Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CALL CENTER INTEGRATION WITH OPERATOR
SERVICES DATABASES
10 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to call management and more
particularly to call center technology that permits agents to provide quick
and
informed customer service.
Many businesses use agents or operators to service customers by telephone.
These businesses often employ several agents connected to an Automatic Call
Distribution (ACD) system, such as a Meridian~ ACD manufactured by Northern
Telecom, Ltd., to handle multiple calls simultaneously. The call center
technology
distributes the calls (usually dialed with an 800 number) to the agents.
There are three principal types of call center technology: standalone ACDs,
2 0 ACDs integrated with a Private Branch Exchange (PBX), and central once
based
ACDs. The most commonly used type is the ACD integrated with a PBX.
Conventional call centers require agents to ask customers for information,
such as the customer's name and address. The customer may also request service
in a
language other than English. Conventional call centers typically require
agents to
collect this information through verbal dialogue with the customer.
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Telephone companies store callers' names and addresses in databases for
access by telephone company operators responding to directory assistance
requests
from callers. The databases are typically regional databases, updated on a
daily basis
to maintain current and accurate information. Operators seeking caller
information
usually access the databases using the caller's name or address.
Telephone companies also maintain a second set of regional databases
accessed by calling telephone number or Directory Number (DN). These databases
are called Line Information Databases (LIDB). LIDBs contain numerous data
segments, including, for example, information regarding the kind of calling
telephone
1 o (e.g., coin, coinless, etc.), the language preference of the DN owner, and
the desire of
the DN owner for automated telephone services.
Conventional call centers, however, have no access to the telephone
companies' databases. Therefore, agents must obtain this information on their
own
through verbal interaction with customers. The collection of the information
in this
manner is time consuming for both the customer and the agent, and therefore
costly.
fldditionally, the verbally collected information commonly contains errors due
to
mistakes made by the agents in collecting the information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
2 o The present invention addresses this problem by collecting customer
information beforehand so as to present the information to the agent before or
at
substantially the same time as the agent receives the customer's call
requesting
service.
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In accordance with the purpose of the invention as embodied and broadly
described herein, the call servicing system according to the principles of the
present
invention allows service agents to service calls from customers. The system
includes
local customer switches, local agent switches, and a customer database
connected to a
network call center.
The loEal customer switches direct calls to and from the customers and the
local agent switches direct calls to and from the service agents. The customer
database stores information regarding the customers sending the calls. Tyre
network
call center receives a call from a first one of the customers, queries the
customer
database to retrieve customer information corresponding to the first customer,
and
1 C concurrently routes the customer call and the corresponding customer
information to
one of the service agents.
One broad aspect of the invention provides a call
servicing system for allowing service agents coupled to
agent switches to service calls from customers coupled to
1~~ customer switches, the system comprising: a first customer
database configured to store first information regarding the
customers; a second customer database configured to store
second information, different from the first customer
information, regarding the customers; and a network call
2() center connected to the customer switches, the agent
switches, and the first and second customer databases, the
network call center including a high level switch that
receives a call from a first one of the customers, that
queries the first customer database to retrieve first
2ta customer information corresponding to the first customer,
and that routes t:he customer call to a selected one of the
service agents; and an Automatic Call Distribution (ACD)
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server that selects one of the ser~rice agents to handle the
customer call based on the first customer information, that
queries the second customer database to retrieve second
customer information corresponding to the first customer,
and that routes the second customer information concurrently
with the routing of the customer call to the selected
service agent to facilitate servicing of the customer call.
Another broad aspect of the invention provides a
method for managing calls at a network call center coupled
to first and second databases, the network call center
including a network switch connected to an Automatic Call
Distribution (ACD) server, comprising the steps of:
receiving, at the network switch, a call from a customer
requesting service; querying a first database by the network
1~~ switch to retrieve first customer information corresponding
to the customer; selecting, by the ACD server, a service'
agent that can process the customer call based on the first
customer information; querying a second database by the ACD
server to retrieve second customer information corresponding
2C) to the customer; sending the customer call from the network
switch to the selected service agent; and sending the second
customer information concurrently with the customer call
from the ACD server to the selected service agent to permit
the selected service agent to expeditiously service the
25 customer call.
