JP2000151859A - Method and system reducing speech cost for recipient subscriber - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a speech charge of a wait time of a subscriber that is imposed on a service server in a no charge speech service number or the like. SOLUTION: The method reduces a cost per unit of a telephone speech addressed to a recipient via an automatic incoming call distribution system (ACD) by a subscriber, includes a step (a) where a mutual voice reply system is evaluated for an area of the subscriber receiving a request of a customer via a conventional telephone line in an inexpensive speech charge, a step (b) where a request of attention is oriented to the automatic incoming call distribution system maintaining a cue of a speech awaiting the attention from the mutual voice reply system via a data communication channel at a low cost, a step (c) where the automatic incoming call distribution system informs the mutual voice reply system when a request arrives in a predetermined place in the cue, and a step (d) where routing of the speech is again designated from the mutual voice reply system to the automatic incoming call distribution system via a conventional telephone line.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to the provision of services via telephone.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the advent of the age of computer-telephone integration, various telephone services such as toll-free telephone numbers have been provided, and interactive voice response (IVR) systems have been used to respond to various requests. Various types of service providers have become common. FIG. 1 shows a known Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) that routes subscribers' service requests via toll-free numbers.
This is a typical example. While dialing a free call service number,
The sender 10 is switched to a service control point (SCP) 12 common to many service providers by a switch 11 at a local central office such as a local office. The service control point 12 cross-references the dialed number in the search table and processes the call based on the data in the search table. The look-up table can send back the actual number that is actually connected to the remote central office switch 14 via the PSTN 13.

[0003] Most of these types of terminals in the call center 15 are used for telephone calls that provide services for supporting and selling certain products. Typically, an interactive voice response (IVR) 1 listing various options for the sender 10 in the form of an audio menu.
6 are available. The subscriber can select the requested option by pressing one or more buttons on the telephone keypad. Such means not only allows the initial response to the subscriber's request to be taken automatically, but also saves labor costs for the service provider.

After receiving a user request, the IVR16
Transfers control of the calling of the call to the automatic call distribution (ACD) 17. The ACD 17 locates the subscriber's request and internally routes the call from the subscriber to the representative of any customer service department that is most appropriate to handle. If the customer service representative is busy, a request to the customer service group,
As a request for any customer service representative suitable to provide the requested service, the request is queued pending call. When this occurs, the subscriber is often "held" until one of the extensions representing the appropriate customer service department is available. This gives rise to some time to be taken into account, for example depending on the number of subscribers waiting for the representative of the same customer service department, the number representing the service department handling the request or the duration of each request. there is a possibility. The average time required for the initial processing of a subscriber request by interactive voice response is typically up to one minute. On the other hand, the subscriber may have to wait a few minutes before being connected to the correct destination.

[0005]

If the subscriber has to wait in the queue before the service provider handles the subscriber's request, the connection cost will wait within the wasted time. Obviously, it is expected to increase over time. On the other hand, these "waiting" costs suffer from being based on as high a toll as a long distance connection. If these costs could be reduced, it would be a significant improvement for those charged for the call, especially for typical service providers.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and system for reducing the total cost per unit of telephone calls directed to a recipient via an automatic call distribution system (ACD). That is.

[0007]

It is understood that this object is specifically realized in the present invention by the following (a) to (d). (A) The mutual voice response system is located in the area of the subscriber who receives the customer's request via a normal telephone line with a low telephone charge; Directs the attention request to an automatic call distribution system that maintains a queue of waiting calls; and (c) the automatic call distribution system notifies the interactive voice response system when the request arrives at a predetermined location in the queue. , (D) reroute the call from the interactive voice response system to the automatic call distribution system via a regular telephone line.

In a more basic stage, in order to understand the concept of the present invention, any telephone call must be signaled to the recipient to request reception or to wait, or the message to be conveyed. Further, it is necessary to realize that they need not be routed along the same line. In particular, data communication networks such as the Internet may be used in parallel with regular telephone lines so that request signals that do not require high quality communication lines can be routed. On the other hand, when the route of the medium requires a high-quality communication line, it must be specified through a normal telephone line.

