Methods and apparatus for use in computer-to-human escalation

• US 8,275,117 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2011
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Huet, Francois, Macary, Damien Saint, Norton, Gray Salmon, Klein, Stephen D., Kay, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): ISLAM, MOHAMMAD K
• Application Number:
  US13/157,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20110235797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 37926502-26601, 455/426.2
• US Class Current: 379/265.02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/357 Autocues for dialog assistance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet

Abstract

A system and method are provided for escalating a user or customer to a live agent from a conversational agent when predetermined criteria are met. The conversational agent textually converses in so-called natural language interaction and can run on a computer, such as a server. Upon receiving a first query, the conversational agent creates a new case, and interacts with the customer, in an attempt to resolve the case and satisfy the user. The predetermined criteria for escalation may include a determination that the conversational agent is unable to satisfy a computer-to-computer information request. Alternatively, the predetermined criteria may include patterns and/or words associated with frustration, for example, and/or unrecognized query subject matter, high priority queries, for example to increase sales, etc.

Claims

1. A method performed by an automated service agent, comprising:

receiving a first textual message containing a first query from a first client associated with a user;

initiating a case record responsive to the first textual message;

determining a response to the first textual message;

providing the response to the first client;

receiving a second textual message containing a second query from the first client;

determining transferring the case record to a live agent if the second query substantially matches the first query; and

transferring the case record to the live agent responsive to said determination.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the response comprises providing conversational responses to the user.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein transferring the case record includes offering the user communication with a live agent.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the offer of communication includes one or more of telephone, instant messaging, and Internet chat.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the offer of communication includes a request for contact information for the user.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the offer of communication includes providing contact information for the live agent.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein transferring the case record includes generating a communication for the live agent indicating that the live agent should contact the user.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein transferring the case record includes providing an indication to the user, via the first client, that the live agent will contact the user at a given telephone number.

9. The method according to claim 1, further including storing the case record and providing the case record to the live agent.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising retrieving a list of related queries stored in a database, each related query associated with a response.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein determining the response to the first textual message includes evaluating a similarity between the first query contained in the first textual message and each of the related queries retrieved from the database.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein providing the response to the first client includes providing a response associated with a related query most similar to the first query contained in the first textual message.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising initiating a session between the first client and the automated service agent.

14. The method according to claim 1, further including sending a communication addressed to a call center indicating that the case record has been transferred.

15. The method according to claim 1, further including categorizing the case record into a first one of a plurality of predetermined categories.

16. The method according to claim 15, further including:

generating a queue associated with the first one of the plurality of predetermined categories; and

placing the case record into the queue associated with the first one of the plurality of predetermined categories.

17. The method according to claim 16, further including requesting queue information associated with the queue for the first one of the plurality of predetermined categories, wherein the queue information includes an estimated wait time for the live agent.

18. The method according to claim 1, further including proposing a response to the first query to the live agent, the live agent selecting between sending the proposed response to the user and generating a different response to address the first query.

19. A conversational agent having stored thereon computer instructions, that when executed, perform a method, comprising:

receiving a first textual message containing a first query from a user;

determining a response to the first query by evaluating a similarity between the first query contained in the first textual message and one or more queries stored in a database;

providing a response associated with the most similar query stored in the database to the user;

receiving a second textual message containing a second query;

determining escalating the user to a live agent if the second query substantially matches the first query; and

escalating the user to the live agent upon said determination.

20. A system comprising:

a first module associated with the system, receiving a first textual message containing a first query from a customer engaged in a conversation with a conversational agent;

a second module associated with the system, storing predetermined responses for answering the first query contained in the first textual message received from the customer;

a third module associated with the system, determining automatically transferring the customer from the conversational agent to a live agent responsive to receiving a subsequent textual message containing a second query that substantially matches the first query from the customer.