Managing use of experts by callers waiting in a hold queue

• US 7,289,624 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Winters, Scott Lee, Paolini, Michael A., Brown, Michael Wayne, Weaver, James Mark, McIntyre, Joseph Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Quynh H.
• Application Number:
  US11/159,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20050238163A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.04, 379/265.01, 379/265.09, 713/155, 713/170
• US Class Current: 379/265.02
• 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 3/523 with call distribution or queueing

Abstract

A method, system, and program for managing use of experts by callers waiting within a hold queue are provided. First, a call on hold in a hold queue is transferred to an expert system responsive to a request by the caller to speak with an expert. Then, responsive to detecting an answer by a party at the expert system, an authentication of the identity of the answering party is required. If the authenticated identity of the answering party matches an expected expert identity, then the call is connected to the expert, such that the expert is required to authenticate an identity before providing service to a call from the hold queue.

Claims

1. A method for managing a plurality of experts comprising:

transferring a call on hold in a hold queue to an expert system;

responsive to detecting an answer at said expert system, requiring authentication of an identity of a party answering said call by requesting an audio input from a callee providing said answer at said expert system;

identifying an identifier from said audio input;

verifying said audio input with said identifier according to stored voice samples for said identifier;

transferring said identifier and an expert profile associated with said identifier as said authenticated identity of said expected expert; and

responsive to said authenticated identity matching an expected expert identity, connecting said call to said expected expert, such that said expected expert is required to provide said authenticated identity to provide service to said call from said hold queue.

2. The method for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 1, wherein transferring a call further comprises:

responsive to a request by a caller of said call to speak with said expected expert, transferring said call to said expert system.

3. The method for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 1, wherein said expected expert is one of a plurality of experts meeting a particular criteria.

4. The method for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 1, wherein said expected expert is one of a plurality of experts accessible via said expert system.

5. The method for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 1, wherein said expected expert is another caller currently on hold in said hold queue.

6. The method for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 1, further comprising:

performing said authentication of said identity in a switching network performing the connection of said call between said hold queue and said expert system.

7. The method for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 1, further comprising:

performing said authentication of said identity in said expert system.

8. The method for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 1, further comprising:

performing said authentication of said identity in a call center housing said hold queue.

9. The method for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 1, further comprising:

performing said authentication of said identity at a third party authentication service server accessible via a network connected to said hold queue.

10. A system for managing a plurality of experts comprising:

a call center comprising a hold queue;

means for transferring a call on hold in a hold queue to an expert system;

means responsive to detecting an answer at said expert system, for requiring authentication of an identity a party answering said call by requesting an audio input from a callee providing said answer at said expert system;

means for identifying an identifier from said audio input;

means for verifying said audio input with said identifier according to stored voice samples for said identifier;

means for transferring said identifier and an expert profile associated with said identifier as said authenticated identity of said expected expert; and

means responsive to said authenticated identity matching an expected expert identity, for connecting said call to said expected expert, such that said expected expert is required to provide said authenticated identity to provide service to said call from said hold queue.

11. The system for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 10, wherein said means for transferring a call further comprises:

means responsive to a request by a caller of said call to speak with said expected expert, for transferring said call to said expert system.

12. The system for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 10, wherein said expected expert is one of a plurality of experts meeting a particular criteria.

13. The system for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 10, wherein said expected expert is one of a plurality of experts accessible via said expert system.

14. The system for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 10, wherein said expected expert is another caller currently on hold in said hold queue.

15. The system for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 10, further comprising:

means for performing said authentication of said identity in a switching network performing the connection of said call between said hold queue and said expert system.

16. The system for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 10, further comprising:

means for performing said authentication of said identity in said expert system.

17. The system for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 10, further comprising:

means for performing said authentication of said identity in a call center housing said hold queue.

18. The system for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 10, further comprising:

means for performing said authentication of said identity at a third party authentication service server accessible via a network connected to said hold queue.

19. A computer program product for managing a plurality of experts residing on a recordable-type computer readable medium comprising instructions which when executed on a computer system cause the computer system to:

control transfer of a call on hold in a hold queue to an expert system;

require authentication of an identity a party answering said transferred call by requesting an audio input from a callee providing said answer at said expert system;

identify an identifier from said audio input;

verify said audio input with said identifier according to stored voice samples for said identifier;

transfer said identifier and an expert profile associated with said identifier as said authenticated identity of said expected expert; and

connect said call to said expert system responsive to said authenticated identity matching an expected expert identity.

20. The computer program product for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 19, wherein the computer-readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to:

control transfer of said call to said expert system according to a request by said caller to speak with said expected expert.

21. The computer program product for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 19, wherein the computer-readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to:

perform said authentication of said identity in a switching network performing the connection of said call between said hold queue and said expert system.

22. The computer program product for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 19, wherein the computer-readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to:

perform said authentication of said identity in said expert system.

23. The computer program product for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 19, wherein the computer-readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to:

perform said authentication of said identity in a call center housing said hold queue.

24. The computer program product for managing a plurality of experts according to claim 19, wherein the computer-readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to:

perform said authentication of said identity at a third party authentication service server accessible via a network connected to said hold queue.