WO2009017416A1 - Procédé pour centre d'appel - Google Patents

Procédé pour centre d'appel Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2009017416A1
WO2009017416A1 PCT/NO2008/000263 NO2008000263W WO2009017416A1 WO 2009017416 A1 WO2009017416 A1 WO 2009017416A1 NO 2008000263 W NO2008000263 W NO 2008000263W WO 2009017416 A1 WO2009017416 A1 WO 2009017416A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
queue
agent
caller
calling party
call
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/NO2008/000263
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Wouter Lammers
Original Assignee
Tandberg Telecom As
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 Tandberg Telecom As filed Critical Tandberg Telecom As
Publication of WO2009017416A1 publication Critical patent/WO2009017416A1/fr

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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
    • H04M3/523—Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention, e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing with call distribution or queueing
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N7/00—Television systems
    • H04N7/14—Systems for two-way working
    • H04N7/141—Systems for two-way working between two video terminals, e.g. videophone
    • H04N7/147—Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M2201/00—Electronic components, circuits, software, systems or apparatus used in telephone systems
    • H04M2201/50—Telephonic communication in combination with video communication
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M2203/00—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M2203/25—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges related to user interface aspects of the telephonic communication service
    • H04M2203/251—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges related to user interface aspects of the telephonic communication service where a voice mode or a visual mode can be used interchangeably
    • H04M2203/253—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges related to user interface aspects of the telephonic communication service where a voice mode or a visual mode can be used interchangeably where a visual mode is used instead of a voice mode
    • H04M2203/254—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges related to user interface aspects of the telephonic communication service where a voice mode or a visual mode can be used interchangeably where a visual mode is used instead of a voice mode where the visual mode comprises menus
    • 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

