Automated agent availability detection

• US 8,718,264 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alvaria Cayman
• Original Assignee: Aspect Software Incorporated
• Inventors: Mitchell, James, Cambray, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Asanbayev, Oleg
• Application Number:
  US12/125,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20090290702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,175 Days
• Field of Search: 379/100.06, 379/106.08, 37926501-26514, 37926601-26608
• US Class Current: 379/265.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2272 Subscriber line supervision circuits, e.g. call detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

A system for automatically detecting status of an agent in a call center is provided. The system may have a call center management system with a plurality of agent workstations coupled to the call center management system and a plurality of telephones associated with the agent workstations. The system may also have a switch that automatically connects calls to the telephones. An off-hook detector automatically detects a manually initiated off-hook status of at least one of the telephones and signals the switch that the agent at the telephones is unavailable. The switch may then avoid connecting a call to the unavailable agent.

Claims

1. A system for automatically detecting status of an agent of a plurality of agents in a call center comprising:

a call center management system;

a plurality of agent workstations coupled to said call center management system;

a plurality of telephones associated with said plurality of agent workstations;

a switch for automatically connecting calls to said plurality of telephones;

a communication management server connected to said plurality of telephones and connected to a communication network;

an off-hook detector, located in said communication management server, automatically detecting a manually connected status of at least one of said telephones, wherein said manually connected status indicates said agent at said at least one of said telephones has made an independently initiated call that is outside of control of said switch, wherein said off-hook detector signals said switch that said agent at said at least one of said telephones is not connected to a call through said switch, but is unavailable, wherein said switch will not automatically connect a call to said agent;

wherein said off-hook detector further comprises;

a telephone status detection device, detecting a current status of said at least one of said telephone, wherein said current status is either available or unavailable;

a status memory, storing a connected status of automatically connected calls to said at least one of said telephones by said switch wherein said connected status is either connected or not connected;

a status comparator, comparing said current status with said connected status for each of said telephones and determining the following;

said current status of available and said connected status of not connected indicating said at least one of said telephones is not in use;

said current status of unavailable and said connected status of connected indicating said at least one of said telephones is handling a call connected by said switch; and

said current status of unavailable and said connected status of not connected indicating said at least one of said telephones is handling a call that was manually initiated by said agent of said at least one of said telephones indicating said manually connected status;

an alerting device, notifying a workstation of a supervisor when said off-hook detector detects said manually connected status;

notifying said supervisor of a duration of said manually connected status exceeding a predetermined time limit; and

removing a telephone of an agent associated with said manually connected status from one of an automatic call distribution queue and a predictive dialer campaign.

2. A system for automatically detecting status of said agent of claim 1 wherein said off-hook detector further comprises:

a telephone status detection device, detecting said current status of said at least one of said telephones, wherein said current status is either available or unavailable;

said status comparator, comparing said current status with a prior status, wherein said prior status is either connected or not connected, and determining said manually connected status when said current status is unavailable and said prior status is not connected.

3. A method for automatically detecting status of an agent of a plurality of agents in a call center comprising the acts of:

coupling a plurality of agent workstations to said call center;

associating a plurality of telephones with said plurality of agent workstations;

automatically connecting calls with a switch to said plurality of telephones in the call center;

connecting a communication management server to said plurality of telephones and to a communication network;

automatically detecting, with an off-hook detector located in said communication management server, a manually initiated off-hook status of at least one of said plurality of telephones, wherein said manually initiated off-hook status indicates that said agent has made an independently initiated call that is outside of control of said switch and;

signaling, with said off-hook detector, said switch that said agent at said at least one of said plurality of telephones is not connected to a call through said switch, but is unavailable; and

preventing connecting calls, by said switch, to said agent when said manually initiated off-hook status is detected

wherein said off-hook detector further comprises;

detecting, by a telephone status detection device, a current status of said at least one of said telephones, wherein said current status is either available or unavailable;

storing, in a status memory, a connected status of automatically connected calls to said at least one of said telephones by said switch wherein said connected status is either connected or not connected;

comparing by a status comparator, said current status with said connected status for each of said telephones and determining the following;

said current status of available and said connected status of not connected indicating said at least one of said telephones is not in use;

said current status of unavailable and said connected status of connected indicating said at least one of said telephones is handling a call connected by said switch; and

said current status of unavailable and said connected status of not connected indicating said at least one of said telephones is handling a call that was manually initiated by said agent of said at least one of said telephones indicating said manually connected status;

notifying, by an alerting device, a workstation of a supervisor when said off-hook detector detects said manually connected status;

notifying said supervisor of a duration of said manually connected status exceeding a predetermined time limit; and

removing a telephone of an agent associated with said manually connected status from one of an automatic call distribution queue and a predictive dialer campaign.

4. A method for automatically detecting status of said agent of claim 3 wherein said off-hook detector further comprises:

detecting said current status of said at least one of said telephones, wherein said current status is either available or unavailable; and

comparing said current status with a prior status, wherein said prior status is either not connected or connected and determining said manually initiated off-hook status when said current status is unavailable and said prior status is not connected.