CONTACT ADVOCATE

• US 20150139409A1
• Filed: 11/20/2013
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Steiner, Robert C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,571,644 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• 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 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements

Abstract

A contact center work assignment engine communication system hosts a multi-functional contact advocate to manage communications and history for customers, including the ability to report issues, provide updates, identify and solve problems, store history, interface with contact center components, including agents and experts, creating a proactive automatic assistant for contact center customers.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating contact center operations, the method comprising:

receiving a communication from a customer of a contact center;

based on the received communication, invoking a contact center advocate on behalf of the customer;

subscribing, by the contact center advocate, to one or more contact center events based on at least one of (i) information contained in the received communication and (ii) information known within the contact center about the customer;

receiving information regarding the one or more contact center events at the contact center advocate, wherein the information is received at the contact center advocate based on the contact center advocate subscribing to the one or more contact center events; and

performing a function on the received information with the contact center advocate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the function performed on the received information by the contact center advocate is performed in the absence of additional input from the customer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the function performed on the received information comprises generating a new work item within the contact center on behalf of the customer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the function performed on the received information by the contact center advocate comprises generating and sending a message to the customer that informs the customer about the one or more contact center events.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact center advocate is awakened upon receiving the information regarding the one or more contact center events.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscription includes an identifier associated with the customer and wherein the information received also references the identifier.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the function performed on the received information comprises searching at least one of contact center communication system records, files, applications, databases, and resources to obtain information that can bring a work item for the customer to resolution.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions, the instruction comprising:

instructions configured to receive, by a processor, a communication from a customer of a contact center;

based on the received communication, instructions configured to invoke a contact center advocate on behalf of the customer;

instructions configured to subscribe, by the contact center advocate, to one or more contact center events based on at least one of (i) information contained in the received communication and (ii) information known within the contact center about the customer;

instructions configured to receive information regarding the one or more contact center events at the contact center advocate, wherein the information is received at the contact center advocate based on the contact center advocate subscribing to the one or more contact center events; and

instructions configured to perform a function on the received information with the contact center advocate.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the function performed on the received information by the contact center advocate is performed in the absence of additional input from the customer.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the function performed on the received information further comprises:

instructions configured to generate a new work item within the contact center on behalf of the customer.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the function performed on the received information by the contact center advocate further comprises:

instructions configured to generate and send a message to the customer that informs the customer about the one or more contact center events.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the function performed on the received information further comprises:

instructions configured to awaken a contact center advocate upon receiving the information regarding the one or more contact center events.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the subscription includes an identifier associated with the customer and wherein the information received also references the identifier.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the function performed on the received information further comprises:

instructions configured to search at least one of contact center communication system records, files, applications, databases, and resources to obtain information that can bring a work item for the customer to resolution.

15. A communication system, comprising:

a contact advocate module configured to receive a communication from a customer of a contact center and perform the following operations;

based on the received communication, invoke a contact center advocate on behalf of the customer;

subscribe via the contact center advocate to one or more contact center events based on at least one of (i) information contained in the received communication and (ii) information known within the contact center about the customer;

receive information regarding the one or more contact center events at the contact center advocate, wherein the information is received at the contact center advocate based on the contact center advocate subscribing to the one or more contact center events; and

perform a function on the received information with the contact center advocate.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the function performed on the received information by the contact center advocate is performed in the absence of additional input from the customer.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the function performed on the received information comprises generating a new work item within the contact center on behalf of the customer, and wherein the function performed on the received information by the contact center advocate comprises generating and sending a message to the customer that informs the customer about the one or more contact center events.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a contact advocate module configured to perform the following operations;

awaken a contact center advocate upon receiving the information regarding the one or more contact center events.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the subscription includes an identifier associated with the customer and wherein the information received also references the identifier.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a contact advocate module configured to perform the following operations;

search at least one of contact center communication system records, files, applications, databases, and resources to obtain information that can bring a work item for the customer to resolution.