Script compliance using speech recognition and compilation and transmission of voice and text records to clients

• US 8,180,643 B1
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alorica Incorporated
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Pettay, Mark J., Vacek, Jill M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smits, Talivaldis Ivars
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pullias, Jesse
• Application Number:
  US10/669,089
• Time in Patent Office: 3,157 Days
• Field of Search: 704/251, 704/275, 704/270.1, 704/270, 379/265.06, 705/11
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3438 monitoring of user actions tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/08 Speech classification or search
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided for using automatic speech recognition to analyze a voice interaction and verify compliance of an agent reading a script to a client during the voice interaction. In one aspect of the invention, a communications system includes a user interface, a communications network, and a call center having an automatic speech recognition component. In other aspects of the invention, a script compliance method includes the steps of conducting a voice interaction between an agent and a client and evaluating the voice interaction with an automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze the voice interaction and determine whether the agent has adequately followed the script. In still other aspects of the invention, respective data for specific interactions, including voice records or panels, transcribed text equivalents to such voice records or panels, and/or script text governing such voice records or panels, can be forwarded to one or more respective clients.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating compliance of at least one agent reading at least one script to at least one client in a communications system, the method comprising at least the following:

connecting the at least one agent and the at least one client through a communications network providing connectivity between the at least one agent and a call center, wherein the at least one agent accesses the call center of the communication system with any type of communication;

conducting at least one voice interaction between the at least one agent and the at least one client, wherein the at least one agent follows the at least one script, wherein the at least one agent and the at least one client are at a distant location from one another, wherein client-specified transaction information can be transmitted to the at least one client along with voice-script-pairs via a log record layout module;

providing data in the at least one script in a plurality of panels, wherein each of the plurality of panels represents a portion of the at least one script and wherein quality assurance of the at least one agent is provided using playback of a recorded version of the at least one voice interaction in a panel-level playback form;

evaluating the at least one voice interaction with at least one automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze the at least one voice interaction; and

based on the evaluating, determining in real time whether the at least one agent has adequately followed the at least one script using a computer processor-based rule component.

2. The script compliance method of claim 1, wherein conducting at least one voice interaction includes conducting at least one voice interaction involving a telemarketing agent.

3. The script compliance method of claim 1, wherein conducting at least one voice interaction includes conducting at least one voice interaction governed by at least one script that includes text corresponding to at least one offer of at least one of goods and services.

4. The script compliance method of claim 1, wherein conducting at least one voice interaction includes conducting the at least one voice interaction at least in part on at least one communications network.

5. The script compliance method of claim 1, wherein conducting at least one voice interaction includes conducting the at least one voice interaction at least in part on a publicly switched telephone network (PSTN).

6. The script compliance method of claim 1, wherein conducting at least one voice interaction includes conducting the at least one voice interaction at least in part on at least one Internet.

7. The script compliance method of claim 1, wherein conducting at least one voice interaction includes conducting at least one telephone call that is initiated by the at least one client.

8. The script compliance method of claim 1, wherein conducting at least one voice interaction includes conducting at least one telephone call that is initiated by an entity other than the at least one client.

9. The script compliance method of claim 1, wherein evaluating the at least one interaction includes at least the following:

converting the at least one voice interaction into at least one digital signal comprising at least one spectral representation of the at least one voice interaction,

comparing the at least one digital signal to at least one reference standard that includes at least one known vocabulary, and

matching the at least one digital signal to at least one of words and phrases contained in the at least one reference standard.

10. The script compliance method of claim 1, further comprising performing at least one action based upon at least one result of the evaluating of the at least one voice interaction.

11. The script compliance method of claim 10, wherein performing at least one action includes transmitting at least one signal to the at least one agent.

12. The script compliance method of claim 10, wherein performing at least one action includes transmitting at least one signal to at least one reviewing authority.

13. The script compliance method of claim 10, wherein performing at least one action includes making at least one entry in at least one script compliance incentive system.

