System and method for intelligent script swapping

• US 20050071360A1
• Filed: 09/26/2003
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Tel-A-Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: America Tel-A-System Incorporated
• Inventors: Jalbert, Raymond M., Hansen, Paul L., Crapp, Daniel R., Waldner, Wayne P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,359,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method for providing data collection from a client at a data collection mechanism, the method includes collecting from a client a first portion of data at a first data collection mechanism using at least a portion of a first script comprising one or more queries for information to the client. The method also includes associating the client with a second data collection mechanism based at least in part on an event associated with the client'"'"'s interaction with the first data collection mechanism. After associating the client with the second data collection mechanism, collecting from the client a second portion of data using a second script, wherein the second script comprises at least one query for information not yet presented to the client by the first script.

Claims

1. A method for providing data collection from a client at a data collection mechanism, the method comprising:

collecting from a client a first portion of data using a first data collection mechanism using at least a portion of a first script comprising one or more queries for information to the client;

associating the client with a second data collection mechanism based at least in part on an event associated with the client'"'"'s interaction with the first data collection mechanism; and

after associating the client with the second data collection mechanism, collecting from the client a second portion of data using a second script, wherein the second script comprises at least one query for information not yet presented to the client by the first script.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data collection mechanism comprises an interactive voice response system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data collection mechanism comprises an interactive web-based system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data collection mechanism comprises a live agent.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second data collection mechanism comprises a live agent.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first script comprises an interactive voice response script capable of speech recognition.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first script comprises an HTML-based script.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first script comprises a plurality of queries.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first portion of data comprises answers in response to the queries associated with the first script.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first portion of data comprises queries and answers associated with the first script.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second script comprises an HTML-based script.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second script comprises a second plurality of queries that are substantially similar to a first plurality of queries associated with the first script.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

marking the first script at a query where the client was associated with the second data collection mechanism;

associating the first portion of data with the second data collection mechanism;

populating at least a portion of the second script with at least some of the first portion of data, the first portion of data comprising one or more answers of the client associated with one or more queries presented by the first script.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the second script is based at least in part on a portion of the first script used to collect the first portion of data.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the second portion of data comprises one or more answers of the client in response to one or more queries of the second data collection mechanism.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the second script is generated by one of the data collection mechanisms.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion of data and the second portion of data are stored in common memory accessible to the first data collection mechanism and the second data collection mechanism.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the client and the second portion of data back with the first data collection mechanism to collect a third portion of data using the first script.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the first portion of data with the second data collection mechanism and populating at least a portion of the second script with the first portion of data.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an assistance signal in response to the event associated with the client;

marking the first script at a point where the assistance signal was generated; and

populating at least a portion of the first script with the second portion of data collected at the second data collection mechanism.

21. A method for providing data collection from a client at a data collection mechanism, the method comprising:

collecting from a client a first portion of data using an automated data collection mechanism using at least a portion of a first script comprising one or more queries for information to the client;

associating the client with a live agent based at least in part on an event associated with the client'"'"'s interaction with the automated data collection mechanism; and

after associating the client with the live agent, collecting a second portion of data from the client using a second script, wherein the second script comprises at least one query for information not yet presented to the client by the first script.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first script comprises an interactive voice response script capable of speech recognition.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the first script comprises an HTML-based script.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the first script comprises a plurality of queries.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first portion of data comprises answers in response to the queries associated with the first script.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first portion of data comprises queries and answers associated with the first script.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the second script comprises an HTML-based script.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the second script comprises a second plurality of queries that are substantially similar to a first plurality of queries associated with the first script.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

marking the first script at a query where the client was associated with the second data collection mechanism;

associating the first portion of data with the live agent;

populating at least a portion of the second script with at least some of the first portion of data, the first portion of data comprising one or more answers of the client associated with one or more queries presented by the first script.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the second script is based at least in part on a portion of the first script used to collect the first portion of data.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein the second portion of data comprises one or more answers of the client in response to one or more queries of the live agent.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the second script is generated by the data collection mechanism.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein the first portion of data and the second portion of data are stored in common memory accessible to the data collection mechanism and the live agent.

34. The method of claim 21, further comprising associating the client and the second portion of data back with the data collection mechanism to collect a third portion of data using the first script.

