Securely and efficiently transferring sensitive information via a telephone

• US 9,706,051 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2016
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teleperformance SE
• Original Assignee: Service 800 Teleperformance SA (Teleperformance International)
• Inventors: Truitt, Alan, Mudaliar, Dev
• Primary Examiner(s): Airapetian, Mila
• Application Number:
  US15/014,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20160156781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2641, 455408, 37914207
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/305 using wired telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1058 Shopping and product ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6045 Identity confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6081 Service authorization mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• 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 3/5166 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 3/527 Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention

Abstract

An apparatus includes a communications module that establishes a telephonic connection between a customer service representative of a company and a customer through an electronic device. An identification module receives an identifier that alerts the customer service representative and/or a computer system of the company that the customer has a customer profile that includes information to identify the customer. The identifier is received in conjunction with the telephonic connection. The customer profile is stored previous to the telephonic connection. An ID request module sends a request to the customer to provide identifying information via the electronic device of the customer. The identifying information is input to the electronic device by the customer using an electronic, non-verbal technique. An ID confirmation module receives an identification confirmation in response to the identifying information input by the customer matching the information to identify the customer in the customer profile.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a communications module that establishes a telephonic connection between a customer service representative of a company and a customer through an electronic device of the customer;

an identification module that receives an identifier, the identifier alerting one or more of the customer service representative and a computer system of the company that the customer has a customer profile stored electronically, the customer profile comprising information to identify the customer, the identifier received in conjunction with the telephonic connection, the customer profile stored previous to the telephonic connection, the identifier comprising an electronic data signal;

an ID request module that sends a request to the customer to provide identifying information via the electronic device of the customer, wherein the identifying information is input to the electronic device by the customer using an electronic, non-verbal technique;

an ID confirmation module that receives an identification confirmation in response to the identifying information input by the customer matching the information to identify the customer in the customer profile, the identity of the customer being confirmed electronically while masking at least a portion of the identifying information input by the customer through the electronic device from the customer service representative, wherein the portion of the identifying information masked from the customer service representative comprises sensitive information; and

a notification module that sends a message to the customer service representative indicating that the ID confirmation module received the identification confirmation, the message free from sensitive information associated with the customer,

wherein at least a portion of said modules comprise one or more of hardware and executable code, the executable code stored on one or more non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage media.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a profile permission module that receives electronic access to the customer profile, the customer profile comprising personal information of the customer, the customer profile stored electronically in a computer system external to a computer system available to the company and to the customer service representative, wherein the profile permission module receives electronic access to the customer profile after the ID confirmation module receives the identification confirmation; and

a profile access module that accesses the customer profile to transmit information from the customer profile to the computer system of the company over a computer network, wherein the transmitted information of the customer profile is unavailable for viewing by the customer service representative.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communications module establishes a data connection, in conjunction with the telephonic connection, between the company and the customer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identifying information stored in the customer profile comprises one or more of a password and biometric information and wherein the identifying information input by the customer is input through the electronic device using one or more of a camera of the electronic device, a biometric reader of the electronic device, and a keyboard of the electronic device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the customer profile is stored via a server separate from the electronic device of the customer and the computer system of the company and wherein the server sends the identification confirmation received by the ID confirmation module.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ID request module sends the request to the customer to provide the identifying information by one or more of:

sending an electronic message to the electronic device; and

transmitting a voice prompt of the customer service representative.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a registration module that receives and stores information in the customer profile of the customer, the registration module receiving and storing the information in the customer profile in a transaction unrelated to the telephonic connection.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the customer profile of the customer comprises one or more of a shipping address, a residential address, a business address, a phone number, a fax number, an email address, a birth date, a social security number, healthcare information, a finger print, a retina scan, a password, a user name, a preference, family information, security question information and financial information of the customer.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an ID comparison module that compares the identifying information input by the customer with the information to identify the customer in the customer profile in an electronic process masked from the customer service representative; and

an ID confirmation transmit module that transmits an identification confirmation to the computer system of the company in response to the identifying information input by the customer matching the information to identify the customer in the customer profile in an electronic process masked from the customer service representative.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein comparing the identifying information input by the customer with the information to identify the customer in the customer profile and generating an identification confirmation in response to the identifying information input by the customer matching the information to identify the customer in the customer profile comprise an electronic process masked from the customer service representative.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a communications module that establishes a telephonic connection between a customer service representative of a company and a customer through an electronic device of the customer;

an identification module that receives an identifier, the identifier alerting one or more of the customer service representative and a computer system of the company that the customer has a customer profile stored electronically, the identifier received in conjunction with the telephonic connection, the customer profile stored previous to the telephonic connection, the identifier comprising an electronic data signal;

a profile permission module that receives electronic access to the customer profile, the customer profile comprising personal information of the customer, the customer profile stored electronically in a computer system external to a computer system available to the company and to the customer service representative;

a profile access module that accesses the customer profile to transmit information from the customer profile to the computer system of the company over a network, wherein at least a portion of the transmitted information of the customer profile is masked from the customer service representative, the portion of the transmitted information masked from the customer service representative comprising sensitive information; and

a notification module that sends a message to the customer service representative indicating that the profile access module has received the information from the customer profile, the message free from sensitive information associated with the customer,

wherein at least a portion of said modules comprise one or more of hardware and executable code, the executable code stored on one or more non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage media.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the customer profile comprising information to identify the customer and further comprising:

an ID request module that sends a request to the customer to provide identifying information via the electronic device of the customer, wherein the identifying information is input to the electronic device by the customer using an electronic, non-verbal technique; and

