System and method for automating customer slamming and cramming complaints

• US 20030202643A1
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Published: 10/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Technology Resources, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Technology Resources, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bushey, Robert R., Knott, Benjamin A., Martin, John M., Joseph, Kurt M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,853,722 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends

Abstract

A method and system for automating customer slamming and cramming complaints includes an automated reporting system having one or more receiving devices and a complaint module. Customers who want to report a slam or cram access the automated reporting system and report the complaint without having to speak with a customer service representative. The complaint module obtains the customer telephone number and retrieves customer account information using the customer telephone number. Using the customer account information, the complaint module extrapolates a type of complaint for the customer complaint and prompts the customer for information regarding the customer complaint and the type of the complaint. The customer provides customer responses to the prompts and the complaint module provides an indication to the customer regarding each customer response. Once the customer complaint has been resolved, the complaint module stores information regarding the slam or cram for reporting requirements and tracking purposes.

Claims

1. A method for the automated reporting of customer slamming and cramming complaints, the method comprising:

obtaining a customer telephone number;

retrieving a plurality of customer account information using the customer telephone number;

examining the customer account information for recent activity;

extrapolating as to whether the customer complaint is for slamming or cramming based upon the customer account information;

prompting the customer for whether the customer complaint is for slamming or cramming based upon the customer account information;

prompting the customer for information regarding the customer complaint;

receiving one or more customer responses using a speech recognition interface;

confirming the information provided by the customer in the customer responses;

entering information regarding the customer complaint into a complaint interface;

updating one or more databases with information regarding the customer complaint;

tracking the customer slamming and cramming complaints;

tracking how frequently the customers complain of a plurality of companies and of a plurality of services;

storing information regarding the frequency of offense for particular companies and particular services; and

providing a statement of outcome to the customer regarding a resolution to the customer complaint.

2. A method for the automation of customer slamming and cramming complaints, the method comprising:

obtaining a customer telephone number;

retrieving a plurality of customer account information using the customer telephone number;

extrapolating a type of complaint for the customer complaint based upon the customer account information;

prompting the customer for information regarding the customer complaint and the type of the complaint based upon the customer account information;

receiving one or more customer responses;

providing an indication to the customer regarding each customer response; and

updating one or more databases with information regarding the customer complaint.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein obtaining a customer telephone number comprises prompting the customer to provide the customer telephone number.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein obtaining the customer telephone number comprises determining the customer telephone number without prompting the customer for the customer telephone number.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein determining the customer telephone number without prompting the customer for the customer telephone number comprises identifying the customer telephone number using identification means.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising confirming that the customer telephone number identified using the identification means is the customer telephone number for which the customer seeks to report a customer complaint.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein retrieving the customer account information comprises accessing one or more databases containing customer account information.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein prompting the customer for information regarding the customer complaint comprises altering the prompts based on recent activity in the customer account information.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein updating one or more databases with information regarding the customer complaint comprises storing information regarding the customer slamming and cramming complaints.

10. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

tracking the customer slamming and cramming complaints;

tracking how frequently the customers complain of a plurality of companies and of a plurality of services; and

storing information regarding the frequency of offense for particular companies and particular services.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising determining one or more probabilities as to the frequency of offense for the companies and services.

12. The method of claim 2 wherein receiving one or more customer responses comprises receiving customer responses using a speech recognition interface.

13. The method of claim 2 further comprising entering information regarding the customer complaint into a complaint interface.

14. The method of claim 2 wherein providing an indication to the customer comprises providing a statement of outcome regarding a resolution to the customer complaint.

15. The method of claim 2 further comprising providing the customer with an option to opt out of automatically reporting the customer complaint and to speak with a customer service representative.

16. The method of claim 2 wherein prompting the customer for information comprises asking the customer if the customer has a customer complaint regarding slamming or cramming.

17. The method of claim 2 further comprising comparing the information provided by the customer in the customer responses to information contained in the customer account information.

18. The method of claim 2 wherein retrieving customer account information comprises accessing one or more databases.

19. The method of claim 2 wherein extrapolating the type of complaint comprises determining whether the customer has a slamming complaint or a cramming complaint.

20. Software for the automation of customer slamming and cramming complaints, the software embodied in a computer-readable medium and operable to:

obtain a customer telephone number;

retrieve a plurality of customer account information using the customer telephone number;

extrapolate a type of complaint for the customer complaint based upon the customer account information;

prompt the customer for information regarding the customer complaint and the type of the complaint based upon the customer account information;

receive one or more customer responses;

provide an indication to the customer regarding each customer response; and

update one or more databases with information regarding the customer complaint.

21. The software of claim 20 wherein obtaining a customer telephone number comprises prompting the customer to provide the customer telephone number.

22. The software of claim 20 wherein obtaining the customer telephone number comprises identifying the customer telephone number using identification means.

23. The software of claim 20 wherein retrieving the customer account information comprises accessing one or more databases containing customer account information.

24. The software of claim 20 wherein prompting the customer for information regarding the customer complaint comprises altering prompts based on recent activity in the customer account information.

25. The software of claim 20 further operable to:

track the customer slamming and cramming complaints;

track how frequently the customers complain of a plurality of companies and of a plurality of services; and

store information regarding the frequency of offense for particular companies and particular services.

26. The software of claim 25 further operable to determine one or more probabilities as to the frequency of offense for the companies and services.

27. The software of claim 20 further operable to enter information regarding the customer complaint into a complaint interface.

28. A system for the automated reporting of customer slamming and cramming complaints, the system comprising:

one or more receiving devices operable to receive a plurality of inbound inquiries; and

a complaint module associated with the receiving devices, the complaint module operable to retrieve a plurality of customer account information, prompt the customer for information regarding the customer complaint, and accept one or more customer responses from the customer regarding the customer complaint.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the receiving device comprises an interactive voice response unit.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the receiving device comprises an automatic call distribution unit.

31. The system of claim 28 further comprising one or more databases operable to store information regarding customer account information.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the databases store information regarding the customer complaints.

33. The system of claim 28 further comprising a complaint interface associated with the complaint module, the complaint interface operable to receive information regarding the customer complaint.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the complaint interface includes a plurality of data fields for information regarding the customer complaint.

35. The system of claim 28 wherein the plural inbound inquiries comprise inbound telephone calls.

36. The system of claim 28 wherein the complaint module is further operable to:

monitor the customer slamming and cramming complaints;

track how frequently the customers complain of a plurality of companies and of a plurality of services; and

store in one or more of the databases information regarding the frequency of offense for particular companies and particular services.

37. The system of claim 28 wherein the complaint module interacts with the customer using a speech recognition interface.

38. The system of claim 28 wherein the complaint module is further operable to obtain a customer telephone number form the customer having the customer complaint.