Method and apparatus for providing result-oriented customer service

• US 5,963,635 A
• Filed: 12/12/1996
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aspect Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Inventions, Inc.
• Inventors: Szlam, Aleksander, Owen, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US08/764,324
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 379/92, 379/201, 379/216, 379/265, 379/266, 379/309, 379/355, 379/92.01, 379/92.02
• US Class Current: 379/309
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0245 Surveys
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2061 Language aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution

Abstract

The automated customer service system maintains and uses a list of available resources, such as an agent qualification profile, in conjunction with a customer sensitivity profile, to automatically assign available resources, such as agents, to the various campaigns. The agent qualification profile identifies any special skills or qualifications that an agent may possess, such as language skills, type of voice, efficiency, and type of call processing skills. The customer sensitivity profile contains information regarding the manner, time and date, and location for contact which are preferred by the customer. The system administrator devises a strategy script based upon the customer sensitivity requirements and the agent qualifications. The strategy script determines which resources, such as agents, meet which requirements, and whether there are adequate resources to handle the requirements of concurrent campaigns. The strategy script also provides for assignment of the resources in accordance with a preplanned priority or procedure in the event that there are not adequate resources available.

Claims

1. A method for assigning resources for a campaign to contact customers, comprising the steps of:

(a) automatically obtaining a list of resource requirements for said campaign;

(b) automatically inspecting said list to identify a specific resource requirement;

(c) automatically obtaining a list of available resources;

(d) automatically inspecting said list of available resources to determine a number of available resources meeting said specific resource requirement;

(e) automatically determining whether said number of available resources is adequate to service said campaign; and

(f) if said number of available resources is adequate to service said campaign, then automatically assigning, to said campaign, at least a portion of said available resources meeting said specific resource requirement, and automatically beginning said campaign.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of campaigns, each campaign having a priority rating, and

step (a) comprises automatically obtaining a list of campaigns including resource requirements for each said campaign;

step (b) comprises automatically inspecting said list to identify a specific resource requirement;

step (c) comprises automatically obtaining a list of available resources;

step (d) comprises automatically inspecting said list of available resources to determine a number of available resources meeting said specific resource requirement;

step (e) comprises automatically determining whether said number of available resources is adequate to service said campaigns;

step (f) comprises automatically assigning, to each said campaign, a portion of said available resources meeting said specific resource requirement necessary to service said campaign, and automatically beginning said campaigns, if said number of available resources is adequate to service all of said campaigns;

and further comprising the steps of;

(g) if said number of said available resources is not adequate to service all of said campaigns then, for each campaign;

(h) automatically inspecting said priority rating of said campaign;

(i) automatically assigning said available resources to said campaign based upon said priority rating of said campaign;

(j) for the lowest priority campaign to which said available resources are assigned, automatically determining whether a number of available resources assigned to said lowest priority campaign is adequate to service said lowest priority campaign;

(k) automatically beginning campaigns having a priority higher than said lowest priority campaign; and

(l) if said number of available resources assigned to said lowest priority campaign is adequate for said lowest priority campaign, then automatically beginning said lowest priority campaign.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said resource requirements are agents to be assigned to staff a campaign to contact customers, and wherein:

step (a) comprises obtaining, as said list of resource requirements, a list of customers for said campaign and a customer sensitivity profile for each customer on said list of customers;

step (b) comprises inspecting said customer sensitivity profile for each customer to identify an agent specific contact requirement as said specific resource requirement;

step (c) comprises obtaining a list of available agents and an agent qualification profile for each agent on said list of available agents as said list of available resources; and

step (d) comprises inspecting said agent qualification profile for each agent to determine, as said number of available resources, a number of agents meeting said agent specific contact requirement.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said customer sensitivity profile for a customer comprises a preferred language for said customer and said agent qualification profile for an agent comprises a language fluency designation, and said step of inspecting said customer sensitivity profile comprises automatically determining whether said customer sensitivity profile designates a predetermined language, and said step of inspecting said agent qualification profile comprises automatically determining whether said language fluency designation designates said predetermined language.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said resource requirements are agents to be assigned to staff a campaign to contact customers, and wherein there are a plurality of campaigns, each campaign having a priority rating, and wherein:

step (a) comprises obtaining, as said list of resource requirements, a list of customers for each said campaign and a customer sensitivity profile for each customer on each said list of customers;

step (b) comprises inspecting said customer sensitivity profile for each customer to identify an agent specific contact requirement as said specific resource requirement;

step (c) comprises obtaining a list of available agents and an agent qualification profile for each agent on said list of available agents as said list of available resources;

step (d) comprises inspecting said agent qualification profile for each agent to determine, as said number of available resources, a number of agents meeting said agent specific contact requirement;

step (f) comprises automatically assigning agents to said campaigns and automatically beginning said campaigns if said number of said agents is adequate to service all of said campaigns;

and said method further comprises the steps of;