In the present invention, the actual data carried to the recipient is represented only by step (d), while the communication to the recipient is represented by step (b). That is, the initial communication is carried from the local central office's IVR via the data communication network to the ACD, while the receiver indicates that it is ready (or will be ready) to receive the medium. Is routed only through the regular telephone network. The subscriber remains in the "hold" state during the time that elapses between starting to signal the local IVR in step (b) and the media being transported to the ACD in step (d). Can be However, the cost of maintaining the connection between the subscriber and the recipient is low because of this time interval, which is a few minutes, and the request signal is carried over a low cost communication network.

In this regard, the present invention provides (a) a low cost data communication line in parallel with a public telephone network;
(B) identifying a request signal that causes the recipient and the media portion to wait during a telephone call; and (c) routing the request signal and the media portion through the data communication line or the telephone network, whichever is cheaper. Can be transformed into steps.

[0011] Preferably, the recipient is a remote service provider where access is provided via a local low cost or toll free telephone number. Because the connection between the service control point and the service provider is typically over long distances,
You will be limited to high calling rates. As soon as a connection through a telephone line is provided, the invention allows an alternative connection via a data network (typically the Internet), waiting for the availability of the service provider. Since the cost of this connection is borne by the service provider, this is an immediate cost benefit to the service provider. However,
Eventually, the sender will also benefit because the cost of the connection from the IVR to the ACD is necessarily reflected in the service cost of the service provider.

[0012] These costs could be further reduced by making use of the low cost connection between the sender and the IVR, as the revenues cover the cost of the telephone by local advertising. .

[0013] Thus, due to the proximity of the IVR to the customer, the service call will be handled first through a low cost, local call. The cost is directly
In either case, either by the service provider or by the subscriber, the "free calls" by the service provider are necessarily reflected in the various charges, Will benefit. However, thereafter, once the call is redirected to the service provider, it may be subject to high call charges, as if the distance was extended through the currently routed connection.

[0014] Low cost communication lines are representative of the portion of the Internet that allows even long-distance telephone calls to be routed as a unit cost of local calls. Due to the limited bandwidth of the Internet, the Internet is not always suitable for communicating real-time conversations. While there are current cases where subscribers wait for attention, this approach is useful when the sender does not need to convert to speech with the recipient. During this waiting period, the sender is not only connected to the recipient, but is only connected to the IVR. afterwards,
If a normal conversation is required, the connection is valid over a normal telephone line.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 2 shows an automatic call distribution (ACD).
A system for reducing the total cost per unit of telephone call directed by a subscriber ("sender") 21 to a call center ("receiver") 22 via 23 is shown. The system 20 comprises a local central office interactive voice response system (IVR) 2 connected to the subscriber via a local central office switch 25, such as a local office.
4 inclusive. As in known systems, a switch 25 at the local central office provides access to a service control point (SCP) 26 that translates the dialed toll free number into a real number. The actual number is then automatically dialed through the PSTN 27 via the central office switch 28 at a remote location to route the subscriber's call to the ACD 23. PSTN 27 allows subscriber calls to be treated as normal phone calls at normal call rates.
Specify "normal telephone line". However, since the subscriber 21 makes the initial contact a local IVR 24,
Even if the call center 22 may be remote from the subscriber 21 and may request a "trunk call", the initial treatment for the request is , "Local calls (eg local calls)" according to low fees.

In parallel with the PSTN 27, an IP data network 29 (eg, the Internet) is provided that specifies a "low cost data communication line" that is switched to the local central office IVR 24 via the local central office switch 25. You. The IP data network 29 directs a request for attention from the local central office IVR 24 to the ACD 23 to maintain a queue of calls waiting for attention there. When the request from the subscriber reaches a predetermined location in the queue, IP data network 29 further directs a call transfer request signal from ACD 23 to local central office IVR 24. The local central office switch 25 responds to a call transfer request signal that reroutes the call from the local central office IVR 24 to the ACD 23 via the PSTN 27.

