Outbound calling system in a contact center

• US 6,707,906 B1
• Filed: 03/13/2000
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aspect Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Concerto Software Incorporated (Alvaria Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ben-Chanoch, Eyal
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US09/524,656
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.09, 379/265.1, 379/266.01, 379/266.07, 379/266.08, 379/210.01, 379/900, 379/904, 379/908, 379/909
• US Class Current: 379/266.07
• 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 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/904 Auto-calling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/908 Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/909 Alternatives

Abstract

An integrated contact center capable of generating outbound calls in a plurality forms including at least one instant online communication form for instantly communicating with a customer when he is online. A priority scheme or communication forms is preset for each customer so that the contact center may try the outbound calls according to the scheme until one succeeds. The contact center detects whether the target customer is online or not before an online communication form is tried.

Claims

1. A method of generating outbound contacts from a contact center to a customer, comprising the steps of:

presetting for a customer a priority scheme that in which order shall a plurality of forms of outbound contact be tried, said plurality forms including at least one generally instant online communication form; and

generating an outbound contact to said customer by trying one form after another according to said priority scheme preset for said customer until one form succeeds.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step or presetting priority scheme comprising a step of receiving a command from said customer in which said priority scheme is requested.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said command is provided in an inbound contact from said customer.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said inbound contact is in an instant online communication form.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein a call back is requested in said inbound contact.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said priority scheme for said customer varies in different time periods.

7. The method of claim 1 further including a step of transferring an outbound contact to an available agent after said outbound contact is successfully generated.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said instant online communication form includes web chat, audio internet telephony, video internet telephony and their combination.

9. The method of claim 1 further including a step of, before trying said generally instant online communication form, detecting whether said customer is online or not.

10. The method of claim 9 further including a step of, upon finding said customer being online, sending an instant message to inform said customer that an contact is being requested.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said instant online communication form will not be tried if by said step of detecting said targeted customer is found not online.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said customer may override said priority scheme after being successfully contacted with an outbound contact.

21. The method of claim 7 further comprising transferring an e-mail address of said customer to an agent after said contact is complete.

12. A contact center for communicating with its customers comprising:

means for presetting, for one or more specified customers, an outbound contact priority scheme that controls in which order a plurality of forms of outbound contact shall be tried; and

means for generating outbound contact to the customer in the plurality forms of contact, wherein said plurality forms include at least one generally instant online communication form that is capable of generally instantly communicating with said customer when said customer is online.

16. The contact center of claim 12 wherein said instant online communication form includes web chat, audio internet telephony, video internet telephony and their combination.

17. The contact center of claim 12 further comprising means for detecting whether said particular customer is online or not.

18. The contact center of claim 12 further comprising means for instantly informing said customer when he is online that an instant online communication is requested.

19. The contact center of claim 12 wherein said plurality forms further include phone call, email and facsimile.

13. A contact center for communicating with its customers comprising:

means for generating an outbound contact to a customer in a plurality of forms of contact, wherein said plurality of forms of contact include at least one generlly instant online communication form that is capable of generally instantly communicating with said customer when said customer is online; and

means for keeping a priority scheme of forms of contact for said customer according to which said forms of contact shall be tried one after another in a preset time period until one succeeds.

14. The contact center of claim 13 wherein said priority scheme is preset according to a command from said customer.

15. The contact center of claim 14 wherein said command is given in a call back request from said customer.