(g) if said number of said agents is not adequate to service all of said campaigns then, for each campaign;

(h) automatically inspecting said priority rating of said campaign;

(i) automatically assigning agents to said campaign based upon said priority rating of said campaign;

(j) for the lowest priority campaign to which agents are assigned, automatically determining whether the number of agents assigned to said lowest priority campaign is adequate to service said lowest priority campaign;

(k) automatically beginning campaigns having a priority higher than said lowest priority campaign; and

(l) if said number of agents assigned to said lowest priority campaign is adequate for said lowest priority campaign, then automatically beginning said lowest priority campaign.

6. A method for conducting a plurality of campaigns, comprising the steps of:

(a) sorting said plurality of campaigns into a first group of campaigns and a second group of campaigns;

(b) beginning each campaign of said first group;

(c) monitoring a predetermined characteristic associated with each said campaign of said first group;

(d) determining whether said predetermined characteristic has met a predetermined criteria for each campaign of said first group; and

(e) if said predetermined characteristic for a said campaign in said first group has met said predetermined criteria before said campaign in said first group has been completed, then automatically beginning a campaign in said second group.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said predetermined characteristic is the degree of penetration into said campaign of said first group and step (b) comprises monitoring said degree of penetration.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said predetermined characteristic is the number of calls completed during said campaign of said first group and step (c) comprises monitoring said number of calls completed.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said predetermined characteristic is the number of calls attempted during said campaign of said first group and step (c) comprises monitoring said number of calls attempted.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein said predetermined characteristic is the success rate of said campaign of said first group and step (b) comprises monitoring said success rate.

11. A method for conducting a campaign, said campaign comprising a plurality of queues, one of said queues having a plurality of entries, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) placing calls for said entries on said one of said queues having said plurality of entries;

(b) monitoring for the occurrence of an event associated with said campaign; and

(c) if said event occurs before said campaign has been completed, then automatically performing a predetermined action with respect to a predetermined queue.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of performing comprises automatically terminating the calling of entries in said predetermined queue.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of performing further comprises automatically beginning the calling of entries in another campaign.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of performing further comprises automatically notifying a predetermined person that said event has occurred.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of performing further comprises suspending said campaign and then automatically restarting said campaign at a predetermined time.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of performing comprises terminating said campaign.

17. A method for conducting a campaign, said campaign comprising a plurality of queues, a first queue of said plurality of queues being a calling list having a plurality of entries, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) placing a call for an entry which is on said calling list;

(b) placing said entry in a specified one of said queues in response to the disposition of said call for said entry;

(c) monitoring a predetermined one of said queues for a predetermined event; and

(d) if said predetermined event occurs, then performing a predetermined action.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of performing comprises beginning calling entries in at least a predetermined one of said queues.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of performing comprises terminating calling of entries in at least a predetermined one of said queues.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of performing comprises terminating calling of entries in said specified one of said queues.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of performing comprises suspending calling of entries in at least a predetermined one of said queues.

22. The method of claim 17 and further comprising the steps of:

(e) placing calls to entries in a first predetermined one of said queues;

(f) monitoring a second predetermined one of said queues for a second predetermined event; and

(g) if said second predetermined event occurs, then performing a second predetermined action.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said step of performing comprises terminating the calling of entries in said first predetermined one of said queues.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein, if said second predetermined event occurs, said method further comprises the step of terminating the calling of entries in said first queue.

25. The method of claim 17 wherein:

step (a) comprises beginning a campaign by placing said call for said entry on said calling list;

step (b) comprises placing said entry in a second queue in response to said disposition of said call being a predetermined one of the following;

busy, no answer, answering machine, and call completed; and

said step (b) further comprises placing said entry in a third queue other than said first queue or said second queue in response to said disposition being other than said predetermined one; and

step (c) comprises monitoring said second queue for said predetermined event.

