WO1999052263A1 - A system and method for accessing customer information by an agent - Google Patents

A system and method for accessing customer information by an agent Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1999052263A1
WO1999052263A1 PCT/AU1999/000247 AU9900247W WO9952263A1 WO 1999052263 A1 WO1999052263 A1 WO 1999052263A1 AU 9900247 W AU9900247 W AU 9900247W WO 9952263 A1 WO9952263 A1 WO 9952263A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
customer
agent
representative
information
database
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/AU1999/000247
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Hoerdur Matthaisson
Original Assignee
Ericsson Australia Pty. Ltd.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ericsson Australia Pty. Ltd. filed Critical Ericsson Australia Pty. Ltd.
Priority to AU31303/99A priority Critical patent/AU3130399A/en
Publication of WO1999052263A1 publication Critical patent/WO1999052263A1/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/50—Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers ; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
    • H04M3/51—Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention, e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
    • H04M3/5183—Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
    • H04M3/5191—Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements interacting with the Internet
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M2203/00—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M2203/20—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges related to features of supplementary services
    • H04M2203/2011—Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M2207/00—Type of exchange or network, i.e. telephonic medium, in which the telephonic communication takes place
    • H04M2207/12—Type of exchange or network, i.e. telephonic medium, in which the telephonic communication takes place intelligent networks
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/42025—Calling or Called party identification service
    • H04M3/42034—Calling party identification service
    • H04M3/42059—Making use of the calling party identifier
    • H04M3/42068—Making use of the calling party identifier where the identifier is used to access a profile
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/50—Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers ; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
    • H04M3/51—Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention, e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
    • H04M3/5125—Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention, e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing with remote located operators
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/50—Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers ; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
    • H04M3/51—Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention, e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
    • H04M3/523—Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention, e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing with call distribution or queueing
    • H04M3/5232—Call distribution algorithms

