IVR customer address acquisition method

• US 7,046,777 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2003
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mandalia, Baiju D., Michelini, Vanessa V., Davis, Brent L., Colson, Vicki L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Escalante, Ovidio
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US10/452,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20040240639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.01, 379/88.18, 379/222.14, 379/207.12, 379/218.01, 379/201.08, 379/142.06, 379/142.01
• US Class Current: 379/142.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems

Abstract

A method of automatically acquiring and/or updating a customer address within an interactive voice response system including establishing a telephony connection with a customer and identifying a telephone number associated with the customer. A directory assistance data store external to the interactive voice response system can be accessed. A reverse directory search based upon the telephone number can be performed to retrieve an address from the directory assistance data store. The retrieved address can be stored within an interactive voice response system data store.

Claims

1. A method of acquiring a customer address within an interactive voice response system comprising the steps of:

establishing a telephony connection between a customer and an interactive voice response system that provides automated customer support to customers of an entity that maintains and operates the interactive voice response system;

identifying a telephone number associated with said customer;

querying a directory assistance data store external to said interactive voice response system for an address of said customer based upon said telephone number wherein the directory assistance data store comprises an information repository that includes multiple telephone number entries and addresses that correspond to each of the telephone number entries, wherein information within the directory assistance data store is automatically updated and maintained by a directory assistance provider, and wherein the directory assistance provider is a source different from the entity that maintains and operates the interactive voice response system;

retrieving an address of said customer from said directory assistance data store by performing a reverse directory search utilizing a telephone number obtained by the interactive voice response system;

comparing said retrieved address of said customer with a previously stored address associated with the customer within an interactive voice response customer data store accessible by the interactive voice response system, wherein the interactive voice response customer data store includes data for entities served by the interactive voice response system, and wherein the interactive voice response system can search, add, and update entries within the interactive voice response customer data store that are associated with said customer; and

,

the interactive voice response system automatically storing said retrieved address within an entry of the interactive voice response customer data store associated with said customer in place of the previously stored address.

2. The method of claim 1, said identifying step further comprising the steps of:

prompting said customer for said obtained telephone number;

receiving a speech input response specifying said obtained telephone number; and

,

converting said speech input response to a textual response, wherein the prompting, receiving, and converting steps are performed by the interactive voice response system.

3. The method of claim 1, said identifying step further comprising the steps of:

prompting said customer for said obtained telephone number; and

,

receiving a keypad response specifying said obtained telephone number, wherein the prompting and receiving steps are performed by the interactive voice response system.

4. The method of claim 1, said identifying step further comprising the step of:

the interactive voice response system automatically determining said identified telephone number from caller identification information of said telephony connection.

5. The method of claim 1, said identifying step further comprising the step of:

the interactive voice response system prompting said customer for at least one of a home phone number and a work phone number.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

prompting said customer to confirm said retrieved address; and

,

receiving an address confirmation response so that said storing step is automatically performed responsive to said confirmation response.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said prompting step comprises:

converting said retrieved address to speech to audibly prompt said customer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

automatically determining said telephone number based upon caller identification information; and

if said retrieved customer address is different from said previously stored customer address, prompting said customer to update said previously stored customer address.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said data store includes business data for a plurality of institutions served by said interactive voice response system.

10. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

establishing a telephony connection between a customer and an interactive voice response system that provides automated customer support to customers of an entity that maintains and operates the interactive voice response system;

identifying a telephone number associated with said customer;

querying a directory assistance data store external to said interactive voice response system for an address of said customer based upon said telephone number wherein the directory assistance data store comprises an information repository that includes multiple telephone number entries and addresses that correspond to each of the telephone number entries, wherein information within the directory assistance data store is automatically updated and maintained by a directory assistance provider, and wherein the directory assistance provider is a source different from the entity that maintains and operates the interactive voice response system;

retrieving an address of said customer from said directory assistance data store by performing a reverse directory search utilizing a telephone number obtained by the interactive voice response system;

comparing said retrieved address of said customer with a previously stored address associated with the customer within an interactive voice response customer data store accessible by the interactive voice response system, wherein the interactive voice response customer data store includes data for entities served by the interactive voice response system, and wherein the interactive voice response system can search, add, and update entries within the interactive voice response customer data store that are associated with said customer; and

,

the interactive voice response system automatically storing said retrieved address within an entry of the interactive voice response customer data store associated with said customer in place of the previously stored address.

