Call centre

• US 6,654,457 B1
• Filed: 07/12/2000
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications (BT Group Plc) (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Wells, David, Fisher, David Mark, Beddus, Simon Alexander, Wills, Fenela
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US09/600,120
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265-1-2, 379/266-1-2, 379/266.1, 379/309, 379/201-2-2, 379/207.02, 379/210.01, 379/211.01, 379/211.02, 370/352-356, 370/401, 370/493
• US Class Current: 379/265.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4285 Notifying, informing or entertaining a held party while on hold, e.g. Music On Hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0006 where voice calls cross both networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0009 where voice calls remain entirely in the telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services

Abstract

In a call centre connected via a network to a number of terminals, at least part of a process of automatic call distribution (ACD) is carried out at the terminals.

Claims

1. A method for setting up a voice call connection to an agent terminal within a call center from a user terminal remote from said call center, the method comprising:

transmitting from the call center to the user terminal agent data describing one or more agents and/or groups of agents associated with the call center and status data describing an availability status of said agents and/or groups of agents;

displaying, to a user of the user terminal, a list of the agents and/or groups of agents at the call center;

selecting an agent or group of agents from said transmitted one or more agents and/or group of agents in response to selection by a user;

transmitting status update messages from the call center to the user terminal;

playing audio clips to the user from audio data stored at the user terminal in response to said transmitted status update messages, said audio clips simulating the existence of a voice call connection, in the event that the selected agent or group of agents is indicated by said status data as busy; and

subsequently

initiating a voice call connection between the user terminal and a respective agent terminal associated with said selected agent or group of agents when the selected agent or group of agents becomes free.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the audio clips simulate a conventional voice call connection to an automatic call distribution system.

3. A method of setting up a voice call connection to one of a plurality of agent stations within a call center from a user station remote from said call center, via a telecommunications network, the method comprising:

transmitting from said call center to said user station status information indicative of agent station availability;

receiving a request at said user station from a user to set up a voice call to a specified agent station;

playing audio clips to the user from audio data stored at the user station in response to said transmitted status information, said audio clips simulating the existence of a voice call connection, in the event that the selected agent or group of agents is indicated by said status information as busy; and

subsequently

initiating a voice call connection between the user station and the specified agent station when said specified agent station becomes free.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the audio clips simulate a conventional voice call connection to an automatic call distribution system.

5. A telecommunications system comprising:

a call center;

at least one remote user terminal connected to said call center via a telecommunications network, said call center having a plurality of agent terminals connected to said telecommunications network;

storage means for storing agent data identifying one or more agents and/or groups of agents associated with the call center together with status data specifying the status of the or each agent and/or group of agents; and

transceiver means for transmitting said agent data and said status data to said at least one user terminal and for receiving return data sent by said user terminal;

said at least one user terminal comprising;

transceiver means for receiving said agent data and said status data;

a user interface for displaying a list of agents and/or groups of agents based on said received agent and status data and for enabling a user of the user terminal to select one of said displayed agents and/or groups of agents and to select that a voice call connection should be set up from the user terminal to the selected agent and/or group of agents; and

processing means for responding to user selections by playing audio clips to the user from audio data stored at the user terminal in response to said transmitted status update messages, said audio clips simulating the existence of a voice call connection prior to such a call being established while waiting until status data is received from the call center indicating that the selected agent and/or group of agents is free, and thereupon setting up a voice call connection between the user terminal and one of said agent terminals associated with the selected agent and/or group of agents.

6. A user terminal for initiating a call over a telecommunications system to an agent terminal within a call center, the user terminal comprising:

transceiver means for receiving from said call center agent data identifying one or more agents and/or groups of agents associated with the call center and status data specifying the status of the or each agent and/or group of agents;

a user interface for displaying a list of agents and/or groups of agents based on the received agent and status data and for enabling a user of the user terminal to select one of said displayed agents and/or groups of agents and to select that a voice call connection should be set up from the user terminal to the selected agent and/or group of agents; and

processing means for responding to the user selections by playing audio clips to the user from audio data stored at the user terminal in response to said transmitted status update messages, said audio clips simulating the existence of a voice call connection prior to such a call being established while waiting until status data is received from the call center indicating that the selected agent and/or group of agents is free and thereupon setting up a voice call connection between the user terminal and one of said agent terminals associated with the selected agent and/or group of agents.