Stores as call center resources

• US 8,009,821 B1
• Filed: 12/27/2006
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Serenova LLC (Lifesize Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Liveops Incorporated
• Inventors: Apparao, Vidur, Lewis, Scott, Potts, Richard, Waterson, Christopher R., McKinnon, Beth
• Primary Examiner(s): HONG, HARRY S
• Application Number:
  US11/646,058
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.11, 379/266.09
• US Class Current: 379/265.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5125 with remote located operators

Abstract

An exemplary method of integrating existing physical stores in call center operations comprises registering a plurality of physical stores each having at least one phone line, obtaining availability information of one or more phone lines of a registered store, determining a phone line to route a call for the registered store based on call center routing rules, and routing the call to the determined phone line.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of integrating existing physical stores in call center operations, comprising steps performed by a computing device:

(a) registering a plurality of physical stores each having at least one phone line;

(b) obtaining availability information of one or more phone lines of a registered store;

(c) determining a phone line to route a call for the registered store based on call center routing rules; and

(d) routing said call to said determined phone line.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said registering includes creating a database object for each phone line.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said registering includes associating information about each phone line with its corresponding database object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said registering includes creating an association between a store and its one or more phone lines in a database.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling a phone line to perform telephony functions by directly communicating with a call manager.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said obtaining includes:

obtaining confirmation of presence information regarding a phone line; and

determining whether said present phone line is available to receive calls.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said obtaining includes:

determining a phone line is not available to receive calls; and

pausing said phone line to prevent calls from being routed to that line.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the paused phone line is automatically un-paused after a period of time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said determined phone line is a phone line of said registered store.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said determined phone line is not a phone line of said registered store.

11. A call center, comprising:

a call manager; and

a plurality of resources accessible by said call manager for intelligently routing calls received by said call manager;

said resources including a plurality of phone lines corresponding to registered physical stores; and

said call manager being configured to select a resource for routing a call for a registered store based on at least an attribute-based call center routing rule.

12. The call center of claim 11, further comprising a database accessible to said call manager, said database including an association between a store and its one or more phone lines.

13. The call center of claim 11, wherein a phone line corresponding to a registered store is enabled to perform telephony functions by directly communicating with said call manager.

14. The call center of claim 11, wherein said selected resource is not a phone line of said corresponding registered store.

15. The call center of claim 11, wherein if said selected resource is unavailable to receive said call, said call manager is further configured to select another resource for routing said call based on call center routing rules.

16. The call center of claim 11, wherein said resources include said registered physical stores.

17. The call center of claim 11, wherein at least one of said plurality of phone lines is being treated as an agent by said call center.

18. The call center of claim 11, wherein said attribute-based routing rule includes a results-based routing rule.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for integrating phone lines of existing physical stores in call center operations, comprising logic instructions that, if executed:

(a) register a plurality of physical stores each having at least one phone line;

(b) obtain availability information of one or more phone lines of a registered store;

(c) determine a phone line to route a call for the registered store based on call center routing rules; and

(d) route said call to said determined phone line.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein said logic instructions for registering include logic instructions that, if executed:

create an association between a store and its one or more phone lines in a database.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising logic instructions that, if executed:

enable a phone line to perform telephony functions by directly communicating with a call manager.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein said logic instruction for obtaining include logic instructions that, if executed:

determine a phone line is not available to receive calls; and

pause said phone line to prevent calls from being routed to that line.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein said determined phone line is not a phone line of said registered store.