WO2001074048A2

WO2001074048A2 - System for managing incoming telephone calls

Info

Publication number: WO2001074048A2
Application number: PCT/FR2001/000926
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jacky Forestier; Michel Guillard; Catherine Mondet; Violette Rousselet; Henri Riviere; Jean-Pierre Gaillard
Original assignee: France Telecom
Priority date: 2000-03-29
Filing date: 2001-03-27
Publication date: 2001-10-04
Also published as: FR2807263B1; AU2001246652A1; WO2001074048A3; FR2807263A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a system for managing telephone calls launched by a caller (A) addressed to an addressee (B) in a multistation telephone installation, each subscriber being provided with a computer terminal (TA, TB) communicating with the computer terminal (TPA) and the telephone station of a reception person (PA). An integrated computer/telephone management server (S) is interconnected to a private switched system (SCP). The system comprises a module (1) presenting to the reception person (PA) bibliographical data concerning the caller (A), a module (2) for rerouting calls, a statistical computing module (3) for analysing defective calls, lost or abandoned calls, a module (4) notifying the caller (A), the addressee (B) of the transmission of an electronic message of the call to the addressee (B) respectively to the caller (A). The invention is applicable to PABX or PCBX private switched systems

Description

INCOMING TELEPHONE CALL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The invention relates to a system for managing incoming telephone calls, launched by a caller, to a multi-user telephone installation.

-'The rational management of telephone calls directed to multi-user telephone installations requires the implementation of a satisfactory solution to the ineffectiveness of calls arriving at this installation. This is particularly the case when the installation includes many telephone sets, as in the case of a company for example.

In particular, in such a context, when the telephone installation comprises several hundred telephone sets, a large number of incoming telephone calls can be lost. The group, or the company, user of the multi-user telephone system, cannot therefore benefit from a guarantee of a total absence of lost calls. At present, when the multi-user telephone installation is doubled by the existence of computer terminals connected in a local network, an integrated computer / telephone management server designated by CTI, for Computer Telephone Integration, is most often connected to a private branch exchange, designated by PABX, for Priva te Automa tic Branch Exchange.

The usable services linked to the CTI server make it possible to provide the user of the multi-user telephone installation with a tool for managing telephone calls and messages entered by a reception person. The operation can, for example on incoming call a caller is not satisfied by a caller, enter an electronic message and address the latter to the called party.

In a more specific manner, it is recalled that the CTI server communicates in client / server mode with the PABX and makes it possible to control the functions of it. call control, in particular, off-hooking a line, dialing a telephone number, transferring or forwarding calls, multi-user conference, ringtone management. In addition, the CTI server allows the retrieval of information such as the line taken by the person called, the number of the caller or the duration of the call.

Similarly, the CTI server can also interact with functions specific to the PABX, such as the Automatic Call Distributor, designated by ACD for Automa tic Call Dealer, voicemail, electronic directory.

Finally, more recently, the server can be configured so as to transfer messages to different media such as WEB server, terminal in text mode such as MINITEL in France, voice server or fax server.

The software modules of the CTI server ensure interoperability between the telephone and IT systems of the group or the company. They consist of a stack of software layers and provide the link with the PABX. The dialogue with the latter is carried out under the CSTA protocol, enriched or not, for Computer Supported Telephony Association, or, if necessary, under a specific protocol. Each PABX manufacturer provides its own software modules, but those published by non-manufacturer editors have the advantage of supporting the majority of PABX on the market.

Finally, certain suppliers supplement their software modules with CTI applications oriented to call centers or communicating office automation. This is, in particular, the case of the IBM company with its COREPOINT module. In addition, certain suppliers of PABX manufacturers target the niche of call centers and have, to do this, added different modules which: add functionality or intelligence to the routing function of the PABX; - generate calls in predictive mode; provide call center supervision; interface with a WEB server.

However, the aforementioned functions or services do not allow the user, company or group, to control the inefficiencies of incoming calls intended for a telephone set.

The reception person, or any other person authorized for this purpose, does not have any call or caller context that would allow him to inform and update the customer database.

The reception person, or any person authorized for this purpose, does not additionally have intelligent re-routing of calls or rules, at the level of the multi-user telephone installation concerned, whereas such a function would make it possible to correct internal malfunctions that generate inefficiencies when the called party does not respond. It will be recalled that the re-routing of the rules concerns the scheduled redirection of unsatisfied calls to one or more telephone sets of the multi-user set. If the reception person is busy, calls can be lost and the group or the company cannot benefit from the "zero lost calls" guarantee.