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to Video Call Centres Solutions and Interactive Voice and Video Response.
  • Video calls are more and more becoming the preferred form of remote real-time communication.
  • the proliferation of video-enabled devices and the rapid growth in available bandwidth are making conversational video increasingly available to businesses and consumers alike.
  • a call center is a centralized office used for the purpose of receiving and transmitting a large volume of requests by phone.
  • a call centre is usually operated by a company to administer incoming product support or information inquiries from consumers. Outgoing calls e.g for telemarketing, clientele, and debt collection are also made.
  • a call centre is often operated through an extensive open workspace for call center agents, with work stations that include a computer for each agent, a telephone set/headset connected to a telecom switch, and one or more supervisor stations. It can be independently operated or networked with additional centers, often linked to a corporate computer network, including mainframes, microcomputers and LANs.
  • CTI computer telephony integration
  • Call centers can support, for example, sales, including order entry, order inquiry, and reservations; financial services, including funds transfer, credit card verification, and stock transactions; information services, including event schedules, referral services, transportation schedules, and yellow pages; is customer services, including technical support, repair dispatch, and claims handling. Examples include also utility companies, mail order catalogue firms, and customer support for computer hardware and software. Some businesses even service internal functions through call centers. Examples of this include help desks and sales support.
  • Call centers include some sort of switching network, ranging from dedicated circuit switches to using IP multimedia technologies, such as voice and video over IP.
  • the call center can be modelled as a number of queues.
  • the callers can join a queue based on e.g. a menu choice, or from information known about the caller, e.g. the geographical location derived from the caller's country code, or simply from the phone number called.
  • the agents can serve queues based on various techniques known as
  • Videophone customer service just would not seem complete if customers could not see the agent when they called for assistance.
  • Video services that benefit users are needed to enhance the uptake rate for videophones.
  • Offering hosted video call center services will give enterprises a way to create their own video call centers quickly and cost effectively, further fueling the demand for video calling.
  • IVVR Interactive Video and Voice Response
  • IVR Interactive Voice Response
  • IVVR adds a new multimodal dimension to the caller experience.
  • a caller can see menu choices to expedite the call, and receive video presentations while waiting for an agent, during transfers, or at appropriate places in the IVVR dialogue. This creates new service and revenue possibilities ranging from ad-subsidized free information, to paid entertainment, and more.
  • IVVR can be used as a video front-end to a traditional voice call center, or as part of a video call center where callers see agents and vice versa when callers are so equipped.
  • Call centers that can't be immediately upgraded to video can still offer IVVR to video-enable the self- service portion of the call and then transfers it to a voice agent in the legacy call center.
  • IVVR is the video-enabled prelude and gateway to the video agents.
  • Patent US6404747 Integrated audio and video agent system in an automatic call distribution environment, teaches a general solution for a video multimedia call center.
  • Patent US6389132 Multi-tasking, web-based call center, teaches a web-based call center. None of these patents provide a simple and flexible method to identify an agent that calls into the queue; they rather build on the assumption that the agents are called to by the automatic call distributor.
  • Virtual worlds such as There by Makena, Alphaworld by Activeworlds and Second Life by Linden Labs are platforms increasingly used for communication.
  • persons are represented by an avatar, i.e. a graphical 3D representation that can be animated.
  • the avatar can usually walk or fly.
  • teleportation is commonly used, i.e. the computer controlling the world simply moves the avatar to a new location based on input from the user.
  • the location can e.g. be given as a combination of coordinates and place names.
  • Figure 1, 2 and 3 shows some snapshots of a configuration interface of a Basic Call Centre Manager
  • Figure 4 shows a call flow chart illustrating the beginning of a call flow according to an example embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 5 shows a call flow chart illustrating a call flow when the calling party is determined to be a caller
  • Figure 6 shows a call flow chart illustrating an alternative flow when the calling party is determined to be a caller
  • Figure 7 shows a call flow chart illustrating details in the call flow in the case of a caller leaving a Video Message
  • Figure 8 shows a call flow chart illustrating the flow when the calling party is determined to be an agent
  • Figure 9 shows a flow chart illustrating the call flow when an agent enters into a queue having a VideoMail waiting
  • Figure 10 and 11 are flow charts illustrating how to check the possibility to connect callers to agents.
  • the present invention is a method and a system for a common point of handling and managing callers and agents in an IVVR providing a simple access and user friendly User Interface to a call centre. Agents can use the same number to configure their status for a queue as callers use to access that queue, and the service compares the number of the calling party to the agent numbers supplied in the dialplan entry arguments.
  • queues can be created by making an instance (dialplan entry) of the Queue service, configuring the queue by using dial plan entry arguments. Every queue has a separate phone number, or similar identifier, and callers and agents can reach queues through a menu or dial the queue phone number directly.
  • Figure 1, 2 and 3 shows some examples entries that may be required to enter in the User Interface of a call centre to create a dial plan and a number of corresponding queues.
  • Figure 1 shows an example of a dial plan where the numbers of each of the queues of the call centre is associated with the queue name and service type. For example, by dialing 3108100, a caller will reach a menu appearing on his video screen with options to select which queue to enter. A user can also dial a queue directly if he knows the number of the queue. For example, dialing 3108101 will bring the caller directly to the "Savings" queue. An administrator can manage the entries in the call centre through the web interface by creating new entries and deleting old ones, and changing the settings for existing entries.
  • the entry "Bank call centre” is set as a menu service, and will then be the top level of a number of queues. Net type is selected to be H.323, meaning that this entry is enabled to receive video calls, and since it also is a menu entry, it will as already mentioned provide a visual menu for the video callers. Below the top level, a number of queues and their respective settings are listed. All these queues will be selectable for a caller dialing the menu number, and all the queues are in this example enabled for receiving video calls. This means that agents and callers entering the queues can be connected in video calls if both are using a video terminal. Optionally, there could also be attached an on-hold video to each queue entry to be shown when the callers are waiting to be connected with an available agent.
  • connection between callers and agents can be managed by an Automatic Call Distributor or using skill based routing or other techniques for automatic management of queues. Based on this, the caller can also receive information by audio or video on estimated time before the call is placed with an agent. A video or a voice mail and a call back option could also be associated with each queue or at the menu level, to give the callers a possibility to leave a message or the phone number, and the agent to call back the callers who have left the queues.
  • Figure 3 shows a further extended editing of the dial plan.
  • dial plan details of a separate queue is specified.
  • the agents are specified by e.g. dial numbers in the agent entries. The specification of agents will allow the system to differentiate agent originated calls from other calls.
