Method and system for call center screening

• US 8,085,910 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2009
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Corporate Services Group Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Cowell, Douglas J., Narayan, Ravi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): El-Zoobi, Maria
• Application Number:
  US12/506,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20090279684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.07, 379/221.01, 379/221.08, 379/207.02
• US Class Current: 379/93.07
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/323 for the arrangements providing the connection (test connection, test call, call simulation)
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13164 Traffic (registration, measurement,...)
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/64 Distributing or queueing

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for call center screening that enable a network service provider to dynamically control service request traffic directed to selected service centers. An Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) service is configured to intercept calls originating from calling parties and directed to trigger numbers designated for processing predetermined service requests. Depending upon the trigger number, the AIN may play an announcement asking a calling party to designate the service requested. Following a calling party'"'"'s valid response, a second announcement is played asking the calling party to select the type of service associated with the first response. Depending upon the calling party'"'"'s responses and calling party'"'"'s location, the AIN may route the call to selected service centers, in order to control the traffic to overloaded service centers.

Claims

1. A method performed by an advanced intelligent network (AIN), comprising:

intercepting a service request call from a customer for ADSL service or for ISDN service;

analyzing a phone number to which said call was placed to determine either (a) only said ADSL service is being requested because said phone number corresponds to a first trigger phone number or (b) either said ADSL service or said ISDN service is being requested because said phone number corresponds to a second trigger phone number;

inquiring of said customer, if said second trigger phone number was called, whether said ADSL service or said ISDN service is being requested;

after performing said inquiring, further inquiring of said customer if said requested service is residential service or business service;

if said requested service is said ADSL service for said residential service, routing said call to a new initiative and product center (NIAPC) for processing said call;

if said requested service is said business service or is said ISDN service for said residential service, first determining in which State said call originated and then routing said call to a business service center (BSC) in said State for processing;

receiving data from said customer designating routing destinations for calls made by said customer and storing said designated routing destinations in a database;

monitoring said calls made by said customer;

issuing reports of said monitored calls to said customer to allow said customer to perform traffic balancing by changing said data in said database;

determining if said BSC has a history of experiencing a large amount of traffic in relation to other BSCs interconnected by said AIN; and

if said BSC does have said history, dynamically selecting an auxiliary service center to which said call is re-routed.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

routing said calls according to said designated routing destinations for all of said calls except for calls for said ADSL service for said residential service.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said traffic balancing changes destinations of said calls, other than for said calls for said ADSL service for said residential service, from said originating State to said NIAPC.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if no response, or an invalid response, to said inquiring of said customer is received, labeling said no response or said invalid response as a first invalid entry and associating said first invalid entry with a first default service request for processing.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

whether or not said labeling is performed, if no response, or an invalid response, to said further inquiring of said customer is received, labeling said no response or said invalid response to said further inquiring as a second invalid entry and associating said second invalid entry with a second default service request for processing.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said first default service request and said second default service request are default-routed to said NIAPC for processing.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said AIN interconnects with a plurality of BSCs, said method further comprising:

if an error occurs during AIN processing, delivering said call to a designated default location selected from said NIAPC and said BSCs.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

selecting a variety of BSCs as backups for processing said error.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said variety includes multiple combinations of said BSCs.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

basing said dynamic selecting upon current workloads of said other BSCs and said NIAPC wherein said auxiliary service center is selected from said other BSCs and said NIAPC.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

utilizing said reports to;

adjust designation of said NIAPC or said BSC as a primary service center;

adjust designation of said auxiliary service center; and

provide an indication of effectiveness of performance of said method for purposes of implementing changes in hardware or call processing software, if needed.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling at least one processor to perform a method of routing a telephone call, said method comprising:

intercepting a service request call from a customer for ADSL service or for ISDN service;

analyzing a phone number to which said call was placed to determine either (a) only said ADSL service is being requested because said phone number corresponds to a first trigger phone number or (b) either said ADSL service or said ISDN service is being requested because said phone number corresponds to a second trigger phone number;

inquiring of said customer, if said second trigger phone number was called, whether said ADSL service or said ISDN service is being requested

after performing said inquiring, further inquiring of said customer if said requested service is residential service or business service;

if said requested service is said ADSL service for said residential service, routing said call to a new initiative and product center (NIAPC) for processing said call and

if said requested service is said business service or is said ISDN service for said residential service, first determining in which State said call originated and then routing said call to a business service center (BSC) in said State for processing;

determining if said BSC has a history of experiencing a large amount of traffic in relation to other BSCs interconnected by an advanced intelligent network (AIN); and

if said BSC does have said history, dynamically selecting an auxiliary service center to which said call is re-routed.

13. A method performed by an advanced intelligent network (AIN), comprising:

intercepting a service request telephone call from a customer for a first service or for a second service;

analyzing a telephone number to which said call was placed to determine either (a) only said first service is being requested because said telephone number corresponds to a first trigger number or (b) either said first service or said second service is being requested because said telephone number corresponds to a second trigger number;

inquiring of said customer, if said second trigger number was called, whether said first service or said second service is being requested;

after performing said inquiring, further inquiring of said customer whether said requested service is a first type of service or a second type of service;

if said requested service is said first service for said first type of service, routing said call to a first service center for processing said call;

if said requested service is said second type of service or is said second service for said first type of service, first determining from which State said call originated and then routing said call to a second type of service center in said State for processing;

determining if said second type of service center has a history of experiencing a large amount of traffic in relation to other second type of service centers interconnected by said AIN; and

if said second type of service center does have said history, dynamically selecting an auxiliary service center to which said call is re-routed.