System and method for improved directory assistance searches
First Claim
1. A system for directory assistance searches, comprising:
- a database storing data;
a software system operatively connected to the database for matching data from an incoming communications device call to the data stored by the database;
a software portion from the software system for tracking a relevancy score relating to Quality of Customer Service or Satisfaction (QOCS), the relevancy score determined by parameters comprising the data from the database; and
,the incoming call is routed according to the relevancy score;
a plurality of incoming calls are routed by the software system to a plurality of called parties and the relevancy score relating to QOCS is tracked for each of the plurality of called parties; and
,the relevancy score is a weighted sum of the parameters, and the parameters are historic data derived from previous incoming calls to the called parties; and
,a communications device for transmitting the data of the communications device call, the communications device selected from the group consisting of a plain old telephone service (POTS), landline telephone handset, handheld wireless mobile phone, cell phone, personal digital assistant (PDA) connected to make telephone calls, Skype-based device, and web-based internet browser connected to make telephone calls;
the software portion rates the plurality of called parties according to the relevancy scores, with the rating enabling ranking of the called parties; and
,the relevancy score parameters are selected from the group consisting of average call length, an average historic relevancy score (AHRS) including the average call length, a differential historic relevancy score (DHRS) including the average call length, number of calls, an AHRS including the number of calls and a DHRS including the number of calls, and;
wherein the data from the communications device call is matched with data residing in a database, and the incoming call may be routed by the software system.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for improved directory assistance searches involving feedback from previous calls made to telephone numbers in a vendor database, in order to improve the quality of customer service and satisfaction by the vendors associated with the telephone numbers, and to find the vendors associated with the telephone numbers that have provided quality customer service in the past. The system and method automatically rates a telephone number according to a plurality of parameters. The rating produces a relevancy score relating to the quality of customer service and satisfaction (QOCS) associated with calling the vendor telephone number. Vendors associated with telephone numbers that score high on the QOCS scale are given priority to incoming calls from consumers seeking directory assistance in the vendors'"'"' field. Feedback between a calling party customer and a called party vendor is possible, in real time, before, prior to, or after the actual conversation between customer and vendor, and multiple vendors may be called and screened automatically by the system in response to specific calling party needs. In one embodiment of the system, dirty numbers (numbers reassigned to a second party from a previous party) are screened. In another embodiment, vendors who consistently score high on the QOCS scale may be targeted for solicitation. In yet another embodiment, a method is disclosed for assessing an advertising fee based on referrals received by vendors using the present invention. In another embodiment, a web interface version of the invention is disclosed.
-
Citations
10 Claims
-
1. A system for directory assistance searches, comprising:
-
a database storing data; a software system operatively connected to the database for matching data from an incoming communications device call to the data stored by the database; a software portion from the software system for tracking a relevancy score relating to Quality of Customer Service or Satisfaction (QOCS), the relevancy score determined by parameters comprising the data from the database; and
,the incoming call is routed according to the relevancy score; a plurality of incoming calls are routed by the software system to a plurality of called parties and the relevancy score relating to QOCS is tracked for each of the plurality of called parties; and
,the relevancy score is a weighted sum of the parameters, and the parameters are historic data derived from previous incoming calls to the called parties; and
,a communications device for transmitting the data of the communications device call, the communications device selected from the group consisting of a plain old telephone service (POTS), landline telephone handset, handheld wireless mobile phone, cell phone, personal digital assistant (PDA) connected to make telephone calls, Skype-based device, and web-based internet browser connected to make telephone calls; the software portion rates the plurality of called parties according to the relevancy scores, with the rating enabling ranking of the called parties; and
,the relevancy score parameters are selected from the group consisting of average call length, an average historic relevancy score (AHRS) including the average call length, a differential historic relevancy score (DHRS) including the average call length, number of calls, an AHRS including the number of calls and a DHRS including the number of calls, and; wherein the data from the communications device call is matched with data residing in a database, and the incoming call may be routed by the software system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A method for directory assistance searches comprising the steps of:
-
receiving an incoming call placed from a telephony communications device to a software-based system for routing calls; storing data in a database, the database operatively connected to the software-based system, the database data relating to historic data derived from previous calls to the software-based system; matching data from the database to data from the incoming call; routing the incoming call to a called party according to parameters comprising the data in the database; and
,calculating a relevancy score from the parameters, the relevancy score relating to Quality of Customer Service or Satisfaction (QOCS), the relevancy score is a weighted sum of the parameters, and the parameters are historic data derived from previous incoming calls to the called parties; and routing the incoming call according to the QOCS relevancy score; and
,routing a plurality of incoming calls to a plurality of called parties; tracking the relevancy score relating to QOCS for each of a plurality of the called parties; and determining the relevancy score parameters, such parameters are selected from the group consisting of average call length, an average historic relevancy score (AHRS) including the average call length, a differential historic relevancy score (DHRS) including the average call length, number of calls, an AHRS including the number of calls and a DHRS including the number of calls; and
,wherein the data from the incoming call is matched with the data from the database, and the incoming call is routed by the software-based system. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
-
Specification