System and method for determining the performance of a user responding to a call

• US 6,038,544 A
• Filed: 02/26/1998
• Issued: 03/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Open Text Corporation
• Original Assignee: Teknekron Infoswitch Corp. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Anton, Jon, Machin, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nga B.
• Application Number:
  US09/031,354
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 705/11, 705/38, 705/35, 379/88, 379/93, 379/102, 379/265, 379/266, 379/309, 434/366, 434/169, 434/350, 235/56, 235/386
• US Class Current: 705/7.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/642 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/323 for the arrangements providing the connection (test connection, test call, call simulation)
• 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 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

A system for determining the performance of a user responding to a call includes a processor, a memory, and an interface. The system presents stored audible and textual information to a user to simulate a call, and generates scores to determine the performance of the user in responding to the calls.

Claims

1. A system for determining the performance of a user responding to a call, comprising:

a memory operable to store a plurality of prerecorded incoming voice segments that simulate an incoming call;

an interface operable to communicate the incoming voice segments to the user, the interface further operable to receive user input as the user responds to the incoming voice segments; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the interface, the processor operable to select the incoming voice segments to communicate, the processor further operable to determine the performance of the user based on the user input.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the memory stores a plurality of potential user responses associated with each incoming voice segment; and

the interface receives user input specifying a selected response.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the memory stores a plurality of potential user responses associated with each incoming voice segment;

the interface receives user input specifying a selected response; and

the processor determines the performance of the user based on whether the selected response is the most appropriate.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the memory stores a prerecorded voice segment that audibly conveys each response, the interface further operable to communicate the prerecorded voice segment to the user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the memory associates a plurality of potential user responses for a first incoming voice segment to a plurality of second incoming voice segments, each response associated with a corresponding second incoming voice segment;

the interface receives user input specifying a selected response; and

the processor selects the second incoming voice segment associated with the selected response.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface receives caller information entered as user input by the user, the caller information conveyed in the incoming voice segments.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface further comprises a reference area that stores reference information accessible by the user to answer a question conveyed in the incoming voice segments.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the reference information comprises textual information and video information arranged as graphical elements.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor determines the performance of the user by generating at least three separate scores, each score measuring the performance of the user in a particular category.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the user comprises a call center agent applicant.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the prerecorded incoming voice segments comprise:

at least one segment conveying caller information; and

at least one segment conveying a reason for the call.

12. A method for determining the performance of a user responding to a call, comprising:

audibly communicating a plurality of prerecorded incoming voice segments that simulate an incoming call to a user;

receiving user input as the user responds to the incoming voice segments; and

determining the performance of the user based on the user input.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

presenting a plurality of potential user responses associated with the incoming voice segments; and

receiving user input specifying one of the responses.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving user input specifying a selected one of a plurality of responses associated with each incoming voice segment; and

determining the performance of the user based on whether the selected response is the most appropriate.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

storing a plurality of prerecorded outgoing voice segments associated with each incoming voice segment; and

audibly communicating the outgoing voice segments to the user.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

associating a plurality of potential user responses for a first incoming voice segment to a plurality of second incoming voice segments, each response associated with a corresponding second incoming voice segment;

receiving user input specifying a selected response; and

selecting the second incoming voice segment associated with the selected response.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving caller information entered as user input by the user, the caller information conveyed in the incoming voice segments.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising storing reference information accessible by the user to answer a question conveyed in the incoming voice segments.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the reference information comprises textual information and video information arranged as graphical elements.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining the performance of the user by generating at least three separate scores, each score measuring the performance of the user in a particular category.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the user comprises a call center agent applicant.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the prerecorded incoming voice segments comprise:

at least one segment conveying caller information; and

at least one segment conveying a reason for the call.

23. A computer for determining the performance of a user responding to a call, comprising:

a memory operable to store a portion of an incoming call as a first prerecorded incoming voice segment, a plurality of responses associated with the first incoming voice segment, and a plurality of second prerecorded incoming voice segments, each second prerecorded incoming voice segment associated with a corresponding response;

an interface operable to communicate the first incoming voice segment to the user, the interface further operable to receive user input specifying a selected response as the user responds to the first incoming voice segment; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the interface, the processor operable to select the second incoming voice segment associated with the selected response for communication to the user, the processor further operable to determine the performance of the user based on whether the selected response is the most appropriate.

24. The computer of claim 23, wherein the memory stores a prerecorded outgoing voice segment that audibly conveys each response, the interface further operable to communicate the outgoing voice segment to the user.

25. The computer of claim 23, wherein the interface receives caller information entered as user input by the user, the caller information conveyed in the incoming voice segments.

26. The computer of claim 23, wherein the interface further comprises a reference area that stores reference information accessible by the user to answer a question conveyed in the incoming voice segments.

27. The computer of claim 26, wherein the reference information comprises textual information and video information arranged as graphical elements.

28. The computer of claim 23, wherein the processor determines the performance of the user by generating at least three separate scores, each score measuring the performance of the user in a particular category.

29. The computer of claim 23, wherein the prerecorded incoming voice segments comprise:

at least one segment conveying caller information; and

at least one segment conveying a reason for the call.

30. The computer of claim 23, wherein the interface comprises a button that when activated indicates the user is prepared to receive another call.

31. The computer of claim 23, wherein the user comprises a call center agent applicant.