Method and apparatus for multiple agent commitment tracking and notification

• US 20030195894A1
• Filed: 04/28/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James Karl Powers
• Original Assignee: James Karl Powers
• Inventors: Powers, James Karl
• Granted Patent: US 7,076,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/42 Graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A system for tracking client contacts for a host organization utilizes a multimedia database and a user interface at a connected computer device. The database stores client communications as full content, and relates contacts by issue, and the user interface displays client contact communications as objects, such as icons, in issue related chronological strings. In a preferred embodiment the interface also provides an input facility for a host agent to select appropriate responses to client communications, to make commitments for response, to assign responsibility for commitments, and to notify personnel effected by entered commitments in various ways, such as reminders. Other notifications include fulfilled and unfulfilled commitments.

Claims

1. In a networked communication system, a method for recording and tracking client contacts on behalf of a host organization, comprising steps of:

(a) storing the full content of communications to and from clients as entities in a multimedia database;

(b) relating entities in the database by issue; and

(c) displaying an object-oriented interface on a video display of the PC workstation, the interface characterized in that database entities may be recalled and displayed as objects in issue-related chronological strings.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein full content of an entity displayed as an object may be reviewed through selecting the entity object in the display.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein entities include one or more of scanned documents displayable as text, e-mailed documents displayable as text, facsimile documents displayable as text, and recorded conversations reviewable as replayed audio from a digitally-stored entity.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step (d) for initiating a response to a communication by a client by selecting an object in a response window in the interface, selectable objects including at least e-mail, voice message, facsimile, and a letter document.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein step (d) further comprises recording a commitment related to the response selected, the commitment including identity of one or more persons assigned to fulfilling the commitment and a due time assignment for the commitment.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein in step (d) the multimedia database is adapted to record a commitment made and to notify one or more persons associated with the commitment before the commitment due time.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising a step (e) for notifying one or more persons when the commitment is met and closed.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein step (e) further comprises notifying one or more persons by the multimedia database when a commitment made and recorded is not met and closed.

9. A system for recording and tracking client contacts on behalf of a host organization, comprising:

a multimedia database adapted for storing the full content of communications to and from clients as database entities, the entities related in the database by issue; and

an object-oriented interface on a video display of a PC workstation coupled to the multimedia database, the interface characterized in that database entities may be recalled and displayed as objects in issue-related chronological strings.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein full content of an entity displayed as an object may be reviewed through selecting the entity object in the display.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein entities include one or more of scanned documents displayable as text, e-mailed documents displayable as text, facsimile documents displayable as text, and recorded conversations reviewable as replayed audio from a digitally-stored entity.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the interface further comprises a response window having selectable objects representing response choices, wherein a user may select an object to initiate a response to a client communication.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein response choices include at least e-mail, voice message, facsimile, and letter documents.

14. The system of claim 12 further comprising a commitment function associated with the response window, wherein a user may enter a commitment related to the response selected, the commitment including identity of one or more persons assigned to fulfilling the commitment and a due time assignment for the commitment.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein a commitment made associated with a response is recorded in the database, and the database notifies one or more persons associated with the commitment before the commitment due time.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the database notifies one or more persons including the person making the commitment, when the commitment is met and closed.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the database notifies one or more persons if the commitment is not met and closed.

18. A multimedia call center, comprising:

a plurality of agent stations, individual ones having a multimedia-capable personal computer with a video display unit (PC/VDU), and adapted for data network telephony (DNT);

a local area network (LAN) connecting agent stations in the call center and connecting agent stations to one or more communication networks; and

a multimedia database connected on the LAN;

wherein the database is adapted to store the full content of communications to and from clients as database entities, the entities related in the database by issue, and to display at individual PC/VDUs an object-oriented interface, the interface characterized in that database entities may be recalled and displayed as objects in issue-related chronological strings

19. The call center of claim 18 wherein full content of an entity displayed as an object may be reviewed through selecting the entity object in the display.

20. The call center of claim 19 wherein entities include one or more of scanned documents displayable as text, e-mailed documents displayable as text, facsimile documents displayable as text, and recorded conversations reviewable as replayed audio from a digitally-stored entity.

21. The call center of claim 19 wherein the interface further comprises a response window having selectable objects representing response choices, wherein a user may select an object to initiate a response to a client communication.

22. The call center of claim 21 wherein response choices include at least email, voice message, facsimile, and letter documents.

23. The call center of claim 21 further comprising a commitment function associated with the response window, wherein a user may enter a commitment related to the response selected, the commitment including identity of one or more persons assigned to fulfilling the commitment and a due time assignment for the commitment.

24. The call center of claim 23 wherein a commitment made associated with a response is recorded in the database, and the database notifies one or more persons associated with the commitment before the commitment due time.

25. The call center of claim 24 wherein the database notifies one or more persons including the person making the commitment, when the commitment is met and closed.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the database notifies one or more persons if the commitment is not met and closed.