System, method, and computer program product for contact center management

• US 9,866,690 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2014
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Balancebpo Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BalanceCXI, Inc.
• Inventors: Pearce, Daniel L., Lavin, Timothy Nelson
• Primary Examiner(s): Laekemariam, Yosef K
• Application Number:
  US14/487,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20140376707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 379 8801, 379 8808, 379 8809, 37911201, 37926502, 37926503, 370252, 370253, 370232, 370244, 370351, 370352
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/01 Customer relationship services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• 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 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product for customer contact management via voice, chat, e-mail and social network contacts includes a balanced service process (BSP) that includes a plurality of cause or response codes for maximizing first contact resolution (FCR) and CSAT. The BSP is incorporated within a contact center (single center, multiple centers and/or work at home), which receives voice calls, SMS messages, email, chat, or social media communications from customers. The BSP in real-time determines dispositions of such contacts, monitors and manages the performance of individual resolvers.

Claims

1. A system for customer contact management, comprising:

a contact center including an internet connection, automatic call distributor (ACO) means, computer/telephony integration means, interactive voice response means, and a database, and a plurality of resolvers, wherein said contact center is coupled to receive customer contacts from a network via a router/gateway and present each of the customer contacts to one or more of said plurality of resolvers;

a balanced service process, comprising;

an agent survey for determining and managing real-time, intraday, and historical resolver disposition of contact (RDP);

a customer survey for determining and managing real-time, intraday, and historical customer disposition of contact (CDP);

a processor for determining first contact resolution (FCR) rates, statistics and customer satisfaction (C SAT) from the results of said agent survey and said customer survey;

means for dynamically reporting issues driving contact volume, said issues including said real-time, intraday, and historical RDP, CDP, FCR and CSAT, and exception rates;

means for determining every contact that was not resolved;

means for assigning a plurality of cause codes each of which is indicative of an outcome of said agent survey and said customer survey for each of the contacts; and

a closed loop channel to define, report and correct actions and trending issues that impede FCR and CSAT, based on said dynamically reported issues driving contact volume.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said resolver is prompted with said agent survey upon completion of each said contact.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said resolver is prompted during said agent survey to answer whether the issue causing each said contact was resolved or not.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein said resolver is prompted during said agent survey to answer whether the customer for each said contact was satisfied or not.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said customer is prompted with said customer survey upon completion of each said contact.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said customer is prompted during said customer survey to answer whether the issue causing each said contact was resolved or not.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein said customer is prompted during said customer survey to answer whether the customer for each said contact was satisfied or not.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said cause codes are generated after said resolver completes said agent survey and after said customer either completes said customer survey, or has had the opportunity to complete said customer survey but did not.

9. The system according to claim 1, said cause codes are prioritized.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said cause codes are indicative of one or more of congruency between agent-customer survey responses, the survey question responded to and, whether or not the call was a repeat for the same concern.

11. The system according to claim 9, further comprising means for assigning a milestone to said cause codes.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said contacts comprise one or more of voice calls, SMS messages, e-mails, chat and social media contacts.

13. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a plurality of customer contacts in a contact center which includes an internet connection, automatic call distributor means, computer/telephony integration means, interactive voice response means, a database, and a plurality of resolvers;

presenting each said contact to one or more of said plurality of resolvers;

determining a cause of each said contact;

assigning a cause code to each said contact;

prioritizing said cause codes;

determining first contact resolution (FCR) and customer satisfaction (CSAT) rates for each said contact, including;

initiating a resolver issue resolution and CSAT survey immediately upon completion of each said contact;

initiating an issue resolution and CSAT survey with said customer using interactive voice response means, e-mail, SMS or chat;

prioritizing said cause codes based on one or more of congruency between agent-customer survey responses, the survey question responded to and, whether or not the call was a repeat for the same concern; and

storing the results of said surveys in said database;

providing a closed loop channel to define trending issues that impede FCR and C SAT; and

dynamically reporting said trending issues that impede FCR and CSAT.

14. The computer-implemented method according to claim 13, further comprising:

storing said FCR and CSAT data and rates in said database; and

determining which ones of said contacts that were not resolved.

15. The computer-implemented method according to claim 13, further comprising dynamically reporting issues driving a contact volume.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, in a machine-readable storage device, storing a computer program product, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, cause a balanced service processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a plurality of customer contacts in a contact center which includes an internet connection, automatic call distributor means, computer/telephony integration means, interactive voice response means, a database, and a plurality of resolvers;

routing each said contact to one or more of said plurality of resolvers;

assigning a cause code to each said contact;

prioritizing said cause codes;

determining true first contact resolution (FCR) and customer satisfaction (C SAT) rates for each said contact using said prioritized cause codes, including;

initiating a resolver issue resolution and CSAT survey immediately upon completion of each said contact;

initiating an issue resolution and CSAT survey with said customer using interactive voice response means, e-mail, SMS or chat;

