System and method for automated customer calling

• US 6,744,881 B1
• Filed: 09/06/2000
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Concentrix CVG Customer Management Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Convergys Customer Management Group Incorporated (Convergys Corporation)
• Inventors: Price, Timothy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Foster, Roland
• Application Number:
  US09/656,026
• Time in Patent Office: 1,364 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265-1-2, 379/265.09, 379/265.11, 379/266.01, 379/266.07, 379/266.09, 379/67.1, 379/68, 379/69, 379/79, 379/88.16, 379/308, 379/309
• US Class Current: 379/308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2027 Live party detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/306 Prerecordings to be used during a voice call
• 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 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet

Abstract

A system and method for providing an operator with automated calling functions allows the operator to be on the line when a customer call is placed so that a sales call can begin immediately if a customer answers the call. The system and method could be configured so that the operator can place calls automatically be selecting customers from customer call lists. The system and method may also allow the operator to cause a pre-recorded audio message to be played to a first customer, or the first customer'"'"'s answering machine, while the operator proceeds to a second customer call placed over a second telephone line.

Claims

1. An automated calling system, for allowing an operator to place a series of telephone calls to a plurality of customers, wherein the operator uses a telephony device to communicate with customers, the calling system comprising:

a switching device connected to a public switched telephone network, wherein the switching device is configured to selectively connect the operator'"'"'s telephony device to one of a plurality of telephone lines; and

a processor coupled to and controlling the switching device, wherein the processor is configured to automatically place a first telephone call to a first customer using a first telephone line, and to cause the switching device to connect the operator'"'"'s telephony device to the first telephone line as the first telephone call is being placed, in response to an operator'"'"'s command selecting the first customer, wherein the processor is configured to automatically place a second telephone call to a second customer using a second telephone line, and to cause the switching device to connect the operator'"'"'s telephony device to the second telephone line as the second telephone call is being placed, in response to an operator'"'"'s command selecting the second customer, and wherein the operator can listen as the calls are placed so that the operator can immediately talk to a customer if the customer answers a call.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an audio device configured to record and play audio recordings, wherein the processor is configured to cause the switching device to connect the audio device to a telephone line and to cause the audio device to play a pre-recorded audio message over the telephone line.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the operator can record an audio message on the audio device using the operator'"'"'s telephony device.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured so that, in response to an operator command, the processor will cause the audio device to play a pre-recorded audio message over a first telephone line at the same time that a telephone call is placed to a customer over a second telephone line such that the operator can speak with the customer over the second telephone line at the same time the pre-recorded audio message is played over the first telephone line.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor and audio device are configured so that if the operator commands a pre-recorded audio message to be played over a telephone line to a customer'"'"'s answering service, the pre-recorded audio message is not played until a greeting generated by the customer'"'"'s answering service has ended.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to place a telephone call to the operator'"'"'s telephony device over the public switched telephone network, and wherein the switching device is configured to connect to the operator'"'"'s telephony device to selected ones of the plurality of telephone lines using the public switched telephone network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the switching device and the operator'"'"'s telephony device are connected to a network, and wherein the switching device is configured to connect the operator'"'"'s telephony device to selected ones of the plurality of telephone lines via the network.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is connected to a network, and wherein the operator commands are relayed to the processor over the network.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to receive operator commands in the form of electronic signals issued by an operator'"'"'s computer.

10. A method for allowing an operator to conduct a series of customer telephone calls using a calling system, wherein the operator communicates with customers using an operator telephony device that is selectively connected to a plurality of telephone lines of a public switched telephone network, the method comprising:

automatically placing a first telephone call to a first customer over a first telephone line, and connecting the operator'"'"'s telephony device to the first telephone line as the first telephone call is being placed so that the operator can immediately talk to the first customer if the first customer answers, in response to an operator command selecting the first customer;

automatically placing a second telephone call to a second customer over a second telephone line, and connecting the operator'"'"'s telephony device to the second telephone line as the second telephone call is being placed so that the operator can immediately talk to the second customer if the second customer answers, in response to an operator command selecting the second customer; and

playing a pre-recorded audio message over the first telephone line at the same time the second telephone call is placed so that the pre-recorded audio message is played over the first telephone line at the same time the operator is talking with the second customer over the second telephone line.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of recording an audio message using the operator'"'"'s telephony device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the operator commands are executed by having the operator use a pointing device connected to an operator'"'"'s computer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein an operator'"'"'s command selecting a customer comprises selecting the customer from a customer list displayed on the operator'"'"'s computer using the pointing device connected to the computer.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of playing a pre-recorded audio message over the first telephone line comprises playing the pre-recorded audio message to a customer'"'"'s answering service.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the pre-recorded message is played to the customer'"'"'s answering service only after a greeting generated by the customer'"'"'s answering service has ended.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of connecting the operator'"'"'s telephony device to the first telephone line comprises placing a telephone call to the operator telephony device over a public switched telephone network.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the operator'"'"'s telephony device is connected to a network, and wherein the step of connecting the operator'"'"'s telephony device to a first telephone line comprises connecting the telephony device to the first telephone line via the network.

18. A computer readable medium storing a set of instructions for a computer based calling system connected to multiple telephone lines of a public switched telephone network, the instructions configuring the calling system to provide an operator having a telephony device with automated calling functions, wherein the instructions configure the calling system to execute a series of steps, comprising:

automatically calling a first customer on a first telephone line, and connecting the operator'"'"'s telephony device to the first telephone line as the first telephone call is being placed so that the operator can immediately talk to the first customer if the first customer answers the telephone call, in response to an operator command selecting the first customer;

automatically calling a second customer on a second telephone line, and connecting the operator'"'"'s telephony device to the second telephone line as the second telephone call is being placed so that the operator can immediately talk to the second customer if the second customer answers the telephone call, in response to an operator command selecting the second customer; and

playing a pre-recorded audio message over the first telephone line at the same time the second telephone call is placed so that the operator can talk to the second customer over the second telephone line at the same time the audio message is played on the first telephone line.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions also configure the calling system to allow the operator to record an audio message that will be played over a telephone line.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions also configure the calling system to play the pre-recorded audio message over the first telephone line to a customer'"'"'s answering service, in response to an operator'"'"'s command, and wherein the calling system will wait for a greeting generated by the customer'"'"'s answering system to end before playing the audio message.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions also configure the calling system to receive operator instructions in the form of electronic signals received over a network.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions configure the calling system to place a telephone call to the operator'"'"'s telephony device over the public switched telephone network, and wherein the instructions configure the calling system to connect the operator'"'"'s telephony device to selected ones of the plurality of telephone lines via the public switched telephone network.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions configure the calling system to communicate with the operator'"'"'s telephony device over a network, and wherein the instructions configure the calling system to connect the operator'"'"'s telephony device to selected ones of the plurality of telephone lines via the network.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the network comprises the Internet.