System and method for providing incoming call distribution

• US 7,593,523 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2006
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Language Line Services, Inc. (Teleperformance International)
• Original Assignee: Language Line Services, Inc. (Teleperformance International)
• Inventors: Sterns, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US11/379,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20070263810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.12, 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.09, 379/266.01, 704/3, 370/356, 370/352, 370/355
• US Class Current: 379/265.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2061 Language aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution

Abstract

A method and system of routing incoming call is disclosed. An incoming call is received at a call center of a language interpretation provider. The incoming call is made by a customer requesting language interpretation service. The customer can be for example a business entity or an individual. A level of skill required by the customer is determined. The level of skill required represents a minimum skill set that an interpreter of the language interpretation provider should possess in order to provide the language interpretation service requested by the customer. The language interpretation service is provided during the incoming call. The incoming call can be queued at a first queue that distributes incoming calls to a call center interpreter. The call center interpreter is permanently connected to the call center of the language interpretation provider through a voice link. If a customer-defined event occurs, the incoming call is routed to a second queue that distributes incoming calls to a non-call center interpreter. The non-call center interpreter is not permanently connected to the call center of the language interpretation provider.

Claims

1. A method of routing an incoming call, comprising:

establishing a first business skill level in a language and a second business skill level in the language such that the second business skill level has a higher degree of skill in a business service in the language than the first business skill level;

associating a first language interpreter having the first business skill level in the language with the first business skill level;

associating a second language interpreter having the second business skill level in the language with the second business skill level;

receiving an incoming call at a call center of a language interpretation provider, wherein the incoming call is made by a customer requesting language interpretation service for the business service in the language;

determining which of the first business skill level or the second business skill level at a minimum provides the business service to the customer;

selecting the first language interpreter to facilitate providing of the business service to the customer through language interpretation during the incoming call if the first business skill level is determined to provide, at a minimum, the business service to the customer;

selecting the second language interpreter to facilitate providing of the business service to the customer through language interpretation during the incoming call if the second business skill level is determined, at a minimum, to provide the business service to the customer;

queuing the incoming call at a first queue that distributes incoming calls to a call center interpreter, wherein the call center interpreter is permanently connected to the call center of the language interpretation provider through a voice link, wherein the call center interpreter is the first language interpreter or the second language interpreter based on the selection; and

if a customer-defined event occurs, routing the incoming call to a second queue that distributes incoming calls to a non-call center interpreter, wherein the non-call center interpreter is not permanently connected to the call center of the language interpretation provider.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer-defined event is defined by establishing a business rule that requires that incoming calls be answered by an interpreter speaking an identified language.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer-defined event is defined by establishing a business rule that requires that incoming calls be answered by an interpreter within a pre-specified amount of time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer-defined event is defined by establishing a business rule that requires that incoming calls be answered by an interpreter versed in health care terms.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer-defined event is defined by establishing a business rule that requires that incoming calls be answered by an interpreter versed in finance terms.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer-defined event is defined by establishing a business rule that is stored in a customer database.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the business service that is to be provided to the customer is determined by prompting the customer for input at a computer terminal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the business service that is to be provided to the customer is determined by prompting the customer for voice input.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the business service that is to be provided to the customer is determined by querying a customer database.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer is a business entity.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer connects to the language interpretation provider through an Internet connection, or through a public switched network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-call center interpreter receives the incoming call through a public switched network or an Internet connection.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the call center interpreter receives the incoming call through a public switched network or an Internet connection.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein an incoming call is charged according to call center interpreters or to non-call center interpreters.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein non-call center interpreter rates are higher than call center interpreter rates.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the request for language interpretation is received at a server communicably coupled with a computing device of the consumer, wherein the computing device communicates with the server through a computer network.

17. A system for routing an incoming call, comprising:

a private branch exchange that receives an incoming call at a call center of a language interpretation provider, wherein the incoming call is made by a customer requesting language interpretation service for a business service in a language;

an establishment module that establishes a first business skill level in a language and a second business skill level in the language such that the second business skill level has a higher degree of skill in a business service in the language than the first business skill level;

an association module that associates a first language interpreter having the first business skill level in the language with the first business skill level and a second language interpreter having the second business skill level in the language with the second business skill level;

a determination module that determines which of the first business skill level or the second business skill level at a minimum provides the business service to the customer;

a first language interpreter selection module that selects the first language interpreter to facilitate providing of the business service to the customer through language interpretation during the incoming call if the first business skill level is determined, at a minimum, to provide the business service to the customer;

a second language interpreter selection module that selects the second language interpreter to facilitate providing of the business service to the customer through language interpretation during the incoming call if the second business skill level is determined, at a minimum, to provide the business service to the customer; and

a routing module that routes the incoming call to a first queue that distributes incoming calls to a call center interpreter, wherein the call center interpreter is permanently connected to the call center of the language interpretation provider through a voice link, wherein the call center interpreter is the first language interpreter or the second language interpreter based on the selection, the routing module further routing the incoming call to a second queue that distributes incoming calls to a non-call center interpreter if a customer-defined event occurs, wherein the non-call center interpreter is not permanently connected to the call center of the language interpretation provider.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a non-call center skill-matching module that identifies the non-call center interpreter.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising a call center skill-matching module that identifies the call center interpreter.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the customer-defined event is defined by establishing a business rule that requires that incoming calls be answered by an interpreter speaking an identified language.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the customer-defined event is defined by establishing a business rule that requires that incoming calls be answered by an interpreter within a pre-specified amount of time.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the customer-defined event is defined by establishing a business rule that requires that incoming calls be answered by an interpreter versed in health care terms.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the customer-defined event is defined by establishing a business rule that requires that incoming calls be answered by an interpreter versed in finance terms.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the customer-defined event is defined by establishing a business rule that is stored in a customer database.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the business service that is to be provided to the customer is determined by prompting the customer for input at a computer terminal.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the business service that is to be provided to the customer is determined by prompting the customer for voice input.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the business service that is to be provided to the customer is determined by prompting the customer for voice input.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein the customer is a business entity.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein the customer connects to the language interpretation provider through an Internet connection, or through a public switched network.

30. The system of claim 17, wherein the non-call center interpreter receives the incoming call through a public switched network or an Internet connection.

31. The system of claim 17, wherein the call center interpreter receives the incoming call through a public switched network or an Internet connection.

32. The system of claim 17, wherein an incoming call is charged according to call center interpreters or to non-call center interpreters.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein non-call center interpreter rates are higher than call center interpreter rates.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the request for language interpretation is received at a server communicably coupled with a computing device of the consumer, wherein the computing device communicates with the server through a computer network.