Another broad aspect of the invention provides a
network call center for facilitating processing of service
calls from customers coupled t.o customer switches by service
agents coupled to agent swatches, the network call center
3~~ comprising: a network switch connected to the customer
switches and to the agent switches, the network switch
including means for receiving the service calls from the
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customers, means for detecting ca~..l information from the
service calls, means for querying a first database to
retrieve first customer information regarding the customers,
and means for routing the serv~~ce calls to the :service
agents via the agent switches; and an Automatic Call
Distribution (ACD) server, connected to the network switch,
and including means for receiving the call information and
the ffirst customer information from the network switch,
means for queuing the serv-~ce calls, means for querying a
second database to retrieve second customer information
corresponding to the service calls, means for controlling
the routing of the service calls by the network switch, and
means for sending the second customer information to the
service agents to far_ilitate processing of the service
calls .
Another broad aspect of the invention provides in
a network for routine calls from customers coupled to
customer switches to service agents coupled to agent
switches, an Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) server
controlling a network switch coupled to the customer and
agent switches, and comprising: means for receiving call.
information and first customer information from the network
switch, the call information being information detected by
the network switch regarding a call received from one of the
customers, the first customer information being information
obtained from a first database by the network switch
corresponding to the customer; means for querying a second
database to retrieve second customer information, different
from the first customer information; means for determining
one of the service agents that can service the call using
the call information and the first customer information;
means for generating a data message including the second
customer information; means for sending the data message to
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the determined service agent; and means for instructing the
network switch to route the call to the determir_ed service
agent via a corresponding one of the agent switches.
Another broad aspect of the invention process
provides a method for routing calls from customers coupled
to customer switches to service agents coupled to agent
switches, an Automatic Call Distribution (ACD~ server
controlling a networ)c switciz coupled to the customer and
agent. switches, the mFthod executed by the ACD server and
lc) comprising the steps of: receiving call information and
first customer information from the network switch, the call
information being in.fc-~rmation detected by the network switch
regarding a call rece~.ved from one of the customers, the
first customer information being information obtained from a
1:~ first database by the network switch corresponding to the
customer; querying a second database to retrieve second
customer information, different from the first customer
information; determining one o:f the service agents that can
service the call usinrfi the call information and the first
20 customer information; generating a:~ data message including
the second customer information; sending the data message to
the determined service agent; and instructing the network
switch to route the call to the determined service agent via
a corresponding one of the agent switches.
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BRIEF I,~ESCRIPT10N OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of
this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and, together
with the
description, explain the objects, advantages and principles of the invention.
In the
drawings,
Fig. 1 is a diagram of a communications network consistent with the principles
of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a diagram of the components comprising the ACD Server of Fig. 1;
and
Figs. 3A and 3B contain a flowchart of the call flow activity consistent with
the principles of the present invention.
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DFT, AILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFE RFn EMBODIMENTS
The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying
drawings that illustrate preferred embodiments consistent with this invention.
Other
embodiments are possible and changes may be made to the embodiments without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The following detailed
description does not limit the invention. Instead, the scope of the invention
is defined
only by the appended claims.
Systems and methods consistent with the principles of the present invention
facilitate agent servicing by presenting an agent with customer information
before or
1 G at substantially the same time as the agent receives the customer's call.
I. Network Elements.
Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a communications network consistent with the
principles of the present invention. Network Call Center (NCC) 1100 connects
customer 1200 to agent 1300 of a virtual team of agents. A single customer and
a
single agent have been shown for simplicity only. The present invention does
not
depend on a specific number of customers and agcnis, but encompasses any
number of
customers and agents connected to any switch in the network.
Customer 1200 uses a conventional telephone 1210 to communicate with an
agent of the virtual agent team through NCC 1100 via the public network, such
as the
2 o Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Switch 1220 is a standard PBX or
Class 5 telephone switch, and connects customer 1200 to NCC 1100 over a
standard
telephone line.
Multiple types of connections exist for connecting an agent of the virtual
agent
team to NCC 1100: (I) via a local switch having no ACD functionality; and {2)
via a
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local switch having ACD functionality. Business
considerations and the physical locations of the agents play
a role in deciding the best type of connection. The
communications network of Fig. 1 shows agent 1300 connected
through a local switch having no ACD functionality (switch
1320) .
Agent 1300 may use a number of different telephone
terminals to service customer calls. The telephone line
terminals may include a standard telephone (not shown) or
computer 1310 with a telephony card installed. Agent
computer 1310 connects to NCC 1100 via switch 1320 and the
PSTN. Switch 1320 is a standard PBX or Class 5 switch
without ACD functionality.
The specific type of connection between agent
computer 1310 and switch 1320 depends on business
considerations and the physical location of the agent. The
different types of connections that might be established
between agent computer 1310 and switch 1320 are described in
detail published in PCT application W098/25418 and U.S.
Application Serial No. 08/833,990, which issued as U.S.
