Method and system for automatic supervisor intervention in problematic calls in a call center

• US 8,126,136 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2005
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tong, Aaron, Eppel, Martin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laekemariam, Yosef K
• Application Number:
  US11/109,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20060233347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,506 Days
• Field of Search: 379/133, 379/265.06, 379/286, 379/32.01, 379/100.05
• US Class Current: 379/265.06
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/00 Speech or voice analysis techniques not restricted to a single one of groups G10L15/00 - G10L21/00 muting semiconductor-based amplifiers when some special characteristics of a signal are sensed by a speech detector, e.g. sensing when no signal is present, H03G3/34
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/90 Pitch determination of speech signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/18 Comparators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for processing a call in a call center includes monitoring a characteristic of at least a portion of the call, comparing the characteristic to a threshold for the characteristic, and generating a signal indicative of a potential problem call based on the comparison.

Claims

1. A method for processing a call in a call center comprising:

monitoring a characteristic of at least a portion of a call between an agent and a caller;

accessing a threshold for the characteristic;

accessing a caller profile associated with the caller from a plurality of caller profiles, the caller profile indicating;

a number of times the caller has called in a predefined period of time; and

whether a previous call was a problem call;

comparing the accessed caller profile to the plurality of caller profiles to determine whether the caller associated with the accessed caller profile has been involved in problematic calls more often than callers associated with the plurality of caller profiles;

based on the determination, lowering the accessed threshold for the characteristic;

comparing the characteristic to the lowered threshold for the characteristic;

transmitting, based on the comparison and the caller profile, an alert signal indicative of a potential problem call to a supervisor while the call is ongoing; and

connecting, based on the comparison, a telephone associated with the supervisor to the call between the agent and the caller while the call is ongoing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of pitch, frequency, volume, and word selection.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein word selection comprises a word pattern selection.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein word selection comprises a single word selection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the call comprises verbal statements by the caller.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the call comprises verbal statements by the agent.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic comprises a volume level of a voice.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic comprises pitch.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic comprises a frequency of a voice.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic comprises word selection.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring comprises monitoring by a device selected from the group consisting of a speech recognition system, a frequency analyzer, and a volume level detector.

12. The method of claim 1, and further comprising monitoring the call by the supervisor in response to transmitting the signal.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing comprises comparing by a computer.

14. The method of claim 1, and further comprising taking remedial action to address the potential problem call in response to transmitting the signal.

40. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the alert signal comprises transmitting at least one of an email message and an electronic page to the supervisor.

41. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the alert signal comprises changing a display associated with the supervisor.

15. An apparatus for use in processing a call in a call center comprising:

a processor; and

software encoded in media operable when executed on the processor to;

monitor a characteristic of at least a portion of the call between an agent and a caller;

access a threshold for the characteristic;

access a caller profile associated with the caller from a plurality of caller profiles, the caller profile indicating;

a number of times the caller has called in a predefined period of time; and

whether a previous call was a problem call;

compare the accessed caller profile and the plurality of caller profiles to determine whether the caller associated with the accessed caller profile has been involved in problematic calls more often than callers associated with the plurality of caller profiles;

based on the determination, lower the accessed threshold for the characteristic;

compare the characteristic to the lowered threshold for the characteristic;

transmit, based on the comparison and the caller profile, an alert signal indicative of a potential problem call to a supervisor while in the call is ongoing; and

connect, based on the comparison, a telephone associated with the supervisor to the call between the agent and the caller while the call is ongoing.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of pitch, frequency, volume, and word selection.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein word selection comprises a word pattern selection.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein word selection comprises a single word selection.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least a portion of the call comprises verbal statements by the caller.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least a portion of the call comprises verbal statements made by the agent.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the characteristic comprises a volume level of a voice.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the characteristic comprises pitch.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the characteristic comprises a frequency of a voice.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the characteristic comprises word selection.

42. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the software is operable to transmit the alert signal by transmitting at least one of an email message and an electronic page to the supervisor.

43. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the software is operable to transmit the alert signal by changing a display associated with the supervisor.

44. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the software is operable to initiate a remedial action taken by the supervisor based on the comparison.

25. A system for use in processing a call in a call center comprising:

a telephone for receiving a call from a caller to an agent or placing a call from the agent to the caller; and

a call analysis engine in communication with the telephone and operable to;

monitor a characteristic of at least a portion of the call between the agent and the caller;

access a threshold for the characteristic;

access a caller profile associated with the caller from a plurality of caller profiles, the caller profile indicating;

a number of times the caller has called in a predefined period of time; and

whether a previous call was a problem call;

compare the accessed caller profile and the plurality of caller profiles to determine whether the caller associated with the accessed caller profile has been involved in problematic calls more often than callers associated with the plurality of caller profiles;

based on the determination, lower the accessed threshold for the characteristic;

compare the characteristic to the lowered threshold for the characteristic;

transmit, based on the comparison and the caller profile, an alert signal indicative of a potential problem call to a supervisor while the call is in progress; and

connect, based on the comparison, a telephone associated with the supervisor to the call between the agent and the caller while the call is in progress.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of pitch, frequency, volume, and word selection.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein word selection comprises a word pattern selection.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein word selection comprises single word selection.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least a portion of the call comprises verbal statements by the caller.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least a portion of the call comprises verbal statements by the agent.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the characteristic comprises a volume level of a voice.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the characteristic comprises pitch.

33. The system of claim 25, wherein the characteristic comprises a frequency of a voice.

34. The system of claim 25, wherein the characteristic comprises word selection.

35. The system of claim 25, wherein the call analysis engine is formed integral with the telephone.

36. The system of claim 25, wherein the call analysis engine is formed separate from the telephone.

45. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the call analysis engine is operable to transmit the alert signal by transmitting at least one of an email message and an electronic page to the supervisor.

46. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the call analysis engine is operable to transmit the alert signal by changing a display associated with the supervisor.

47. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the call analysis engine is operable to initiate a remedial action taken by the supervisor based on the comparison.

37. Apparatus for use in processing a call in a call center comprising:

means for monitoring a characteristic of at least a portion of a call between an agent and a caller;

means for accessing a threshold for the characteristic;

means for accessing a caller profile associated with the caller from a plurality of caller profiles, the caller profile indicating;

a number of times the caller has called in a predefined period of time; and

whether a previous call was a problem call;

means for comparing the accessed caller profile and the plurality of caller profiles determine whether the caller associated with the accessed caller profile has been involved in problematic calls more often than callers associated with the plurality of caller profiles;

means for, based on the determination, lower the accessed threshold for the characteristic;

means for comparing the characteristic to the lowered threshold for the characteristic;

means for transmitting, based on the comparison and the caller profile, an alert signal indicative of a potential problem call to a supervisor while in the call is ongoing; and

means for connecting, based on the comparison, a telephone associated with the supervisor to the call between the agent and the caller while the call is ongoing.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of pitch, frequency, volume, and word selection.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the characteristic comprises word selection.