  • FIG. 4 shows a call flow chart illustrating the beginning of a call when a caller enters a queue service according to the present invention by calling one of the numbers defined in the Basic Call Centre Manager. Callers can dial the Menu service to choose the subject of their call, the menu service then connects them to the right Queue service. Alternatively, if a caller already knows the number of the Queue service, he can dial it directly.
  • the IVVR checks if the queue for the service already exists (using the Subject argument from the dial plan) , if not it sends a command to a SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) interface to create it. Thereafter, the service checks the number of the calling party against the agent numbers in the dial plan entry arguments to see if the call is originated from an agent or a caller.
  • SOAP Simple Object Access Protocol
  • Figure 5 shows a call flow chart illustrating the flow when the calling party is determined to be a caller.
  • the figure is self-explanatory, but the overall steps are as follows:
  • the caller is registered to the call centre SOAP interface. Every time a caller registers or an agent changes his status to "Available”, the call centre checks if the caller and an agent can be coupled. If not, the caller is put in a waiting loop, and a waiting movie is started.
  • Dependent on the dial plan entry argument the caller is presented for the possibility to leave a VideoMail, i.e. to record a video message, after a predefined time.
  • the caller IVVR doesn't have to poll the SOAP interface to determine if an agent is ready. Instead of regularly polling the SOAP interface, the caller IVVR waits for an "agent ready" signal from the Call Centre. The IVVR still checks if the caller has waited in line long enough to be able to leave a VideoMail message, but this is done internally and doesn't require SOAP messages .
  • the call is finished after "make service call agent for wrapup" .
  • an agent is called by the system and presented with information on the call. This provides the agent with key data such as length of the call, caller id, queue and subqueue served, and could also give information on the outcome of call, confirm storage, give statistical information on the agent's and call center performance, such as Average Delay, Average
  • the information can be shown as text and graphics within the video stream from the call centre to the agent, or as or in combination with web pages, web feeds such as RSS or e-mail.
  • the system knows that the agent is occupied while reading the information, until the agent releases the call.
  • Figure 7 shows the details in the call flow in the case of a caller leaving a Video Message. If a caller chooses to leave a VideoMail message and wait for an agent to call him back instead of staying in the waiting queue, his status is changed to "Callback". If the number of the calling party is not known, the user is prompted to enter a preferred number which is being stored. The recording of the video message is then started and kept in progress until the user press #. Alternatively, the caller may choose to only leave a predefined request for a callback. The caller is then presented for a post-recording menu, the VideoMail is saved, and the connection with the caller is terminated. The caller keeps his position in the queue, and a callback will be carried out by an available agent when the caller reach the first position in the queue.
  • Figure 8 shows a call flow chart illustrating the flow when the calling party is determined to be an agent. If an agent enters the Queue service after a call, information on that call is shown (caller phone number, time etc) . Thereafter, an agent can change his status (to "Available” or "Not
  • an agent changes his status to "Available"
  • the service checks if there are any VideoMail messages for this queue, and if the caller that left the message (callback caller) is the first caller in line. If so, the agent is requested to make a call to the caller. If not, the normal flow continues, the agent is connected to a waiting caller and the agent's status is changed.
  • Figure 9 shows a flow chart illustrating the call flow of the case mentioned above, when an agent enters into a queue having a VideoMail waiting.
  • the agent first gets a screen with information of the caller who has left the message, and is shown the message. Then the agent can replay the message or connect to the caller who left it. After the call is done, the agent is connected to the Queue service again, where he automatically gets the wrap-up information for the call.
  • the SOAP interface checks for the possibility to connect callers to agents.
  • the call flow chart of figure 10 and 11 show how the SOAP interface checks this. The first diagram applies to the caller call flow with polling, and the second applies to the caller call flow with signaling.
  • the present invention is used in or integrated with a virtual world such as Second Life.
  • a virtual world such as Second Life.
  • chat or a voice service that works between avatars in sight or reasonable distance of one another.
  • the callers have avatars that are voice-enabled. They can be served by a call center in three ways (aside from the obvious text chat or instant messaging) :
  • the caller avatar is served by an agent using voice only.
  • the caller avatar is simply using a virtual telephone or voice enabled chat to contact the call center and join a queue there, as described in the previous embodiment.
  • the caller avatar is served by an agent using video.
  • the caller avatar is simply using the virtual world similar device to a video phone as described in the previous embodiment.
  • the caller avatar is served by an agent avatar in the same or another virtual world.
  • the caller avatar enters the queue service as in Figure 4 by activating a teleport and thus selecting an address in the namespace of the relevant virtual world. This is similar to calling a number or selecting an URI in the previous embodiment.
  • the caller and agent is connected as shown in Figures 5 and 6 "Connect caller to agent" by teleporting the caller and agent avatar to a suitable meeting location in a virtual world.
  • the place can e.g. be a dedicated virtual call center office or any place chosen by the calling avatar or the agent avatar.
  • the call is finished, "Call finished” in Figures 5 and 6, e.g. when one of the avatars leave the location or when the call is marked as finished in a Head Up Display, touching a button, giving a command or the similar.
  • the avatars Preferably there are arrangements for the avatars to leave the location, e.g. to jointly explore a problem or view an object for sale.
  • VideoMail is similar to that of the first embodiment, as shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7.
  • the video of the caller avatar' s message is recorded, and can be replayed by the agent. During the recording the caller' s avatar may move or teleport in order to show or explain what the call is about.
  • the agent view a VideoMail as shown in Figure 9.
  • the agent calls in as in Figure 8, by activating a teleport in the same manner as the caller.
  • the agent is identified e.g. by an avatar name, as commonly used in virtual worlds.
  • VideoMail that is recorded is a recording of the avtar with or without the surroundings and other present avatars.
  • the surroundings and other avatars can be stored in separate layers of the recording.
  • the caller uses a video call as described in the first embodiment, but the agent is present in a virtual world and represented by an avatar.
  • the avatar calls the queue by selecting it, e.g on a teleport.
  • the agent is either teleported to a suitable video screen and there sees the caller, or the video is simply displayed in front of the agent. Video and audio of the agent avatar is grabbed and transmitted to the calling user's video endpoint.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Marketing (AREA)
  • Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé et un système pour traiter un appel vidéo entrant provenant d'un appelant adressant un numéro de téléphone, une adresse de données ou une URI associée à une entrée de file d'attente principale ou une entrée de file d'attente secondaire. Des actions spécifiques sont exécutées, selon certains rôles de l'appelant et l'objet adressé par l'appelant.
PCT/NO2008/000263 2007-07-31 2008-07-10 Procédé pour centre d'appel WO2009017416A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US95300707P 2007-07-31 2007-07-31
NO20073979 2007-07-31
NO20073979A NO332811B1 (no) 2007-07-31 2007-07-31 Fremgangsmate i et videosamtalesenter for a handtere videoanrop
US60/953,007 2007-07-31

