Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1~93C~ ~
-- 1 --
AUTOMATIC VO~CE PROCESSING
ASSISTED CUSTOME~ INFORMATION SYSTEM
Techni~
This invention relates to methods and apparatus
for telemarketing, and specifically providing vendor
information services in response to telephone customer
initiated inquiries.
Problem
Telemarketing, i.e. r the use of
telecommunications systems for sales purposes, is widely
used by retailers, wholesalers, or, more generally,
vendors for selling services and equipment and for
providing customer information with respect to such sales.
A vendor-provided automatic call distributor (ACD)
typically connects customers calling that vendor to one of
a group of attendants who accept oxders and/or provide
customer information to the caller.
The type of customer initiated telemarketing
wherein a customer is invited to call a vendor based on
advertising in the public media is inefficient and costly
since each advertisement reaches many uninterested
individuals for every true prospective customer. Because
advertising frequently provides incomplete information,
many customers call a vendor even though they do not want
a vendor product or service. Even for customers who want
to make a purchase, large amounts of attendant time are
frequently required to identify the customer's needs
specifically. Further, a vendor-provided ACD ~ust be
staffed to process peaks of customer telephone traffic or
risk the loss of a potential sale, thus making inefficient
use of attendants. Effective present customer-initiated
telemarketing arrangements typically are highly labor
intensive and therefore costly. A problem of the prior
1~3~1
art therefore is that these systems waste large amounts of
vendor attendant time to identify customer needs and to
provide continuous communications with customers.
SolutiQn
The aforementioned problem is solved and a
technical advance is achieved in the art by virtually
eliminating the need for continuous operator involvement
on vendor incoming calls by having the operator route such
calls to a voice processing unit to receive announcements
on vendor services or products and to detect on an
information or voice processing system, commands, such as
voice or customer station tone signals, for connection to
a vendor or another operator for further call assistance
or order taking. This arrangement allows a customer to
communicate with attendants, but uses attendants only for
those functions which are likely to be performed
inadequately by automatic equipment.
A customer may make a positive response to an
announced offer for a connection to an attendant for one
of a plurality of vendors selected by the customer
command, detected by the voice processing unit. The
connection process is thereafter initiated by the control
processor of the telecommunications system.
Advantageously, customers who make such requests are
customers for whom time of the vendor attendant can be
efficiently devoted. Advantageously, this service may be
offered without charge to customers, and a vendor will
only pay on a per call basis for calls from such good
prospects and need not incur the expense of receiving a
large number of direct calls from uninformed customers.
Since the calls are customer-initiated and have been
initially categorized by a general attendant, a vendor
attendant is connected only when a customer is likely to
need a product, service, or vendor information. In other
cases, a positive response can cause a customer to be
connected to another attendant to obtain further
information. Such an arrangement is usable to categorize
_ 3 _ ~ ~3~41
customer requests and effectively to screen calls before
connecting customers to a vendor attendant.
Initially, the general attendant selects a
prerecorded announcement from a plurality of such
announcements on different vendor products or services.
The selection is used to provide a customer with one
category of information as requested, and allows a general
attendant to serve requests for many such categories.
A single telephone number is illustratively used
to reach an initial operator who can respond to requests
for a large variety of products and services.
Advantageously, such an arrangement permits a single large
group of attendants or operators to service inquiries for
many vendors. For example, if one vendor has a
particularly attractive sale, the single large group is
likely to be able to absorb the extra traffic from that
sale without requiring the vendor temporarily to increase
its staff and telephone facilities. Further, customers
need only remember one number in order to get information
on a large variety of products and services.
In one embodiment of the invention, the
operators or attendants responding to the initial request
and the operators or attendants responding to the follow-
on requests are illustratively segregated into different
groups. Operators or attendants may then be selected for
each group according to experience and sales ability, and
trained to meet the special requirements of each type of
activity.
