Customer service call processing and support agent access application

• US 9,420,103 B1
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Open Invention Network LLC
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Fisher, Jil M., Varman, Mahendra, Webster, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoque, Nafiz E
• Application Number:
  US14/138,936
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/417, 455/419, 455/425, 379/201.02, 379/201.04, 379/201.05, 379/218.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/146 Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/551 Call history
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5235 Dependent on call type or called number [DNIS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/527 Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Disclosed are a method and apparatus of receiving and processing customer support calls. The calls may be initiated from a mobile/wireless device via a call function or via a mobile device application. An example method of operation may provide receiving a call from the mobile device at a call processing server configured to route the call to an appropriate destination. The call processing server may perform identifying a purpose associated with the call and transmitting the call to the message redirect call processing module responsive to identifying the purpose of the call as a request for customer service support. Also, the server may also perform creating a redirect message instructing the mobile device to initiate a customer service support application that operates via a data network, and transmitting the redirect message to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a call from a mobile device at a call processing server configured to route the call to an appropriate destination, the call processing server comprising an interactive voice response (IVR) call processing module and a message redirect call processing module;

identifying a purpose associated with the call by identifying previously logged calls received from a telephone number associated with the mobile device and retrieving a user profile;

transmitting the call to the message redirect call processing module responsive to identifying the purpose of the call as a request for customer service support;

creating a redirect message instructing the mobile device to initiate a customer service support application that operates via a data network; and

transmitting the redirect message to the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the redirect message is a short message service (SMS) message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the SMS message comprises an application launch trigger that initiates the customer service support application.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

terminating the call prior to transmitting the redirect message to the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the purpose of the call is identified as being different from a request for customer service support, then transmitting the call to the IVR call processing module.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the purpose of the call is further determined based on a menu option selection performed on a mobile device application used to initiate dialing of the call.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the purpose associated with the call further comprises identifying the call as a request for customer service support, and wherein the method further comprises:

rejecting the call prior to transmitting the redirect message to the mobile device via the IVR processing module, and terminating the call responsive to identifying the call as a request for customer service support; and

transmitting a plurality of short message service (SMS) messages to the mobile device comprising customer service support functions and options prompting the user for a response.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a call from a mobile device and route the call to an appropriate destination, the receiver comprising an interactive voice response (IVR) call processing module and a message redirect call processing module;

a processor configured to identify a purpose associated with the call by identifying previously logged calls received from a telephone number associated with the mobile device and retrieving a user profile; and

a transmitter configured transmit the call to the message redirect call processing module responsive to identifying the purpose of the call as a request for customer service support, and wherein the processor is further configured to create a redirect message instructing the mobile device to initiate a customer service support application that operates via a data network, and wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the redirect message to the mobile device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the redirect message is a short message service (SMS) message.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the SMS message comprises an application launch trigger that initiates the customer service support application.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to terminate the call prior to the transmitter transmitting the redirect message to the mobile device.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein if the purpose of the call is identified as being different from a request for customer service support, then the transmitter is configured to transmit the call to the IVR call processing module.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the purpose of the call is further determined based on a menu option selection performed on a mobile device application used to initiate dialing of the call.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to

identify the purpose associated with the call by further identifying the call as a request for customer service support,

reject the call prior to the transmitter transmitting the redirect message to the mobile device via the IVR processing module, and

terminate the call responsive to identifying the call as a request for customer service support, and wherein the transmitter is also configured to transmit a plurality of short message service (SMS) messages to the mobile device comprising customer service support functions and options prompting the user for a response.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform:

receiving a call from a mobile device at a call processing server configured to route the call to an appropriate destination, the call processing server comprising an interactive voice response (IVR) call processing module and a message redirect call processing module;

identifying a purpose associated with the call by identifying previously logged calls received from a telephone number associated with the mobile device and retrieving a user profile;

transmitting the call to the message redirect call processing module responsive to identifying the purpose of the call as a request for customer service support;

creating a redirect message instructing the mobile device to initiate a customer service support application that operates via a data network; and

transmitting the redirect message to the mobile device.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform of claim 15, wherein the redirect message is a short message service (SMS) message that comprises an application launch trigger that initiates the customer service support application.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

terminating the call prior to transmitting the redirect message to the mobile device; and

if the purpose of the call is identified as being different from a request for customer service support, then transmitting the call to the IVR call processing module, and wherein the purpose of the call is further determined based on a menu option selection performed on a mobile device application used to initiate dialing of the call.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the identifying the purpose associated with the call further comprises identifying the call as a request for customer service support, and wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

rejecting the call prior to transmitting the redirect message to the mobile device via the IVR processing module, and terminating the call responsive to identifying the call as a request for customer service support; and

transmitting a plurality of short message service (SMS) messages to the mobile device comprising customer service support functions and options prompting the user for a response.