Selecting an interactive application to run while a caller is on hold depending on the caller's expected wait time

• US 7,050,569 B1
• Filed: 08/08/2003
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Jethwa, Piyush, Weaver, Farni
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US10/637,875
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 370/412, 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/266.01, 379/266.02, 379/266.03, 379/266.04, 379/266.05, 379/266.06, 379/266.07, 379/266.08
• US Class Current: 379/266.01
• 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 3/5238 with waiting time or load prediction arrangements

Abstract

The present invention, relates to an automated call distribution platform that has the ability to analyze a call queue and determine if a call qualifies for participation in an interactive application, invite a caller to participate in the application and, if the caller agrees, execute the application, then after completion of the application the call advances in the queue to a position ahead of where it currently resides. Thus, the present invention has both the benefit of lessening the caller'"'"'s wait in a call queue and allows that automated call distribution platform owner to have its customers participate in an application. An exemplary application may be a survey, that can collect valuable information from the callers.

Claims

1. In a call control system of the type that receives calls from callers and maintains a queue of calls awaiting connection to an operator, a method comprising:

qualifying a call in the queue to participate in an interactive application, wherein such qualification includes (1) estimating how long a caller'"'"'s expected wait time is (2) determining the location of the call in the queue, and (3) determining the time the caller has already been in the queue;

prompting a caller with a qualifying call in the queue to participate in a application, including advising the caller of (1) the call'"'"'s location in the queue, (2) the approximate time until the call will be connected to an operator, (3) the option to advance in the queue by participating in an application, (4) the nature of the application and (5) the estimated time to connection to an operator with participation in the application;

receiving a response from the caller indicating the caller'"'"'s willingness to participate in the application;

interactively presenting the application to the caller; and

transferring the caller'"'"'s call to a preferred queue with a shorten wait time upon completion of the application.

2. A call control system comprising:

(i) a processor, (ii) data storage, (iii) a communication interface, and (iv) machine language instructions stored in the data storage for carrying out functions comprising;

qualifying a call in the queue to participate in a survey, wherein such qualification includes (1) estimating how long a caller'"'"'s expected wait time is (2) the location of the call in the queue, and (3) the time the caller has already been in the queue;

prompting a caller with a qualifying call in the queue to participate in a survey wherein said call has associated with it a defined location in the call queue said prompting including advising the caller of (1) the call'"'"'s location in the queue, (2) the approximate time until the call will be connected to an operator, (3) the option to advance in the queue by participating in an survey, (4) the nature of the survey and (5) the estimated time to connection to an operator with participation in the survey;

receiving a response from the caller indicating the caller'"'"'s willingness to participate in the survey;

interactively presenting the survey to the caller; and

advancing transferring the caller'"'"'s call to a preferred queue with a shorten wait time upon completion of the survey.

3. An automated call distribution platform comprising:

a communication interface for receiving incoming calls from callers;

a data storage device for holding the calls in a call queue as the callers wait for operator connection;

a processor functionally associated with the data storage device and the interface;

qualification logic stored in said data storage device and executed on said processor for determining if the call qualifies to participate in the survey including determining (1) how long a caller'"'"'s expected wait time is, (2) the location of the call in the queue and (3) the time the caller has already been in the queue;

survey logic stored in said data storage device and executed on said processor for interactively presenting a survey to a caller with a qualifying call; and

advancement logic stored in said data storage device and executed on said processor for shortening the waiting time until the caller is connected with an operator.

4. The automated call distribution platform of claim 3 wherein the advancement logic is capable of moving the call forward a preset number of positions in the queue.

5. The automated call distribution platform of claim 3 wherein the advancement logic is capable of moving the call to a second preferred queue.