The command by a customer that is recognized by
the voice processing unit is illustratively a voice
command, spoken by a customer, or a number, keyed by a
customer having, for example, a dual tone multifrequency
(DTMF) customer station. Such command inputs are readily
supplied by a customer and readily recognized by a voice
processing unit.
1~3~ ~1
A general attendant illustratively has access
to one or more remote data bases to provide the customer
with information about a broad range of vendors, and
provide regional and local vendor data.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention
there is provided a method of providing information to a
telecommunications customer at a customer station in a
telecommunications system comprising a switch including a
voice processing unit, said voice processing unit also
adapted to detect signals keyed on a customer station,
comprising the steps of: dialing a directory number from
a customer station, said directory number used for
accessing attendants; setting up a first call connection
from said customer station to a first attendant position
selected from a first group of attendant positions;
responsive to an information request received over said
first call connection, selecting one of a plurality of
prerecorded messages, at least one of said plurality of
messages comprising a prompting message specifying a
customer command to be generated at said customer
station; transmitting said selected prerecorded message
to said customer station; transmitting said selected
prerecorded message to said customer station; the method
CHARACTERIZED IN THAT it includes the additional steps
of: after the beginning of the transmitting step
detecting a customer command transmitted from said
customer station, by said voice processing unit, wherein
said customer commands comprise spoken commands and
signals keyed on a customer station; in response to
detection of a first customer command, setting up a
second call connection in said switch between said
customer station and a telecommunications terminal
serving a vendor, and billing said vendor for said second
call connection.
In accordance with another aspect of the
invention there is provided in a telecommunications
system comprising a switch including a voice processing
~2~3~1
unit, a method of providing information to a
telecommunications customer at a customer station
comprising the steps of: dialing a directory number from
a customer station, said directory number used for
accessing attendants for providing customer information
for a plurality of vendors; setting up a first call
connection from said customer station to a first
attendant position selected from a first group of
attendant positions; responsive to an information request
received over said first call connection, selecting one
of a plurality of prerecorded messages, at least one of
said plurality of messages comprising a prompting message
specifying a customer command to be generated at said
customer station;transmitting said selected prerecorded
message to said customer station; after the beginning of
the transmitting step detecting customer commands,
transmitted from said customer station, by said voice
processing unit, wherein said customer commands comprise
spoken commands and signals keyed on a customer station;
in response to detection of a first customer command,
setting up a second call connection in said switch
between said customer station and a telecommunications
terminal serving a vendor, and billing said vendor for
said second call connection; in response to the detection
of a second customer command, setting up a third call
connection from said customer station to a second
attendant position selected from a second group of
attendant positions;displaying data identifying said
selected prerecorded message on a terminal of said second
attendant position;responsive to a customer request
received over said third connection, setting up a fourth
call connection between said customer station and a
communication terminal serving a vendor under the control
of said second attendant position and billing said vendor
for said fourth call connection; and in response to the
detection of a fourth customer command, recording data
corresponding to said fourth customer command.
- 4a -
1~93~i
Drawinq Description
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a switch for
offering vendor information services, and customer,
attendant, and data base connections to such a switch;
the switch, a data base interconnecting network and a
remote data base are shown with heavy outlines to
indicate that the changes required for implementing this
invention are concentrated in these blocks; and
FIGS. 2-10 are flow diagrams of program
controlled actions and customer and attendant actions for
offering vendor information services.
