Script compliance and agent feedback

• US 8,229,752 B1
• Filed: 04/26/2010
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alorica Incorporated
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Pettay, Mark J, Vacek, Jill M
• Primary Examiner(s): Smits, Talivaldis Ivars
• Application Number:
  US12/767,342
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/235, 704/270.1, 379/265.06
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/14 using statistical models, e.g. Hidden Markov Models [HMMs] G10L15/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/51 for comparison or discrimination
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet

Abstract

Systems 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 method may include conducting the voice interaction between the agent and a client, wherein the agent follows the script via a plurality of panels. From there, the voice interaction is evaluated via the plurality of panels employing panel-by-panel playback with an automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze the voice interaction. As such, it may be determined, via generating a score using confidence level thresholds of an automatic speech recognition component such that confidence level thresholds are assigned to each of the plurality of panels and evaluating the score against at least one of a static standard and a varying standard, whether the agent has adequately followed the script.

Claims

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

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 via at least one of a plurality of panels;

logging the at least one voice interaction;

based on the logging, evaluating the at least one voice interaction via the at least one of the plurality of panels employing panel-by-panel playback with at least one automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze the at least one voice interaction; and

determining, via generating a score using confidence level thresholds of the least one automatic speech recognition component such that confidence level thresholds are assigned to each of the plurality of panels and evaluating the score against at least one of a static standard and a varying standard, whether the at least one agent has adequately followed the at least one script by using the evaluated at least one voice interaction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a time displacement timestamp to each of the plurality of panels as they are presented and viewed by the at least one agent during the voice interaction.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one voice interaction is logged in a log record, and further comprising logging a time displacement, based on the time displacement timestamp, per panel as a portion of the log record.

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

5. The 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.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein conducting at least one voice interaction includes conducting the at least one voice interaction on at least one of a communications network, a publicly switched telephone network (PSTN), and the Internet.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein evaluating the at least one interaction includes:

providing a script compliance module accessible via a user interface and a communications network, the communications network including at least one of an analog telephone, a digital telephone, an internet-based network, a wireless network, and a selected voice communications supporting network;

converting the at least one voice interaction received via the communications network 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.

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

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 via at least one of a plurality of panels;

a logging component adapted to log a time displacement of the at least one voice interaction;

at least one automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze, based on the logging component, the at least one voice interaction using each of the plurality of panels and to determine, via generating a score using confidence level thresholds of the at least one automatic speech recognition component such that the confidence level thresholds are assigned to each of the plurality of panels and evaluating the score against at least one of a static standard and a varying standard of the least one automatic speech recognition component, whether the at least one agent has adequately followed the at least one script.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising an action component operable to cause 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.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one action is one or more of transmitting at least one signal to the at least one agent, transmitting at least one signal to at least one reviewing authority, and making an entry in a script compliance incentive system.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one communication network comprises at least one of a long distance telephone network and internet-based network.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising at least one call center that includes a plurality of agent workstations.