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a system and method for accessing customer information by an agent or representative of an organisation to which the customer subscribes and more particularly relates to a system and method for accessing a customer profile from a database of an organisation to which the customer subscribes, wherein the customer profile is able to be displayed to the agent (or representative) when the agent is physically located remotely from the database.
  • a company's representative or agent may be physically located away from the company, and therefore from the company's customer database, such that the agent is not able to access the database and view the customer profile stored in the database.
  • the company might have a number of agents or representatives in different locations and have divided between them the responsibility for liaising or communicating with a particular customer. In such situations the customer may not be directed to the appropriate registered representative who is familiar with the customer's profile or be in a situation to provide adequate advice for the customer.
  • the present invention seeks to overcome these disadvantages by providing a service whereby an agent of a company has immediate access to a customer's profile stored in a customer database and be able to converse with that customer while simultaneously having displayed in front of them their customer profile.
  • the present invention provides for a method of accessing customer information of a customer by an agent or representative of an organisation to which said customer subscribes, said method comprising the steps of: receiving an incoming call from said customer; retrieving customer specific information during said incoming call; accessing a database based on said customer specific information, said database storing said customer information; selecting an agent or representative of said organisation to converse with said customer; contacting said agent or representative and routing said incoming call and said customer information to the selected agent or representative wherein the selected agent or representative is able to view said customer information and converse with said customer, said selected agent or representative being physically located remotely from the database.
  • the step of accessing said database base may be performed through a server means, such as a server linked to the World Wide Web (WWW), said server means storing a list of agents or representatives of the company having details of each agent or representative in the form of a look-up table.
  • the selecting step may be performed by the server means wherein the server means looks up the look-up table and selects the agent or representative on the basis of one of a number of parameters, such as geographical location of the agent or representative or on a priority basis.
  • the server means may transmit said agent or representative's telephone number to a network, which network converts the agent's telephone number into a destination number to which said incoming call is routed. Simultaneously, said customer information may be transmitted by said server means to a terminal of said agent or representative for display on that terminal to the agent or representative.
  • the network may be an intelligent network and said routing of said incoming call may take place over a telecommunications network such as a PSTN or a mobile communications network.
  • the present invention also provides for a system for accessing customer information of a customer by an agent or representative of an organisation to which said customer subscribes, said system comprising: a database storing customer information of said customer; means for receiving an incoming call from said customer over a telecommunications network; said receiving means retrieving customer specific information of said customer during said incoming call; means for accessing said customer information stored in said database using said customer specific information, said accessing means storing a list of agents or representatives of said organisation; wherein when said customer calls said organisation, the database is accessed by said accessing means, and the incoming call of said customer is routed to an agent's telephone number and said customer information is transmitted to said agent or representative for display on a terminal of said agent or representative, wherein the agent or representative is physically located remotely from said database.
  • the receiving means may be a network, preferably an intelligent network which transmits the customer specific information to the accessing means.
  • the accessing means may be a server means which stores details of agents or representatives logged onto said server means, such details including a contact phone number. After retrieving said customer information the server means may select an agent to converse with said customer based on one or more parameters, such as geographical location of the agent. The server means may then transmit said agent telephone number to said intelligent network. The incoming call may thereafter be routed to said agent and simultaneously said server means may transmit said customer information to said agent to be displayed on said terminal of said agent.
  • Figure 1 is a block diagram of a telecommunication system in accordance with the present invention
  • Figure 2 is a flow diagram showing the processes involved in an agent or representative of a company gaining access to customer information when remotely located from the company database storing the customer information.
  • a telecommunication system 2 consisting of a telecommunications network 4, an intelligent network 6, a company database 8 and a means for accessing the database 8, in the form of a server 10.
  • the telecommunications network 4 may be a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a mobile cellular network, an integrated services digital network (ISDN) or a packet switched public database network (PSPDN) or the Internet.