14. The script compliance method of claim 1, further comprising reviewing at least one determination of whether the at least one agent has adequately followed the at least one script.

15. The script compliance method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the at least one agent has adequately followed the at least one script includes defining at least one score assigned by the at least one automatic speech recognition component.

16. The script compliance method of claim 1, wherein evaluating the at least one voice interaction and at least one digitized voice interaction includes evaluating a plurality of panels.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising assigning a respective score to each one of the panels.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions, which when executed by a computer, perform a method comprising:

connecting the at least one agent and the at least one client through a communications network providing connectivity between the at least one agent and a call center, wherein the at least one agent accesses the call center of a communication system with any type of communication device including a telephone, a voice-capable computer, or a wireless communications device;

conducting at least one voice interaction between the at least one agent and the at least one client, wherein the at least one agent follows the at least one script, wherein the at least one agent and the at least one client are at a distant location from one another, wherein client-specified transaction information can be transmitted to the at least one client along with voice-script-pairs via a log record layout module;

providing data in the at least one script in a plurality of panels, wherein each of the plurality of panels represents a portion of the at least one script and wherein quality assurance of the at least one agent is provided using playback of a recorded version of the at least one voice interaction in a panel-level playback form;

evaluating the at least one voice interaction with at least one automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze the at least one voice interaction; and

based on the evaluating, determining, using a processor-based rule component, whether the at least one agent has adequately followed the at least one script.

19. A communication system for evaluating compliance of at least one agent reading at least one script to at least one client, the communication system comprising at least the following:

means for connecting the at least one agent and the at least one client through a communications network providing connectivity between the at least one agent and a call center, wherein the at least one agent accesses the call center of the communication system with any type of communication device including a telephone, a voice-capable computer, or a wireless communications device;

means for conducting at least one voice interaction between the at least one agent and the at least one client, wherein the at least one agent follows the at least one script, wherein the at least one agent and the at least one client are at a distant location from one another, wherein client-specified transaction information can be transmitted to the at least one client along with voice-script-pairs via a log record layout module;

means for providing data in the at least one script in a plurality of panels, wherein each of the plurality of panels represents a portion of the at least one script and wherein quality assurance of the at least one agent is provided using playback of a recorded version of the at least one voice interaction in a panel-level playback form;

means for evaluating the at least one voice interaction with at least one automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze the at least one voice interaction; and

means for determining in real time whether the at least one agent has adequately followed the at least one script.

20. A communication system for evaluating compliance of at least one agent reading at least one script to at least one client, the communication system comprising at least the following:

at least one communications system including a communication network providing connectivity between the at least one agent and a call center;

the at least one communication network adapted to support at least one voice interaction between the at least one agent and the at least one client, wherein the at least one agent follows at least one script, wherein the at least one agent and the at least one client are at a distant location from one another, wherein client-specified transaction information can be transmitted to the at least one client along with voice-script-pairs via a log record layout module;

the at least one script adapted to provide data in a plurality of panels, wherein each of the plurality of panels represents a portion of the at least one script and wherein quality assurance of the at least one agent is provided using playback of a recorded version of the at least one voice interaction in a panel-level playback form;

at least one automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze the at least one voice interaction to determine whether the at least one agent has adequately followed the at least one script; and

means for causing at least one action to be taken based upon a determination by the at least one automatic speech recognition component as to whether the at least one agent has adequately followed the at least one script using a processor-based rule component.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the at least one communication network comprises at least one long distance telephone network.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the at least one communication network comprises at least one internet-based network.

23. The system of claim 20, further comprising the at least one call center that includes a plurality of agent workstations.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein at least one of the agent workstations includes at least a telephone and a computer terminal.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein said agent is a telemarketing agent.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein said agent is a customer service agent.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for causing at least one action to be taken includes means for transmitting at least one signal to the at least one agent.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for causing at least one action to be taken includes means for transmitting at least one signal to at least one reviewing authority.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for causing at least one action to be taken includes means for making an entry in a script compliance incentive system.