Testing using asynchronous automated virtual agent behavior

• US 20060167970A1
• Filed: 06/20/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Empirix Incorporated (Empirix Holdings I, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Empirix Incorporated (Empirix Holdings I, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shen, Lei, Kuzsma, Richard C. Jr., Seeley, Albert, Sturgeon, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,822,803 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3419 by assessing time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/815 Virtual middleware or OS functionality using virtual machines to implement generic software techniques for error detection or fault masking G06F11/1484
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 Event-based monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/865 Monitoring of software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/875 Monitoring of systems including the internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/323 for the arrangements providing the connection (test connection, test call, call simulation)
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/362 Traffic simulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet

Abstract

A method and computer program product for testing using asynchronous automated virtual agent behavior is presented. A communication including one of a web-based communication and a telephony-based communication is received at a contact center. The communication is responded to by a virtual agent simulating actions of an agent in a coordinated, asynchronous manner. The virtual agent is capable of providing a response to the web-based communication and to the telephony-based communication. At least one parameter of said contact center is measured and the results are presented to a contact center manager.

Claims

1. A method of testing using asynchronous automated virtual agent behavior, the method comprising:

receiving a communication at a contact center, said communication including one of a web-based communication and a telephony-based communication;

responding to said communication with a virtual agent simulating actions of an agent, said virtual agent capable of providing a response to said web-based communication and to said telephony-based communication;

measuring at least one parameter of said contact center; and

providing results of said measuring at least one parameter of said contact center.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said responding comprises performing a sequence of steps for responding to the web-based communication.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said responding comprises performing a sequence of steps for responding to the telephony-based communication.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said responding comprises breaking a list of steps into a telephony-based portion and a web-based portion and simulating each of said telephony-based portion and said web-based portion in a coordinated, asynchronous manner.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said responding to said communication includes emulating resultant events from CTI application interactions.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said emulating resultant events from CTI application interactions comprises implementing an event protocol that the CTI application uses to communicate with a CTI system.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said resultant events are selected from the group comprising logging in, answering a call, receiving a screen pop and logging out.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said measuring at least one parameter comprises measuring at least one of time latency between functions of said virtual agent and accuracy of responses by said virtual agent

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said measuring time latency between functions of said virtual agent include measuring a time latency selected from the group comprising a time latency for an action requesting connection to an agent, a time latency to receiving a screen pop upon an agent computer, a time latency for an Interactive Voice Response system (IVR) to answer a telephone call generated by the virtual telephone caller system, an IVR prompt response time, a time latency for Computer Telephone Interface (CTI) data to arrive at the agent computer, a time latency for the agent computer display screen to complete, a time latency for the agent computer to receive events from the CTI, a time latency for the virtual telephone caller system to connect to the agent telephone once requested by the virtual telephone caller system, and a database server access time.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said measuring accuracy of response is selected from the group comprising a routing accuracy corresponding to a connection between the virtual telephone caller system and the agent upon a request from the virtual telephone caller system for connection to the agent, and a display accuracy associated with the agent computer screen pop data integrity.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein said sequence of steps for responding to a web-based communication are selected from the group comprising receiving web page requests from a web user, providing web pages to a web user, receiving emails from a web user and responding to emails from a web user.

12. The method of claim 3 wherein said sequence of steps for responding to a telephony-based communication are selected from the group comprising receiving a call from a phone user, receiving a screen pop related to said phone user, and providing access to a database server for said phone user.

13. A computer readable medium having computer readable code thereon for providing asynchronous automated virtual agent behavior, the medium comprising:

instructions for receiving a communication at a contact center, said communication including one of a web-based communication and a telephony-based communication;

instructions for responding to said communication with a virtual agent simulating actions of an agent, said virtual agent capable of providing a response to said web-based communication and to said telephony-based communication;

instructions for measuring at least one parameter of said contact center; and

instructions for providing results of said measuring at least parameter of said contact center.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein said instructions for responding comprises instructions for performing a sequence of steps for responding to a web-based communication.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein said instructions for responding comprises instructions for performing a sequence of steps for responding to a telephony-based communication.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein said instructions for responding comprises instructions for breaking a list of steps into a telephony-based portion and a web-based portion and simulating each of said telephony-based portion and said web-based portion in a coordinated, asynchronous manner.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein said instructions for responding to said communication includes instructions for emulating resultant events from CTI application interactions.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein said instructions for emulating resultant events from CTI application interactions comprises instructions for implementing an event protocol that the CTI application uses to communicate with a CTI system.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein said resultant events are selected from the group comprising logging in, answering a call, receiving a screen pop and logging out.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein said instructions for measuring at least one parameter comprises instructions for measuring at least one of time latency between functions of said virtual agent and accuracy of responses by said virtual agent

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein said instructions for measuring time latency between functions of said virtual agent include instructions for measuring a time latency selected from the group comprising a time latency for an action requesting connection to an agent, a time latency to receiving a screen pop upon an agent computer, a time latency for an Interactive Voice Response system (IVR) to answer a telephone call generated by the virtual telephone caller system, an IVR prompt response time, a time latency for Computer Telephone Interface (CTI) data to arrive at the agent computer, a time latency for the agent computer display screen to complete, a time latency for the agent computer to receive events from the CTI, a time latency for the virtual telephone caller system to connect to the agent telephone once requested by the virtual telephone caller system, and a database server access time.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein said instructions for measuring accuracy of response is selected from the group comprising instructions for a routing accuracy corresponding to a connection between the virtual telephone caller system and the agent upon a request from the virtual telephone caller system for connection to the agent, and instructions for a display accuracy associated with the agent computer screen pop data integrity.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein said sequence of steps for responding to a web-based communication are selected from the group comprising receiving web page requests from a web user, providing web pages to a web user, receiving emails from a web user and responding to emails from a web user.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein said sequence of steps for responding to a telephony-based communication are selected from the group comprising receiving a call from a phone user, receiving a screen pop related to said phone user, and providing access to a database server for said phone user.