Patent No. 5,987,115.
NCC 1100 controls the routing of calls from
customer 1200 to agent 1300. Fig. 1 shows NCC 1100 as
including High Level Switch (HLS) 1110, ACD server 1120, and
Interactive Voice Response unit (IVR) 1130. NCC 1100
includes data connections to two databases, LIDB 1140 and
Directory Assistance Database (DADB) 1150. LIDB 1140 stores
numerous data segments retrieved using the calling telephone
number, including, but not limited to, information about the
kind of calling telephone, the language preference of the DN
owner, that is, the owner of the calling telephone number,
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and the desire of the DN owner for automation of telephone
services. DADB 1150, on the other hand, stores customer
information retrieved using
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the calling telephone number, including, but not limited to, customer name and
address information.
HLS 1110 is a network switch, such as a DMS Traffic Operator Position
System (TOPS) switch manufactured by Northern Telecom, Ltd., that routes calls
from customer 1200 to agent 1300 of a virtual team of agents, and queries LIDB
1140
for data segments corresponding to the customer. A data segment is simply a
group of
information corresponding to a particular calling telephone or DN owner. HLS
1110
preferably contains an interface that facilitates communication with ACD
server 1120
to allow ACD server 1120 to control the routing of calls.
ACD server 1120 includes a computer with an Ethernet-equivalent data
connection to HLS 1110 and IVR 1130. ACD server 1120 can include an 1BM-
compatible computer executing Windows NTTM, but might alternatively include a
LTNIXTht-capable computer, such as an HP model or the IBM Risc 6000.
ACD server 1120 queues customer calls, records information regarding the
availability of agents, controls call routing by HLS I I 10 and the operation
of IVR
I 130, provides Management Information System (MIS) data, and queries DADB
1150
for customer information. ACD server I 120 also processes network events
reported
by HLS 1110, and takes appropriate action, such as rerouting calls and
releasing called
trunks due to busy conditions, for example.
2 0 Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the components of ACD server 1120,
including processing unit 2010, call buffer 2020, and agent buffer 2030.
Processing
unit 2010 tracks agent availability and handles the processing of customer
calls,
including the queuing of such calls in call buffer 2020, the retrieval of
customer
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information corresponding to the calls from DADB 11 S0, and the routing of the
calls
to available agents.
Call buffer 2020 preferably includes several call queues arranged by specific
categories, such as agent team, or specific customer call criteria including
the desired
language of the customer. The call queues may also contain priority call
queues for
faster service by the agents. A call may be placed in a priority call queue,
for
example, after it has waited in call buffer 2020 longer than a predetermined
period of
time.
Agent buffer 2030 preferably contains several agent queues arranged, for
example, by agent team. Each agent queue contains values representing idle
agents
waiting for a call to service. Similar to the call queues, the agent queues
may contain
priority agent queues that are searched first when a new call arrives needing
service.
The particular queues within call buffer 2020 of calls that an agent services
and the queues within agent buffer 2030 of available agents are predetermined
by the
operating telephone company, on behalf of the call center service provider.
Agents
may need to service multiple queues or just one queue. Agents may also need to
service different queues at different priorities.
Returning to Fig. l, IVR 1130 includes a computer, such as a personal
computer or a larger mainframe computer, with a voice connection to HLS I 110.
IVR
2 0 1130 collects information from the customers to aid ACD server 1120 in
categorizing
the customer calls, storing them in a proper call queue in ACD server 1120,
and
directing them to an appropriate agent. IVR 1130 plays announcements or music
for
the customers while awaiting service in a call queue. IVR 1130 might also
interact
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a
with agents to collect agent status inf-.ormation, such as
agent log-on, log-off, availability, and unavailability
data.
II. Processin
Figs. 3A and 3B contain a flowchart illustrating
the call flow activity consistent with the principles of the
present invention.
The flowchart of Figs. 3A and 3B assume that agent
1300 has already logged onto the system and awaits a
customer call. The process for logging onto the system is
described in detail in published PCT application W098/25418
and U.S. Application Serial No. 08/833,990, which issued as
U.S. Patent No. 5,987,115.
A customer, such as customer 1200, places a voice
call for a desired service, such as to make a reservation or
to order a product [step 3010]. To place the voice call,
customer 1200 dials a telephone number, typically a toll
free number, for the service that customer 1200 desires.
