in the Figure 1 arrangement; Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment with more than one display for utilisation by more than one team of operators; and Figure 5 shows a flowchart associated with the Figure 4 arrangement.

The Figure 1 arrangement shows a number of exchange lines 10 (typically twenty lines) passing via a connection point 11 to a number of telephones 15-18.

Typically the incoming lines will be all for the same subscriber number and each of the telephones can be used to answer calls on any of these lines.

Extending from the connection point 11 are a ring detector block 20 for detecting a ringing signal on any line, and a busy detector block 21 for detecting when the lines are busy.

The outputs from these blocks are received by timing circuit block 22. This will time the interval between the detected presence of the ring signal (indication of a caller ringing in to that number) and the detected busy signal (indicative that the call has now been answered). Additional timing information, such as the length of the call could be deduced from the busy detector output.

The commencement of timing for each call can be utilised by the call summer block 23 to total the number of calls handled during the predetermined period. The timer output is available to the time target comparator 24 which will determine whether the call was answered within a present target time (eg. 15 seconds). The comparator output is passed to the percentage calculator 25 which continually updates the percentage value of calls answered within the target time as determined by comparator 24. The call summer result from block 23 together with the output of block 24 are passed to display driver 27 which controls display 28 to provide a visual indication, in real time, to the operators of the total number of calls answered and the percentage answered within the target answering period.

The ring detector is shown in Figure 2 and includes an AC filter (C1, R1) connected to diode bridge, BR1, which allows reversed connection to the connection point 11 to be accommodated. On ringing a signal passes through the bridge and via the opto-isolator OP1 (and associated components R2, R3 and C2) as a detection signal. This is shaped via IC1 and inverted via IC2 and passes to AND gate IC3 where an output is provided dependent on the status of the signal from the busy circuit block 21.

The busy circuit 21 of Figure 3 includes a diode bridge BR1 and this is connected via opto-isolator OP1 (and associated components R1, R2 and C1) to promote the detected signal. This is shaped via IC1 and inverted via IC2. EX OR gate IC3 prevents the busy signal being generated when a ring signal is present (as current flows through the circuit when a ring tone is received).

Additional circuitry could be employed to ensure that stray pulses are not interpreted as signal information.

In a modified embodiment shown in Figure 4, the lines are arranged into two groups via connection points gila, lib. The ring detector 20 and busy detector 21 are provided as before, but the timing and evaluation mechanism is now provided by a personal computer (PC) 30.

The detectors have access to the computer 30 via interface 31. The computer provides the output signals for the displays 28a, 29b via interface 32. Typically, the interfaces could be provided on cards fitted within the PC housing. A printer 35 can provide a permanent record from the computer of results achieved, possibly in graphical form. A flowchart of typical operations is shown in Figure 5.

The display can typically be a 1000mm x 120mm wall mounted display module which is easily viewed. Internal memory within the display or display driver circuitry can temporarily hold the information for display, reducing the operational requirements of the other circuits of Figures 1 and 4.

By having more than one group of users, each can be used to motivate the other group as the visual display will be seen by both groups and neither will wish to be below target compared to the other. This competitive approach will achieve improved response to customers and benefit the company employing such a system.

The target can be changed easily and be set dependent on circumstances.

Thus a target of 75% of all calls to be answered within 25 seconds may be acceptable. A number of time bands can be set over a 24 hour period if required.

The results can include the percentage of calls answered within the target time. The volume of calls received and/or calls answered within the target time could also be monitored and displayed.

The displayed information could be as follows:

Group 1 Group 2 Percentage Calls 50 53 Answered Volume of Calls 32 28 Daily results can be stored and evaluated later as such information is available from the stored data within the system. These could include the number of abandoned calls.

Various times of the day are likely to be busier than others, and so during some periods it will be easier to achieve targets than others; this can be evaluated and modified as required.

The daily printout figures could be produced as follows: DALLY RESULTS BY LINE Volume Abandoned Answered in Result(%) < 25 Sec 10 0 8 80 16 2 12 75 8 0 7 87 6 0 5 83 14 1 9 64 10 0 7 70 3 0 2 66 5 0 5 100 72 3 55 76 (average) DAILY RESULTS BY GROUP Volume Abandoned Answered in Result ( 96 ) < 25 Sec 10 0 8 80 16 2 12 75 8 0 7 87 6 0 5 83 14 1 9 64 10 0 7 70 3 0 2 66 5 0 5 100 72 3 55 76 (average)

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A telephone call answering evaluation system including means for connection to a plurality of telephone lines; means for determining the commencement of a ringing signal on a line; means for determining when the call is answered; means for determining the period elapsed between start and answering the call; means for comparing the elapsed period with a target period; and means for displaying to all users current information on the number of calls answered within the target period.
2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display means is configured to display information relating to the percentage of calls answered within the target period.
3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the display means is configured to display information relating to more than one group of users, substantially simultaneously.
4. A system as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein means for determining the commencement of a ringing signal includes isolator means for providing electrical isolation from the incoming telephone line and detection means for detecting a ringing signal derived from the line and output gating means for providing a logical signal indicative of detected status.
5. A system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein means for determining the period elapsed includes isolator means for providing electrical isolation from the incoming teLephone line and detection means for detecting a busy signal derived from the line and output gating means for providing a logical signal indicative of detected status.
6. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the means for determining the elapsed period and for comparing the elapsed period with a target period comprise a computer device operable to provide an output for the display means.
7. A system as claimed in any preceding claim including means for determining the length of individual telephone calls after answering.
8. A telephone call answering evaluation system substantively as described with reference to either embodiment shown in accompanying drawings.