System and method of managing incoming telephone calls at a call center

• US 8,548,157 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2005
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brandt, Jeffrey L., Bangor, Aaron W., Reynolds, Douglas F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Aubaidi, Rasha Al
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoque, Nafiz E
• Application Number:
  US11/214,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20070047720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,955 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/266.01, 379/266.03, 379/266.06, 379/266.07, 379/266.08
• US Class Current: 379/266.01
• 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 3/523 with call distribution or queueing

Abstract

A method of managing incoming calls is disclosed and includes receiving a telephone call. Further, the method includes offering a caller a bypass option to bypass an automated help application and placing the telephone call in a queue for a next available customer service agent. The method can also include prompting the caller for payment when the caller selects the bypass option. Further, the method can include indicating a current wait time when the bypass option is declined. Moreover, the method can include offering the caller an instant service option to directly connect the caller to a customer service agent. The method can also include prompting the caller for payment when the caller selects the instant service option and directly connecting the telephone call to a customer service agent.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing wireline telephone service to a residence for a customer to place telephone calls;

receiving a telephone call at a customer service center;

prompting a caller of the telephone call to input a monetary value to reduce a wait time to receive customer service, wherein an amount of time reduced from the wait time corresponds to the monetary value according to a fixed monetary value per minute rate;

prompting the caller with a senior agent help option to connect the telephone call to a next available senior customer service agent for a fee, wherein the next available senior customer service agent has a higher customer service skill ranking than a junior customer service agent;

connecting the caller to a first on-hold queue associated with junior customer service agents when the senior agent help option is declined; and

in response to selection of the senior agent help option;

determining whether the caller has an account associated with the customer service center;

when the caller has an account associated with the customer service center, charging the fee to the account and connecting the caller to a second on-hold queue associated with senior customer service agents;

when the caller does not have an account associated with the customer service center, prompting the caller for payment information; and

upon receipt of the payment information from the caller, placing the caller in the second on-hold queue associated with senior customer service agents.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing information indicating a current wait time when the senior agent help option is declined.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising indicating a current wait time before prompting the caller with the senior agent help option.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the fee associated with connecting the telephone call to the next available senior customer service agent includes a fixed price.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the fee associated with connecting the telephone call to the next available senior customer service agent is determined based on a current wait time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each minute of the amount of time corresponds to each dollar of the monetary value.

7. A method comprising:

receiving a telephone call at a customer service center;

prompting a caller of the telephone call to input a monetary value to reduce a wait time to receive customer service, wherein an amount of time reduced from the wait time corresponds to the monetary value according to a fixed monetary value per minute rate;

prompting the caller with a domestic agent help option to connect the telephone call to a next available domestic customer service agent for a fee;

connecting the caller to a first on-hold queue when the domestic agent help option is declined; and

in response to selection of the domestic agent help option;

determining whether the caller has an account associated with the customer service center;

when the caller has an account associated with the customer service center, charging the fee to the account and connecting the caller to a second on-hold queue associated with domestic customer service agents;

when the caller does not have an account associated with the customer service center, prompting the caller for payment information; and

upon receipt of the payment information from the caller, placing the caller in the second on-hold queue associated with domestic customer service agents.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises placing the call in the first on-hold queue when the payment information is not received, wherein the first on-hold queue is associated with offshore customer service agents.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first on-hold queue is associated with offshore customer service agents.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing information indicating the wait time before prompting the caller to input the monetary value.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein each minute of the amount of time corresponds to each dollar of the monetary value.

12. A call management system comprising:

a plurality of customer service agent communication devices associated with a customer service center; and

an interactive voice response server coupled to the plurality of customer service agent communication devices, wherein the interactive voice response server comprises;

a processor; and

a computer readable storage medium accessible to the processor, the computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a telephone call at the customer service center;

prompting a caller of the telephone call to input a monetary value to reduce a wait time to receive customer service, wherein an amount of time reduced from the wait time corresponds to the monetary value according to a fixed monetary value per minute rate;

prompting the caller with a senior agent help option to connect the telephone call to a next available senior customer service agent for a fee, wherein the next available senior customer service agent has a higher customer service skill ranking than a junior customer service agent;

connecting the caller to a first on-hold queue associated with junior customer service agents when the senior agent help option is declined; and

in response to selection of the senior agent help option;

determining whether the caller has an account associated with the customer service center in response to selection of the senior agent help option;

charging the fee to the account and connecting the caller to a second on-hold queue associated with senior customer service agents when the caller has an account associated with the customer service center; and

prompting the caller for payment information in when the caller does not have an account associated with the customer service center and placing the caller in the second on-hold queue associated with senior customer service agents upon receipt of the payment information from the caller.

13. The call management system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise providing information indicating a current wait time.

14. The call management system of claim 13, wherein the information indicating the current wait time is provided when the senior agent help option is declined.

15. The call management system of claim 13, wherein the information indicating the current wait time is provided before prompting the caller with the senior agent help option.

16. The call management system of claim 13, wherein the fee associated with connecting the telephone call to the next available senior customer service agent is determined based on the current wait time.

17. The call management system of claim 12, wherein the fee associated with connecting the telephone call to the next available senior customer service agent includes a fixed price.

18. The call management system of claim 12, wherein each minute of the amount of time corresponds to each dollar of the monetary value.