  • PSTN public switched telephone network
  • ISDN integrated services digital network
  • PSPDN packet switched public database network
  • the telecommunications network 4 is linked to the intelligent network 6 via a plurality of service switching points (SSP's) 12 over links 11 which in turn are each linked to a service control point 14 (SCP) through links 13.
  • SCP service control point 14
  • the SCP 14 is linked to the server 10 through an inter- working unit 16 through links 18 and 20.
  • the server 10 may be in the form of a processing means, such as a computer or may be a server linked to the World Wide Web of the internet. The server 10 is able to access the database base 8 through link 22. Enquiries by customers wanting to speak to an agent or representative of the company and obtain details on their customer profiles or have a particular query may call the company through the telephone 24. The telephones are linked to the telecommunications network 4 through links 26 which calls are directed to the intelligent network 6.
  • the server 10 is also linked to the telecommunications network 4 via links 28 and 30 with a modem or similar conversion means 32 joining the links 28 and 30.
  • An agent terminal 34 preferably in the form of a PC or notebook computer and a telephone 36 of the agent is also linked to the network 4.
  • the terminal 34 may be linked to a modem or similar conversion means 38 through links 40 and 42 while the agent's telephone 36 is linked to the network by a similar link 26 to which the customer's phone is linked.
  • Both telephone terminal 36 and PC 34 may be encompassed in one unit through a phone doubler (not shown) such that the telephone 36 and PC 24 are linked on the one line to the network 4 so that the agent can converse with a customer while viewing the information on the screen of the PC 34.
  • FIG. 2 Shown in Figure 2 is a flow diagram 200 of the processes involved from when a customer calls a company to that customer conversing with an agent or representative of the company and having displayed in front of the agent the customer's profile.
  • the customer dials the company through their telephone 24 over telecommunications network 4 to be received by one of the SSP's 12, which is essentially an exchange of intelligent network 6 at step 204.
  • the customer will typically call an access number such as a help desk or account information which can be input into a DTMF phone by the customer.
  • the particular SSP will then route signalling information associated with the call to the SCP 14, which SCP 14 obtains from the incoming call of the customer, customer specific 5 information such as the customer's telephone number or A-number, an account code entered by the customer, PIN or any other information required at step 206.
  • This information is stored in a memory unit at the SCP.
  • step 208 the incoming call of the customer remains connected at the SSP while the customer specific information is transmitted from the SCP 14 to the server
  • the interworking unit 16 is essentially a protocol translator for translating protocols between the intelligent network 6, which uses a Common Channel Signalling System No. 7 (CSS7), and the server 10 which uses Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) where the server 10 is a WWW server.
  • CCS7 Common Channel Signalling System No. 7
  • TCP/IP Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
  • the server accesses the database 8 storing each of the
  • customer profiles in memory such as RAM, on the basis of the customer specific information sent from the SCP 14. If the customer profile matches the customer specific information at step 212 the server points to a look-up table which stores a list of details of agents or representatives logged on to the server 10 at that particular time. If the customer profile does not match the customer specific information for
  • a signal is transmitted from the server 10 to the SCP 14 to acknowledge this fact and then a message, such as a voice announcement is routed back to the customer to inform them that the wrong customer specific information has been entered by the customer and the process is then stopped at step 216.
  • the details of each of the agents or representatives may include the geographical location
  • the server 10 would make a comparison between the customer's telephone number and the agent's telephone number and determine which preferably is the closest agent to the customer or alternatively it will select the next
  • the server retrieves the customer profile 6
  • the SCP arranges, through the SSP 12, to route the incoming call from the customer to a destination telephone number which is that of the selected agent 36.
  • the agent's telephone is now ringing and may converse with the customer at step 222 and at the same time have details of the customer's profile displayed on the screen of the agent's terminal 34 to enable easy reference for the agent to the customer details.
  • This invention has particular advantages for agents or representatives working from home or are otherwise remotely and physically located away from the company's database 8.
  • the agent or representative can log on or off whenever he or she has time and can get paid for that time that they logged on to the server 10.
  • all that they require is a PC terminal and a modem.
  • the invention also does not need to go through a call centre but simply uses the features of the intelligent network 6 to have a customer direct it through to the agent and at the same time have the customer profile displayed for the agent.
  • the links 28, 30, 40 and 42 are digital links or ISDN links the modems 32 and 38 may not be required.
  • server 10 is a web-based server
  • the customer may have access to their customer profile stored in database 8 by entry of an account number and/or PIN so that they are able to make changes to that customer profile. All the customer needs is access to a PC so that they can use the network 4 and links 30 and 28 to communicate with the server 10.

