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WO2008035065A1 - Procédé et appareil de gestion d'un appel téléphonique - Google Patents

Procédé et appareil de gestion d'un appel téléphonique Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2008035065A1
WO2008035065A1 PCT/GB2007/003548 GB2007003548W WO2008035065A1 WO 2008035065 A1 WO2008035065 A1 WO 2008035065A1 GB 2007003548 W GB2007003548 W GB 2007003548W WO 2008035065 A1 WO2008035065 A1 WO 2008035065A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
caller
message
informational audio
computer
stored informational
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2007/003548
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Richard Pickering
Ashley Unitt
Original Assignee
New Voice Media Ltd.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by New Voice Media Ltd. filed Critical New Voice Media Ltd.
Publication of WO2008035065A1 publication Critical patent/WO2008035065A1/fr

Links

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
    • H04M3/487—Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
    • H04M3/493—Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
    • 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
    • H04M3/42314—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers in private branch exchanges
    • H04M3/42323—PBX's with CTI arrangements
    • 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
    • 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
    • H04M3/487—Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
    • H04M3/4872—Non-interactive information services
    • H04M3/4878—Advertisement messages
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/50—Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers ; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
    • H04M3/51—Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention, e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
    • H04M3/5183—Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M2242/00—Special services or facilities
    • H04M2242/22—Automatic class or number identification arrangements
    • 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
    • H04M3/42042—Notifying the called party of information on the calling party
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/42025—Calling or Called party identification service
    • H04M3/42034—Calling party identification service
    • H04M3/42059—Making use of the calling party identifier
    • H04M3/42068—Making use of the calling party identifier where the identifier is used to access a profile
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/428—Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
    • H04M3/4285—Notifying, informing or entertaining a held party while on hold, e.g. Music On Hold
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/50—Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers ; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
    • H04M3/51—Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention, e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
    • H04M3/523—Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention, e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing with call distribution or queueing
    • H04M3/5238—Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention, e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing with call distribution or queueing with waiting time or load prediction arrangements

