Sequential presentation of long instructions in an interactive voice response system

• US 7,305,070 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2002
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Labs Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Labs Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bushey, Robert R., Kortum, Philip Ted
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US10/058,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20030143981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,134 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.17, 379/72, 379/88.18, 379/88.19, 379/88.23, 379/201.08, 379/207.12, 379/88.04, 379/208.01, 370/356, 704/254, 704/275
• US Class Current: 379/88.18
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/355 Interactive dialogue design tools, features or methods
• 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

Abstract

An interactive voice response system that allows a caller to perform a series of sequential tasks based on an instruction set. The caller is queried after each instruction to ensure that the caller has successfully completed all of the steps. Additionally, provisions are provided to automatically pause the instruction set and present reminders to the caller. Further the caller may elect to repeat instructions, back up the instruction set, receive additional details, transfer to a service representative, or receive summary information.

Claims

1. A method of sequentially presenting instructions in a telephone call placed to an interactive voice response system (IVR) of a customer service center, comprising:

receiving a call from a caller;

presenting a main menu comprising a plurality of messages to the caller, each main menu message representing a procedure;

prompting the caller to select from one of the main menu messages;

presenting a sequence of instructions to the caller according to a selection by the caller, each instruction identifying a task to be performed by the caller that is distinct from interaction with the IVR system, wherein the tasks collectively constitute the procedure;

automatically pausing the sequence of instructions after each instruction for a predetermined amount of time so as to permit the caller to perform the task identified in an instruction;

querying the caller after each instruction as to whether the caller has performed the task identified in the instruction; and

transferring the call from a position in the sequence of instructions to a service representative and transferring the call back to the position in the sequence of instructions.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising periodically re-presenting the instruction to the caller until the caller indicates that the caller has performed the task identified in the instruction.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising transferring the caller to a service representative after the instruction has been re-presented to the caller for a predetermined number of times.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising pausing the sequence of instructions in response to a command by the caller to pause the sequence of instructions.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising presenting a summary of the sequence of the instructions to the caller immediately after the caller'"'"'s selection.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising presenting a summary of the sequence of the instructions to the caller after the sequence of instructions has been presented to the caller.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising presenting a summary of the sequence of the instructions to the caller immediately after the caller'"'"'s selection and after the sequence of instructions has been presented to the caller.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising presenting a previously presented instruction to the caller in response to an indication by the caller that the caller has not performed the task identified in the previously presented instruction.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising presenting additional information associated with the instruction in response to a request by the caller for additional information followed by recommencing the sequence of instructions.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising querying the caller after the caller indicates that the caller has performed a task identified in the instruction as to whether the task identified in the instruction was performed correctly.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising re-presenting the instruction to the caller in response to an indication by the caller that the task identified in the instruction was not performed correctly.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising querying the caller as to whether the procedure was performed correctly.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising re-presenting the sequence of instructions in response to an indication by the caller that the procedure was not performed correctly.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising re-presenting a previously presented instruction to the caller in response to a command by the caller to receive a previously presented instruction.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising re-presenting a previously presented instruction to the caller, as requested by the caller during a recitation of previously presented instructions.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising presenting the caller with troubleshooting information in response to a request by the caller for troubleshooting information.

17. A method of sequentially presenting instructions in a telephone call placed to an interactive voice response system (IVR) of a customer service center, comprising:

receiving a call from a caller;

presenting a main menu comprising a plurality of messages to the caller, each main menu message representing a procedure;

prompting the caller to select from one of the main menu messages;

presenting a sequence of instructions to the caller according to a selection by the caller, each instruction identifying a task to be performed by the caller that is distinct from interaction with the IVR system, wherein the tasks collectively constitute the procedure;

automatically pausing the sequence of instructions after each instruction for a predetermined amount of time so as to permit the caller to perform the task identified in an instruction;

querying the caller after each instruction as to whether the caller has performed the task identified in the instruction; and

transferring the call from a position in the sequence of instructions to a service representative and transferring the call back to a location in the sequence of instructions other than the position.

18. A telecommunications system for receiving telephone calls at a customer service center, said telecommunications system comprising:

an interactive voice response (IVR) unit that presents a main menu comprising a plurality of messages to a caller, presents a sequence of instructions to the caller, automatically pauses the sequence of instructions after each instruction by a predetermined amount of time so as to permit the caller to perform a task identified in an instruction that is distinct from interaction with the IVR, and queries the caller after each instruction as to whether the caller has performed the task identified in the instruction; and

a component that transfers a call from a position in the sequence of instructions to a service representative and transfers the call back to the position in the sequence of instructions,

wherein each main menu message represents a procedure and each instruction identifies a task to be performed by the caller.