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2009017416A1 true WO2009017416A1 (fr) 2009-02-05

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/NO2008/000263 WO2009017416A1 (fr) 2007-07-31 2008-07-10 Procédé pour centre d'appel

Country Status (2)

Country Link
NO (1) NO332811B1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2009017416A1 (fr)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1999041720A1 (fr) * 1998-02-17 1999-08-19 Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc. Procede et dispositif de distribution d'appels et de forçage des priorites
US20020169834A1 (en) * 1995-10-25 2002-11-14 Alec Miloslavsky Apparatus and methods for routing electronic mail in a processing center
WO2004038978A2 (fr) * 2002-10-21 2004-05-06 Sprint Communications Company, L.P. Systeme de communication de donnees numeriques faisant appel a la visiophonie

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20020169834A1 (en) * 1995-10-25 2002-11-14 Alec Miloslavsky Apparatus and methods for routing electronic mail in a processing center
US20040208309A1 (en) * 1995-10-25 2004-10-21 Alec Miloslavsky Internet protocol call-in centers and establishing remote agents
US20050128961A1 (en) * 1995-10-25 2005-06-16 Alec Miloslavsky Routing emails to a plurality of agents
WO1999041720A1 (fr) * 1998-02-17 1999-08-19 Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc. Procede et dispositif de distribution d'appels et de forçage des priorites
WO2004038978A2 (fr) * 2002-10-21 2004-05-06 Sprint Communications Company, L.P. Systeme de communication de donnees numeriques faisant appel a la visiophonie

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NO332811B1 (no) 2013-01-21
NO20073979L (no) 2009-02-02

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