Detailed Description
FIG, 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary
embodiment of the invention, in this example, for
offering a service tentatively designated "800 consumer
service". 800 consumer service is a service whereby
customers who call a single 800 number, for which they
are not charged, are connected to a shared system for
providing information about a large variety of consumer
products and services, available from many different
vendors, in accordance with the principles of this
invention. Switch 1 is stored program controlled
telecommunications switching system such as the 5ESSTM
switch. The switch comprises a distributed control 10
used for controlling a voice and data switching network
12. Control 10 accesses network 12 at port lla via data
channel 11. The network has input ports for connection
to communication links. The voice and data switching
network are used to interconnect input communication
links such as customer line 44, trunks 31 and 33, and
output communication links such as operator access
facilities 26 and 27 connected to operator or attendant
positions 24 and 25, and data link 17. These links are
connected to input ports 44a, 31a, 33a, 26a,
- 4b -
1~3~1
-- 5 --
27a, and 17a for interconnection by the network 12. In
addition, for this application, the voice and switching
network interconnects such facilities with a voice
processing unit 14. The voice processing unit is used for
generating voice messages to be sent to telecommunications
customers and is used for analyzing non-supervisory
signals representing customer commands; signals include
voice commands from such customers and dual tone
multifrequency (DTMF) signals keyed from customer
stations. The voice processing unit 14 includes
announcement circuits 13 and detection circuits 15, both
controlled by a controller of voice processing unit 14.
In alternate configurations, the announcement and
detection circuits could be separate and separately
controlled. In addition, the voice and data switching
network 12 is connected to a local data base system 16 in
order to permit, for example, the operators at operator
positions 24 and 25 to access such a local data base.
A voice processing unit such as the
Conversant~ 1 Voice System, Model 80, is one unit which
can carry out the functions of voice processing unit 14.
Other information processing systems can be used with
other types of customer terminals to handle other types of
customer command signals such as data signals.
A customer such as a customer at calling
terminal 42 which is directly connected to switch 1 by
customer line 44 can directly access the voice and data
switching network 12. Other customers such as the
customer at calling terminal 40 connected by a public
interconnecting network 30 to trunk 31 access switch 1
through trunk 31. Switch 1 accesses called terminals not
directly connected to that switch through trunk 33 and
interconnecting network 32.
Assume that a customer at calling terminal 40
wishes to use 800 consumer service. The customer dials
the nationwide 800 number required to access the service
and is connected through interconnecting network 30 and
~93~
trunk 31 to switch 1 which offers the 800 consumer service
to a region~ The customer is then connected through voice
and data switching network 12 and operator access
facility 26 to an operator at operator position 24. The
operator communicates with a customer and ascertains the
type of information that the customer wants. The operator
either gives the customer that information directly or
arranges that the customer receives an announcement
providing this information. The announcement is generated
by voice processing unit 14 which is then connected to
trunk 31 by voice and data switching network 12. The
voice processing unit generates this announcement on the
basis of data provided by the local data base system 16
and transmitted from local data base 16 via voice and data
switching network 12 to the voice processing unit 14.
After the customer has received the
announcement, the customer may disconnect or may wish to
make further inquiries. Part of the announcement is a
prompting request to the customer to indicate either by
pressing a key of a DTMF station or by saying an
appropriate command such as "yes" that the customer is to
be reconnected to an attendant. The operator or attendant
to whom the customer will be reconnected will not be, in
general, the same attendant with whom the customer first
communicated; however, that attendant will have a display
indicating the announcement received by the customer and a
menu display of the kinds of actions that can be
undertaken further. These actions include a connection to
one of a group of suppliers of equipment or services, an
indication that the attendant can enter data into a data
base to have a brochure mailed to the customer or that the
attendant can either directly take an order or can request
information for a survey. In case the attendant takes an
order or receives information for a survey, the attendant
keys this information for storage into a data base, which
may be local data base 16 or remote data base 20, for
subsequent transmission to the supplier. This information
1~93
-- 7 --
is sent via the data communication facilities of the
public switched network.
If one of the actions on the menu is to connect
the customer to the supplierl and the operator ascertains
from communications with the calling customer that the
customer wishes to be so connected, the attendant signals
to the control lO to set up a connection from trunk 31 to
the supplier at, for example, called terminal 46 via
trunk 43 and interconnecting network 32. Advantageously,
the call can be billed to the supplier, without requiring
that the calling customer know an 800 number for reaching
the called terminal. The directory number actually used
for accessing the called terminal may be a special number
to identify calls from customers who have already been
screened by the attendant who supplied the 800 consumer
service.