Switch 1220 routes customer 1200's call to NCC
1100 through the PSTN. HLS 1110 receives the call and sends
a query to LIDS 1140 using a Common Channel Signaling number
7 (CCS7) trunk to retrieve data segments corresponding to
customer 1200's calling telephone numbE:r [step 3020]. The
data segments include, for example, a 7_anguage preference of
the DN owner, i.e., the customer. HLS 1110 suspends call
processing until LIDB 1140 responds with the desired data
segments.
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Based on the data segments from LIDB 1140, HLS
1110 identifies the call as one that rE:quires the services
of ACD server 1120 [step 3030]. HLS 11.10 then sets up a
data session with ACD server 1120 [step 3040], and sends ACD
server 1120 call information, including the calling and
called telephone numbers and the data ~>egments retrieved
from LIDB 1140.
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At this point, ACD server 1120 may desire to collect additional information
from customer 1200 [step 3050]. The criteria for collecting additional
information is
preferably preestablished, such that ACD server 1120 might always desire to
collect
additional information or might desire to collect additional information only
from
customers who have not previously called for the particular service.
If ACD server 1120 desires additional information from customer 1200, ACD
server 1120 directs HLS I 110 to set up a voice connection to IVR 1130 [step
3110].
Once HLS 1110 connects customer 1200's call to IVR 1130, ACD server 1 I20
instructs IVR 1130 to prompt customer 1200 for the desired information using a
language consistent with the retrieved data segments [step 3120]. While IVR
1130
interacts with customer 1200, ACD server 1120 sends a query to DADB 11 SO
using
an Ethernet-equivalent data connection to retrieve the name and address
corresponding to the calling telephone number [step 3130].
Using the collected information, including the call information and the
information collected from customer 1200, ACD server 1 120 finds the next
available
agent, such as agent 1300, from the agent queues that has the necessary skills
to
service customer 1200 [step 3140]. Once ACD server 1120 finds agent 1300 as
the
next available agent, ACD server 1120 instructs HLS 1110 to connect customer
1200
to agent 1300 through the PSTN [step 31 SOJ. At the same time, ACD server I
120
sends a data message to host computer 1330 associated with agent 1300 [step
3160].
The data message includes the data collected by ACD server 1 I20 which would
be
useful to agent 1300 in servicing customer 1200, including, for example, the
customer
name and address.
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Host computer 1330 sends the data message for display on agent computer
1310 [step 3170]. Agent 1300 receives the data message from host computer 1330
before, or at substantially the same time, as agent 1300 receives the customer
call.
Agent 1300 then services the call [step 3180].
If, on the other hand, ACD server 1120 determines that additional information
from customer 1200 is not needed [step 3050), ACD server I 120 finds the next
available agent, such as agent 1300, from the agent queues that has the
necessary
skills to service customer 1200 based on the information ACD server 1120 has
regarding customer 1200 [step 3140).
to Once ACD server 1120 finds agent 1300 as the next available agent, ACD
server 1 I20 instructs HLS 1110 to connect customer 1200's call to agent 1300
through
the PSTN [step 3150). Concurrently, ACD server 1120 sends a data message to
host
computer 1330 [step 3160). Host computer 1330, in turn, sends the data message
for
display on agent computer 1310 [step 3170). Agent 1300 then services the call
[step
1 s 3180].
The call flow activity described above rnay be slightly different if agent
1300
connects to NCC 1100 via a local switch having ACD functionality because extra
processing is sometimes required to coordinate the data message sent from ACD
server 1120 with the voice call arriving at the local ACD switch. This is
particularly
2 o true when the customer's calling number does not uniquely identify the
customer.
When coordination is needed, ACD server 1120 might instruct HLS I 110 to
replace
customer 1200's true calling number, or some other parameter, with a call
identifier
created by ACD server 1120.
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ACD server 1120 then includes this call identifier in the data message sent to
host computer 1330. HLS 1110 also includes the call identifier with the voice
call
sent through the PSTN using a standard CCS7 trunk to the local ACD switch.
When
the voice call arrives, the local ACD switch sends the call identifier to host
computer
1330. In response, host computer 1330 sends the relevant data to agent 1300.
III. Conclusion.
The systems and methods according to the principles of the present invention
support agent servicing functions by providing agents with customer
information to
allow agents to service customer calls properly and expeditiously.
l0 The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the present invention
provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or
to limit
the invention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are
possible
in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the
invention.
For example, a network level switch has been described as providing the call
management functionality. However, this need not be the case. The call
management
functionality might alternatively be provided by a local switch. Furthermore,
the
ACD Server has been described as containing the customer and agent queues.
However, the High Level Switch might alternatively provide this queuing.
The scope of the invention is defined by the following claims and their
2 o equivalents.
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