26. The method of claim 17 wherein:

step (a) comprises beginning a campaign by placing said call for said entry on said calling list;

step (b) comprises placing said entry in a second queue in response to said disposition of said call being a predetermined one of the following;

busy, no answer, answering machine, and call completed; and

said step (b) further comprises placing said entry in a third queue other than said first queue or said second queue in response to said disposition being other than said predetermined one; and

step (c) comprises monitoring said second queue for said predetermined event; and

step (d) comprises terminating the placing of calls for entries on said calling list and starting the placing of calls for entries on said third queue, as said predetermined action, if said predetermined event occurs.

27. A method for controlling a plurality of campaigns, comprising:

specifying a plurality of campaigns to be implemented;

specifying a first number of said campaigns to be started first, and a second number of campaigns;

for each campaign of said first number, specifying a determinative event occurring prior to the completion of said campaign; and

for each said determinative event, specifying an action to be implemented for at least a predetermined campaign of said second number of campaigns.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said step of specifying comprises designating at least one of said second number of campaigns to be started if said determinative event occurs.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein said step of specifying comprises specifying that said campaign having said determinative event is to be terminated.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein said step of specifying comprises specifying that said campaign having said determinative event is to be suspended.

31. The method of claim 27 wherein said step of specifying comprises specifying that said campaign having said determinative event is to be restarted.

32. A method for assigning resources for a plurality of campaigns to contact customers, each campaign having a priority rating, comprising the steps of:

(a) automatically obtaining a list of campaigns including resource requirements for each said campaign;

(b) automatically inspecting said list to identify a specific resource requirement;

(c) automatically obtaining a list of available resources;

(d) automatically inspecting said list of available resources to determine a number of available resources meeting said specific resource requirement;

(e) automatically determining whether said number of available resources is adequate to service said campaigns;

(f) automatically assigning, to each said campaign, a portion of said available resources meeting said specific resource requirement necessary to service said campaign, and automatically beginning said campaigns, if said number of available resources is adequate to service all of said campaigns;

(g) if said number of said available resources is not adequate to service all of said campaigns then, for each campaign;

(h) automatically inspecting said priority rating of said campaign;

(i) automatically assigning said available resources to said campaign based upon said priority rating of said campaign;

(j) for the lowest priority campaign to which said available resources are assigned, automatically determining whether a number of available resources assigned to said lowest priority campaign is adequate to service said lowest priority campaign;

(k) automatically beginning campaigns having a priority higher than said lowest priority campaign; and

(l) if said number of available resources assigned to said lowest priority campaign is adequate for said lowest priority campaign, then automatically beginning said lowest priority campaign.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said resource requirements are agents to be assigned to staff a campaign to contact customers, and wherein:

step (a) comprises obtaining, as said list of resource requirements, a list of customers for each said campaign and a customer sensitivity profile for each customer on each said list of customers;

step (b) comprises inspecting said customer sensitivity profile for each customer to identify an agent specific contact requirement as said specific resource requirement;

step (c) comprises obtaining a list of available agents and an agent qualification profile for each agent on said list of available agents as said list of available resources;

step (d) comprises inspecting said agent qualification profile for each agent to determine, as said number of available resources, a number of agents meeting said agent specific contact requirement;

step (f) comprises automatically assigning agents to said campaigns and automatically beginning said campaigns if said number of said agents is adequate to service all of said campaigns;

(g) if said number of said agents is not adequate to service all of said campaigns then, for each campaign;

step (h) comprises automatically inspecting said priority rating of said campaign;

step (i) comprises automatically assigning agents to said campaign based upon said priority rating of said campaign;

step (j) comprises, for the lowest priority campaign to which agents are assigned, automatically determining whether the number of agents assigned to said lowest priority campaign is adequate to service said lowest priority campaign;

step (k) comprises automatically beginning campaigns having a priority higher than said lowest priority campaign; and

step (l) comprises, if said number of agents assigned to said lowest priority campaign is adequate for said lowest priority campaign, then automatically beginning said lowest priority campaign.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said customer sensitivity profile for a customer comprises a preferred language for said customer and said agent qualification profile for an agent comprises a language fluency designation, and said step of inspecting said customer sensitivity profile comprises automatically determining whether said customer sensitivity profile designates a predetermined language, and said step of inspecting said agent qualification profile comprises automatically determining whether said language fluency designation designates said predetermined language.