FIGS. 2-10 are flow charts of programs executed
by control lO to implement 800 consumer/800 business
service. The service is called 800 consumer/800 business
because different directory numbers are used for accessing
consumer and business products and services. Otherwise
the two services are essentially identical; only 800
consumer service is discussed in this description.
The operators are grouped into two teams, the
first or A team being used primarily for initial contacts
with the customer and the second or B team being used
primarily for additional contacts with a customer. The B
team, for example, would take orders or forward the call
to a supplier or sponsor or to a terminal or terminal
group designated by the sponsor, such as an order taking
telemarketing service. The members of the B team might
have more training in the techniques of retrieving the
more specialized data that may be required for handling
the more detailed requests of customers who have already
received their first sponsor message. If either team is
overloaded, calls for that team can overflow to the other
team.
3~1
-- 8 --
FIG. 2 is a flow chart of initial actions
performed when a calling customer or caller dials the 800
consumer number. This number is translated in the local
switching system or switch to which the calling customer's
terminal is connected. In response to the translation, a
connection is set up through interconnecting network 30
from the calling terminal 40 to the voice and data
switching network 12 of switch 1. The caller's directory
number, including the numbering plan area code, is
forwarded to switch 1 and is stored in the memory of
control 10 for eventual recording by transaction
recorder 22, used for recording data for billing and
traffic analysis purposes (action block 100, FIG~ 2). The
voice processing unit 14 is connected to the caller and is
programmed to play a greeting and prompt message to the
caller (action box 102). The voice processing unit 1~
then monitors the caller's response to see if the caller
keys a number (decision block 104). If the caller keys
such a number, this number is analyzed (decision
block 106). Thereafter, the voice processing unit is
disconnected from the caller. If the caller has keyed a
zero, this is a request to be connected to an operator of
the B team for subsequent processing as described
hereinafter with respect to FIG. 8. If the caller keys a
message number (action box 107) the caller is connected to
the message corresponding to the message number as further
described hereinafter with respect to action box 114. The
caller might have been informed of the message number
through an advertisement. If the caller does not key a
number, the caller is connected to an attendant of the A
team. That attendant gets alerting tone and a display
indicating that this is the caller's initial contact with
an attendant and indicating the directory number of the
caller in order to give the operator an indication of the
origin of the call. If desired, the geographic location
associated with that directory number may also be
displayed or may be displayed instead of the directory
12~3C~l
g
number.
After the attendant has communicated with a
caller, the attendant retrieves information about the
product, service, or brand requested by the caller from a
data base. In general, this is likely to be the local
data base 16 which stores data for national as well as
local items. If the customer requests data about local
items from a remote location, then remote data base 20 is
accessed via interconnecting data network 18. The second
situation is especially likely during periods of light
traffic when many of the switches serving 800 consumer
calls are likely to be closed down for the night.
Based on the information displayed to the
attendant, the attendant selects (decision block 112) a
message to be announced to the customer, or selects among
other options to be carried out (such as simply
disconnecting the call) as described further with respect
to FIG. 6. If the tentative decision is that a message is
to be announced to the customer, then the day, date, time,
calling number, and message restrictions associated with
this message are first analyzed (action block 114). If
the selected message can be announced, then further
actions described with respect to FIG. 3 are executed. If
the message cannot be announced, the attendant is informed
(action box 118) and the attendant either makes further
inquires of the data base (action block 110 previously
described) or initiates call termination actions described
further with respect to FIG. 10. In order to bill the
sponsors appropriately, the transaction is recorded on
transaction recorder 22. A decision that the selected
message cannot be announced may be based on the fact that
the message, for example, for a sale, cannot be announced
before or after a certain time or that the sponsor is
unwilling to have the message announced to customers
outside of a given area.
