Systems and methods for call center load balancing

• US 20060083225A1
• Filed: 10/16/2005
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kioba Processing, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC), Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Tran, Bao Q.
• Granted Patent: US 7,760,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for load balancing call centers and for providing remote receptionist service.

Claims

1. A communication system for communicating delay-sensitive data and non delay-sensitive data, comprising:

one or more fiberoptic communication cables to transfer voice over internet protocol (VOIP) data;

at least one satellite to provide redundant VOIP path; and

a plurality of call centers coupled to the cables and the satellite to receive and transmit VOIP data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the fiberoptic cable is underwater.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the call center processes calls on a contingency basis.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the call center collects a percentage of sales as commission.

5. The system of claim 1, comprising a scanner at a customer end, wherein the call center answers questions based on the scanner output.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the scanner is a camera-cellular phone.

7. The system of claim 1, comprising a dialer coupled to the satellite and one of the cables.

8. The system of claim 1, comprising a receptionist at the call center to remotely handle reception tasks.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the image and voice of the receptionist is transmitted to a remote location.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the image and voice of a remote visitor is transmitted to the receptionist.

18. The system of claim 1, comprising a receptionist at the call center to remotely handle reception tasks.

19. The system of claim 8, wherein the image and voice of the receptionist is transmitted to a remote location.

11. A method for providing sales support using a call center, comprising:

scanning a product descriptor using a telephone having a camera;

placing a call to a sales support telephone center;

routing the call to a remote call center; and

receiving sales support from the remote call center.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the product description is a bar code.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising converting an image of a bar code to digital data.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the remote call center is coupled to a satellite link.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the remote call center is coupled to a fiber-optic link.

16. The method of claim 11, comprising applying the product descriptor to route the call to a designated operator.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the telephone is a cellular telephone.

20. An apparatus for automatically sharing a presentation during a web-conference, comprising:

a first computer including

an authoring application to generate a shared document with audio;

a first viewer; and

a communication module to send the shared document with audio over a network;

wherein the authoring application is configured to create a shared interactive document for use in a live data conference and the first viewer application is configured to display the shared interactive document on the local computer; and

a second computer including a second viewer application, wherein the communication module is configured to send the shared interactive document with to the remote computer and the second viewer application is configured to display the shared interactive document, the shared interactive document being simultaneously displayed by the first viewer application and the second viewer application during the web conference, wherein the communication module combines web conference user voice with audio from the shared document and wherein the web conference user voice is streamed over the Internet.