COMMUNICATIONS ARBITRATOR

• US 20150304492A1
• Filed: 04/22/2014
• Published: 10/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Eyeson, Isaac K.
• Granted Patent: US 11,632,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

Content of a communication session, such as a voice communication between a user and an agent of a contact center is monitored. A keyword, a phrase, an emotion, or a gesture related to a topic in the monitored content of the communication session is identified. A rule based on the identified the monitored content is applied. In response to applying the rule based on the monitored content, one or more topic suggestions are identified and presented to the user. For example, the rule can detect that the agent changed the discussion from a first topic to a second topic. In response to the agent discussing the second topic, the user is presented with two topics suggestions for the two topics. The user can select one of the topic suggestions to focus the agent on a specific topic suggestion. The selected topic suggestion along with discussions options are then displayed to the agent.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring content of a communication session between a user and a first agent of a contact center;

identifying at least one of a keyword, a phrase, an emotion, and a gesture included in the monitored content of the communication session;

applying a rule based on the identified at least one of the keyword, the phrase, the emotion and the gesture; and

in response to applying the rule based on the identified at least one of the keyword, the phrase, the emotion, and the gesture, generating a first topic suggestion for presentation to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first topic suggestion comprises a plurality of topic suggestions and the method further comprises:

receiving a selection, by the user, of one of the plurality of topic suggestions; and

in response to receiving the selection, by the user, of the one of the plurality of topic suggestions, generating for presentation, to the first agent, the selected one of the plurality of topic suggestions along with a first list of one or more discussion options associated with the selected one of the plurality of topic suggestions.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

transferring the communication session to a second agent or conferencing the second agent into the communication session; and

in response to transferring the communication session to the second agent or conferencing the second agent into the communication session, generating for presentation, to the second agent, the selected one of the plurality of topic suggestions along with a second list of one or more discussion options associated with the selected one of the plurality of topic suggestions, wherein the first list is different than the second list.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the rule is applied based on the identified at least one of the keyword, the phrase, the emotion, and the gesture, and an exceed time duration of the communication session.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a second topic suggestion from information stored in a database and wherein generating the first topic suggestion for selection by the user further comprises generating the second topic suggestion for selection by the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first topic suggestion comprises a plurality of topic suggestions and further comprising:

receiving an input from the user to define an order of the plurality of topic suggestions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first topic suggestion further comprises a plurality of topic suggestions identified by the user prior to an initiation of the communication session.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the rule based on the identified at least one of the keyword, the phrase, the emotion, and the gesture is based on at least one of the following:

the first agent is not understanding the topic;

the first agent discussing a different topic;

a specific individual communicating in the communication session;

two or more specific individuals speaking in the communication session;

the two or more specific individuals calling in from a single communication endpoint;

a plurality of keywords and/or phrases being communicated in the same sentence;

the plurality of keywords and/or phrases being in a single email or text message;

the keyword and/or phrase being communicated within a specific time period;

a non response to an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system;

the keyword and/or phrase being an abbreviation;

a number of exchanged emails or text messages;

a gesture made during the communication session;

a detected emotion of the specific individual communicating in the communication session; and

a specific type of punctuation being used with a specific word and/or phrase in a sentence.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at a conclusion of the communication session, information associated with the communication session is stored in a database for use with further communication sessions associated with the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first topic suggestion is generated based on detecting a defined number of keywords and/or phrases related to the topic and wherein the first topic suggestion is displayed or played to the user.

11. A system comprising:

a content monitor configured to monitor content of a communication session between a user and a first agent of a contact center and identify at least one of a keyword, a phrase, an emotion, and a gesture related to a topic in the monitored content of the communication session;

a rule engine configured to apply a rule based on the identified at least one of the keyword, the phrase, the emotion, and the gesture; and

a topic module configured to generate a first topic suggestion for selection by the user in response to applying the rule based on the identified at least one of the keyword, the phrase, the emotion, and the gesture.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first topic suggestion comprises a plurality of topic suggestions, wherein the topic module is further configured to receive a selection, by the user, of one of the plurality of topic suggestions and further comprising:

a presentation module configured to generate for presentation, to the first agent, the selected one of the plurality of topic suggestions along with a first list of one or more discussion options associated with the selected one of the plurality of topic suggestions in response to receiving the selection, by the user, of the one of the plurality of topic suggestions.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a session manager configured to transfer the communication session to a second agent or conference the second agent into the communication session; and

the presentation module is further configured to generate for presentation, to the second agent, the selected one of the plurality of topic suggestions along with a second list of one or more discussion options associated with the selected one of the plurality of topic suggestions in response to transferring the communication session to the second agent or conferencing the second agent into the communication session, and wherein the first list is different than the second list.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the rule is applied based on the identified at least one of the keyword, the phrase, the emotion, and the gesture, and an exceed time duration of the communication session.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the topic module is further configured to identify a second topic suggestion from information stored in a database; and

the presentation module is further configured to generate for presentation to the user the second topic suggestion for selection by the user.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the first topic suggestion comprises a plurality of topic suggestions and wherein the topic module is further configured to receive an input from the user to define an order of the plurality of topic suggestions.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the first topic suggestion further comprises a plurality of topic suggestions identified by the user prior to an initiation of the communication session.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein applying the rule to the identified at least one of the keyword, the phrase, the emotion, and the gesture is based on at least one of the following:

the first agent is not understanding the topic;

the first agent discussing a different topic;

a specific individual communicating in the communication session;

two or more specific individuals speaking in the communication session;

the two or more specific individuals calling in from a single communication endpoint;

a plurality of keywords and/or phrases being communicated in the same sentence;

the plurality of keywords and/or phrases being in a single email or text message;

the keyword and/or phrase being communicated within a specific time period;

the keyword and/or phrase being communicated a number of times;

a non response to an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system;

the keyword and/or phrase being an abbreviation;

a number of exchanged emails or text messages;

a gesture made during the communication session;

a detected emotion of the specific individual communicating in the communication session; and

a specific type of punctuation being used with a specific word and/or phrase in a sentence.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein applying the rule to the identified at least one of the keyword, the phrase, the emotion, and the gesture is based on a specific type of punctuation being used with a specific word and/or phrase in a sentence.

20. A non-transient computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that cause a processor to execute a method, the method comprising:

instructions to monitor content of a communication session between a user and an agent of a contact center;

instructions to identify at least one of a keyword, a phrase, an emotion, and a gesture related to a topic in the monitored content of the communication session;

instructions to apply a rule based on the identified at least one of the keyword, the phrase, the emotion, and the gesture; and

in response to applying the rule based on the identified at least one of the keyword, the phrase, the emotion, and the gesture, instructions to generate a topic suggestion for selection by the user.