Developing interactive call center agent personas

• US 8,170,196 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2009
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Knott, Benjamin A., Bushey, Robert R., Martin, John M., Andrews, Stephanie
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US12/369,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20090150225A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.09, 379/88.16, 379/220.01, 379/221.08, 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.05, 379/265.09, 434/323, 705/4, 705/10, 705/7.13, 705/7.32, 705/26.1, 706/62, 707/769, 709/228, 709/201, 709/206, 345/419, 345/473, 715/706, 715/727
• US Class Current: 379/265.02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00

Abstract

A method, software and system of developing personalities for interactive and/or automated call center applications are provided. According to teachings of the present invention, sample population questionnaires and interviews may be used to identify key personality traits. The impact of the identified key personality traits are then empirically determined. Based on the empirical determination of the key personality traits'"'"' impact on customer satisfaction, a plurality of personality profiles may be generated for evaluation. A plurality of application types and voice talents may then be employed to evaluate the impact of each personality profile on customer satisfaction, for different user populations and different types of automated systems. The personality traits for each automated system are preferably rated and reviewed to ensure a system accurately represents the identified key personality traits. The various voice talents may also be evaluated to identify those traits best at conveying a desired personality.

Claims

1. A method for developing automated interactive call center agent personalities, comprising:

querying a population to identify key personality traits sought from an assistance provider;

identifying an impact of the identified key personality traits on user satisfaction;

defining a plurality of personality profiles, each of the plurality of personality profiles based on the key personality traits;

obtaining first user ratings for personality traits of an automated system to determine whether the automated system accurately represents the key personality traits and personality profiles;

obtaining second user ratings from the population for a selected one of the plurality of personality profiles, the second user ratings reflecting user satisfaction with the selected personality profile; and

evaluating whether the second user ratings satisfy a user satisfaction metric.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the second user ratings do not satisfy the user satisfaction metric, modifying key personality traits included in the selected personality profile.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said obtaining first user ratings further comprises:

testing the plurality of personality profiles within a plurality of application types using a plurality of voice talents for a plurality of different user populations and in a plurality of differing automated systems; and

evaluating whether the voice talents convey the key personality traits.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said modifying key personality traits includes:

modifying combinations of voice talents.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying the impact of the identified key personality traits further comprises at least one of:

assigning empirical weightings to the identified key personality traits using regression analysis;

performing a one-way analysis of variance for the identified key personality traits; and

performing regression analysis on the identified key personality traits to determine a relationship between individual identified key personality traits.

6. A computer-readable memory media, including instructions for implementing a call center application persona, said instructions executable to:

query a sample population to identify preferred persona characteristics;

generate a weighting for the identified preferred persona characteristics;

construct a persona based on the preferred persona characteristic weightings;

evaluate a customer satisfaction level for the persona; and

modify one or more aspects of the persona to achieve a preferred level of customer satisfaction.

7. The memory media of claim 6, wherein said instructions to query the sample population further comprise instructions executable to:

conduct interviews with the sample population.

8. The memory media of claim 6, wherein said instructions to query the sample population further comprising instructions executable to:

present questionnaires to the sample population.

9. The memory media of claim 6, wherein said instructions to generate the weighting further comprise instructions executable to:

perform an analysis of variance on the preferred persona characteristics.

10. The memory media of claim 6, wherein said instructions to generate the weighting further comprise instructions executable to:

perform a regression analysis on the preferred persona characteristics.

11. The memory media of claim 6, further comprising instructions executable to:

evaluate the persona with respect to an automated system to determine whether the persona accurately represents preferred persona characteristics.

12. The memory media of claim 6, further comprising instructions executable to:

modify verbal aspects of the persona to achieve the preferred level of customer satisfaction.

13. The memory media of claim 6, further comprising instructions executable to:

vary the sample population to achieve the preferred level of customer satisfaction across a plurality of populations.

14. The memory media of claim 6, further comprising instructions executable to:

modify an automated system using the persona to achieve the preferred level of customer satisfaction for at least one automated call center application.

15. A computer system, for implementing a call center application persona, comprising:

a processor configured to access memory media, wherein the memory media include processor instructions executable to;

query a sample population to identify preferred persona characteristics;

generate a weighting for a selected plurality of the preferred persona characteristics;

construct a persona based on the preferred persona characteristic weightings;

evaluate a customer satisfaction level for the persona; and

modify one or more aspects of the persona to achieve a preferred level of customer satisfaction.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the memory media further includes processor instructions executable to:

evaluate the persona with respect to an automated system to determine whether the persona accurately represents preferred persona characteristics.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the memory media further includes processor instructions executable to:

modify verbal aspects of the persona to achieve the preferred level of customer satisfaction.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the memory media further includes processor instructions executable to:

vary the sample population to achieve the preferred level of customer satisfaction across a plurality of populations.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the memory media further includes processor instructions executable to:

modify an automated system using the persona to achieve the preferred level of customer satisfaction for at least one automated call center application.