prioritizing said cause codes based on one or more of congruency between agent-customer survey responses, the survey question responded to and, whether or not the call was a repeat for the same concern; and

storing the results of said surveys in said database;

providing a closed loop channel to define trending issues that impede FCR and C SAT; and

dynamically reporting said trending issues that impede FCR and CSAT.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the balanced service processor to perform operations for storing said FCR and CSAT rates in said database.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the balanced service processor to perform operations for determining which ones of said contacts that were not resolved.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the balanced service processor to perform operations for:

initiating a resolver issue resolution and CSAT survey immediately upon completion of each said contact;

initiating an issue resolution and CSAT survey with said customer using interactive voice response means, e-mail, SMS or chat;

prioritizing said cause codes based on one or more of congruency between agent customer survey responses, the survey question responded to and, whether or not the call was a repeat for the same concern; and

storing the results of said surveys in said database.

20. A system for customer contact management, comprising:

a customer contact environment comprising a database and a plurality of resolvers, wherein said contact environment is coupled to receive customer contacts from a network and present each of the customer contacts to one or more of said plurality of resolvers;

a balanced service process, comprising;

an agent survey for determining and managing real-time, intraday, and historical resolver disposition of contact (RDP) and agents'"'"' belief about customers'"'"' view on contact resolution and customer satisfaction;

a customer survey for determining and managing real-time, intraday, and historical customer input/view on disposition of contact (CDP);

wherein said process for aligning the resolver and the customer on each contact comprises one or more of the following;

a data generator for determining first contact resolution (FCR) rates and customer satisfaction (C SAT) from the results of said agent survey and said customer survey, wherein said results are stored in said database;

a processor within said database for dynamically reporting issues driving contact volume;

a processor within said database for determining every contact that was not resolved;

a processor within said database for assigning a plurality of cause codes each of which is indicative of an outcome of said agent survey and said customer survey for each of the contacts; and

a closed loop channel within said database to define, report and correct actions and trending issues that impede FCR and CSAT.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said issues driving contact volume comprise said real-time, intraday, and historical RDP, CDP, FCR, and CSAT, and exception rates.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein said trending issues that impede FCR and CSAT are based on said dynamically reported issues driving contact volume.

23. The system according to claim 20, wherein said resolver is prompted with said agent survey upon completion of each said contact.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein said resolver is prompted during said agent survey to answer whether the customer believes the issue causing each said contact was resolved or not.

25. The system according to claim 23, wherein said resolver is prompted during said agent survey to answer whether the customer for each said contact was satisfied or not.

26. The system according to claim 20, wherein said customer is prompted with said customer survey upon completion of each said contact.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein said customer is prompted during said customer survey to answer whether the issue causing each said contact was resolved or not.

28. The system according to claim 26, wherein said customer is prompted during said customer survey to answer whether the customer for each said contact was satisfied or not.

29. The system according to claim 20, wherein said cause codes are generated after said resolver completes said agent survey and after said customer either completes said customer survey, or has had the opportunity to complete said customer survey but did not.

30. The system according to claim 20, wherein said cause codes are prioritized.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein said cause codes are indicative of one or more of congruency between agent-customer survey responses, the survey question responded to and, whether or not the call was a repeat for the same concern.

32. The system according to claim 30, further comprising means for assigning a milestone to said cause codes.

33. The system according to claim 20, wherein said contacts comprise one or more of voice calls, SMS messages, e-mails, chat, social media contacts and discussions.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein said chat comprises live chat.

35. The system according to claim 34, wherein said live chat comprises live chat online.

36. The system according to claim 34, wherein said live chat comprises face-to-face customer contacts with one or more of said plurality of resolvers.

38. The computer-implemented method according to claim 34, wherein each said contact is presented to a plurality of resolvers.

39. The computer-implemented method according to claim 34, further comprising:

storing said FCR and CSAT data and rates in said database; and

determining which ones of said contacts that were not resolved.

40. The computer-implemented method according to claim 34, further comprising dynamically reporting issues driving a contact volume.

41. The computer-implemented method according to claim 34, further comprising:

initiating a resolver issue resolution and CSAT survey immediately upon completion of each said contact;

initiating an issue resolution and CSAT survey with said customer using interactive voice response means, e-mail, SMS or chat;

prioritizing said cause codes based on one or more of congruency between agent-customer survey responses, the survey question responded to and, whether or not the call was a repeat for the same concern; and

storing the results of said surveys in said database.

37. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a plurality of customer contacts in a contact center comprising a database and a plurality of resolvers;

presenting each said contact to one of said plurality of resolvers;

determining a cause of each said contact;

assigning a cause code to each said contact;

prioritizing said cause codes;

determining first contact resolution (FCR) and customer satisfaction (CSAT) rates for each said contact;

providing a closed loop channel to define trending issues that impede FCR and CSAT; and

dynamically reporting said trending issues that impede FCR and CSAT.