35. The method of claim 21, further comprising associating the first portion of data with the live agent and populating at least a portion of the second script with the first portion of data.

36. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

generating an agent assistance signal in response to the event associated with the client;

marking the first script with at a point where the live agent assistance signal was generated; and

populating at least a portion of the first script with the second portion of data collected at the second data collection mechanism.

37. A method for providing data collection from a client at a data collection mechanism, the method comprising:

collecting from a client a first portion of data using a first data collection mechanism using at least a portion of a first script comprising one or more queries for information to the client;

associating the client with a second data collection mechanism based at least in part on an event associated with the client'"'"'s interaction with the first data collection mechanism; and

after associating the client with the second data collection mechanism, collecting from the client a second portion of data using a second script, wherein the first portion of data and the second portion of data are stored in a common memory accessible to the first and second data collection mechanisms.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the first data collection mechanism is a mechanism selected from the group consisting of an interactive voice response system, an interactive web-based system, and a live agent system.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the second data collection mechanism comprises a live agent.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the second data collection mechanism comprises an interactive voice response system.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein the first script comprises an interactive voice response script capable of speech recognition.

42. The method of claim 37, wherein the first script comprises an HTML-based script.

43. The method of claim 37, wherein the first script comprises a series of queries.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the first portion of data comprises answers in response to the queries associated with the first script.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the first portion of data comprises queries and answers associated with the first script.

46. The method of claim 37, wherein the second script comprises an HTML-based script.

47. The method of claim 37, wherein the second script comprises a second plurality of queries that are substantially similar to a first plurality of queries associated with the first script.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

marking the first script at a query where the client was associated with the second data collection mechanism;

associating the first portion of data with the second data collection mechanism;

populating at least a portion of the second script with at least some of the first portion of data, the first portion of data comprising one or more answers of the client associated with one or more queries presented by the first script.

49. The method of claim 37, wherein the second script is based at least in part on a portion of the first script used to collect the first portion of data.

50. The method of claim 37, wherein the second portion of data comprises one or more answers of the client in response to one or more queries of the second data collection mechanism.

51. The method of claim 37, wherein the second script is generated by one of the data collection mechanisms.

52. The method of claim 37, wherein the second script is based at least in part on a portion of the first script used to collect the first portion of data and comprises at least one query for information not yet presented to the client by the first script.

53. The method of claim 37, further comprising associating the client and the second portion of data back with the first data collection mechanism to collect a third portion of data using the first script.

54. The method of claim 37, further comprising associating the first portion of data with the second data collection mechanism and populating at least a portion of the second script with the first portion of data.

55. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

generating an assistance signal in response to the event associated with the client;

marking the first script at a point where the assistance signal was generated; and

populating at least a portion of the first script with the second portion of data collected at the second data collection mechanism.

56. A method for providing data collection from a client at a data collection mechanism, the method comprising:

collecting from a client a first portion of data using an automated data collection mechanism using at least a portion of a first script comprising one or more queries for information to the client;

associating the client with a live agent based at least in part on an event associated with the client'"'"'s interaction with the automated data collection mechanism; and

after associating the client with the live agent, collecting from the client a second portion of data using a second script, wherein the first portion of data and the second portion of data are stored in a common memory accessible to the first and second data collection mechanisms.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the first script comprises a plurality of queries.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the first portion of data comprises answers in response to the queries associated with the first script.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the first portion of data comprises queries and answers associated with the first script.

60. The method of claim 56, wherein the second script comprises a second plurality of queries that are substantially similar to a first plurality of queries associated with the first script.

61. The method of claim 60, further comprising:

marking the first script at a query where the client was associated with the second data collection mechanism;

associating the first portion of data with the live agent;

populating at least a portion of the second script with at least some of the first portion of data, the first portion of data comprising one or more answers of the client associated with one or more queries presented by the first script.

62. The method of claim 56, wherein the second portion of data comprises one or more answers of the client in response to one or more queries of the live agent.

63. The method of claim 56, wherein the second script is based at least in part on a portion of the first script used to collect the first portion of data and comprises at least one query for information not yet presented to the client by the first script.

64. The method of claim 56, further comprising associating the client and the second portion of data back with the data collection mechanism to collect a third portion of data using the first script.

65. The method of claim 56, further comprising associating the first portion of data with the live agent and populating at least a portion of the second script with the first portion of data.