The costs of implementing a CTI server are high, of the order of 5.7 million francs, or around 0.9 million euros for a multi-user set of one hundred stations.

The object of the present invention is to remedy all of the aforementioned drawbacks.

In particular, the subject of the present invention is in particular the implementation of a CTI application in which a presentation to the reception person of an enriched context, relating to the caller, is carried out.

Another object of the present invention is, moreover, the implementation, in this application, of intelligent re-routing of incoming calls or rules to the reception person or to a voice messaging service.

Another object of the present invention is, also, the implementation, in this application, of a global statistical analysis of the inefficiencies, in order, if necessary, to favor one or more curative actions of these inefficiencies according to this analysis .

Another object of the present invention is, finally, the implementation, in this application, of a notification procedure making it possible to signal to the called party that return procedures have been established or that a message by e-mail or audio message has been filed.

The system for managing telephone calls launched by a caller and electronic or audio messages intended for a called party in a multi-user telephone installation, object of the invention, is such that it comprises at least one computer / telephone management server integrated associated with a private switching system. The private switching system is interconnected to all of the telephone sets of this multi-user telephone installation and the integrated computer / telephone management server is interconnected to a plurality of computer terminals by a computer network, at least one of these terminals enabling an interactive dialogue with a reception person. It also includes a module for presenting, to the reception person, bibliographic data relating to the caller, an intelligent re-referral module for any telephone call to the telephone set of a predetermined person, respectively to a mailbox. voicemail, a statistical calculation module comprising at least an analysis and classification of inefficiencies of calls, lost calls and abandoned calls, and a module for notification to the caller respectively to the called party of the transmission of a electronic call to the called party, respectively to the calling party.

The system for managing telephone calls made by a caller and electronic or audible messages intended for a called party in a facility multi-user telephone system, object of the present invention, finds application in any multi-user telephone installation, which is supplemented by a plurality of computer terminals connected in a network, of the local network type.

It will be better understood on reading the description below and on observing the drawings in which: the figure represents it, by way of illustration, a functional diagram of a telephone call management system conforming to the object of the present invention; FIG. 1B represents, by way of illustration, a functional diagram of a system for estimating d ^: telephone calls in accordance with the object of the present invention, according to a variant of FIG. FIG. 2a represents, by way of illustration, a detail of the structure of the server represented in FIG. 1a or 1b, and of the various exchanges between essential modules, constituting this server; FIG. 2b represents, by way of illustration, a flowchart of the exchanges implemented between a caller and a reception person via the server represented in FIGS. 1a, 1b or 2a; - Figures 3a to 3c show, by way of illustration, various exchanges carried out between the caller, the reception person and the manager of the private switching system, via the server, in specific situations. A more detailed description of a purposeful incoming telephone call management system of the present invention will now be given in connection with FIG. 1 a and the following figures.

In the above-mentioned figure, it is indicated that the telephone call management system, object of the present invention, makes it possible to manage the telephone calls launched by a caller A provided with a telephone set as well as with a computer terminal T _{A /} the system object of the present invention also making it possible to manage electronic or sound messages, all of these telephone calls or messages being intended for a called party B in a multi-user telephone installation. Thus, the telephone set of caller A is connected by the public switched telephone network PSTN to an installation nri rnmnn fant; a telephone connection to a private switching system SCP, this system being able to be constituted for example by a private branch exchange still designated by PABX.

The telephone set of called B is thus connected via the private switching system SCP and the public switched telephone network PSTN to the telephone set of caller A.

The management system which is the subject of the present invention is installed in a private installation, this system comprising at least one integrated computer / telephone management server S, also designated by CTI server for Computer Telephone Integration Server. The server S is connected, on the one hand, to the private switching system SCP and, on the other hand, to computer terminals denoted T _B via a local network, denoted LAN, such as a network d company for example or a network assigned to a group of users. Of course, this local network may include a plurality of computer terminals such as the terminal T _B used by the called party B and any other suitable computer terminal such as for example the terminal denoted T _PA , computer terminal associated with a telephone set of a person of reception, marked PA in figure la.

In the above-mentioned figure, it is further indicated that the server S is connected, either via the private switching system SCP and the public switched telephone network PSTN to the computer terminal of the caller T _A , or via d 'a wide area network, designated by WAN, or par.1' through any communicating network such as the TCP / IP network.

Thus, the integrated computer telephone management server S is associated with the private switching system, or private branch exchange, the private switching system SCP being thus connected to all of the telephone sets of the multi-user installation and the computer management server S / integrated telephone being interconnected to a plurality of computer terminals by the local LAN network. Finally, the private switch system SCP is connected, on the one hand, to an intelligent voice server SVI, and, on the other hand, to a voice messaging system MV. The intelligent IVR voice server and the MV voice messaging system make it possible to reach all the telephones in the multi-user telephone system.