~3~
-- 10 --
The message may be prerecorded in total or may
have one or more segments, such as a number, announced in
the middle of a prerecorded message, or may consist of
several prerecorded segments. The choice among these
possibilities is made based on data keyed by the attendant
and passed to the announcement system.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the program for
controlling actions performed with respect to the
announcement of a selected message. Control 10 connects
the caller to voice processing unit 14 through the voice
and data switching network 12 and releases the connection
from the caller to the attendant. The voice processing
unit then announces the message to the caller. The
transaction is recorded on transaction recorder 22 in
order to bill the appropriate sponsor. The voice
processing unit monitors for caller keyed DTMF signals
throughout the announcement taction box 150). If the
caller keys a zero then the caller is connected to an
attendant of the B team as described further with respect
to FIG. 8. If the caller has not keyed a zero, a test is
made whether the message has an associated survey question
; (decision block 154). If not, the actions associated with
forwarding of the call to a sponsor selected facility or
reconnecting the caller to another attendant as discussed
with respect to FIG. 4 are carried out. If the message
has survey questions, then the voice processing unit
analyzes the voice or keyed response requested by the
recorded message and stores that response for recording in
the data base for subsequent analysis and/or transmission
to a sponsortaction block 156). Next, a test (decision
block 158) is made whether a reprompt is needed because no
response has been received from the caller or whether
additional questions need to be asked. If so, the
reprompt or new question is transmitted (action box 160)
; 35 and a new analysis of the voice or DTMF response as
previously described with respect to action box 156 is
made. If no reprompt is needed and no additional
lZ~3~
questions are to be asked, then the actions described
hereinafter with respect to FIG. 4 are carried out.
Additional questions may be based on the
caller's response. While this has not been shown in the
flow charts in order to allow the flow charts to describe
the more basic aspects of the present invention, it is
clear that arrangements can be programmed by those of
ordinary skill in the art to have a complex tree structure
for asking additional survey questions in response to
specific survey responses. In this embodiment of the
invention, the ~TMF signal corresponding to a spoken "yes"
is "9" (selected because the Y is on the 9 key).
Similarly the key equivalent to spoken "no" is "6"
(selected because N is on the 6 key). Clearly, other
choices could be made. However, in reading the flow
charts of this specification, this convention should be
observed. Similarly, a keyed zero is generally a request
; to be connected to an operator.
FIG~ 4 describes the actions performed after a
caller has heard a basic sponsor or vendor message and has
responded to any survey questions. First, a test is made
~decision block 202) whether an option is provided for
forwarding the call to a sponsor designated facility
without reconnecting an operator. If that option is not
provided, then the actions performed with respect to
FIG. 5 dealing with reconnection to an operator are
performed. Xf the call forwarding option without
reconnection to an operator is provided, then test 204
checks whether the call can be forwarded to the sponsor
designated facility. This test is based on the calling
number and the number of the sponsor designated facility.
For example, a sponsor may indicate that calls can be
forwarded without the intervention of an operator only if
they originate in a certain region as identified by the
calling number. If test 204 indicates that the call
cannot be orwarded without reconnecting an operator, then
the actions described with respect to FIG. 5 are executed.
- 12 _ ~Z~3~41
If test 204 indicates that the call can be forwarded
without reconnecting an operator, then the VPU 14
announces a question to the caller asking if the call
should be forwarded (action box 206). The response to
5 this question is analyzed in decision block 208. If there
is no response within a timeout interval (action box 212)
then the transaction is simply recorded and the caller is '
- disconnected (action box 214). If the caller says "no",
keys DTMF "6" or either keys or says anything else other
10 than the "yes" or the zero signals, then the actions
carried on with respect to FIG. 5 for possible
reconnection to an operator are executed. If the caller
keys a zero, then an attendant of the B team is connected
to the customer as described below with respect to FIG. 8.