66. A method for providing data collection from a client at a data collection mechanism, the method comprising:

collecting from a client a first portion of data using a first data collection mechanism using at least a portion of a first script comprising one or more queries for information to the client;

associating the client with a second data collection mechanism based at least in part on an event associated with the client'"'"'s interaction with the first data collection mechanism;

after associating the client with the second data collection mechanism, collecting from the client a second portion of data, the second portion of data comprising a plurality of answers of the client in response to one or more queries of the second data collection mechanism; and

associating the client and at least some of the second portion of data with the first data collection mechanism to facilitate collection of a third portion of data using the first script.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein the second data collection mechanism comprises a live agent.

68. The method of claim 66, wherein the first script comprises an interactive voice response script capable of speech recognition.

69. The method of claim 66, wherein the first script comprises an HTML-based script.

70. The method of claim 66, wherein the first script comprises a plurality of queries.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the first portion of data comprises answers in response to the queries associated with the first script.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein the first portion of data comprises queries and answers associated with the first script.

73. The method of claim 66, wherein the second portion of data is collected using a second script.

74. The method of claim 73, wherein the second script comprises at least one query for information not yet presented to the client by the first script.

75. The method of claim 73, wherein the second script is substantially similar to the first script.

76. The method of claim 73, wherein the second script comprises an HTML-based script.

77. The method of claim 73, wherein the second script comprises a second plurality of queries that are substantially similar to a first plurality of queries associated with the first script.

78. The method of claim 77, further comprising:

marking the first script at a query where the client was associated with the second data collection mechanism;

associating the first portion of data with the second data collection mechanism;

populating at least a portion of the second script with at least some of the first portion of data, the first portion of data comprising one or more answers of the client associated with one or more queries presented by the first script.

79. The method of claim 73, wherein the second portion of data comprises answers of the client in response to queries of the second data collection mechanism.

80. The method of claim 66, wherein the first portion of data and the second portion of data are stored in a common memory accessible to the first and second data collection mechanisms.

81. The method of claim 66, further comprising:

generating an assistance signal in response to the event associated with the client;

marking the first script at a point where the assistance signal was generated; and

populating at least a portion of the first script with the second portion of data collected at the second data collection mechanism.

82. The method of claim 81, wherein initiating the data exchange comprises generating a call from outside the data collection mechanism.

83. The method of claim 81, wherein initiating the data exchange comprises generating a call from within the data collection mechanism.

84. A method for providing data collection from a client at a data collection mechanism, the method comprising:

collecting from a first client a first portion of data using a first data collection mechanism using at least a portion of a first script comprising one or more queries for information to the first client;

associating with a second client the first portion of data that was collected from the first client; and

collecting from the second client a second portion of data using at least some of the first portion of data and a second script comprising one or more queries for information to the second client.

85. The method of claim 84, wherein the first data collection mechanism is selected from the group consisting of an interactive voice response system, an interactive web-based system, and a live operator.

86. The method of claim 84, wherein the second portion of data is collected using a second data collection mechanism.

87. The method of claim 86, wherein the second data collection mechanism is selected from the group consisting of an interactive voice response system, an interactive web-based system, and a live operator.

88. The method of claim 86, wherein the first portion of data and the second portion of data are stored in a common memory accessible to the first and second data collection mechanisms.

89. The method of claim 86, wherein the second data collection mechanism initiates the collection of the second portion of data from the second user.

90. The method of claim 86, wherein the second portion of data comprises answers of the second client in response to queries of the second data collection mechanism.

91. The method of claim 84, wherein the first script is selected from the group consisting of an HTML-based script and an interactive voice response script.

92. The method of claim 84, wherein the second script is selected from the group consisting of an HTML-based script and an interactive voice response script.

93. The method of claim 84, wherein the first portion of data is associated with the second client through an electronic mail system.

94. The method of claim 84, wherein the first data collection mechanism initiates the collection of the first portion of data from the first user.

95. The method of claim 84, wherein the first data collection mechanism initiates the collection of the second portion of data from the second user.

96. The method of claim 84, wherein the second script comprises at least one query for information not presented to the first client by the first script.

97. The method of claim 84, further comprising:

populating at least a portion of the second script with at least some of the first portion of data, the first portion of data comprising one or more answers of the first client associated with one or more queries presented by the first script.