Apparatus, system, and method for presenting scripts to a contact

• US 7,640,510 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2005
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Noguar Lc
• Original Assignee: Noguar Lc
• Inventors: Smith, Jennifer, Baker, Forest III, Baker, Forest IV, Sirstins, John
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAO H
• Application Number:
  US11/092,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20050216551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• Field of Search: 715763-765, 715853-854, 715/700, 715/780, 715740-741
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/355 Interactive dialogue design tools, features or methods
• 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 3/50 Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers H04M3/487 takes precedence; centralised dictation systems H04M11/10; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5133 Operator terminal details
• 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 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/527 Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for presenting a plurality of scripts to a contact. A script player module plays a plurality of prerecorded audio file scripts. A presentation module presenting a plurality of script options to an agent. An input module receives an agent input corresponding to at least one of the script options. A profile module stores a contact profile reflecting contact-specific data, and the presentation module presents script options to the agent based upon the profile for outputting contact-specific scripts.

Claims

1. An apparatus for presenting a plurality of prerecorded scripts to a contact during a call to the contact, the apparatus comprising:

a script player module for playing a plurality of scripts, each script comprising a prerecorded audio file;

a presentation module for presenting a plurality of script options to a human agent;

an input module for receiving multiple inputs from the human agent, each input corresponding to one or more of said plurality of script options, at least one agent input corresponding to an executable for playing a script;

a profile module for storing a contact profile reflecting contact-specific data; and

wherein at least one script option comprises contact-specific data received during the call and reflected in the profile module to allow the agent to play a script that is specific to the contact being called, said contact-specific data comprising at least one data type chosen from a marital status, a family status, a business status, a relationship status, a title, a customer technology, an attitude, a disposition, a prior affirmation, a socioeconomic factor, and a purchasing pattern.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the presentation module is configured to present navigation options to allow the agent to view script options corresponding to a previously played script.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the presentation module is configured to present navigation options to allow the agent to switch from a present set of script options to different set of script options.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a voice module for outputting the agent'"'"'s live voice.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a statistics module for keeping statistical data regarding agent inputs.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the presentation module presents script options based upon data provided by the statistics module.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the profile module is configured to output data regarding contact information obtained during a call.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the presentation module is configured to present at least one script option comprising data associated with at least one pointer.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the presentation module is configured to present a sequence of script options based upon data associated with at least one pointer.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the input module is configured to reassign the pointer in response to an agent input.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input module is further programmed to provide at least one pointer to data in the profile.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the presentation module is configured to display at least one script option reflecting a response from a contact.

12. The apparatus of 1, wherein the input module is configured to modify the profile in response to an agent input.

14. An apparatus for presenting a plurality of prerecorded scripts to a contact during a call to the contact, the apparatus comprising:

a script player module for playing a plurality of scripts, each script comprising a prerecorded audio file;

a presentation module for presenting a plurality of script options to a human agent, at least one script option comprising contact-specific data received during the call to allow the agent to play a script that is specific to the contact being called, said contact-specific data comprising at least one data type chosen from a marital status, a family status, a business status, a relationship status, a title, a customer technology, an attitude, a disposition, a prior affirmation, a socioeconomic factor, and a purchasing pattern;

an input module for receiving multiple inputs from the human agent, each input corresponding to one or more of said plurality of script options, at least one agent input corresponding to an executable for playing a script;

a statistics module for keeping and analyzing statistical date regarding agent inputs; and

the presentation module configured to present script options based upon data provided by the statistics module.

15. A method for presenting a plurality of prerecorded audio files to a contact during a call to the contact, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of prerecorded audio files;

presenting to an agent a first plurality of script options, each script option corresponding to a prerecorded audio file, such that when the agent selects a script option, the corresponding prerecorded audio file is played;

receiving from an agent one or more inputs to control the playing of one or more prerecorded audio files to the contact;

storing a profile reflecting data corresponding to a response by the contact;

presenting to the agent a second plurality of script options, each script option corresponding to a prerecorded audio file,

at least one prerecorded audio file comprising contact-specific data received during the call to allow the agent to selectively play one or more scripts that are specific to the contact being called, said contact-specific data comprising at least one data type chosen from a marital status, a family status, a business status, a relationship status, a title, a customer technology, an attitude, a disposition, a prior affirmation, a socioeconomic factor, and a purchasing pattern.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising calling a phone number corresponding to a contact over a telecommunications network.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the agent input reflects a response from the contact.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one script option reflects data in the profile obtained from the contact during a call.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving an agent input comprises automatically updating data in the profile.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the selection of script options are presented based upon a statistical analysis of agent inputs.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving an input comprises providing at least one pointer to data in the profile.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein presenting a selection of script options comprises presenting at least one script option comprising data associated with at least one pointer.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the presenting a selection of script options comprises presenting a sequence of script options based upon data associated with at least one pointer.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein receiving an input comprising reassigning the pointer in response to an agent input.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving an input comprises modifying the profile in response to an agent input.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving an agent input comprises providing a digital input to a central processing unit for executing the playing of a script.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein presenting script options comprises presenting data reflecting facts corresponding to a circumstance of the prospective customer.

28. A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform an operation to present a plurality of audio files to a contact during a call to the contact, the operation comprising:

storing a plurality of prerecorded audio files;

presenting to an agent a first plurality of script options, each script option corresponding to prerecorded audio file, such that when the agent selects a script option, the corresponding prerecorded audio file is played;

receiving from an agent one or more inputs to control the playing of one or more prerecorded audio files to the contact;

storing a profile reflecting data corresponding to a response by the contact;

presenting to the agent a second plurality of script options, each script option corresponding to a prerecorded audio file,

at least one prerecorded audio file comprising contact-specific data received during the call to allow the agent to selectively play one or more scripts that are specific to the contact being called, said contact-specific data comprising at least one data type chosen from a marital status, a family status, a business status, a relationship status, a title, a customer technology, an attitude, a disposition, a prior affirmation, a socioeconomic factor, and a purchasing pattern.

29. The signal bearing medium of claim 28, wherein the instructions further comprise an operation to call a phone number corresponding to a contact over a telecommunications network.

30. The signal bearing medium of claim 28, wherein the agent input reflects a response from the contact.

31. The signal bearing medium of claim 28, wherein at least one script option reflects data in the profile obtained from the contact during a call.

32. The signal bearing medium of claim 28, wherein the instructions further comprise an operation to receive an agent input comprises automatically updating data in the profile.

33. The signal-bearing medium of claim 28, wherein the selection of script options are presented based upon a statistical analysis of agent inputs.

34. The signal bearing medium of claim 28, wherein the instructions further comprise an operation to provide at least one pointer to data in the profile.

35. The signal bearing medium of claim 28, wherein the instructions further comprise an operation to present at least one script option comprising data associated with at least one pointer.

36. The signal bearing medium of claim 28, wherein the instructions further comprise an operation to present a sequence of script options based upon data associated with at least one pointer.

37. The signal bearing medium of claim 28, wherein the instructions further comprise an operation to receive an input comprising reassigning the pointer in response to an agent input.

38. The signal bearing medium of claim 28, wherein the instructions further comprise an operation to modify the profile in response to an agent input.

39. The signal bearing medium of claim 28, wherein the instructions further comprise an operation to provide a digital input to a central processing unit for executing the playing of a script.

40. The signal bearing medium of claim 28, wherein the instructions further comprise an operation to present data reflecting facts corresponding to a circumstance of the prospective customer.