15 If the customer says "yes" or keys a DTMF -9", then the
actions shown in action box 210 are performed. VPU 14
announces to the caller that the call is being forwarded
and signals to control 10 the number to which the call is
to be forwarded. This is the number of the sponsor
20 designated facility. Control 10 then controls the setup
of the call to that number, releases the VPU 14 and
records the transaction in transaction recorder 22.
FIG. 5 describes the actions executed in
response to a request to be reconnected to an operator.
25 Test 250 checks whether the reconnect option is provided
for the announcement just completed. If so, VPU 14
announces to the caller a question asking whether a
reconnection to an attendant is wanted and monitoring the
customer's response (action block 252). Decision
30 block 254 analyzes the customer's response. If the
customer does not make any response within a predetermined
time limit as detected in action block 256, then the
disconnect actions previously described with respect to
action block 214 (FIG. 4) are carried out. If the
35 customer keys a DTMF 9" (equivalent to yes), says "yesn,
or keys a zero, then the calling customer is connected to
an attendant of the B team with an appropriate display and
lZ~3~
- 13 -
the voice processing unit is released ~action box 25~).
The display indicates to the attendant the announcement
given to the customer and the options available to the
attendant (such as forwarding the call to a sponsor
designated facility directly, taking an order, asking a
survey question, or a list of followup announcements
selectable by the attendant in response to further
discussion with the calling customer). If the customer's
response is "no" or the keyed "6", the VPU 14 announces a
"thank you~ and, if necessary, any further instructions
specified by the sponsor of the announcement (action
box 260, FIG. 5). Subsequently, the customer is
disconnected as previously described with respect to
action block 214 (FIG. 4). Action block 260 is also
executed if the reconnect option is not provided for this
announcement (negative result of test 250, previously
described).
FIG. 6 is a flow chart of actions performed in
connection with further transactions on a particular call
after the caller has already received the initial
announcement. In test 300, the attendant determines
further needs from the caller using the display described
previously with respect to action block 258 (FIG. 5) as a
guide to options available. If the caller requests other
messages then the actions performed with respect to action
block 110 (FIG. 2) are carried out and the customer
effectively receives a new initial announcement. If the
caller requests the attendant to forward the call, then
the actions performed with respect to FIG. 9 described
hereinafter are performed. If the caller indicates that
there is no need for further information, then the actions
described in FIG. 10 are performed. If the caller needs
additional information about vendors or dealers for the
desired product, then the attendant retrieves such
information from the data base (action box 302). Based on
the display generated for the attendant, the attendant
makes a decision (decision block 304) and either selects
lZ~3C~:l
- 14 -
an announcement concerning vendors or dealers (action
block 306) or simply gives the information orally to the
caller (action block 305). Thereafter, decision block 300
is reentered in case the customer needs further
information. An oral exchange would be used if the caller
needs some item of specific data such as schedule
information, price information, or if the exchange is
likely to lead to a specific order by the customer.
If an announcement is more appropriate, the
attendant signals to the control of the system by keying
the number of the announcement into the terminal taction
box 306). Announcements are more appropriate if the
information being given to the caller does not require a
two-way communication between the caller and the
attendant. Examples of such information include a
specific vendor or dealer's address and telephone number,
or another more specific advertisement.
Before the selected message is announced, a test
is made (test 308) to see if the sponsor is willing to
have this message announced to a caller. If not, the
attendant is informed (action box 310), the attendant
gives information (action block 305) and decision
block 300 is reentered in order to allow the attendant to
further interact with the caller. If the selected message
can be announced, then the program described in the flow
chart of FIG 7 is executed.
If the attendant determines that information is
to be recorded, for example, that the caller wishes to
order a particular item, then the attendant enters this
information into a data base via the attendant's terminal
(action box 312). This data base can be the local data
base 16 or the remote data base system 20, depending on
the needs of the sponsor as displayed to the attendant
based on data associated with previously requested
announcements or other data obtained by the attendant.
