Customer service call processing and support agent access application

• US 9,479,644 B1
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Open Invention Network LLC
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Varman, Mahendra, Webster, Craig A., Fisher, Jil M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S
• Application Number:
  US14/139,010
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.02, 379/213.01, 379/218.01, 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.09, 37926511-26513, 455/414.1
• 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 recording a computer conference H04L12/1831
• 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 a mobile device and identifying the call as a customer service support inquiry. The method may further provide intercepting the call and redirecting the call to an interactive voice response proxy device responsive to identifying the call as a customer service support inquiry, accessing a database responsive to receiving the call and retrieving a data record that was created when the call was initiated. The data record may include a mobile device identifier of the mobile device and a present inquiry identifier of a type of customer support inquiry associated with the call and the method may also include identifying the customer inquiry and a customer profile stored on the data record, and determining a location to route the call based on at least one of the customer inquiry and the customer profile information on the data record.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a call from a mobile device;

identifying the call as a customer service support inquiry;

intercepting the call and redirecting the call to an interactive voice response proxy device responsive to identifying the call as a customer service support inquiry;

accessing a database responsive to receiving the call and retrieving a data record that was created when the call was initiated, the data record comprising a mobile device identifier of the mobile device and a present inquiry identifier of a type of customer support inquiry associated with the call;

identifying the customer inquiry and a customer profile stored on the data record;

determining a location to route the call based on at least one of the customer inquiry and the customer profile information on the data record;

determining whether the customer has agent access privileges; and

if so, routing the call to at least one of an interactive voice response menu and an agent call device associated with a live agent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein routing the call comprises operating an outdialer calling function of the interactive voice response proxy device to keep the agent'"'"'s telephone number from being accessible to the mobile device during the call.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent call device associated with the live agent is a mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forwarding the call request to an outdialer call proxy server and dialing the agent'"'"'s phone number from the outdialer call proxy; and

connecting the live call between the mobile device and the agent call device via the outdialer call proxy server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein routing the call to at least one of an interactive voice response menu and the agent call device associated with the live agent further comprises routing the call to a live agent queue that automatically dials the agent call device when the agent is available.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the application operating on the mobile device is executed and a phone call option to dial a customer service support agent via the application is selected prior to the call being received from the mobile device;

and

creating the data record in a database comprising the mobile device identifier of the mobile device and the present inquiry identifier of the type of customer support inquiry associated with the call responsive to executing the call from the mobile device.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a call from a mobile device; and

a processor configured to

identify the call as a customer service support inquiry,

intercept the call and redirect the call to an interactive voice response proxy device responsive to identifying the call as a customer service support inquiry,

access a database responsive to the call being received and retrieve a data record that was created when the call was initiated, the data record comprising a mobile device identifier of the mobile device and a present inquiry identifier of a type of customer support inquiry associated with the call,

identify the customer inquiry and a customer profile stored on the data record;

determine a location to route the call based on at least one of the customer inquiry and the customer profile information on the data record;

determine whether the customer has agent access privileges, and if so, route the call to at least one of an interactive voice response menu and an agent call device associated with a live agent.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the call is routed by an outdialer call function of the interactive voice response proxy device to keep the agent'"'"'s telephone number from being accessible to the mobile device during the call.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the agent call device associated with the live agent is a mobile device.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the call request to an outdialer call proxy server, dial the agent'"'"'s phone number from the outdialer call proxy, and connect the live call between the mobile device and the agent call device via the outdialer call proxy server.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the call is routed to at least one of an interactive voice response menu and the agent call device associated with the live agent by using a live agent queue to store the call and which automatically dials the agent call device when the agent is available.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the application operating on the mobile device is executed and a phone call option to dial a customer service support agent via the application is selected prior to the call being received from the mobile device, and wherein the processor is further configured to create the data record in a database comprising the mobile device identifier of the mobile device and the present inquiry identifier of the type of customer support inquiry associated with the call responsive to the call being executed from the mobile device.

13. 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;

identifying the call as a customer service support inquiry;

intercepting the call and redirecting the call to an interactive voice response proxy device responsive to identifying the call as a customer service support inquiry;

accessing a database responsive to receiving the call and retrieving a data record that was created when the call was initiated, the data record comprising a mobile device identifier of the mobile device and a present inquiry identifier of a type of customer support inquiry associated with the call;

identifying the customer inquiry and a customer profile stored on the data record;

determining a location to route the call based on at least one of the customer inquiry and the customer profile information on the data record;

determining whether the customer has agent access privileges; and

if so, routing the call to at least one of an interactive voice response menu and an agent call device associated with a live agent.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein routing the call comprises operating an outdialer calling function of the interactive voice response proxy device to keep the agent'"'"'s telephone number from being accessible to the mobile device during the call.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the agent call device associated with the live agent is a mobile device.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

forwarding the call request to an outdialer call proxy server and dialing the agent'"'"'s phone number from the outdialer call proxy; and

connecting the live call between the mobile device and the agent call device via the outdialer call proxy server.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein routing the call to at least one of an interactive voice response menu and the agent call device associated with the live agent further comprises routing the call to a live agent queue that automatically dials the agent call device when the agent is available.