System and method for routing a communication utilizing scoring

• US 9,479,641 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2013
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Interactive Intelligence Group Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mullen, Nathan L., Wyss, Felix Immanuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahee, Md S
• Application Number:
  US14/043,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20150092930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 379 8801- 8804, 379/88.19, 379/88.21, 37926501-2661, 379/67.1, 379/88.08, 379/88.22, 370/259
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2038 Call context notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms

Abstract

A system and method are presented for routing a communication through monitoring one or more of words and voice characteristics of a communicant during an interaction. A communication may be handled based on a score. A score may be calculated based on several factors that are analyzed during an interaction, such as, amplitude, word usage, call metrics, etc. Previous interactions of communicants may also be factored into a score. Such handling may include specialized routing of the communication to a designated handler, for example. A communication may be continually evaluated during its occurrence and said evaluation data stored for future use.

Claims

1. A method for routing a communication in a contact center, wherein said contact center comprises at least an interactive voice response system, the method comprising the steps of:

a. monitoring, in real-time, words and voice characteristics of a communicant during an interaction with the interactive voice response system;

b. determining a score for the communicant based on said monitoring;

c. determining if a previous score exists in a database for said communicant, wherein said database comprises scores from previous and current interactions of the contact center, for said communicant;

d. analyzing at least one of;

a score and a previous score;

e. routing a communicant to an agent, wherein said agent has a skillset which enables the agent to handle said communicant based at least on the analyzing of step (d);

f. continuing to evaluate, in real-time, communicant'"'"'s score during said interaction; and

,

g. storing evaluation data in the database for future use.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of step (b) further comprises examining one or more of the following factors:

voice amplitude, customer talking over agent, rude word usage, polite word usage, hold time length, temperament, and disposition.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the previous score comprises stored scores from previous interactions linked to a communicant.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said previous score is calculated from an average of scores from all interactions for said communicant.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said previous score is calculated from an average of some number of previous interactions for said communicant.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring of words in step (a) is performed with keyword spotting.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing of step (e) is based on at least one of the following agent criteria:

experience, skill level, personality, score, and stress reduction.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (f) further comprises the step of calculating a difference between scores of current interactions and previous interactions.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of sending a notification if the communicant'"'"'s score differs significantly from previous interactions.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of evaluating an agent'"'"'s score based on communications with communicants.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprises the step of evaluating an agent'"'"'s personality by determining a statistical correlation between agent personality and communication handling success.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of using said evaluation to monitor agents work and status and providing real-time feedback.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of using said evaluation to determine future routing of communications.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein a score trends negative for adverse behavior.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein a score trends positive for good behavior.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) further comprises distributing communications with negative trending scores across available agents.

17. A system for routing a communication in a contact center comprising:

a. a database capable of storing scores from previous and current interactions, wherein scores are determined by monitoring, in real-time, words and voice characteristics of a communicant during interactions with an interactive voice response system of said contact center;

b. a voice analyzer, wherein said voice analyzer comprises an interactive voice response system, and said analyzer is operatively coupled to the database;

c. a communication router routing a communication to an appropriate agent based on at least one of communicant scores and previous agent scores, wherein said communication router is operatively coupled to the database and the voice analyzer; and

,

d. a display displaying scores and alerts received from at least one of;

the voice analyzer and the communication router.

18. A method for routing a communication in a contact center, wherein said contact center comprises at least an interactive voice response system, the method comprising the steps of:

a. monitoring, in real-time, words and voice characteristics of a communicant during an interaction with the interactive voice response system;

b. determining a score for the communicant based on temperament and disposition of said communicant;

c. determining if a score exists for said communicant based on previous interactions;

d. analyzing at least one of;

a score based on temperament and disposition and a score based on previous interactions;

e. routing a communicant to an agent able to handle said communicant based at least on the analyzing step (d);

f. continuing to evaluate communicant'"'"'s score during the interaction; and

,

g. storing further evaluation data for future use.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said score based on previous interactions is calculated from an average of some number of previous interactions.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the monitoring of words in step (a) is performed with keyword spotting.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the routing of step (e) is based on at least one of:

experience, skill level, personality, score, and stress reduction.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of sending a notification if the communicant'"'"'s score differs significantly from the scores of previous interactions.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of evaluating an agent'"'"'s score based on communications with communicants.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of evaluating an agent'"'"'s personality by determining a statistical correlation between agent personality and communication handling success.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of using said evaluation to monitor an agent'"'"'s work and status and providing real-time feedback.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of using said evaluation to determine future routing of communications.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein a score trends negative for adverse behavior.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein a score trends positive for good behavior.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein step (e) further comprises distributing communications with negative trending scores across available agents.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein step (f) further comprises evaluating scores in real time.