Non-random call center supervisory method and apparatus

• US 6,263,049 B1
• Filed: 09/25/1997
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Envision Telephony Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Envision Telephony Incorporated
• Inventors: Kuhn, Rodney
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foster, Roland G.
• Application Number:
  US08/937,428
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: 379/34, 379/93.12, 379/265, 379/266, 379/35, 379/308, 379/309
• US Class Current: 379/32.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• 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 computer-implemented method and apparatus for assisting supervisors of a call center is provided. The monitoring of agent calls is performed in a non-random fashion in order to provide the supervisor with enhanced control and flexibility over monitoring schedules. In one embodiment, a supervisor may designate one or more time, day and date schedules individually for each agent. In one embodiment, a supervisor may select whether within the time interval, every call, every other call, every third call or the like is to be recorded. Preferably recording occurs without regard to a predefined duration limit.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for determining a non-random schedule for recording conversations in a telephone system having a plurality of users, comprising:

selecting a first and a second of said plurality of users;

storing a first data record for indicating a first time interval within which recording of telephone conversations of said first user is desired;

storing a second data record for indicating a second time interval within which recording of telephone conversations of said second user is desired;

storing a first value for N associated with said first user, wherein said first value for N indicates that monitoring every Nth call of said first user within said time interval indicated by said first data record is desired, and wherein said first value for N is greater than one;

storing a second value for N associated with said second user, wherein said second value for N indicates that monitoring every Nth call of said second user within said time interval indicated by said second data record is desired, and wherein said second value for N is greater than one;

storing a third data record for selecting a type of telephone call associated with said first user to be recorded, wherein said type of telephone call is selected from a group consisting of incoming telephone calls, outgoing telephone calls, or both incoming and outgoing telephone calls;

storing a fourth data record for selecting a type of telephone call associated with said second user to be recorded, wherein said type of telephone call is selected from a group consisting of incoming telephone calls, outgoing telephone calls, or both incoming and outgoing telephone calls;

storing a fifth data record for selecting whether at least a first set of data used by a first computer associated with said first user in generating a screen image is to recorded;

storing a sixth data record for selecting whether at least a second set of data used by a second computer associated with said second user in generating a screen image is to recorded;

automatically recording every Nth telephone call of said first user, as specified by said first value for N, that occurs within said first time interval indicated by said first data record and that is of said selected type indicated by said third data record, wherein every Nth telephone call of said first user is recorded regardless of the cumulative duration of recording within said first time interval, and automatically recording said at least a first set of data used by a first computer where said recording of data is specified by said fifth data record; and

automatically recording every Nth telephone call of said second user, as specified by said second value for N, that occurs within said second time interval indicated by said second data record and that is of said selected type indicated by said fourth data record, wherein every Nth telephone call of said second user is recorded regardless of the cumulative duration of recording within said second time interval, and automatically recording said at least a second set of data used by a second computer where said recording of data is specified by said sixth data record.

2. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of selecting comprises selecting a telephone extension number of said one user.

3. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of at least one of said automatically recorded calls is stored in a memory device coupled to said computer.

4. A method, as claimed in claim 3, wherein said memory device is selected from the group consisting of an optical disk, a random access memory and a tape drive memory.

5. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising generating a beep tone during said recording of at least one of said calls, without the need to rely on a telephone system for delivering said beep tone.

6. A method, as claimed in claim 5, wherein a user may select an interval for said beep tone.

7. A method, as claimed in claim 5, wherein a user may choose to disable said beep tone.

8. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein a computer terminal is provided for at least a first administrator station and further comprising:

detecting an error condition; and

providing at least one alarm output at said administrator station.

9. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portion of at least one of said automatically recorded calls is stored as a record in a database.

10. A method, as claimed in claim 9, further comprising associating said record with a record of another application using dynamic data exchange or object linking and embedding.

11. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising receiving input from a user which provides at least a first indication of a location within at least a portion of at least one of said automatically recorded calls and storing said indication.

12. A method, as claimed in claim 11, further comprising receiving input from a user indicating said location and automatically playing-back a portion of said one of said automatically recorded calls starting at said location.

13. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising displaying, on a display screen coupled to said computer, a list of identifiers of a plurality of recorded calls, including at least one of said automatically recorded calls, wherein each identifier is associated with at least one indicator of an attribute of said call.

14. A method, as claimed in claim 13, wherein said indicator of an attribute indicates whether said call was recorded manually or automatically.

15. A method, as claimed in claim 13, wherein at least one said indicator of an attribute indicates one of a plurality of types of errors.

16. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising editing at least a portion of at least one of said automatically recorded calls.

17. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said computer is programmed to automatically archive one or more of said plurality of recorded calls by placing said recording on an off-line storage medium, and wherein said computer is configured to receive input from at least one user designating at least one of said plurality of recorded calls, wherein, when said one of said plurality of recorded calls is designated, said computer is prevented from automatically archiving said designated call.