In addition, the remote IVR 30 is connected to the local central office IVR 24 via the IP data network 29.
May be connected to an ACD 23 that communicates with In such a case, the local central office's IVR 24 may provide
The P data network 29 connects to the recipient's Internet site. Instead of providing a conventional voice response, the subscriber may be downloaded a menu from the recipient's Internet site to select the required extension. A “connection request message” is sent to the call center 22 via the remote IVR 30 for selection of the required extension. The "connection request message" is queued until the desired extension becomes available. Further, the displayed display is displayed on the subscriber 21
May be converted to an IVR script to talk to. In any case, the communication of the subscriber 21T is performed at low cost via the IP data network.

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b illustrate the principles of the processing steps associated with system 20. The subscriber's call is routed to the AVR 23 via the IP data network 29 to direct the attention request to the IVR 24 to maintain a queue of call waiting attention there. If the request arrives at a predetermined location in the queue, the ACD 23 informs the IVR 24 and the call is transferred from the IVR 24 via the PSTN 27 to the ACD 2
3 is rerouted.

Normally, upon receiving subscriber requests, ACD 23 associates the call with each request. Then, the subscriber is put on hold. When a request comes first in the queue, ACD 23 transfers the call to call center 23 and removes the request from the queue.

The subscriber's request is the previously programmed AC
In preference to arriving at the D queue location, the subscriber
You are limited only by the low fees associated with connecting to the IP data network 29. These costs are for subscribers 21 who have pending connections with the call center.
Subsidies can be awarded by sending a commercial from IVR 24 at the local central office.

Having described certain embodiments, without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims,
Further modifications are possible. In particular, the realization that a low-cost data communication network, such as the Internet, may be used in parallel with regular telephone lines, so that a remote recipient reroutes a service request in preference to its receiving attention. It should be understood that the invention exists below. More generally, the use of two parallel communication lines allows the call to be routed through the lower cost of the two lines.

In the claim describing the method invention,
The letters used to specify the steps recited in the claims do not indicate a particular instruction to perform the step.