Abstract

A system and method for accessing customer information of a customer by an agent or representative of an organisation to which the customer subscribes. The system includes a database (8) which stores the customer information and an Intelligent Network (6) for receiving an incoming call from the customer over a telecommunications network (4), the Intelligent Network (6) retrieving customer specific information, such as the customer's telephone number, account code or PIN during said incoming call. A server (10) has access to the customer information stored in said database (8) which uses the customer specific information, and stores a list of agents or representatives of said organisation. When a customer calls the organisation, the database (8) is accessed by the server (10) which selects an agent or representative to converse with the customer, the incoming call of the customer is routed to the selected agent's telephone (36) and the customer information is transmitted by the server (10) to the agent or representative for display on a terminal (34) of the selected agent or representative, wherein the agent or representative is physically located remotely from said database (8).

Description

A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACCESSING CUSTOMER INFORMATION BY
AN AGENT
The present invention relates to a system and method for accessing customer information by an agent or representative of an organisation to which the customer subscribes and more particularly relates to a system and method for accessing a customer profile from a database of an organisation to which the customer subscribes, wherein the customer profile is able to be displayed to the agent (or representative) when the agent is physically located remotely from the database.
Many companies or organisations who have customers keep profiles on those customers stored in a database. When a customer or client of a particular company telephones the company, typically through a call centre, with an enquiry or a request, that customer is routed through to a staff member or an agent having a terminal through which they can access the database to view the particular customer's profile. This is usually done by entering the customer's name, access number or account number or some other type of key.
However, there are certain situations in which a company's representative or agent may be physically located away from the company, and therefore from the company's customer database, such that the agent is not able to access the database and view the customer profile stored in the database. Furthermore, the company might have a number of agents or representatives in different locations and have divided between them the responsibility for liaising or communicating with a particular customer. In such situations the customer may not be directed to the appropriate registered representative who is familiar with the customer's profile or be in a situation to provide adequate advice for the customer. The present invention seeks to overcome these disadvantages by providing a service whereby an agent of a company has immediate access to a customer's profile stored in a customer database and be able to converse with that customer while simultaneously having displayed in front of them their customer profile.
Accordingly, the present invention provides for a method of accessing customer information of a customer by an agent or representative of an organisation to which said customer subscribes, said method comprising the steps of: receiving an incoming call from said customer; retrieving customer specific information during said incoming call; accessing a database based on said customer specific information, said database storing said customer information; selecting an agent or representative of said organisation to converse with said customer; contacting said agent or representative and routing said incoming call and said customer information to the selected agent or representative wherein the selected agent or representative is able to view said customer information and converse with said customer, said selected agent or representative being physically located remotely from the database.
The step of accessing said database base may be performed through a server means, such as a server linked to the World Wide Web (WWW), said server means storing a list of agents or representatives of the company having details of each agent or representative in the form of a look-up table. The selecting step may be performed by the server means wherein the server means looks up the look-up table and selects the agent or representative on the basis of one of a number of parameters, such as geographical location of the agent or representative or on a priority basis.
The server means may transmit said agent or representative's telephone number to a network, which network converts the agent's telephone number into a destination number to which said incoming call is routed. Simultaneously, said customer information may be transmitted by said server means to a terminal of said agent or representative for display on that terminal to the agent or representative. The network may be an intelligent network and said routing of said incoming call may take place over a telecommunications network such as a PSTN or a mobile communications network.
The present invention also provides for a system for accessing customer information of a customer by an agent or representative of an organisation to which said customer subscribes, said system comprising: a database storing customer information of said customer; means for receiving an incoming call from said customer over a telecommunications network; said receiving means retrieving customer specific information of said customer during said incoming call; means for accessing said customer information stored in said database using said customer specific information, said accessing means storing a list of agents or representatives of said organisation; wherein when said customer calls said organisation, the database is accessed by said accessing means, and the incoming call of said customer is routed to an agent's telephone number and said customer information is transmitted to said agent or representative for display on a terminal of said agent or representative, wherein the agent or representative is physically located remotely from said database.
The receiving means may be a network, preferably an intelligent network which transmits the customer specific information to the accessing means. The accessing means may be a server means which stores details of agents or representatives logged onto said server means, such details including a contact phone number. After retrieving said customer information the server means may select an agent to converse with said customer based on one or more parameters, such as geographical location of the agent. The server means may then transmit said agent telephone number to said intelligent network. The incoming call may thereafter be routed to said agent and simultaneously said server means may transmit said customer information to said agent to be displayed on said terminal of said agent.
The' invention will now be described in a preferred embodiment, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a block diagram of a telecommunication system in accordance with the present invention, and Figure 2 is a flow diagram showing the processes involved in an agent or representative of a company gaining access to customer information when remotely located from the company database storing the customer information.
