Home Agent Access in Call Routing Management Based on Caller Language

• US 20070160188A1
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teletech Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Teletech Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Sharpe, Bruce, MacDonald, Thomas, Horgan, Jamie
• Granted Patent: US 7,920,693 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2061 Language aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5125 with remote located operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

Call center management with at home agent access based on caller language is provided herein. Calls from customers of a client are received at an interactive voice recognition (IVR) system, which determines a language of the caller by detecting the language or language selection by keypad entry. The IVR system determines an available at home agent with the proper language skills and forwards the call to be processed by the at home agent. The at home agents can call the call center to set their status. Information associated with the call may be collected and used by associated system(s) such as quality control, status monitoring, financial processing, and the like.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to be executed at least in part in call routing system for distributing a customer initiated call to one or more at home agents, comprising:

detecting a language selection associated with a received customer call;

assigning an at home agent to service the received customer call based on the language selection, the at home agent'"'"'s language skill, and a predetermined rule set, wherein the at home agent is enabled to access the call routing system over a telephony connection; and

forwarding the received customer call to the assigned at home agent for servicing.

2. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein the customer initiated call includes at least one of:

a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) call, an Internet telephony call, a cellular call, and an electronic video conference call.

3. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein the language selection is detected by one of:

a Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) key entry and Interactive Voice Recognition (IVR).

4. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein the at home agent is further enabled to access the call routing system to report availability.

5. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein the predetermined rule set is based on a number of Ring No Answers (RNAs) and Busy signals.

6. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 5, wherein the predetermined rule set includes at least one of:

searching for another available agent in response to a preset number of RNAs, searching for another available agent in response to a busy signal, setting a status of an agent to unavailable in response to the preset number of RNAs, and forwarding the call to a language specialist if no agent is available.

7. The computer-implemented method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

recording at least one of;

a call duration, a connection quality, an at home agent availability, and a conversation between the customer and the assigned at home agent for call routing management purposes.

8. A system for distributing customer initiated calls to one or more at home agents based on a customer language preference, comprising:

an IVR server configured to;

detect a language selection associated with a received customer call;

assign an at home agent to service the received customer call based on the language selection, the at home agent'"'"'s language skill, and a predetermined rule set, wherein the at home agent is enabled to access the call routing system over a telephony connection; and

forward the received customer call to the assigned at home agent for servicing; and

a call management server configured to;

execute one or more applications associated with managing the call distribution.

9. The system as defined in claim 8, wherein the IVR server is further configured to assign the at home agent based on a language service schedule.

10. The system as defined in claim 8, wherein the IVR server is further configured to determine the at home agent'"'"'s availability based on one of:

a call-in report by the at home agent, number of RNA'"'"'s, and a Busy signal.

11. The system as defined in claim 8, wherein the IVR server is further configured to overload a caller identification number such that a portion of the caller identification number corresponds to a client identifier and another portion of the client identification number correspond to a client project.

12. The system as defined in claim 11, wherein the call identification number includes one of:

an Automated Number Identification (ANI) number, an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number, and an IP address.

13. The system as defined in claim 11, wherein the call management server is further configured to forward the customer call to a call center agent and execute at least one of:

an application to provide customer information based on the overloaded caller identification number to the assigned agent, an application to monitor the call between the customer and the assigned agent for quality assurance, and an application to collect statistical information about the customer call.

14. The system as defined in claim 8, wherein at least one of:

the IVR server and the call management server is configured to forward the call to one of;

an alternative call management system and an overflow language specialist if the selected language is not serviced by any of the at home agents associated with the call distribution system.

15. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for distributing customer initiated calls to one or more at home agents based on a customer language preference, the computer process comprising:

detecting a language selection associated with a received customer call;

assigning an at home agent to service the received customer call based on at least one of;

the language selection, the at home agent'"'"'s language skill, and a predetermined rule set, wherein the at home agent is enabled to access the call routing system over a telephony connection;

forwarding the received customer call to the assigned at home agent for servicing; and

executing one or more applications associated with managing the call distribution.

16. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the language selection is determined based on interactive voice recognition.

17. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 16, wherein the computer process further comprises:

determining the customer'"'"'s accent; and

assigning the at home agent based on the accent of the customer.

18. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 16, wherein the computer process further comprises:

receiving the customer call over a PSTN, wherein the call center is arranged to process the customer call on behalf of a client;

determining customer information from an ANI number associated with the call;

modifying the ANI number such that information associated with the client is overloaded to the ANI number;

forwarding the call to a call management center over a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) network, wherein the forwarded call includes the modified ANI number;

assigning a call center agent to the received call based on the modified ANI number and the language selection; and

forwarding the call to the assigned agent.

19. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 18, wherein modifying the ANI number includes overloading the ANI number with at least one of:

a client identifier, a client subdivision identification, and a project identification.

20. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 18, wherein the computer process further comprises:

retrieving customer information that includes at least one of;

a customer history record, a customer demographic record, and a customer geographic record from a database based on the ANI number; and

activating a user interface in an application such that the assigned agent receives the customer information associated with the call.