an ID confirmation module that receives an identification confirmation in response to the identifying information input by the customer matching the information to identify the customer in the customer profile,

wherein the profile permission module receives electronic access to the customer profile after the ID confirmation module receives the identification confirmation.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the customer service representative establishes the telephonic connection and receives the identifier through a display interface of a customer service application running on a computer accessible to the customer service representative and wherein the application receives electronic access to the customer profile and accesses the customer profile to transmit information from the customer profile, wherein the application utilizes the information from the customer profile without displaying the information from the customer profile to the customer service representative.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the profile access module further comprises a limit module that limits information transmitted from the customer profile to information relevant to business interactions between the customer and the company and that excludes transmitting of information in the customer profile that is not relevant to business interactions between the customer and the company.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein information from the customer profile is received in response to an action by the customer, the action approving transmitting information from the customer profile to the computer system of the company.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a communications module that establishes a data connection, in conjunction with the telephonic connection, between the company and the customer.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a registration module that receives and stores information in the customer profile of the customer, the registration module receiving and storing the information in the customer profile in a transaction unrelated to the telephonic connection.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein information passed among the company, the customer, and third-parties comprises one or more tokens, wherein one or more of the identifier and the information from the customer profile are transmitted using one or more tokens.

17. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the customer profile of the customer comprises one or more of a shipping address, a residential address, a business address, a phone number, a fax number, an email address, a birth date, a social security number, healthcare information, a finger print, a retina scan, a password, a user name, a preference, family information, security question information and financial information of the customer.

18. A method comprising:

establishing a telephonic connection between a customer service representative of a company and a customer through an electronic device of the customer;

receiving an identifier, the identifier alerting one or more of the customer service representative and a computer system of the company that the customer has a customer profile stored electronically, the customer profile comprising information to identify the customer, the identifier received in conjunction with the telephonic connection, the customer profile stored previous to the telephonic connection, the identifier comprising an electronic data signal;

sending a request to the customer to provide identifying information via the electronic device of the customer, wherein the identifying information is input to the electronic device by the customer using an electronic, non-verbal technique;

receiving an identification confirmation in response to the identifying information input by the customer matching the information to identify the customer in the customer profile, the identity of the customer being confirmed electronically while masking at least a portion of the identifying information from the customer service representative, wherein the portion of the identifying information masked from the customer service representative comprises sensitive information; and

sending a message to the customer service representative indicating that the identification confirmation has been received, the message free from sensitive information associated with the customer.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving electronic access to the customer profile, the customer profile comprising personal information of the customer, the customer profile stored electronically in a computer system external to a computer system available to the company and to the customer service representative, wherein receiving electronic access to the customer profile is in response to receiving the identification confirmation; and

accessing the customer profile to transmit information from the customer profile to the computer system of the company over a network, wherein the transmitted information of the customer profile is unavailable for viewing by the customer service representative.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the identifying information stored in the customer profile comprises one or more of a password and biometric information and wherein the identifying information input by the customer is input through the electronic device using one or more of a camera of the electronic device, a biometric reader of the electronic device, and a keyboard of the electronic device.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving and storing information in the customer profile of the customer, wherein receiving and storing the information in the customer profile comprises in a transaction unrelated to the telephonic connection.

28. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

comparing the identifying information input by the customer with the information to identify the customer in the customer profile in an electronic process masked from the customer service representative; and

transmitting an identification confirmation to the computer system of the company in response to the identifying information input by the customer matching the information to identify the customer in the customer profile in an electronic process masked from the customer service representative.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein comparing the identifying information input by the customer with the information to identify the customer in the customer profile and generating an identification confirmation in response to the identifying information input by the customer matching the information to identify the customer in the customer profile comprise an electronic process masked from the customer service representative.

22. A method comprising:

establishing a telephonic connection between a customer service representative of a company and a customer through an electronic device of the customer;

receiving an identifier, the identifier alerting one or more of the customer service representative and a computer system of the company that the customer has a customer profile stored electronically, the identifier received in conjunction with the telephonic connection, the customer profile stored previous to the telephonic connection, the identifier comprising an electronic data signal;

receiving electronic access to the customer profile, the customer profile comprising personal information of the customer, the customer profile stored electronically in a computer system external to a computer system available to the company and to the customer service representative;

accessing the customer profile to transmit information from the customer profile to the computer system of the company over a network, wherein at least a portion of the transmitted information of the customer profile is masked from the customer service representative, the portion of the transmitted information masked from the customer service representative comprising sensitive information; and

sending a message to the customer service representative indicating that the information from the customer profile has been received, the message free from sensitive information associated with the customer.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the customer profile comprising information to identify the customer and further comprising:

sending a request to the customer to provide identifying information via the electronic device of the customer, wherein the identifying information is input to the electronic device by the customer using an electronic, non-verbal technique; and

receiving an identification confirmation in response to the identifying information input by the customer matching the information to identify the customer in the customer profile, wherein receiving electronic access to the customer profile is in response to receiving the identification confirmation.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the customer service representative establishes the telephonic connection and receives the identifier through a display interface of a customer service application running on a computer accessible to the customer service representative and wherein the application receives electronic access to the customer profile and accesses the customer profile to transmit information from the customer profile, wherein the application utilizes the information from the customer profile without displaying the information from the customer profile to the customer service representative.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising limiting information transmitted from the customer profile to information relevant to business interactions between the customer and the company and excluding transmitting of information in the customer profile that is not relevant to business interactions between the customer and the company.