With reference to Figure 1 there is shown a telecommunication system 2 consisting of a telecommunications network 4, an intelligent network 6, a company database 8 and a means for accessing the database 8, in the form of a server 10. The telecommunications network 4 may be a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a mobile cellular network, an integrated services digital network (ISDN) or a packet switched public database network (PSPDN) or the Internet. The telecommunications network 4 is linked to the intelligent network 6 via a plurality of service switching points (SSP's) 12 over links 11 which in turn are each linked to a service control point 14 (SCP) through links 13. The SCP 14 is linked to the server 10 through an inter- working unit 16 through links 18 and 20.
Companies or organisations may store customer information in the form of customer profiles in the database 8 such companies may includes banks, for example, and the customer profiles may include information such as details on customer's bank account or transactions undertaken by that customer. The server 10 may be in the form of a processing means, such as a computer or may be a server linked to the World Wide Web of the internet. The server 10 is able to access the database base 8 through link 22. Enquiries by customers wanting to speak to an agent or representative of the company and obtain details on their customer profiles or have a particular query may call the company through the telephone 24. The telephones are linked to the telecommunications network 4 through links 26 which calls are directed to the intelligent network 6. The server 10 is also linked to the telecommunications network 4 via links 28 and 30 with a modem or similar conversion means 32 joining the links 28 and 30. An agent terminal 34, preferably in the form of a PC or notebook computer and a telephone 36 of the agent is also linked to the network 4. The terminal 34 may be linked to a modem or similar conversion means 38 through links 40 and 42 while the agent's telephone 36 is linked to the network by a similar link 26 to which the customer's phone is linked. Both telephone terminal 36 and PC 34 may be encompassed in one unit through a phone doubler (not shown) such that the telephone 36 and PC 24 are linked on the one line to the network 4 so that the agent can converse with a customer while viewing the information on the screen of the PC 34.
Shown in Figure 2 is a flow diagram 200 of the processes involved from when a customer calls a company to that customer conversing with an agent or representative of the company and having displayed in front of the agent the customer's profile. At step 202 the customer dials the company through their telephone 24 over telecommunications network 4 to be received by one of the SSP's 12, which is essentially an exchange of intelligent network 6 at step 204. The customer will typically call an access number such as a help desk or account information which can be input into a DTMF phone by the customer. The particular SSP will then route signalling information associated with the call to the SCP 14, which SCP 14 obtains from the incoming call of the customer, customer specific 5 information such as the customer's telephone number or A-number, an account code entered by the customer, PIN or any other information required at step 206. This information is stored in a memory unit at the SCP.
At step 208 the incoming call of the customer remains connected at the SSP while the customer specific information is transmitted from the SCP 14 to the server
10 10 through the inter- working unit 16. The interworking unit 16 is essentially a protocol translator for translating protocols between the intelligent network 6, which uses a Common Channel Signalling System No. 7 (CSS7), and the server 10 which uses Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) where the server 10 is a WWW server. At step 210 the server accesses the database 8 storing each of the
15 customer profiles in memory such as RAM, on the basis of the customer specific information sent from the SCP 14. If the customer profile matches the customer specific information at step 212 the server points to a look-up table which stores a list of details of agents or representatives logged on to the server 10 at that particular time. If the customer profile does not match the customer specific information for
20 some reason, then at step 214 a signal is transmitted from the server 10 to the SCP 14 to acknowledge this fact and then a message, such as a voice announcement is routed back to the customer to inform them that the wrong customer specific information has been entered by the customer and the process is then stopped at step 216. The details of each of the agents or representatives may include the geographical location
25 of where they are based which would be recognised by the telephone number of the agent or it may be based on a first come first serve system in the order that the agents' logged on to the server 10. The server 10 would make a comparison between the customer's telephone number and the agent's telephone number and determine which preferably is the closest agent to the customer or alternatively it will select the next
30 agent in the queue. Once the server has selected the appropriate agent to liaise with the customer, the agent's telephone number is transmitted from the server back to the SCP 14 at step 218. At the same time the server retrieves the customer profile 6
information and prepares to transmit that information along links 28 and 30 through the telecommunications network 4 and down links 40 and 42 to the agent terminal 34. At step 220 the SCP arranges, through the SSP 12, to route the incoming call from the customer to a destination telephone number which is that of the selected agent 36. The agent's telephone is now ringing and may converse with the customer at step 222 and at the same time have details of the customer's profile displayed on the screen of the agent's terminal 34 to enable easy reference for the agent to the customer details. Once the customer is satisfied that they have obtained their required information or their query has been answered the conversation is terminated at step 224 and the agent may close the file containing the customer's profile.
This invention has particular advantages for agents or representatives working from home or are otherwise remotely and physically located away from the company's database 8. The agent or representative can log on or off whenever he or she has time and can get paid for that time that they logged on to the server 10. Where the agent is working from home, all that they require is a PC terminal and a modem. The invention also does not need to go through a call centre but simply uses the features of the intelligent network 6 to have a customer direct it through to the agent and at the same time have the customer profile displayed for the agent. Where the links 28, 30, 40 and 42 are digital links or ISDN links the modems 32 and 38 may not be required.
Where the server 10 is a web-based server the customer may have access to their customer profile stored in database 8 by entry of an account number and/or PIN so that they are able to make changes to that customer profile. All the customer needs is access to a PC so that they can use the network 4 and links 30 and 28 to communicate with the server 10.

