Speech analytics: conversation timing and adjustment

• US 9,258,421 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2014
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Matula, Valentine C., Ponting, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S
• Application Number:
  US14/268,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20150319305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.06, 379/265.07, 379/265.08
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• 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 3/5133 Operator terminal details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

Agents of a contact center often encounter conversational delays when speaking with a customer. These delays may be introduced by transmission delays, which include the distance between the agent and the customer, and processing delays, such as those introduced by systems and processes within a contact center. By providing an agent with information based on the amount of the delay, the agent can be prompted to overtalk the customer by a target amount. As a result, the customer may experience a more natural conversation with the agent. Furthermore, if a customer prefers more or less of a delay, such as based on their cultural norms, the delay may be modified to account for those cultural norms and better accommodate the conversational preferences of a diverse customer base.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

measuring, by a processor, a transmission delay value of a communications system, the transmission delay value indicating the transmission delay of at least a voice portion of a conversation between communication devices of an agent and a customer;

measuring, by the processor, a processing delay value of the communications system, the processing delay value indicating the processing delay of at least a voice portion of the conversation;

calculating, by the processor, an overtalk amount as the sum of the transmission delay value and the processing delay value; and

providing, by the processor, in response to a signal from the processor, an indicator of the overtalk amount to at least one of the agent or a call analytics engine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the overtalk amount further comprises adding to the overtalk amount a third delay value, the third delay value indicating a cultural norm for conversational delay.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inserting, by the processor, a simulated delay of the overtalk amount into the agent'"'"'s portion of the conversation; and

providing, by the processor, in response to a signal from the processor, a recording of the conversation, with the simulated delay, to a call analyzer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the call analyzer is a recording device.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

recording, by the processor, in response to a signal from the processor, the conversation from a perspective substantially equivalent to the agent'"'"'s perspective; and

wherein inserting the simulated delay and providing the recording are performed during playback of the recording.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the transmission delay value further comprises transmitting at least one of a ping or a traceroute and determining the measured transmission delay by using the at least one of the ping or the traceroute.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the overtalk amount further comprises calculating the overtalk amount in accord with a spoken indicator associated with the overtalk amount being too much or too little.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the overtalk amount further comprises calculating the overtalk amount in accord with a delay associated with a prior call.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the overtalk amount, further comprises, calculating the overtalk amount to include an estimated transmission delay.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the overtalk amount, further comprises, calculating the overtalk amount to include an estimated number of transmission components and the delay associated therewith.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the overtalk amount, further comprises, calculating the overtalk amount to include a geographic distance between the agent and the customer.

6. A communication system, comprising:

a processor;

an agent device;

an agent display;

a network interface operable to facilitate communication between the agent device and a customer device; and

wherein the processor programmed to;

measure a transmission delay value of the communications system, the transmission delay value indicating the transmission delay of at least a voice portion of a conversation between communication devices of an agent and a customer;

measure a processing delay value of the communications system, the processing delay value indicating the processing delay of at least a voice portion of the conversation;

calculate an overtalk amount as the sum of the transmission delay value and the processing delay value; and

cause an indicator of the overtalk amount to be provided to at least one of the agent display for display thereon or a call analytics engine.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a database having stored therein a third delay value, the third delay value indicating a cultural norm for conversational delay; and

wherein the processor is further operable to calculate the overtalk amount by adding the third delay value thereto.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

insert a simulated delay of the overtalk amount into the agent'"'"'s portion of the conversation; and

provide a recording of the conversation, with the simulated delay, to a call analyzer.

9. The system of claim 8,

wherein the processor is operable to provide the recording to a recording device.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein:

a recording device records the conversation from a perspective substantially equivalent to that of the agent device; and

wherein the processor is further operable to insert the simulated delay into the recorded conversation and provide the recorded conversation during playback.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium with instructions thereon that when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

measure a transmission delay value of a communications system, the transmission delay value indicating the transmission delay of at least a voice portion of a conversation between communication devices of an agent and a customer;

measure a processing delay value of the communications system, the processing delay value indicating the processing delay of at least a voice portion of the conversation;

calculate an overtalk amount as the sum of the transmission delay value and the processing delay value; and

provide an indicator of the overtalk amount to at least one of the agent or a call analytics engine.

12. The non-transitory medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions to calculate the overtalk amount further comprises instructions that when executed causes the processor to add to the overtalk amount a third delay value, the third delay value indicating a cultural norm for conversational delay.

13. The non-transitory medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that when executed causes the processor to:

insert a simulated delay of the overtalk amount into the agent'"'"'s portion of the conversation; and

provide a recording the conversation, with the simulated delay, to a call analyzer.

14. The non-transitory medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that when executed causes the processor to:

record the conversation from a perspective substantially equivalent to the agent'"'"'s perspective; and

wherein the instructions to insert the simulated delay and providing the recording are performed during the execution of the instructions to perform the playback of the recording.