The configuration of the present invention is disclosed as a summary. (1) A method of reducing the cost per unit of telephone call directed by a subscriber to a recipient,
(A) providing a low cost data communication line in parallel with the public telephone network; (b) identifying a request signal to wait for a receiver and media portion during a telephone call; and (c) data communication. Routing the request signal and the media portion over the line or the telephone network, whichever is cheaper. (2) Automatic call distribution system (ACD) by subscriber
A method for reducing the cost per unit of telephone calls directed to a recipient via the system, comprising: (a) interactive voice communication in the subscriber's area to receive the customer's request via a regular telephone line at a low telephone charge; (B) directing a request for attention from an interactive voice response system to an automatic call distribution system that maintains a queue of calls waiting for attention via a low cost data communication line; A) an automatic call distribution system notifying the interactive voice response system when a request arrives at a predetermined location in the queue;
Rerouting the call from the interactive voice response system to the automatic call distribution system via a regular telephone line. (3) further, steps performed by the automatic call distribution system, (e) associating the call with a respective request, (f) placing the subscriber on hold, and (g) requesting a queue. First in
(2) The method as described in (2), comprising the steps of: (i) transferring the call to the recipient; and (h) deleting the request from the queue. The method of (2), comprising: identifying a call distribution system; and (ii) cross-referencing a number accessing a local station with a number accessing a remote location identifying the recipient. (5) The access number to the remote location is the Internet UR
The method according to (4), wherein L is L. (6) Step (b) comprises: (i) connecting to the recipient's Internet site at low cost; (ii)
Downloading a menu from the recipient's Internet site to the subscriber to select a predetermined extension;
(3) sending a connection request message to the call center in response to selection of a predetermined extension; and (iv) queuing the connection request message until a predetermined extension becomes available. (7) Step (iv) comprises: (1) accessing a visual display menu from a recipient's Internet site; and (2) interactive voice response to the visual display menu for conversation with the sender. (8) Prior to step (b), (i) bear the connection costs between the IVR and the subscriber whose connection to the recipient remains undecided. The method of (2), further comprising the step of sending an advertisement from the interactive voice response system to the subscriber to enable the subscriber to do so. (9) Two parallel communications for independently routing signal communication and an element serving as a medium for telephone communications via an inexpensive one of two communication lines of the same level to maintain speech quality. The method according to (1), wherein a line is used. (10) A system for reducing the cost per unit of telephone call directed to a receiver by a subscriber, comprising: (a) a low-cost data communication line parallel to a public telephone network; and (b) data communication. A switch for routing telephone calls via the line or the telephone network, whichever is cheaper. (11) Automatic call distribution system (AC
D) A system for reducing the cost per unit of telephone call directed to a recipient via (a) connected to a subscriber receiving a customer's request via a normal telephone line at a low call charge. Interactive voice response system, and (b)
A low-cost data communication line that directs the request for attention from an interactive voice response system to an automatic call distribution system that maintains a queue of calls waiting for attention;
(C) Further, the low cost data communication line directs a call transfer request signal from the automatic call distribution system to the interactive voice response system when the request arrives at a predetermined location in the queue. (D) a switch responsive to the call transfer request signal for rerouting the call from the interactive voice response system to the automatic call distribution system via a normal telephone line. (12) Additionally, the automatic call distribution system associates (e) the call with the respective request, (f) places the subscriber on hold, and (g) receives the call if the request is first in the queue. And (h) deleting the request from the queue. (13) The interactive voice response system identifies (i) the automatic call distribution system by a number for accessing the local station, and (ii) identifies the automatic call distribution system with the number for accessing the remote station and the number for accessing the remote station. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein said system is a reference. (14) The access number to the remote location is U
The system according to (13), which is RL. (15) The interactive voice response system (i) connects to the recipient's Internet site at low cost, (ii) downloads a menu from the recipient's Internet site to the subscriber to select a predetermined extension, (iii) Sending a connection request message to the call center in response to selection of a predetermined extension; and (iv) queuing the connection request message until a predetermined extension becomes available. . (16) a web browser for accessing the visual display menu from the recipient's Internet site with the interactive voice response system, and a converter for converting the visual display menu into a script of the interactive voice response for conversation with the sender. (17) The method of (11), wherein the interactive voice response system has a memory in which the advertisement is stored, and a connection cost between the interactive voice response system and the subscriber whose connection to the recipient is pending. The system of claim 11, further comprising: a processor connected to the memory for sending advertisements from the interactive voice response system to the subscriber so that the subscriber can be charged.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram functionally illustrating a conventional telephone system for routing service requests via a free telephone service number.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram functionally illustrating the telephone system of the present invention for routing service requests via a free telephone service number.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing the principal processing steps associated with various configurations of the system shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Sender 11 Local Central Office Switch 12 Service Control Point (SCP) 13 PSTN 14 Remote Central Office Switch 15 Call Center 16 Interactive Voice Response (IVR) 17 Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) 20 System 21 Subscriber (Send Hand) 22 recipient (call center) 23 automatic call distribution (ACD) 24 interactive voice response system (IVR) 25 local central office switch 25 26 service control point (SCP) 27 PSTN 27 28 remote central office switch 28 29 IP Data Network 30 Interactive Voice Response System (IVR)

Claims (17)