Claims

CLAIMS:
1. A method of accessing customer information of a customer by an agent or representative of an organisation to which said customer subscribes, said method comprising the steps of: receiving an incoming call from said customer; retrieving customer specific information during said incoming call; accessing a database based on said customer specific information, said database storing said customer information; selecting an agent or representative of said organisation to converse with said customer; and contacting said selected agent or representative and routing said incoming call and said customer information to the selected agent or representative wherein the selected agent or representative is able to view said customer information and converse with said customer, said selected agent or representative being physically located remotely from the database.
2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of storing a list of agents or representatives of said organisation from which list an agent or representative is selected to converse with said customer.
3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said selected agent or representative is selected on the basis of one of a number of characteristics of the agents or representatives in said list.
4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said one of a number of characteristics is the geographical location of the agent or representative with respect to the geographical location of the customer.
5. A method according to claim 3 wherein said one of a number of characteristics is the next available agent or representative in a priority queue of agents or representatives.
6. A method according to any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the step of contacting said selected agent or representative includes obtaining a telephone number of said selected agent or representative from said list.
7. A method according to claim 6 further comprising the step of routing said incoming call from said customer to the telephone of said selected agent or representative and transmitting said customer information through a telecommunications network to a terminal of said selected agent or representative such that said selected agent or representative converses with said customer and simultaneously views said customer information on said terminal.
8. A method according to any one of the previous claims whereupon receiving said incoming call, said customer specific information is transmitted to an accessing means, said accessing means retrieving customer information from said database on the basis of a match between said customer information and said customer specific information identifying said customer.
9. A system for accessing customer information of a customer by an agent or representative of an organisation to which said customer subscribes, said system comprising: a database storing customer information of said customer; means for receiving an incoming call from said customer over a telecommunications network; said receiving means retrieving customer specific information of said customer during said incoming call; means for accessing said customer information stored in said database using said customer specific information, said accessing means storing a list of agents or representatives of said organisation; wherein when said customer calls said organisation, said database is accessed by said accessing means, and the incoming call of said customer is routed to an agent's telephone and said customer information is transmitted to said agent or representative for display on a terminal of said agent or representative, wherein the agent or representative is physically located remotely from said database.
10. A system according to claim 9 wherein said accessing means is a server means, said server means storing details, such as telephone numbers, of agents or representatives that are logged onto said server means.
11. A system according to claim 10 such that on accessing said database and retrieving said customer information from said database, said server means selects an agent or representative of said organisation to converse with said customer on the basis of one of a number of characteristics of the logged agents or representatives.
12. A system according to claim 11 wherein said one of a number of characteristics is the geographical location of the agent or representative with respect to the geographical location of the customer.
13. A system according to claim 11 wherein said one of a number of characteristics is the next available agent or representative in a priority queue of agents or representatives.
14. A system according to any one of claims 1 1 to 13 wherein the selected agent's telephone number is transmitted by said server means to said receiving means and thereafter the incoming call of said customer is routed to the telephone of said selected agent over said telecommunications network.
15. A system according to claim 14 such that when said incoming call is routed to the telephone of said selected agent, said server means transmits said customer information retrieved from said database to a terminal of said 10
selected agent over said telecommunications network in order to allow the customer to converse with said selected agent while simultaneously the selected agent to able to access said customer information through said terminal.
16. A system according to claim 14 or claim 15 wherein said receiving means is a communications network in the form of an Intelligent Network, said Intelligent Network linked to said telecommunications network.
17. A system according to claim 16 wherein said incoming call is received at a Service Switching Point (SSP) of said Intelligent Network.
18. A system according to claim 17 wherein a Service Control Point (SCP) of said Intelligent Network obtains said customer specific information from said incoming call which information is stored in memory means associated with said SCP.
19. A system according to claim 18 wherein said incoming call of said customer remains connected at said SSP while said customer specific information is transmitted from said SCP to said server means.
20. A system according to claim 19 wherein said server means accesses said database on the basis of said customer specific information such that if there is a match between said customer specific information and said customer information identifying said customer, said server means points to a look-up table storing details of said agents or representatives logged onto said server means and selects an agent or representative to converse with said customer.
21. A system according to claim 20 wherein the telephone number of said selected agent is transmitted from the server means to said SCP whereafter said SCP routes said incoming call to the telephone of the selected agent. 11
22. A system according to claim 21 wherein said server means retrieves said customer information and transmits said customer information to the selected agent's terminal through said telecommunications network such that said customer information is displayed on said terminal and said agent converses with said customer.
23. A system according to any one of claims 9 to 22 wherein said accessing means is a World Wide Web based server means and said customer has access to their customer information stored in said database.
24. A system according to any one of claims 9 to 23 wherein said customer specific information may be one or more of the customer telephone number, customer account code or customer PIN.
25. A system according to any one of claims 9 to 24 wherein said agent telephone and terminal is a single unit.
PCT/AU1999/000247 1998-04-01 1999-04-01 A system and method for accessing customer information by an agent WO1999052263A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU31303/99A AU3130399A (en) 1998-04-01 1999-04-01 A system and method for accessing customer information by an agent

