Methods and apparatus to handle customer support requests

• US 20070133780A1
• Filed: 12/09/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Original Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Inventors: Magnusson, Mark, Welch, Mark, Rushing, James, Robinson, Kristina, Porter, Jason, Berner, Earl
• Granted Patent: US 7,826,597 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/10 Providing fault- or trouble-signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to handle support contacts in a call center are disclosed. An example method for handling a first contact to a support center includes receiving the first contact from a first person, receiving a first identifier associated with the first person, analyzing contact details for a second contact associated with a second identifier associated with a second person different from the first person to determine if a problem associated with the first identifier exists, and indicating that a problem associated with the first identifier exists if the contact details for the second contact associated with the second identifier indicate that a problem associated with the first identifier exists.

Claims

1. A method for handling a first contact to a support center comprising:

receiving the first contact from a first person;

receiving a first identifier associated with the first person;

analyzing contact details for a second contact associated with a second identifier associated with a second person different from the first person to determine if a problem associated with the first identifier exists; and

indicating that a problem associated with the first identifier exists if the contact details for the second contact associated with the second identifier indicate that a problem associated with the first identifier exists.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising determining if a problem associated with the first identifier is known.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising contacting a device associated with the support center to determine if a problem associated with the first identifier exists.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising routing the first contact to a support center agent if the contact details for the contact associated with the second identifier do not indicate that a problem associated with the first identifier exists.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, further comprising:

determining which of a first agent or a second agent is capable of handling the first contact; and

routing the first contact to the support agent that is capable of handling the first reason.

6. A method as defined in claim 4, further comprising generating a script that the support center agent can follow based on the first identifier.

7. A method as defined in claim 6, further comprising:

receiving information from the first person; and

modifying the script based on the information.

8. A method as defined in claim 6, further comprising retrieving a business rule to be used in generating the script.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising automatically generating a support script associated with the problem.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first person contacts the support center via at least one of a telephone call, a computer, a set top box, or a television content converter.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the support center is a support center for at least one of a television service provider, a telephone service provider, or an Internet service provider.

12. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first identifier is at least one of a telephone number, a social security number, or an account number.

13. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein analyzing contact details comprises determining if a reason for the second contact is the same as a reason for the first contact.

14. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising analyzing a plurality of contact details to determine if a problem associated with the first identifier exists.

15. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein analyzing a plurality of contact details comprises determining if the number of contacts having the same reason for contacting the support center as the first reason that the first person is contacting the support center exceeds a threshold.

16. A method as defined in claim 15, further comprising determining if at least one of the plurality of contacts and the first person require access to the same network device.

17. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information from the first person;

storing the information;

ending the first contact from the first person;

receiving a subsequent contact from the first person; and

retrieving the stored information after receiving the subsequent contact from the first person.

18. A method as defined in claim 17, wherein the first contact is made via voice communications and the second contact is made via data communications.

19. A method as defined in claim 17, wherein the first contact is made via data communications and the subsequent contact is made via voice communications.

20. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

determining if the first contact can be handled by an automated system; and

if the first contact cannot be handled by an automated system, routing the call to a call center agent.

21. A apparatus for handling a first contact to a support center comprising:

a receiver to receive a first contact from a first person and a first identifier associated with the first person; and

an analyzer to analyze contact details for a second contact associated with a second identifier associated with another person to determine if a problem associated with the first identifier exists; and

to indicate that a problem associated with the first identifier exists if the contact details for the second contact associated with the second identifier indicate that a problem associated with the first identifier exists.

22. An apparatus as defined in claim 21, further comprising determining if a problem associated with the first identifier is known.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 21, further comprising contacting a device associated with the support center to determine if a problem associated with the first identifier exists.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 21, routing the contact to a support center agent if the contact details for the contact associated with the second identifier do not indicate that a problem associated with the first identifier exists.

25. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, further comprising generating a script that the support center agent can follow based on the first identifier.

26. An apparatus as defined in claim 25, further comprising:

receiving information from the first person; and

modifying the generated script based on the information.

27. An apparatus as defined in claim 25, further comprising retrieving a business rule to be used in generating the script.

28. An apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein the first person contacts the support center via a telephone call.

29. An apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein the support center is a support center for at least one of a television service provider, a telephone service provider, or an Internet service provider.

30. An apparatus as defined in claim 21, further comprising analyzing a plurality of contact details to determine if a problem associated with the first identifier exists.

31. An apparatus as defined in claim 30, wherein analyzing a plurality of contact details comprises determining if the number of contacts having the same reason for contacting the support center as the first reason that the first person is contacting the support center exceeds a threshold.

32. An apparatus as defined in claim 31, further comprising determining if at least one of the plurality of contacts and the first person require access to the same network device.

33. An article of manufacture storing machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to:

receive a first contact from a first person;

receive a first identifier associated with the first person;

analyze contact details for a second contact associated with a second identifier associated with another person to determine if a problem associated with the first identifier exists; and

indicate that a problem associated with the first identifier exists if the contact details for the second contact associated with the second identifier indicate that a problem associated with the first identifier exists.

34. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 33, wherein the machine readable instructions further cause a machine to determine if a problem associated with the first identifier is known.

35. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 33, wherein the machine readable instructions further cause a machine to contact a device associated with the support center to determine if a problem associated with the first identifier exists.

36. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 35, wherein the machine readable instructions further cause a machine to:

determine which of a first agent or a second agent is capable of handling the first contact; and

route the first contact to the support agent that is capable of handling the first reason.

37. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 36, wherein the machine readable instructions further cause a machine to generate a script that the support center agent can follow based on the first identifier.

38. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 37, wherein the machine readable instructions further cause a machine to:

receive information from the first person; and

modify the script based on the information.

39. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 38, wherein the machine readable instructions further cause a machine to retrieve a business rule to be used in generating the script.

40. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 33, wherein the first person contacts the support center via at least one of a telephone call, a computer, a set top box, or a television content converter.

41. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 33, wherein the support center is a support center for at least one of a television service provider, a telephone service provider, or an Internet service provider.

42. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 33, wherein the first identifier is at least one of a telephone number, a social security number, or an account number.

43. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 33, wherein the machine readable instructions further cause a machine to determine if a reason for the second contact is the same as a first reason for the first contact.

44. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 33, wherein the machine readable instructions further cause a machine to analyze a plurality of contact details to determine if a problem associated with the first identifier exists.

45. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 44, wherein the machine readable instructions further cause a machine to determine if the number of contacts having the same reason for contacting the support center as a reason that the first person is contacting the support center exceeds a threshold to analyze a plurality of contacts'"'"' contact details comprises.

46. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 45, wherein the machine readable instructions further cause a machine to determine if at least one of the plurality of contacts and the first person require access to the same network device.

47. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 33, wherein the machine readable instructions further cause a machine to:

receive information from the first person;

store the information;

end the first contact from the first person;

receive a subsequent contact from the first person; and

retrieve the stored information.

48. A method as defined in claim 47, wherein the first contact is made via voice communications and the second contact is made via data communications.

49. A method as defined in claim 47, wherein the first contact is made via data communications and the subsequent contact is made via voice communications.

50. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 33, wherein the machine readable instructions further cause the machine to:

determine if the contact can be handled by an automated system; and

if the contact cannot be handled by an automated system, route the call to a call center agent.