System and method for exchanging information with a relationship management system

• US 7,574,471 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gryphon Networks Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gryphon Networks Corporation
• Inventors: Fotta, Keith A., Boudrieau, Richard P.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US11/071,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20060056385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 705/32, 705/36, 705/38
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

A method and system for exchanging information with a Relationship Management system that includes a connection unit to bridge first and second communications connections and capture information associated with the first and second communications connections. An interface unit is then used to receive communications connection information from the connection unit and deliver select portions of the communications connection information in a select format to the Relationship Management system.

Claims

1. A system for exchanging information with a relationship management system, the system comprising:

a connection unit that bridges first and second communications connections and captures information associated with the first and second communications connections, the first communications connection with an origin, the origin associated with a client agent, the second communications connection with a destination, the destination associated with a contact; and

an interface unit that receives the communications connection information from the connection unit, delivers select portions of the communications connection information in a select format to a relationship management system and receives pick list information associated with each client from the relationship management system to configure the interface unit and any other system connected to the interface unit.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the origin and destination are each a communications device, the communications device being any one of a telephone, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistance, a pager, a computer, a client interface, a fax device, and a remote computer terminal.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the interface unit is configured to correlate communication connection information with pick list information.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the connection unit is any one of a telecommunications switch, an Interactive Voice Response application, a predictive dialer server, a distributed predictive dialer system, an electronic mail server, an Instant Messaging server, a Session Initiated Protocol server, a voice-over-IP server, a Short Message server, and a Multimedia Messaging server.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the captured communications connection information includes any one or combination of an origin identifier, a destination identifier, an agent identifier, a contact identifier, an agent name, an agent address, a contact name, a contact address, contact duration, at least one agent command, at least one contact command, and contact status.

6. The system according to claim 5 wherein a portion of the captured information is selected to be delivered to the relationship management system based on client-specific preferences.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the contact is any one or combination of a prospective customer, a customer, an entity related to the client, an entity to which the client has an obligation, and a person.

8. A method for exchanging information with a relationship management system, the method comprising:

bridging first and second communications connections, the first communications connection with an origin, the origin associated with a client agent, the second communications connection with a destination, the destination associated with a contact;

capturing information associated with the first and second communications connections;

delivering select portions of the communications connection information in a select format to a relationship management system;

receiving pick list information associated with each client from the relationship management system.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the origin and destination are each a communications device, the communications device being any one of a telephone, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistance, a pager, a computer, a client interface, and a remote computer terminal.

10. The method according to claim 8 further comprising correlating communications connection information with pick list information.

11. The method according to claim 8 wherein the bridging and capturing are performed by a connection unit, the connection unit being any one of a telecommunications switch, an Interactive Voice Response application, a predictive dialer server, a distributed predictive dialer system, an electronic mail server, an Instant Messaging server, a Session Initiated Protocol server, a voice-over-IP server, a Short Message server, and a Multimedia Messaging server.

12. The method according to claim 8 wherein the captured communications connection information includes any one or combination of an origin identifier, destination identifier, an agent identifier, a contact identifier, an agent name, an agent address, a contact name, a contact address, contact duration, at least one agent command, at least one contact command, and contact status.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein a portion of the captured information is selected to be delivered to the relationship management system based on client-specific preferences.

14. The method according to claim 8 wherein the contact is any one or combination of a prospective customer, a customer, an entity related to the client, an entity to which the client has an obligation, and a person.

15. A computer readable medium having computer readable program codes embodied therein for causing a computer to function as a connection and interface unit that exchanges information with a relationship management system, the computer readable medium program codes performing functions comprising:

bridging first and second communications connections, the first communications connection with an origin, the origin associated with a client agent, the second communications connection with a destination, the destination associated with a contact;

capturing information associated with the first and second communications connections;

delivering select portions of the communications connection information in a select format to a relationship management system;

receiving pick list information associated with each client from the relationship management system.

16. A system for exchanging information with a relationship management system, the system comprising:

a connection unit that bridges first and second communications connections and captures information associated with the first and second communications connections, the first communications connection with an origin, the origin associated with a client agent, the second communications connection with a destination, the destination associated with a contact, wherein the captured communications connection information includes audio file information; and

an interface unit that receives the communications connection information from the connection unit, and delivers select portions of the communications connection information in a select format to a relationship management system.

17. The system according to claim 16 wherein the origin and destination are each a communications device, the communications device being any one of a telephone, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistance, a pager, a computer, a client interface, a fax device, and a remote computer terminal.

18. The system according to claim 16 wherein the connection unit is any one of a telecommunications switch, an Interactive Voice Response application, a predictive dialer server, a distributed predictive dialer system, an electronic mail server, an Instant Messaging server, a Session Initiated Protocol server, a voice-over-IP server, a Short Message server, and a Multimedia Messaging server.

19. The system according to claim 16 wherein the audio information is captured to an audio storage formatted file in response to client agent input.

20. The system according to claim 19 wherein the interface unit delivers to the relationship management system a link to the audio file stored on a remote system.

21. The system according to claim 19 wherein the client agent input includes a text command or voice command.

22. The system according to claim 19 where in the audio information is converted into a text file and stored on a remote system.

23. The system according to claim 16 wherein a portion of the captured information is selected to be delivered to the relationship management system based on client-specific preferences.

24. The system according to claim 16 wherein the contact is any one or combination of a prospective customer, a customer, an entity related to the client, an entity to which the client has an obligation, and a person.

25. A method for exchanging information with a relationship management system, the method comprising:

bridging first and second communications connections, the first communications connection with an origin, the origin associated with a client agent, the second communications connection with a destination, the destination associated with a contact;

capturing information associated with the first and second communications connections, wherein the captured communications connection includes audio information; and

delivering select portions of the communications connection information in a select format to a relationship management system.

26. The method according to claim 25 wherein the origin and destination are each a communications device, the communications device being any one of a telephone, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistance, a pager, a computer, a client interface, and a remote computer terminal.

27. The method according to claim 25 wherein the bridging and capturing are performed by a connection unit, the connection unit being any one of a telecommunications switch, an Interactive Voice Response application, a predictive dialer server, a distributed predictive dialer system, an electronic mail server, an Instant Messaging server, a Session Initiated Protocol server, a voice-over-IP server, a Short Message server, and a Multimedia Messaging server.

28. The method according to claim 25 wherein the audio information is captured to an audio storage formatted file in response to client agent input.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising delivering to the relationship management system a link to the audio file stored on a remote system.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the client agent input includes a text command or voice command.

31. The method of claim 25 further comprising converting the audio information into a text file for storage on a remote system.

32. The method according to claim 25 wherein a portion of the captured information is selected to be delivered to the relationship management system based on client-specific preferences.

33. The method according to claim 25 wherein the contact is any one or combination of a prospective customer, a customer, an entity related to the client, an entity to which the client has an obligation, and a person.

34. A computer readable medium having computer readable program codes embodied therein for causing a computer to function as a connection and interface unit that exchanges information with a relationship management system, the computer readable medium program codes performing functions comprising:

bridging first and second communications connections, the first communications connection with an origin, the origin associated with a client agent, the second communications connection with a destination, the destination associated with a contact;

capturing information associated with the first and second communications connections, wherein the captured communications connection information includes an audio file; and

delivering select portions of the communications connection information in a select format to a relationship management system.