Third party coaching for agents in a communication system

• US 20040062363A1
• Filed: 09/27/2002
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Firstpoint Contact Technologies, LLC (Alvaria Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Firstpoint Contact Technologies, LLC (Alvaria Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shambaugh, Craig R., Dezonno, Anthony J., Sumner, Roger A., Beckstrom, Robert P., Michelson, Mark J., Power, Mark J., Hodson, Jeffrey D., Bonifazi, Carlo
• Granted Patent: US 7,151,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

The method and apparatus improve transactions in a communication system, such as a communication system having an automatic call distributor. In one embodiment, an assessment is performed in substantially real time of respective stress levels of at least one of a caller and an agent in a call transaction. A third party is engaged in the transaction when at least one of the stress levels of the caller and the agent exceeds a threshold. This third party may include, for example, a virtual party or an automated input source. The third party may engage in the background of the transaction or in the foreground of the transaction, thus communicating either only with the agent or with both the caller and the agent, respectively. The respective stress levels of at least one of the caller and agent may be assessed by methods which include, but are not limited to; analyzing a respective voice signal of at least one of the caller and the agent, converting a respective voice signal of least one of the caller and the agent to text and analyzing the text and/or analyzing a physical stress level of the agent. The apparatus implements the method.

Claims

1. A method for improving transactions in a communication system, comprising the steps of:

dynamically assessing respective stress levels of at least one of first and second parties in a transaction in the communication system; and

engaging a third party into the transaction when the stress level of at least one of the first and second parties exceeds a threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the third party is a virtual party.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the third party is an automated input source.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the third party engages in the background of the transaction to reduce the stress levels of at least one of the first and second parties.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the third party engages in the foreground of the transaction to reduce the stress levels of at least one of the first and second parties.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the third party communicates only with one of the first and second parties.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the third party communicates with both of the first and second parties.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the assessing of respective stress levels of at least one of the first and second parties is conducted substantially in real-time.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the assessing of respective stress levels of at least one of the first and second parties is conducted by at least one of, analyzing a respective voice signal of at least one of the first and second parties, converting a respective voice signal of at least one of the first and second parties to text and analyzing the text, and analyzing a physical stress level of at least one of the first and second parties.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication system is in an automatic call distribution system and wherein the steps of assessing stress levels further comprise assessing in substantially real-time respective stress levels of at least one of a caller and an agent in a call transaction in an automatic call distribution system.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the assessing of respective stress levels of at least one of the caller and the agent is conducted by at least one of, analyzing a respective voice signal of at least one of the caller and the agent, converting a respective voice signal of at least one of the caller and the agent to text and analyzing the text, and analyzing a physical stress level of the agent.

12. A computer program product embedded in a computer readable medium for use in a communication system, comprising:

a computer readable media containing computer program code comprising;

assessment computer program code that dynamically assesses respective stress levels of at least one of first and second parties in a transaction in the communication system; and

engagement computer program code that engages a third party into the transaction when at least one of the stress levels of the first and second parties exceeds a predetermined threshold.

13. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the third party communicates only with one of the first and second parties.

14. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the third party communicates with both of the first and second parties.

15. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the assessing of respective stress levels of at least one of the first and second parties is conducted substantially in real-time.

16. A computer readable medium having encoded therein software for use in a communication system to perform the method comprising:

assessing in substantially real-time respective stress levels of each of a caller and an agent in a call transaction in the communication system; and

engaging a third party into the transaction when at least one of the stress levels of the caller and the agent exceeds a threshold.

17. The computer program product according to claim 16, wherein the third party is a virtual party.

18. The computer program product according to claim 16, wherein the third party communicates with both of the first and second parties.

19. An apparatus that improves transactions in a communication system, comprising:

means for dynamically assessing respective stress levels of at least one of first and second parties in a transaction in the communication system; and

means for engaging a third party into the transaction when at least one of the stress levels of the first and second parties exceeds a threshold.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the third party is a means for providing a virtual party.

21. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the third party is a means for providing an automated input.

22. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the means for engaging comprises means for the third party to communicate with both of the first and second parties.

23. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the means for assessing respective stress levels of at least one of the first and second parties is conducted substantially in real-time.

24. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the means for assessing of respective stress levels of at least one of the first and second parties further comprise at least one of;

means for analyzing a respective voice signal of at least one of the first and second parties, means for converting a respective voice signal of at least one of the first and second parties to text and the text, and means for analyzing a physical stress level of at least one of the first and second parties.

25. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the communication system includes an automatic call distribution system, further comprising:

means for establishing a call transaction between a caller and an agent in the automatic call distribution system;

means for assessing in substantially real-time respective stress levels of each of the caller and the agent in the call transaction; and

means for engaging a third party into the transaction when at least one of the stress levels of the caller and the agent exceeds a threshold.

26. An apparatus that improves transactions in an automatic call distribution system, comprising:

a call establishing module that establishes a call transaction between a caller and an agent in the automatic call distribution system;

a stress assessor operatively connected to the call transaction, to assess in substantially real-time respective stress levels of each of the caller and the agent in the call transaction; and

a controller, operatively connected to the stress assessor, to engage a third party into the transaction when at least one of the stress levels of the caller and the agent exceeds a threshold.

27. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the third party is a virtual party.

28. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the third party is an automated input source.

29. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the third party engages in the background of the transaction to reduce the stress levels of at least one of the caller and the agent.

30. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the third party engages in the foreground of the transaction to reduce the stress levels of at least one of the caller and the agent.

31. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the stress assessor determines respective stress levels of the caller and the agent by at least one of, analyzing a respective voice signal of each of the caller and the agent, converting a respective voice signal of at least one of the caller and the agent to text and analyzing the text, and analyzing a physical stress level of the agent.