In FIG. 1 a, in order to clarify the interconnection of the various elements, it is indicated that the telephone type links between the telephones calling, called or other, the network public switched telephone network PSTN and the private switching system SCP are shown in solid lines, while the interconnection of computer terminals, on the one hand, to the local area network LAN and on the other hand, to the wide area network WAN for example, is represented in dotted lines.

With regard to the aforementioned computer terminals, at least one of these computer terminals, referenced T _PA , allows an interactive dialogue with a reception person of course having a telephone set P _A forming part of the telephone installation multi.

In addition, as shown in the aforementioned figure, the management system, object of the present invention, comprises, for example at the level of the server S, a module 1 for presentation to the reception person PA via the computer terminal T _PA of bibliographic data relating to caller A.

Likewise, the server S comprises a module 2 for intelligent re-routing of any telephone call arriving at the level of the private switching system SCP, in particular from the PABX in the case of FIG. La, to the telephone set of a predetermined person with a telephone set in the multi-user telephone system. It is understood in particular that the predetermined person can be any person to whom an absent subscriber, such as called subscriber B, forwards his calls during his absence. The aforementioned re-routing function can be carried out if necessary towards a voicemail box, that is to say via the MV voicemail system previously mentioned in the description.

In addition, the management system which is the subject of the invention comprises a module 3 for statistical calculation comprising at least one analysis and classification of the inefficiencies of incoming calls, lost incoming calls and abandoned calls.

With regard to the implementation of the aforementioned statistical calculation module 3, it is indicated that this can be carried out from sorting and counting programs of computer entities such as lists or data structures adapted to this. effect. These programs will not be described in detail since they correspond to a conventional implementation in the field of statistical calculations.

Finally, the server S as represented in FIG. 1a comprises a module for notifying the caller A, respectively the called party B, of the transmission of an electronic call message ^' to the called party B, respectively to the caller A. It is understood in particular that the notification module 4 makes it possible, via the local LAN network, to address an electronic message informing the called party of the call made by caller A, as well as a call electronic message sent to caller A via WAN to terminal T _A of caller A.

In FIG. 1b, an alternative embodiment of the telephone call management system is shown in accordance with the object of the present invention in which the same references designate the same elements as in the case of FIG. II

In this embodiment, it is indicated that the private switching system SCP can be produced by the association of a private switching software system, also designated by PCBX, with which is associated an interconnection box, denoted IB, in fact allowing ensuring the interconnection of the server S with the private switching system SCP. This interconnection is carried out via the front box BF interconnected between the private switching system PCBX and the computer network via the server S, the interface card ensuring the connection of the front box to the server S and to the computer network LAN supra.

A more detailed description of the different modules installed in the server S, as represented in FIGS. 1a and 1b, and of the different interactions between these modules, the terminal of the reception person T _PA and the private switching system SCP, will now be given in connection with Figures 2a and 2b.

In Figure 2a, there is shown in detail the server S and its various modules as described above in the description.

As regards the presentation module 1, it is indicated that this presentation module makes it possible to ensure the presentation to the reception person PA of bibliographic data relating to the caller A. Of course, the presentation as such of this bibliographic data to the reception person PA is produced by the computer terminal T _PA used by the latter. The presentation module 1 to the person receiving bibliographic data includes a module memorization and display of the caller's telephone number, the name of the caller, the effective call history of the caller to all the telephones of the multi-user installation as well as the history effective last calls to the called party and possibilities for contacting the called party. It can also include a module for memorizing the history of calls from the called party to the calling party, for example. In general, it is indicated that the storage module can be constituted by any memory of the electrically reprogrammable memory type for example, making it possible to store the aforementioned information. Of course, the module 1 for presenting the abovementioned data to the reception person PA is connected via the server link to the computer terminal T _PA used by the reception person PA. This computer terminal makes it possible, in a module l ', to store the aforementioned bibliographic information as well as the directory of absences or other information for example.

With regard to the intelligent re-routing module 2, this includes a call to the interactive voice server module SVI, which allows the caller to be called back. A specific management procedure for recall procedures will now be given in connection with FIG. 2b.

