CONTROLLING HOLD QUEUE POSITION ADJUSTMENT

• US 20070230683A1
• Filed: 06/07/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: MCINTYRE, JOSEPH, WINTERS, SCOTT, WEAVER, JAMES, PAOLINI, MICHAEL, BROWN, MICHAEL
• Granted Patent: US 8,160,235 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/266.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/385 using speech signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing

Abstract

A method, system, and program for allowing callers to adjust in position within a hold queue are provided. An advancement token earned by a caller while waiting in a hold queue is detected. The advancement token is stored for redemption in a future call by the caller according to an authenticated identifier for the caller, wherein future redemption of the advancement token will cause adjustment of a waiting position. In particular, a caller in the call hold queue may earn advancement tokens by answering questions posed by other callers in the call hold queue, where the questions are answered in a manner such that the other callers do not need additional aid from a representative. In addition, a caller may redeem advancement tokens earned in a previous hold queue while waiting in current hold queue, where the redeemable advancement tokens are accessible across multiple call centers according to the caller identification.

Claims

1-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A method for call queue management, comprising:

publishing a question of a first caller from among a plurality of callers waiting in a hold queue;

responsive to a second caller from among said plurality of callers indicating a readiness to answer to said question, connecting said first caller with said second caller; and

responsive to said second caller answering said question awarding said second caller an advancement token for adjustment of a position of said second caller within said hold queue.

29. The method for call queue management according to claim 28, further comprising:

prompting said first caller to evaluate said answer to said question by said second caller; and

responsive to said evaluation, calculating said advancement token for said second caller.

30. The method for call queue management according to claim 28, wherein awarding said second caller an advancement token further comprises:

awarding said second caller said advancement token from a token advancement service associated with said hold queue.

31. The method for call queue management according to claim 28, wherein awarding said second caller an advancement token further comprises:

awarding said second caller said advancement token from an additional advancement token transferred from said first caller from at least one prior advancement token stored according to an authenticated voice identifier of said first caller.

32. A system for call queue management, comprising:

a call center comprising a hold queue;

means for publishing a question of a first caller from among a plurality of callers waiting in said hold queue;

means responsive to a second caller from among said plurality of callers indicating a readiness to answer to said question, for connecting said first caller with said second caller; and

means, responsive to said second caller answering said question for awarding said second caller an advancement token for adjustment of a position of said second caller within said hold queue

33. The system for call queue management according to claim 32, further comprising:

means for prompting said first caller to evaluate said answer to said question by said second caller; and

means responsive to said evaluation, for calculating said advancement token for said second caller.

34. The system for call queue management according to claim 32, wherein said means for awarding said second caller an advancement token further comprises:

means for awarding said second caller said advancement token from a token advancement service associated with said hold queue.

35. The system for call queue management according to claim 32, wherein said means for awarding said second caller an advancement token further comprises:

means for awarding said second caller said advancement token from an additional advancement token transferred from said first caller from at least one prior advancement token stored according to an authenticated voice identifier of said first caller.

36. A computer program product for call queue management, said computer program product embodied on a recordable-type computer-readable medium comprising:

means, recorded on said computer-readable medium, for controlling publication of a question of a first caller from among a plurality of callers waiting in said hold queue;

means, recorded on said computer-readable medium, for connecting said first caller with said second caller indicating a readiness to answer said question; and

means, recorded on said computer-readable medium, for awarding said second caller an advancement token for adjustment of a position of said second caller within said hold queue responsive to said second caller answering said question.

37. The computer program product for call queue management according to claim 36, further comprising:

means, recorded on said computer-readable medium, for prompting said first caller to evaluate said answer to said question by said second caller; and

means, recorded on said computer-readable medium, for calculating said advancement token for said second caller according to a received evaluation.

38. The computer program product for call queue management according to claim 36, further comprising:

means, recorded on said computer-readable recording medium, for awarding said second caller said advancement token from a token advancement service associated with said hold queue.

39. The computer program product for call queue management according to claim 36, further comprising:

means, recorded on said computer-readable medium, said second caller said advancement token from an additional advancement token transferred from said first caller from at least one prior advancement token stored according to an authenticated voice identifier of said first caller.

40-41. -41. (canceled)