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method and apparatus for handling a telephone call.
  • Figure 1 is an illustration of a conventional computer-telephony integration
  • CTI Call Call Identity
  • ANI automatic number identification
  • Switch 90 is also be provided with an interactive voice response (IVR) unit 95 which may be used to obtain additional information from the caller, for example an account number or such like. This additional information may also be passed to CTI server 80.
  • IVR interactive voice response
  • various messages may be played to the caller as part of the initial call handling, for example to allow a caller to specify the type of desired action - e.g. make a new booking, amend a previous booking, or some other query. Caller input in response to this information can then be used subsequently in determining how to handle the call.
  • the switch 90 routes the call through the telephone network 101 to a telephone 121 belonging to an agent 120.
  • the switch may route a particular incoming call 60 to agent 120B having telephone 121B.
  • the CTI server 80 may instruct the switch 90 which particular agent to forward the incoming call to.
  • the switch 90 may make this decision through some other mechanism, such as agent availability (and notify the CTI server 80 accordingly).
  • each agent 120 is also provided with a workstation 122.
  • the CTI server 80 has access to a customer relationship management (CRM) database 70.
  • CRM customer relationship management
  • the CTI server 80 can use information about a particular call provided by switch 90 to look up information relating to the caller in the CRM database 70. For example, this information may represent the name and address of a party associated with a particular calling line identification, as well as any information about previous orders that this person may have made, and so on.
  • the CTI server 80 can then provide this information to the workstation 122 associated with the agent 120 who receives the call in order to assist the agent in handling the caller. For example if the incoming call 60 is to be routed to telephone 12 IB of agent 120B, then the CTI server accesses information about the caller from CRM database 70 and forwards this information to corresponding workstation 122B.
  • switch 90 may put the caller in a queue. While the caller is in this queue, the switch may provide the caller with marketing messages, information about queue status, and so on. These messages may be sourced from IVR 95 or switch 90 itself.
  • the call may be handled automatically without having to reach an agent 120.
  • a caller may ring to obtain an account balance.
  • the IVR system 95 may be able to obtain the account number from the caller, perform appropriate security checks (e.g. accepting an input PIN), access the account balance from a server 201 via a link (not shown) between IVR 95 and computer network 102, and then play out the relevant balance to the caller.
  • Switch 90 represents a PBX and telephone network 101 represents the internal telephone network of the organisation.
  • computer network 102 represents the internal computer network (e.g. intranet) of the organisation.
  • the switch 90 may be located within the public switch telephone network (PSTN) - i.e. telephone network 101 may be part of the PSTN.
  • computer network 102 may be the internet or some other public computer network.
  • the invention provides a method of handling a telephone call in a computer-telephony system.
  • the method comprises providing a plurality of stored informational audio messages within the computer-telephony system; receiving a telephone call at the computer-telephony system from a caller; obtaining information relating to the caller by obtaining a caller identification and using the caller identification to access caller information from a customer relationship management database; selecting by the computer-telephony system one of said stored informational audio messages based on the obtained information relating to the caller; and playing by the computer-telephony system the selected stored informational audio message to the caller.
  • Such a system can be used to play a caller-specific marketing message. For example, if a caller telephones a bank, the system may check the balance of the current account for the caller. If the caller has a large positive balance, the caller may be played a promotional message about a savings account offered by the bank which provides a higher rate of interest. Note that the information obtained about the caller is used here to select the audio message to be played, rather than the obtained information directly forming the audio message itself (as per systems which, for example, play back to the caller their current balance).
  • the method further comprises determining whether or not to select one of said stored informational audio messages. This determination may be made based on the queue status for an incoming caller. For example, if there is an agent available to answer the caller directly, then the informational audio message is not played. Rather, the audio message is only played if the caller would otherwise be held in the queue. This then allows advertising or promotional messages that are played to callers in a queue to be targeted at individual callers.
  • the method further comprises proceeding with handling the call after playing the selected stored informational audio message without providing an opportunity for customer input in direct response to playing the selected stored informational audio message.
  • the promotional message is for information only, rather than being part of the call- handling script or logic flow of the application.
  • the audio message is therefore played independently of the path that the caller follows through the application logic. Indeed, in many cases, the audio message is played directly on receipt of the call, before the caller has made any logic selection for how the call should be handled (but might also be played at a later stage in call processing, for example after various caller menu choices have resulted in the caller entering a queue).
  • the invention also provides a computer system and a computer program for implementing such an invention, as well as a computer program medium containing such a program.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a CTI system
  • FIG 2 is a flowchart of a method for operating the CTI system of Figure 1 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG 3 is a flowchart of a method for operating the CTI system of Figure 1 in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates a method for handling a call in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.
  • This method may be implemented using the computer telephony system shown in Figure 1 or any other appropriate system.
  • the method commences with receiving an incoming call from a caller (200) and obtaining caller identification (210).
  • the caller identification may, for example, comprise a calling line identifier (CLI), also known as automatic number identification (ANI).
  • CLI calling line identifier
  • ANI automatic number identification
  • IVR system 95 is used to obtain information identifying the caller, such as an account number.
  • the caller identification can now be used to access information about the caller (220). For example, an account number or a telephone number may be used to identify a customer record in customer relationship management (CRM) database 70. Once the appropriate customer record has been identified, the system can now retrieve information from this record about the customer making a call. For example, this information may comprise further personal details, such as an address, along with financial and other data, such as credit rating, previous purchasing history, next renewal date for a particular subscription or service, etc.
  • CRM customer relationship management
  • This message may comprise marketing information of specific relevance to the caller. For example: a) if a caller is calling into a financial institution to check an account balance, and it is known that the caller has insurance due for renewal shortly, the customer may be played a message about some special offer that is currently available regarding this form of insurance. b) a caller may be calling the telephone sales department of a chain of stores and may be played a message to inform the caller that a new branch of the store is now open in the vicinity of the caller. c) the information from the CRM database may indicate that a caller has previously purchased a particular product, and the marketing message may inform the caller that a new accessory for that product is now available.
  • the caller identification directly as the caller information, without having to access any further details from the CRM database 70.
  • the customer location might be based on the area code of the caller telephone number, without accessing the CRM database to obtain a complete address.
  • Another example would be where the system has obtained an account or membership number using the IVR 95 and where the system can determine automatically from this number certain properties of the account.
  • the account number may indicate that the caller has standard membership. The system might therefore decide to play the caller a message about upgrading to a higher level of membership.
  • the caller identification may be used as the input to a search engine.
  • the search engine can then look for data relating to the caller, for example across one or more computers belonging to the organisation receiving the call.
  • the search results can then be used to determine customer information for use in determining which marketing message (if any) to play to the caller. For example, the search may locate a file for a particular mailshot recently sent to the caller; this can then lead to a marketing message being played to the caller in relation to that mailshot.
  • the marketing message is targeted in that only certain customers (callers) receive the message.
  • the marketing message might only be played to those customers whose insurance renewal date falls within a particular range, or who live in a certain area, or who have previously bought a particular product (as per examples a, b, and c above, respectively).
  • No marketing message is played to callers who do not meet the relevant condition(s), based on the caller information.
  • a targeted marketing message is provided for all callers, but that different messages are played to different callers (based again on the caller information). For example, a tourist attraction might play a marketing message regarding a special train fare to the attraction from station "X", wherein station "X" is chosen from a database or table to be a railway station close to the caller's address.
  • a marketing message is informational rather than part of the overall logical flow for handling the incoming call (i.e. passive rather than active).
  • the message is not provided in direct response to a particular request from the caller (e.g. for an account balance), but rather can be regarded as an extraneous insertion into the overall call handling flow.
  • a determination may be made as to whether or not to play a message to a caller based on the current status of the system. For example, if there are many calls waiting in a queue, it may be decided to play one or perhaps multiple marketing messages to the caller while they are on hold. Alternatively, if there is no queue at present in the computer-telephony system, it may be decided to proceed to connect the caller directly to an agent without first playing any marketing message.
  • the message is generally passive, in that there is no opportunity for a caller to respond directly to the message. In other words, in many circumstances the caller is unable to provide any input during or immediately after the message itself, such as pressing a DTMF button to change the call handling flow at that particular point.
  • the message may contain information for the caller about how to access the advertised service or product at a later stage in the call handling procedure. For example, the message may instruct the caller to subsequently select or ask for sales to obtain access to the service or product described in the marketing message. Another possibility is that in some implementations the caller may be able to respond directly to the marketing message, for example by pressing a particular DTMF key or by stating some particular word. The IVR system (or other call handling apparatus) can then receive this input and handle the call accordingly, for example by transferring the caller to an agent who is selling the service described in the marketing message that has just been played.
  • the information provided onto the screen 122 of an agent 120 who eventually receives the call may include an indication or details of any caller-specific marketing message played to the caller. For example, if the caller has been played a marketing message about a particular service or promotion, such as insurance, the CTI system may prompt (script) the agent to ask the caller if they are interested in pursuing the insurance offer that they have just heard. Another possibility is that the agent is provided with data indicating which caller-specific marketing message was played to the caller, so that the agent will be aware of the situation in case the caller asks about a product or service described in the marketing message.
  • Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating call handling in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
  • the first three steps receive call, obtain caller ID, and access caller information, 200, 210 and 220 respectively
  • receive call, obtain caller ID, and access caller information, 200, 210 and 220 respectively are the same as for Figure 2, and are shown in an initial single combined block in Figure 3.
  • a determination is now made as to whether the caller is to be placed on hold (225). If there is an agent currently available to speak to the caller, the system proceeds directly with this further handling of the call (250).
  • the system makes a determination of a caller-specific message (230), based on the caller ID and/or caller information as described above. It is now tested whether any such caller-specific message is to be played (232), and if so, this message is played (240). A determination is now made as to whether there is any general message for all callers in the queue (236), and if so, this general message is played (242). Processing now returns to step 225. If the caller is still on hold, further general and/or caller-specific messages may be played to the caller.
  • the various marketing messages may be stored as complete audio files (recordings), for example in IVR 95.
  • the various marketing messages may be stored as a single audio message with various caller- specific inserts available.
  • the system may store pre-recorded inserts of stations and numbers (for the various train fares). Note that the inserts may be stored in the system as audio files, or may be stored as text files and then converted as required into an audio signal using a text to speech system (now shown).