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AUPP2735A AUPP273598A0 (en) 1998-04-01 1998-04-01 A system and method for accessing customer information by an agent
AUPP2735 1998-04-01

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Cited By (8)

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EP1185064A2 (en) * 2000-08-28 2002-03-06 Alcatel Call distribution in an intelligent network to mobile operators
EP1423950A1 (en) * 2001-09-06 2004-06-02 Alcatel Internetworking, Inc. System and method for transmitting information via a call center sip server
WO2007064518A1 (en) * 2005-11-29 2007-06-07 Cisco Technology, Inc. Optimising the rate of speech of call center agents with respect to the call
US7606360B2 (en) 2006-05-31 2009-10-20 Cisco Technology, Inc. Automated system and method for handling human and caller queues
GB2463755A (en) * 2008-09-30 2010-03-31 Avaya Inc Providing caller with information facilitating caller selection of call-centre agents
US7693274B2 (en) 2005-05-20 2010-04-06 Cisco Technology, Inc. System and method for return to agents during a contact center session
US7940913B2 (en) 2005-05-11 2011-05-10 Cisco Technology, Inc. System and method for improved contact center services to disabled callers
CH705689A1 (en) * 2011-10-28 2013-04-30 Willi Kull A computerized method and CTI system for displaying information on an incoming communication.

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US5499289A (en) * 1994-12-06 1996-03-12 At&T Corp. Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for performing distributed telecommunications
EP0802665A2 (en) * 1996-04-19 1997-10-22 AT&T Corp. Work at home acd agent network with cooperative control
WO1998001987A1 (en) * 1996-07-09 1998-01-15 Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Incorporated Methods and apparatus for implementing a network call center

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EP0539104A2 (en) * 1991-10-23 1993-04-28 AT&T Corp. Home agent telecommunication technique
US5499289A (en) * 1994-12-06 1996-03-12 At&T Corp. Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for performing distributed telecommunications
EP0802665A2 (en) * 1996-04-19 1997-10-22 AT&T Corp. Work at home acd agent network with cooperative control
WO1998001987A1 (en) * 1996-07-09 1998-01-15 Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Incorporated Methods and apparatus for implementing a network call center

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1185064A2 (en) * 2000-08-28 2002-03-06 Alcatel Call distribution in an intelligent network to mobile operators
EP1185064A3 (en) * 2000-08-28 2005-06-08 Alcatel Call distribution in an intelligent network to mobile operators
EP1423950A1 (en) * 2001-09-06 2004-06-02 Alcatel Internetworking, Inc. System and method for transmitting information via a call center sip server
EP1423950A4 (en) * 2001-09-06 2005-08-17 Alcatel Internetworking Inc System and method for transmitting information via a call center sip server
US7940913B2 (en) 2005-05-11 2011-05-10 Cisco Technology, Inc. System and method for improved contact center services to disabled callers
US7693274B2 (en) 2005-05-20 2010-04-06 Cisco Technology, Inc. System and method for return to agents during a contact center session
WO2007064518A1 (en) * 2005-11-29 2007-06-07 Cisco Technology, Inc. Optimising the rate of speech of call center agents with respect to the call
US7864944B2 (en) 2005-11-29 2011-01-04 Cisco Technology, Inc. Optimal call speed for call center agents
US7606360B2 (en) 2006-05-31 2009-10-20 Cisco Technology, Inc. Automated system and method for handling human and caller queues
GB2463755A (en) * 2008-09-30 2010-03-31 Avaya Inc Providing caller with information facilitating caller selection of call-centre agents
CH705689A1 (en) * 2011-10-28 2013-04-30 Willi Kull A computerized method and CTI system for displaying information on an incoming communication.
WO2013060888A1 (en) 2011-10-28 2013-05-02 Kull Willy Computer-supported method and cti system for presenting information for an incoming message

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