ACD arrangement for automatically returning a call at a time specified by the original caller
First Claim
1. In an arrangement for automatically distributing incoming calls to a plurality of agents for answering and handling the incoming calls, the improvement comprising;
- means responsive to an incoming call from a caller, for storing a telephone number relating to the incoming call;
means operative in response to unavailability of an agent of the plurality of agents to answer the incoming call, for automatically prompting the caller to indicate a callback time;
means responsive to receipt from the caller of an indication of the callback time, for automatically placing an outgoing call having an originating end and a terminating end to the stored telephone number at the callback time; and
means responsive to the placing of the outgoing call, for automatically connecting the originating end of the outgoing call to an agent of the plurality of agents to handle the outgoing call.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic callback arrangement for an automatic call-distribution (ACD) system. The arrangement collects and stores the telephone number from which a call is incoming (ANI), estimates how long the call will have to hold in queue before it is answered, and, if the waiting time exceeds a predetermined maximum, prompts the caller to chosse between holding or receiving a return call if the caller is a valid-account holder. If the caller choses a return call, the arrangement prompts the caller for callback time and time-period. The arrangement then verifies whether the caller is a valid account holder. If so, the arrangement places an outgoing call to the stored telephone number when the callback time arrives. If the call does not get through, the arrangement repeatedly periodically repeats placing of the outgoing call, until the call gets through or the callback time-period expires. When it places the outgoing call, the arrangement connects the originating end thereof to an ACD agent to handle the call.
309 Citations
30 Claims
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1. In an arrangement for automatically distributing incoming calls to a plurality of agents for answering and handling the incoming calls, the improvement comprising;
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means responsive to an incoming call from a caller, for storing a telephone number relating to the incoming call; means operative in response to unavailability of an agent of the plurality of agents to answer the incoming call, for automatically prompting the caller to indicate a callback time; means responsive to receipt from the caller of an indication of the callback time, for automatically placing an outgoing call having an originating end and a terminating end to the stored telephone number at the callback time; and means responsive to the placing of the outgoing call, for automatically connecting the originating end of the outgoing call to an agent of the plurality of agents to handle the outgoing call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In an arrangement for automatically distributing incoming calls to a plurality of agents for answering and handling the incoming calls, the improvement comprising:
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means for estimating a waiting time of an incoming call to be answered by an agent; means responsive to an incoming call from a caller, for storing a telphone number relating to the incoming call; means operative is response to unavailability of an agent to answer the incoming call and an estimation by the estimating means that the call'"'"'s waiting time will exceed a predetermined maximum, for automatically prompting the caller to indicate whether the caller wishes to hold or to receive a return call; means responsive to receipt from the caller of an indication that the caller wishes to receive a return call, for automatically prompting the caller to indicate a callback time and a callback time period; means responsive to receipt from the caller of an indication of the callback time and the callback time period, for automatically placing an outgoing call having an originating end and a terminating end to the stored telephone number at the indicated callback time; means responsive to the outgoing call failing to be answered at its terminating end, for periodically automatically placing the outgoing call again during the indicated callback time period, until either the outgoing call is answered at its terminating end or the indicated callback time period expires; and means responsive to the placing of the outgoing call, for automatically connecting the originating end of the outgoing call to an agent to handle the outgoing call. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An arrangement comprising:
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means for automatically distributing incoming calls to a plurality of agents for answering and handling the incoming calls; means responsive to an incoming call from a caller, for storing a telephone number of the incoming call; means operative in response to unavailability of an agent of the plurality of agents to answer the incoming call, for automatically prompting the caller to indicate a callback time; means responsive to receipt from the caller of an indication of the callback time, for automatically placing an outgoing call having an originating end and a terminating end to the stored telephone number at the callback time; and means responsive to the placing of the outgoing call, for automatically connecting the originating end of the outgoing call to an agent of the plurality of agents to handle the outgoing call.
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16. An apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of call-handling stations for use by agents in answering and handling telephone calls connected to the stations; a switching system connecting the stations to a telephone network; an automatic call-distribution system cooperative with the switching system for automatically distributing incoming calls to the stations for answering and handling of the incoming calls by the agents; means responsive to a call from a caller incoming to the automatic call-distribution system, for storing a telephone number of the incoming call; means operative in response to unavailability of an agent at the plurality of stations to answer the incoming call, for automatically prompting the caller to indicate a callback time; means responsive to receipt from the caller of an indication of the callback time, for automatically placing through the switching system an outgoing call having an originating end and a terminating end to the stored telephone number at the callback time; and means responsive to the placing of the outgoing call, for automatically connecting the originating end of the outgoing call via the automatic call-distribution system to a station of the plurality of stations for handling of the outgoing call by an agent.
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17. A method of automatically returning calls in an arrangement for automatically distributing incoming calls to a plurality of agents for answering and handling the incoming calls, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing a telephone number relating to an incoming call from a caller; automatically prompting the caller to indicate a callback time, in an absence of availability of an agent of the plurality of agents to answer the incoming call; automatically placing an outgoing call having an originating end and a terminating end to the stored telephone number at the callback time, in response to receipt from the caller of an indication of the callback time; and automatically connecting the originating end of the outgoing call to an agent of the plurality of agents to handle the outgoing call, in response to the placing of the outgoing call. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of automatically returning calls in an arrangement for automatically distributing incoming calls to a plurality of agents for answering and handling the incoming calls, the method comprising the steps of:
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estimating a waiting time of an incoming call to be answered by an agent; storing a telephone number relating to an incoming call, in response to the incoming call from a caller; automatically prompting the caller to indicate whether the caller wishes to hold or to receive a return call, in an absence of availability of an agent to answer the incoming call and an estimation that the call'"'"'s waiting time will exceed a predetermined maximum; automatically prompting the caller to indicate a callback time and a callback time period, in response to receipt from the caller of an indication that the caller wishes to receive a return call; automatically placing an outgoing call having an orignating end and a terminating end to the stored telephone number at an indicated callback time, in response to receipt from the caller of the indication of the callback time and the callback time peiod; periodically automatically placing the outgoing call again during the indicated callback time period, in response to the outgoing call failing to be answered at its terminating end, until either the outgoing call is answered at its terminating end or the indicated callback time period expires; and automatically connecting the originating end of the outgoing call to an agent to handle the outgoing call, in response to the placing of the outgoing call. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification