System and method for optimizing a program containing a number of the flows through flow branches

• US 6,102,970 A
• Filed: 03/27/1998
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aspect Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Davox Corporation (Aspect Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kneipp, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN BA, HOANG VU A
• Application Number:
  US09/049,361
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 395/709, 358/402, 379/88.17, 379/88.22, 600/300, 706/53
• US Class Current: 717/155
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/357 Autocues for dialog assistance

Abstract

A system and method for optimizing a scripting program, such as utilized on a telephone system adapted to place and receive telephone calls includes a selectable script database having stored therein a plurality of selectable scripts each script having a unique script identifier. The system also includes at least one script branch definition table for routing a call through a logical series of scripts calculated to achieve a desired result. A script branch history record stores a sequence of selectable scripts accessed during a particular call and a call end table stores data on each terminated call. A branch script controller is also included, which is responsive to a predetermined event, to the script database and to the script branch definition table for selecting one of the selectable scripts to be accessed, for allowing the script message text to be provided to a party, for generating the indication of each script accessed and for generating the data on each terminated contact. The branch script controller is responsive to data input for modifying at least one of the destination script identifiers and/or the script text.

Claims

1. A system for optimizing a scripting program, said system comprising:

a plurality of selectable scripts stored in a selectable script database, at least one of said plurality of selectable scripts comprising a predetermined message including at least one question having at least two possible responses, each said plurality of selectable scripts having a unique selectable script identifier;

at least one script branch definition table including a plurality of user modifiable script branch definitions, each of said plurality of user modifiable script branch definitions including at least a destination script branch identifier corresponding to one of said selectable scripts for each of said at least two possible responses to said question of each predetermined message of each of said plurality of selectable scripts;

a script branch history record including an indication of each accessed selectable script;

a communication start table for storing data on each communication record handled;

a communication end table for storing data on each communication record terminated; and

a branch script controller, cooperative with said selectable script database and to said at least one script branch definition table, for selecting one of said plurality of selectable scripts to be accessed, for allowing said predetermined message to be provided, for accepting a response to said predetermined message, for generating said indication of each accessed selectable script, for generating data stored in said communication start table and said communication end table, and responsive to data input, for modifying at least one of said destination script branch identifiers of at least one of said plurality of user modifiable script branch definitions.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said predetermined message is displayed on an agent display screen and orally spoken by an agent to a connected party via a data connection and telephone voice connection.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said predetermined message is communicated to and displayed on a connected party display via a wide area network connection.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said predetermined message is transmitted to a connected party by a voice response unit to said connected party.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein a branch script controller is responsive to a predetermined event, and wherein said predetermined event includes said response to said predetermined message which is provided orally from said connected party to an agent and entered by said agent via an agent data entry device.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein a branch script controller is responsive to a predetermined event and wherein said predetermined event includes said response to said predetermined message which is provided from said connected party to an agent display over said wide area network connection.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said data entry device is a keyboard.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein said predetermined event is a response from the connected party by touch tone telephone codes.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a script response quality database, responsive to said branch script controller, for storing user input data describing the quality of each response for each of said plurality of said selectable scripts;

and

wherein said branch history file is responsive to said user input data of said scrip t response quality database, for storing said user input data associated with each of said selected scripts of said plurality of said selectable scripts.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said plurality of selectable scripts includes user definable and modifiable script message.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said branch script controller is responsive to data input, for modifying said modifiable script message of at least one of said plurality of selectable scripts.

12. A method for optimizing a scripting program for conducting communication campaigns, said met hod comprising the steps of:

a) entering scripting program data for at least one communication campaign;

b) transferring a party to communicate with an agent;

c) selecting a script message from said scripting program data;

d) communicating said script message to said party and receiving a response to said script message from said party;

e) inputting said party'"'"'s response to said script message;

f) storing data associated with said script message in a script branch history record;

g) looking up, in a script branch definition table, a destination script identifier associated with said party'"'"'s response to said script message and retrieving a next script message from said scripting program data associated with said destination script identifier;

h) repeating steps d) through g until said communication is terminated; and

i) upon termination of said communication, storing data associated with said communication in a communication end table.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising modifying said script branch definition table to improve the results of the communication campaign.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of modifying one or more script, messages in response to a review of said data associated with said communication stored in said communication end table to improve the results of the communication campaign.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said script branch definition table is modified in response to a review of said communication end table.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein at least one destination identifier in said script branch definition table is modified in response to a review of said communication end table.

17. A computer-implemented method for optimizing a query scripting campaign, said method comprising the steps of:

a) storing a plurality of selectable query scripts in a selectable query script database, at least one of said plurality of selectable query scripts comprising a predetermined message including at least one question having at least two possible responses, each said selectable query script having a unique selectable query script identifier;

b) assigning a user modifiable script branch definition to each selectable query script, each said user modifiable script branch definition including at least a destination script branch identifier corresponding to one of said plurality of selectable query scripts stored in said selectable query script data base for each of said at least two possible responses to said question of each predetermined message of each of said plurality of selectable query scripts;

c) storing each user modifiable script branch definition in a script branch definition table;

d) access sing one of said stored plurality of selectable query scripts;

e) establishing communications with a party;

f) communicating said accessed selectable query script to said party;

g) storing an indication of each said accessed selectable script communicated to said party in a script branch history record;

h) accepting an input indicative of a response to said communicated selectable query script;

i) searching said script branch definition table and retrieving said destination script branch identifier corresponding to said response to said communicated selectable query script;

j) accessing a subsequent query script from said stored plurality of query scripts, said subsequent query script associated with said destination script branch identifier corresponding to said response to said communicated selectable query script;

k) communicating said subsequent query script to said party;

l) modifying said query scripting campaign by changing said destination script branch identifier associated with said response to a different one of said stored plurality of query scripts; and

m) repeating steps f through 1 until communications with said party are terminated.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said query scripting campaign is conducted on a telephone network.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said query scripting campaign is conducted on the Internet.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said selectable scripts are provided to said user in a voice transmission.