Client survey systems and methods using caller identification information

• US 7,672,444 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2003
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Perrella, Ronald J, Kreiner, Barrett Morris
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong; Harry S
• Application Number:
  US10/746,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20050147228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,260 Days
• Field of Search: 379/207.15
• US Class Current: 379/265.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• 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 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services

Abstract

A system and method is provided that includes an automatic call distribution system adapted to communicate over a network and includes a first software control module and a caller identification information device. The automatic call distribution system is configured to capture the caller identification information associated with an incoming call placed by a client and to route the incoming call and the caller identification information received from the network to a call agent station. The system also provides an interactive voice response system in communication with the automatic call distribution system for administering a survey to a client in communication with the call agent station. The survey is then associated with the client'"'"'s caller identification information and identification information of the call agent.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an automatic call distribution system adapted to communicate over a network, wherein the automatic call distribution system comprises a first software control module and a first caller identification device for capturing caller identification information associated with an incoming call, and wherein the automatic call distribution system is configured to route the incoming call and the caller identification information received from the network;

a call agent station in communication with the automatic call distribution system, wherein the call agent station is configured to receive incoming calls and caller identification information routed from the automatic call distribution system, and wherein the call agent station is operated by a call agent that is identified by predetermined call agent identification information; and

an interactive voice response system in communication with the automatic call distribution system, the interactive voice response system configured to administer a survey to a caller associated with the caller identification information,

wherein, in response to receiving the incoming call at the automatic call distribution system, a transaction is completed between the caller and the call agent, upon completion of the transaction the call agent asks the caller to take part in the survey and seeks permission of the caller to use the caller'"'"'s caller identification information in the survey; and

, upon obtaining consent from the caller, the call is routed by the automatic call distribution system from the call agent to the interactive voice response system to initiate the survey, and

wherein the survey is associated with the caller identification information and the call agent identification information of the call agent that conducted the transaction;

wherein, in response to terminating the call prior to completion of the survey, a menu option is provided to the caller when a second call is initiated by the caller to the call center, the menu option prompting the caller to return to the survey associated with the call that was terminated, wherein the caller is identified with the incomplete survey via the caller identification information.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database in communication with the automatic call distribution system;

wherein, the caller identification information is associated with the call agent identification information and is stored in the database.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the interactive voice response system is adapted for receiving survey responses in touch-tone format.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein survey responses are stored in the database.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a supervisor station in communication with the automatic call distribution system, wherein a supervisor at the supervisor station makes incoming call routing decisions based on the results of the survey.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second software control module for controlling one or more aspects of survey response data and associating the survey response data with the caller identification information, the controlling and associating comprising at least one of:

tracking the number of incoming calls handled;

tracking the number of callers who elected to participate in the survey;

tracking the number of callers that were successfully re-routed to the interactive voice response system;

tracking the number of callers that initially consented to participate in the survey but later chose to abandon the survey; and

tracking the number of callers who consented to the use of the caller identification information.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the survey response data is associated with the caller identification information and the call agent identification information.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein, in response to determining the caller is a first time participant in a survey, the interactive voice response system is configured to guide the caller through the survey using instructions having greater detail than instructions otherwise provided.

19. The system of claim 2, wherein, in response to determining the caller is a first time participant in a survey via the caller identification information and the call agent identification information stored in the database, the interactive voice response system is configured to guide the caller through the survey using instructions having greater detail than instructions otherwise provided.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated call distribution system answers incoming calls dynamically by sensing an incoming call and searching through predetermined routing schemes before answering the incoming call.

8. A system, comprising:

an automatic call distribution system adapted to communicate over a first network and a second network, wherein the automatic call distribution system comprises a first software control module and a caller identification device for capturing caller identification information associated with an incoming message and an incoming call, and wherein the automatic call distribution system is configured to route the incoming message received from the first network and is configured to route the incoming call received from the second network;

a server in communication with the automatic call distribution system, wherein the server is adapted for receiving the incoming message from the first network;

a call agent station in communication with the automatic call distribution system, wherein the call agent station is configured to receive the incoming message, the incoming call, and the caller identification information associated with the incoming message and the incoming call are routed from the automatic call distribution system, and wherein the call agent station is operated by a call agent that is identified by predetermined call agent identification information; and

an interactive voice response system in communication with the automatic call distribution system, the interactive voice response system configured to administer a survey to the caller associated with the caller identification information,

wherein, in response to receiving the incoming call at the automatic call distribution system, a transaction is completed between the caller and the call agent, upon completion of the transaction the call agent asks the caller to take part in the survey and seeks permission of the caller to use the caller'"'"'s caller identification information in the survey; and

, upon obtaining consent from the caller, the call is routed by the automatic call distribution system from the call agent to the interactive voice response system to initiate the survey,

wherein the survey is associated with the caller identification information and the call agent identification information of the call agent that conducted the transaction through the first and second networks;

wherein, in response to terminating the call prior to completion of the survey, a menu option is provided to the caller when a second call is initiated by the caller to the call center, the menu option prompting the caller to return to the survey associated with the call that was terminated, wherein the caller is identified with the incomplete survey via the caller identification information; and

a supervisor station, the supervisor station receiving a result of the survey and the caller identification of the caller in real time.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a database in communication with the automatic call distribution system,

wherein the caller identification information is associated with the call agent identification information and is stored in the database.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising associating the survey with any one of the survey, the client'"'"'s caller identification information, and the call agent identification information.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the first network is the Internet, the second network is a telephone network, and the call agent station further comprises an Internet Protocol telephone.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising a second software control module for controlling one or more aspects of survey response data management and associating the survey response data with the client'"'"'s caller identification information, the controlling and associating comprising at least one of:

tracking the number of incoming calls handled;

tracking the number of callers who elected to participate in the survey;

tracking the number of callers that were successfully re-routed to the interactive voice response system;

tracking the number of callers that initially consented to participate in the survey but later chose to abandon the survey; and

tracking the number of callers who consented to the use of the caller identification information.

13. A method of conducting a survey with a client, comprising:

receiving a call at a call center from the client using a communication device;

capturing caller identification information associated with the communication device;

at the call center, routing the call and the caller identification information to a call agent identified by call agent identification information;

associating the caller identification information with the call agent identification information;

completing a transaction between the client and the call agent;

asking the caller to take part in the survey upon completion of the transaction and seeking permission of the client to use the client'"'"'s caller identification information in the survey;

upon obtaining consent from the client, routing the call from the call agent to an interactive voice response system to initiate the survey;

wherein, in response to terminating the call prior to completion of the survey, a menu option is provided to the caller when a second call is initiated by the caller to the call center, the menu option prompting the caller to return to the survey associated with the call that was terminated, wherein the caller is identified with the incomplete survey via the caller identification information; and

discarding the client'"'"'s caller identification information from the survey database upon the client'"'"'s refusal of consent to the using of the client'"'"'s caller identification information in the survey.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

conducting the survey with the client through the interactive voice response system;

wherein the survey is associated with the caller identification information and the call agent identification information.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

storing the caller identification information with the call agent identification information in a database.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving responses to the questions via touch tone telephone format;

storing the responses in the database; and

associating the responses with the caller identification information and the call agent identification information.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

analyzing the responses; and

adjusting routing traffic in the call center according to the analysis.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

storing the caller identification information with the call agent identification information in a database; and

providing a customized survey tailored for a demographic based on corresponding information stored in the database that relates to the client;

wherein conducting the survey includes providing the client with the customized survey for the demographic.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing a menu listing of different surveys for selection by the client, the client;

wherein conducting the survey includes providing a client-selected survey from the menu listing.