11. The machine-readable storage of claim 10, said identifying step further comprising the steps of:

prompting said customer for said obtained telephone number;

receiving a speech input response specifying said telephone number; and

,

converting said speech input response to a textual response, wherein the prompting, receiving, and converting steps are performed by the interactive voice response system.

12. The machine-readable storage of claim 10, said identifying step further comprising the steps of:

prompting said customer for said obtained telephone number; and

,

receiving a keypad response specifying said telephone number, wherein the prompting and receiving steps are performed by the interactive voice response system.

13. The machine-readable storage of claim 10, said identifying step further comprising the step of:

the interactive voice response system automatically determining said identified telephone number from caller identification information of said telephony connection.

14. The machine-readable storage of claim 10, said identifying step further comprising the step of:

the interactive voice response system prompting said customer for at least one of a home phone number and a work phone number.

15. The machine-readable storage of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

prompting said customer to confirm said retrieved address; and

,

receiving an address confirmation response so that said storing step is automatically performed responsive to said confirmation response.

16. The machine-readable storage of claim 15, wherein said prompting step comprises:

converting said retrieved address to speech to audibly prompt said customer.

17. The machine-readable storage of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

automatically determining said identified telephone number based upon at least one of previously stored customer data and caller identification information;

if said retrieved customer address is different from said previously stored customer address, prompting said customer to update said previously stored customer address.

18. The machine-readable storage of claim 10, wherein said data store includes business data for a plurality of institutions served by said interactive voice response system.

19. A method of updating customer address information within a persistent data store comprising the steps of:

an interactive voice response system identifying a customer and a telephone number associated with the customer during a communications session, the interactive voice response system providing automated customer support to customers of an entity that maintains and operates the interactive voice response system;

the interactive voice response system querying a directory assistance data store for an address of the customer based upon said telephone number, wherein the directory assistance data store comprises an information repository that includes multiple telephone number entries and addresses that correspond to each of the telephone number entries, wherein information within the directory assistance data store is automatically updated and maintained by a directory assistance provider, and wherein the directory assistance provider is a source different from the entity that maintains and operates the interactive voice response system;

retrieving an address associated with the customer from said directory assistance data store responsive to said querying step by performing a reverse directory search utilizing a telephone number obtained by the interactive voice response system;

determining that a previously stored address associated with the customer is incorrect by comparing the previously stored address with the retrieved address; and

the interactive voice response system automatically replacing said previously stored address with said retrieved address, said previously stored address and said retrieved address being entries within an interactive voice response customer data store associated with the interactive voice response system within which the interactive voice response system can search, add, and update entries.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

using the interactive voice response system to prompt a caller for obtained said telephone number.

21. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

an interactive voice response system identifying a customer and a telephone number associated with the customer during a communications session, the interactive voice response system providing automated customer support to customers of an entity that maintains and operates the interactive voice response system;

the interactive voice response system querying a directory assistance data store for an address of the customer based upon said telephone number, wherein the directory assistance data store comprises an information repository that includes multiple telephone number entries and addresses that correspond to each of the telephone number entries, wherein information within the directory assistance data store is automatically updated and maintained by a directory assistance provider, and wherein the directory assistance provider is a source different from the entity that maintains and operates the interactive voice response system;

retrieving an address associated with the customer from said directory assistance data store responsive to said querying step by performing a reverse directory search utilizing a telephone number obtained by the interactive voice response system;

determining that a previously stored address associated with the customer is incorrect by comparing the previously stored address with the retrieved address; and

the interactive voice response system automatically replacing said previously stored address with said retrieved address, said previously stored address and said retrieved address being entries within an interactive voice response customer data store associated with the interactive voice response system within which the interactive voice response system can search, add, and update entries.

22. The machine-readable storage of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

using the interactive voice response system to prompt a caller for said obtained telephone number.