19. A telecommunications system for receiving telephone calls at a customer service center, said telecommunications system comprising:

an interactive voice response (IVR) unit that presents a main menu comprising a plurality of messages to a caller, presents a sequence of instructions to the caller, automatically pauses the sequence of instructions after each instruction by a predetermined amount of time so as to permit the caller to perform a task identified in an instruction that is distinct from interaction with the IVR, and queries the caller after each instruction as to whether the caller has performed the task identified in the instruction; and

a component that transfers a call from a position in the sequence of instructions to a service representative and transfers the call back to a location in the sequence of instructions other than the position,

wherein each main menu message represents a procedure and each instruction identifies a task to be performed by the caller.

20. A tangible computer readable medium for storing a computer program executable by a computer that processes a telephone call in an interactive voice response (IVR) system, said medium comprising:

a presenting code segment that presents a main menu including a plurality of messages to a caller and presents a sequence of instructions to the caller, each instruction identifying a task distinct from interaction with the IVR system;

a pausing code segment that pauses the sequence of instructions after each instruction for a predetermined amount of time so as to permit the caller to perform a task identified in an instruction;

a querying code segment that queries the caller after each instruction as to whether the caller performed the task identified in the instruction; and

a transferring code segment that transfers the call from a position in the sequence of instructions to a service representative and transfers the call back to the position in the sequence of instructions.

21. A tangible computer readable medium for storing a computer program executable by a computer that processes a telephone call in an interactive voice response (IVR) system, said medium comprising:

a presenting code segment that presents a main menu including a plurality of messages to a caller and presents a sequence of instructions to the caller, each instruction identifying a task distinct from interaction with the IVR system;

a pausing code segment that pauses the sequence of instructions after each instruction for a predetermined amount of time so as to permit the caller to perform a task identified in an instruction;

a querying code segment that queries the caller after each instruction as to whether the caller performed the task identified in the instruction; and

a transferring code segment that transfers the call from a position in the sequence of instructions to a service representative and transfers the call back to a location in the sequence of instructions other than the position.

22. The tangible computer readable medium according to claim 21, wherein the presenting code segment periodically re-presents the instruction to the caller until the caller indicates that the caller has performed the task identified in the instruction.

23. The tangible computer readable medium according to claim 22, further comprising a transferring code segment that transfers the call to a service representative after the instruction has been re-presented to the caller for a predetermined number of times.

24. The tangible computer readable medium according to claim 21, wherein the pausing code segment pauses the sequence of instructions in response to a command by the caller to pause the sequence of instructions.

25. The tangible computer readable medium according to claim 21, wherein the presenting code segment presents a summary of the sequence of the instructions to the caller immediately after a menu selection by the caller.

26. The tangible computer readable medium claim according to claim 21, wherein the presenting code presents a summary of the sequence of the instructions to the caller after the sequence of instructions has been presented to the caller.

27. The tangible computer readable medium according to claim 21, wherein the presenting code segment presents a summary of the sequence of the instructions to the caller immediately after a menu selection by the caller and after the sequence of instructions has been presented to the caller.

28. The tangible computer readable medium according to claim 21, wherein the presenting code segment presents a previously presented instruction to a caller in response to an indication by the caller that the caller has not performed the task identified in the previously presented instruction.

29. The tangible computer readable medium according to claim 21, wherein the presenting code segment presents additional information associated with the instruction in response to a request by the caller for additional information followed by recommencing the sequence of instructions.

30. The tangible computer readable medium according to claim 21, wherein the querying code segment queries the caller, after the caller indicates that the caller has performed the task identified in the instruction, as to whether the task identified in the instruction was performed correctly.

31. The tangible computer readable medium according to claim 30, wherein the presenting code segment re-presents the instruction to the caller in response to an indication by the caller that the task identified in the instruction was not performed correctly.

32. The tangible computer readable medium according to claim 21, wherein the querying code segment queries the caller as to whether the procedure was performed correctly.

33. The tangible computer readable medium according to claim 32, wherein the presenting code segment re-presents the sequence of instructions to the caller in response to an indication by the caller that the procedure was not performed correctly.

34. The tangible computer readable medium according to claim 21, wherein the presenting code segment re-presents an instruction to the caller in response to a command by the caller to receive a previously presented instruction.

35. The tangible computer readable medium according to claim 21, wherein the presenting code segment re-presents a previously presented instruction to the caller, as requested by the caller during a recitation of previously presented instructions.