FIG. 2b is initialized by a proposal to the caller A to be called back, at a step 1000, when the called party B has not answered his call. Following the step 1000 above, a step 1001 is provided, which consists of a test relating to the acceptance of the caller A to be called back. On a positive response to the aforementioned step 1001, that is to say upon acceptance of a call back by the caller, all the bibliographic data relating to the caller A is transmitted, in a step 1002, to the person d PA reception or to an autonomous system equipping the T _PA computer terminal of the reception person for launching a subsequent call back call. On the contrary, on a negative response at step 1001, that is to say in the absence of acceptance of callback by caller A, the latter refusing to be called back but now, however, calls on the telephone line , a test step 1003 is provided, relating to the duration of on-line maintenance of the caller A during a first duration Tj _. determined. This duration Ti is configurable and can be between 30 seconds and 1 minute.

On a negative response to test 1003, the caller A refusing to be called back and not having kept himself online, a step 1004 of end of connection is carried out. On the contrary, on a positive response to test 1003, the caller having refused to be called back but having kept himself on line for a first predetermined duration i, the call of the caller is switched, in a step 1005, to a waiting circuit. It is indicated that the value of the first predetermined duration Ti can be established by the reception person PA.

Following the placing on call waiting circuit at step 1005 of caller A, a test step 1006 is provided, test step relating to keeping caller A on line for a duration T ₂ predetermined upper to Tj _. . On a negative response to the aforementioned test 1006, the process for managing incoming calls is then continued by an end step, noted 1008, the caller A no longer being kept online. On the contrary, on a positive response to the aforementioned step 1006, the caller having remained on line for a second duration T ₂ greater than Ti, the call of the caller is switched to the reception person PA for processing priority. It is indicated that the first and second predetermined durations Ti and T ₂ can advantageously be determined by the reception person PA.

A more detailed description of the module 1 for presenting bibliographic data to the reception person via the computer terminal T _PA will now be given in conjunction with FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c.

In general, with reference to FIG. 3a, it is indicated that the module 1 for presenting bibliographic data to the reception person PA comprises at least one screen page, which of course is displayed thanks to the storage module l of this data at the T _PA terminal of the reception person. The aforementioned screen page includes a screen for entering bibliographic data and can advantageously include pre-recorded bibliographic data such as: the date; 1 hour ; dated. and time relating to the call; - the number of the called party; the name of the person called; a section relating to the recall; and a comments section accompanied by an attachment section.

The PA receptionist is then able to fill in the corresponding data and information fields from their computer terminal and, when these fields are entered, send by a key or function area of sending, denoted OK in FIG. 3a, an electronic message to the messaging service of the called party B via his computer terminal T _B.

The aforementioned screen page may include active zones or buttons for calling functions by means of a pointing device such as a mouse, these functions corresponding for example to: acceptance of the telephone call; telephone station directory; three telephone conference; comes and goes; - call transfer ; phone call ; hanging up at the end of the call; messaging. The messaging service can be either an electronic messaging service or a voice messaging service for example.

When activating the active area for ordering sending to the mailbox of called party B, the area marked OK in FIG. 3a, at least part of the screen page of bibliographic data supplemented with data entries is transmitted by the notification module 4 to the called party B in the form of an incentive message adapted to the called party's terminal.

Finally, with reference to FIGS. 3b and 3c, in the event that, following the transmission to the called party of the aforementioned screen page as represented in FIG. 3a, the notification module 4 proceeds to notify the manager of the switching system Private to caller A and the reception person PA of the type of action carried out with caller A by speech synthesis for example.

In addition, with reference to FIG. 3c, upon detection of an ineffectiveness rate greater than a threshold value determined by the statistical module 3, all of the bibliographic data relating to the called party is transmitted to the manager of the the automatic exchange, that is to say the private switching system, with a view to adapting the rules for routing calls to the called party B considered. Indeed, in accordance with a particularly advantageous aspect of the system which is the subject of the present invention, it is indicated that the statistical module 3 makes it possible to monitor the frequency of unsatisfied calls from a given called party and, consequently, to modify the routing rules depending on the above frequency. An example of application of the implementation of the incoming call management system object of the present invention will now be given in the context below.

On a specific date, a caller A from a company Ai unsuccessfully calls a called party B, who for example has not activated his answering machine, called party B being part of a group or a company and of course having a computer terminal T _B and a telephone set P _B belonging to the company's multi-user telephone installation. Caller A calls the "directory" number of the company and requests to be referred to the reception person, that is to say the secretary of called B.

The reception person PA receives the call in question and a pre-filled form is displayed via the screen page on the terminal T _PA of the reception person. The pre-filled form informs the latter of the contact details of caller A and called party B.

The PA receptionist also has the call history of the caller to all the extensions of the company, the last effective call, the last five ineffective calls and a read notice of the last screen page sent. .