Decision block 300 is then reentered to see if the caller
needs any further information.
- 15 - 12~3~
FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the program (action
block 330) which is executed when a customer is connected
to a second or subsequent announcement. The control
connects the customer to VPU 14 and releases the
attendant. VPU 14 announces the message to the-caller.
The transaction is recorded on transaction recorder 22 in
order to bill the appropriate sponsor. Thereafter, the
actions previously described with respect to FIG. 4 are
performed.
FIG. 8 is a flow chart of the actions (action
block 350) performed when the caller is reconnected to an
attendant. The attendant receives an appropriate display
indicating data about the previous message announced to
the customer and a menu of appropriate actions to be
carried out by the attendant thereafter. VPU 14 is
released and the transaction is recorded on transaction
recorder 22 in order to bill the appropriate sponsor.
Thereafter, the actions described with respect to FIG. 6
are performed. Action box 350 is also entered if the
customer keys zero immediately after receiving the
greeting and prompt message with respect to action
block 102 (FIG. 2). In that case, the display will not
indicate any sponsor message but will simply indicate that
the customer requested connection immediately after
receiving the prompt message.
FIG. 9 is a flow chart of actions performed when
an attendant signals the system to forward the call to a
sponsor designated facility. The attendant signals
control 10 to forward the call to the sponsor designated
facility ~action box 370). Test 372 checks whether the
call can be forwarded based on the calling number and the
sponsor designated facility number. If not, the attendant
is informed (action box 376) that the call cannot be
forwarded and the actions performed with respect to FIG. 6
are performed. (The attendant interacts with the caller
to determine further need~.) If the call can be forwarded
(action box 374) r then the call is connected to the VPU 14
1~33~4~
- 16 -
which announces to the caller that the call is being
forwarded. The attendant is released and the control 10
controls the setup of a connection between the calling
customer and the sponsor designated facility. The
transaction is recorded on transaction recorder 22 in
order to bill the appropriate sponsor, and voice
processing unit 14 is released. A factor which may affect
the decision of whether a call can be forwarded (test 372,
FIG. 10, and test 204, FIG. 4) is the time of day, the day
and the date. A sponsor designated facility is not likely
to be staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and a
sponsor would not want to have this facility receive calls
when the facility is unstaffed. Under those circumstances,
it would be appropriate to give the caller an announcement
indicating when the facility is staffed so that the
calling customer can complete the transaction at a later
date or time.
FIG. 10 is a flow chart of the actions performed
in terminating a call. The attendant selects between the
options of thanking the caller orally and disconnecting or
connecting the customer to an appropriate announcement.
If the decision is made to take the oral route, then the
attendant thanks the calling customer and signals
control 10 to disconnect the call (action block 402).
Subsequently, the actions previously described with
respect to FIG. 4, action block 214 are carried out. If
the attendant chooses to connect the customer to an
announcement, the attendant signals control 10 to cause
the announcement to be played to the customer (action
block 404). The control 10 releases the attendant and the
call is connected to VPU 140 VPU 14 then plays a thank
you announcement and a general instructional announcement
to the customer that if further information is desired the
customer can call the consumer 800 number. Subsequently,
the disconnect actions previously described with respect
to action block 214 (FIG. 4) are executed.
- 17 _ 1 2~ 3 ~
It is to be understood that the above
description is only one preferred embodiment of the
invention. For example, the system described can be used
to service a single large vendor offering a broad variety
of services and/or products. Also, whereas in this
example, calls to the vendor attendants are set up from
the switch serving the operators, such a connection could
be set up from the local switch serving a calling terminal
by sending a call setup request message, for example by
well-known common channel signaling techniques, to the
local switch serving the calling customer. Numerous other
arrangements may be devised by one skilled in the art
without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. The invention is thus limited only as defined
in the accompanying claims.