Landscapes

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

Abstract

Selon un mode de réalisation, la présente invention concerne un procédé de gestion d'un appel téléphonique dans un système de téléphonie informatique. Le procédé comprend la fourniture d'une pluralité de messages audio d'information stockés dans le système de téléphonie informatique. Un appel téléphonique est ensuite reçu au niveau du système de téléphonie informatique depuis un appelant (200) et une information est obtenue concernant l'appelant (210). Le système de téléphonie informatique sélectionne ensuite un des messages audio d'information stockés (230) en fonction de l'information reçue concernant l'appelant (220) et effectue ensuite la lecture du message d'information stocké sélectionné pour l'appelant (240).
PCT/GB2007/003548 2006-09-19 2007-09-18 Procédé et appareil de gestion d'un appel téléphonique WO2008035065A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0618430A GB2437774A (en) 2006-09-19 2006-09-19 Selecting audio information messages in a computer-telephony integration (CTI) environment
GB0618430.3 2006-09-19

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2008035065A1 true WO2008035065A1 (fr) 2008-03-27

Family

ID=37421241

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB2007/003548 WO2008035065A1 (fr) 2006-09-19 2007-09-18 Procédé et appareil de gestion d'un appel téléphonique

Country Status (2)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2437774A (fr)
WO (1) WO2008035065A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2670119A1 (fr) * 2012-05-30 2013-12-04 Alcatel Lucent Message de fil d'attente personnalisé selon l'appelant

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5444774A (en) * 1992-06-26 1995-08-22 At&T Corp. Interactive queuing sytem for call centers
US5970124A (en) * 1996-06-05 1999-10-19 Voice Fx Corporation Sponsored information distribution method and apparatus
US6195426B1 (en) * 1997-12-11 2001-02-27 At&T Corp. Service providing customized information to queuing customers
US6819759B1 (en) * 1999-07-01 2004-11-16 Sprint Communications Company, L.P. System and method for providing personalized and customized services for call center customers waiting in queue

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5276731A (en) * 1991-04-26 1994-01-04 Rolm Company Method and apparatus for handling incoming telephone calls
US5600710A (en) * 1994-07-08 1997-02-04 Bellsouth Corporation Method for providing a recorded message to a telephone caller when called number is busy

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5444774A (en) * 1992-06-26 1995-08-22 At&T Corp. Interactive queuing sytem for call centers
US5970124A (en) * 1996-06-05 1999-10-19 Voice Fx Corporation Sponsored information distribution method and apparatus
US6195426B1 (en) * 1997-12-11 2001-02-27 At&T Corp. Service providing customized information to queuing customers
US6819759B1 (en) * 1999-07-01 2004-11-16 Sprint Communications Company, L.P. System and method for providing personalized and customized services for call center customers waiting in queue

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2437774A (en) 2007-11-07
GB0618430D0 (en) 2006-11-01

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