In the vicinity of the aforementioned screen page, that is to say displayed on the terminal T _PA of the reception person, are displayed the keys most used by the latter, that is to say a key d 'acceptance, company directory, three-way conference, back and forth, transfer, hang up and a call button. From his computer terminal T _PA , the reception person PA can then activate the function keys or active zones such as the acceptance key, and then initiate a dialogue with the caller A. The reception person PA does not has no knowledge of the absence of called party B and can then ask caller A to wait. The PA receptionist activates the directory button of the company and then positions itself on the call of a third person, new assistant to the called party B. The reception person PA then acts on the call button, initiates the phone call from his phone while putting caller A on a waiting circuit. The new assistant to the called party informs caller A that the called party is absent for personal reasons.

The reception person PA announces to the caller A that she will send a message to the called party B and proposes an acknowledgment of receipt SMS on mobile.

The reception person PA then completes the screen page before sending it to the computer terminal T _B of the called party B. The message can be annotated such as "urgen t" with callback request for example. In a preferred embodiment, it is indicated that the transactions and all the contact details are recorded on a database. Regarding the call notification to the called party B, this notification can be made by an SMS message on his mobile phone.

With regard to the reports of reception of messages, it is indicated that the reception of the page screen of call by the called party B is notified to the caller A. Under these conditions, the called party B can then consult his mailbox and then hastens to contact caller A and send him the file by electronic mail.

In a specific embodiment, it is indicated that the statistical module 3 analyzes the inefficiencies induced by the telephone set of the called party B and allows then automatically re-direct all calls to the PA reception person.

Finally, the telephone call management system object of the invention makes it possible to notify by voice synthesis the type of action carried out. manager of the private switching system, such as the PABX or the PCBX, to the reception person PA and of course to the person called B.

Claims

1. A system for managing telephone calls launched by a caller and electronic or sound messages intended for a called party in a multi-user telephone installation, this system comprising at least one integrated computer / telephone management server associated with a private switching system, the private switching system being interconnected to all of the telephone sets of this multi-user telephone installation, and the integrated computer / telephone management server being interconnected to a plurality of computer terminals by a computer network, at least one of these terminals computers allowing interactive dialogue with a reception person, this system further comprising: a module for presenting this reception person with bibliographic data relating to the caller; a module for intelligent re-routing of any telephone call to the telephone set of a predetermined person respectively to a voice mail box; a statistical calculation module comprising at least one analysis and classification of the inefficiencies of calls, lost calls and abandoned calls; a module for notifying the caller respectively to the called party of the transmission of an electronic call message to the called party respectively to the caller.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, in which said module for presenting bibliographic data to this person comprises a module for storing and displaying the telephone number of the caller, the name of the caller, the effective call history of the caller to all the telephone sets in the installation, the history of the last effective calls to the called party, possibilities of contact of the called party, of the call history of the called party to the calling party.

3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the intelligent re-routing module includes an interactive voice server module offering the caller to be called.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3, in which, upon acceptance of a callback by the caller, all the bibliographic data relating to the caller is transmitted to the reception person or to a system independent of the reception person for launch of a later recall.

5. The system as claimed in claim 3, in which in the absence of acceptance of callback by the caller, and of keeping the caller on line for a first determined duration, the call of the caller is switched to a waiting circuit.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein in the absence of acceptance of callback by the caller, and keeping the caller on line for a second determined duration, greater than the first, the call of the caller is switched to the reception person for priority treatment.

7. System according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said module for presenting bibliographic data to this reception person comprises at least one screen page representative of an input screen. bibliographic data, said screen page comprising prerecorded bibliographic data.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said screen page comprises buttons for calling functions, such as: accepting the telephone call; telephone station directory; three telephone conference; comes and goes; - call transfer ; phone call ; hanging up at the end of the call; messaging.

9. The system as claimed in claim 7, in which at least part of said bibliographic data screen page supplemented by entered data is transmitted by the notification module to the called party, in the form of an incentive message adapted to the terminal. 1 'called.

10. The system as claimed in claim 3, in which, following the transmission to the called party of said screen page, said notification module proceeds to notify the manager of the private switching system, the caller and the person d reception, of the type of action carried out with the caller, by voice synthesis.

11. The system as claimed in claim 9, in which, on detection of an ineffectiveness rate greater than a determined threshold value, all the bibliographic data relating to the called party is transmitted to the manager of the private switching system with a view to a adaptation of the call routing rules to this called party.

12. System according to one of claims 1 to 11, in which the integrated computer / telephone management server associated with a private switching system is replaced by: a front box interconnected between the private switching system and the computer network; an interface card integrated into this front box ensuring the connection of this front box to this computer network.