[Claims] 1. A method for reducing the cost per unit of a telephone call directed to a receiver by a subscriber, comprising: (a) providing a low cost data communication line in parallel with a public telephone network; (B) identifying a request signal that causes the receiver and the media portion to wait during a telephone call; and (c) identifying the request signal and the media portion via the data communication line or the telephone network, whichever is cheaper. Routing. 2. An automatic call distribution system (A)
A method for reducing the cost per unit of telephone calls directed to a recipient via CD), comprising the steps of: (a) reducing the cost of a subscriber to receive customer requests via a regular telephone line at a low telephone charge; Locating the interactive voice response system; and (b) directing the attention request from the interactive voice response system (IVR) to an automatic call distribution system that maintains a queue of calls waiting for attention via a low cost data communication line. (C) letting the automatic call distribution system notify the interactive voice response system when a request arrives at a predetermined location in the queue; and (d) automatically transmitting from the interactive voice response system via a normal telephone line. Re-routing the call to the call distribution system. 3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: (e) associating the call with a respective request; (f) placing the subscriber on hold; and (g) requesting. 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: if the call is first in the queue, transferring the call to the recipient; and (h) removing the request from the queue. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises: (i) identifying the automatic call distribution system by a number accessing the local station; and (ii) accessing a remote location identifying the recipient of the number accessing the local station. 3. The method of claim 2, comprising the steps of cross-referencing a number. 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the remote access number is an Internet URL. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises: (i) connecting to the recipient's Internet site at low cost;
(Ii) downloading a menu for selecting a predetermined extension from the recipient's Internet site to the subscriber; (iii) sending a connection request message to the call center in response to the selection of the predetermined extension;
(Iv) queuing a connection request message until a predetermined extension becomes available.
How to describe 7. The step (iv) comprises: (1) accessing a visual display menu from a recipient's Internet site; and (2) scripting the visual display menu for interactive voice response in order to have a conversation with the sender. And converting to (b). 8. Prior to step (b), (i) an interactive voice response system to allow for connection costs between the IVR and the subscriber whose connection to the recipient is pending. 3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of sending an advertisement from to a subscriber. 9. Two lines for independently routing signal communication and an element serving as a medium for telephone communication via an inexpensive one of two communication lines of the same level for maintaining communication quality. The method of claim 1, wherein a parallel communication line is used. 10. A system for reducing the cost per unit of telephone calls directed to a receiver by a subscriber, comprising: (a) a low cost data communication line in parallel with a public telephone network; A system comprising: a data communication line and a switch for routing telephone calls via the cheaper of the telephone network. 11. A system for reducing the cost per unit of telephone call directed to a recipient by a subscriber via an automatic call distribution system (ACD),
(A) an interactive voice response system connected to the subscriber who receives the customer's request via a normal telephone line at low call rates; and (b) a queue of calls waiting for attention from the interactive voice response system. A low cost data communication line that directs the attention request to the automatic call distribution system; and (c) the low cost data communication line automatically activates when the request arrives at a predetermined location in the queue. Directing a call transfer request signal from the call distribution system to the interactive voice response system,
(D) a switch responsive to the call transfer request signal for rerouting the call from the interactive voice response system to the automatic call distribution system via a regular telephone line. 12. An automatic call distribution system,
(E) associate the call with each request, (f) place the subscriber on hold, (g) if the request is first in the queue, forward the call to the recipient, and (h) request from the queue. 12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said system is deleted. 13. The interactive voice response system wherein (i) the automatic call distribution system is identified by a number that accesses a local station, and (ii) a number that accesses a remote location that identifies a receiver who accesses the local station. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the system is cross-referenced. 14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the access number to the remote location is an Internet URL. 15. An interactive voice response system comprising: (i) connecting to a recipient Internet site at a low cost;
i) download a menu from the recipient's Internet site to the subscriber to select a given extension, and (ii)
12. The method of claim 11, wherein: i) sending a connection request message to the call center in response to selection of a predetermined extension; and (iv) queuing the connection request message until a predetermined extension becomes available. System. 16. An interactive voice response system comprising: a web browser accessing a visual display menu from a recipient's Internet site; and a conversion for converting the visual display menu to a interactive voice response script for conversation with the sender. 12. The method of claim 11, comprising a vessel. 17. An interactive voice response system capable of bearing a connection cost between a memory in which advertisements are stored and a subscriber whose connection to the interactive voice response system and a recipient is pending. 12. The system of claim 11, further comprising: a processor connected to the memory for sending advertisements to the subscriber from the interactive voice response system.