Presenting linked information in a CRM system

• US 8,572,058 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC), British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Reid, Gregory S, Ringo, Timothy, Lane, David P, Lian, Elizabeth H, Farrell, Daniel C, Fenton, Craig, Shearing, Elise, Bell, Randy, Wong, Sevasti, Lingham, Anthony, Forrester, Audrey, Staubitz, Claudia, Adams, Kevin, Pickering, Lesley, Ritchie, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, SHEREE N
• Application Number:
  US10/306,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,989 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 3, 707/705, 715/810, 715/733, 705/35
• US Class Current: 707/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

New functions for a contact center system include: testing user'"'"'s comprehension of informational messages with a quiz; capturing insight of superior users having a KPI score above a threshold by having those users submit information on why they perform so well; dynamically ordering solutions to issues by re-ranking the solutions periodically based on recency and frequency; integrating information for use by a contact center representative while online with a customer and information for use when not online; storing content items in a telecommunications industry taxonomy; directing user feedback on a content item to the proper owner/manager of that content; communicating solution information using a solutions taxonomy; displaying a dual information system having a CRM application as well as reference material that is context-appropriate; enforcing completion of a group of templates when creating a content item to be published; ensuring a group of templates for a content item are complete before publishing them; and searching within a contact center system portal using a continuum of search functions.

Claims

1. A system, including memory and at least one processor, for presenting linked information to a contact center agent, comprising:

a contact center interface for providing the agent with access to a contact center application, wherein the contact center application manages and renders information;

a presentation interface for providing the agent with access to a knowledge management or content management system, for providing information; and

a display comprising a contact center region and a reference region, wherein the contact center region and the reference region are simultaneously visible;

wherein the contact center region reflects the contact center interface and the reference region reflects the presentation interface;

wherein operations and information pertaining to customer-centric problems in the contact center region are separate and independent of operations and information in the reference region;

wherein the information displayed and operations performed in the contact center region are linked with a first identifier, and the information displayed and operations performed in the reference region are linked with a second identifier;

wherein the first identifier is used to retrieve context-sensitive content relevant to the operations being performed and the information being displayed in the contact center region; and

wherein the retrieved context-sensitive content is displayed automatically in the reference region.

2. The system from claim 1, wherein the associated support is support for billing.

3. The system from claim 1, further comprising a second display region for presenting to the agent an instant messaging tool for communicating with a subject matter expert.

4. A computer-implemented method for presenting linked information to a contact center agent, the computer including a processor and memory and the method comprising steps performed by the computer of:

providing, by the processor, a contact center interface for offering the agent with access to a contact center application, wherein the contact center application manages and renders information;

providing, by the processor, a presentation interface for offering the agent with access to a knowledge management or content management system, for providing information; and

simultaneously displaying, by the processor, the contact center region and the reference region;

wherein the contact center region reflects the contact center interface and the reference region reflects the presentation interface;

wherein operations and information pertaining to customer-centric problems in the contact center region are separate and independent of operations and information in the reference region;

wherein the information displayed and operations performed in the contact center region are linked with a first identifier, and the information displayed and operations performed in the reference region are linked with a second identifier;

wherein the first identifier is used to retrieve context-sensitive content relevant to the operations being performed and the information being displayed in the contact center region; and

wherein the retrieved context-sensitive content is displayed automatically in the reference region.

5. The method from claim 4, wherein the associated support is support for billing.

6. The method from claim 4, further comprising displaying, by the processor, a second region for presenting to the agent an instant messaging tool for communicating with a subject matter expert.

7. A computer program on a computer readable medium, for execution by a computer to present linked information to a contact center agent, comprising:

a code segment for providing a contact center interface for offering the agent with access to a contact center application, wherein the contact center application manages and renders information;

a code segment for providing a presentation interface for offering the agent with access to a knowledge management or content management system, for providing information; and

a code segment for simultaneously displaying the contact center region and the reference region;

wherein the contact center region reflects the contact center interface and the reference region reflects the presentation interface;

wherein operations and information pertaining to customer-centric problems in the contact center region are separate and independent of operations and information in the reference region;

wherein the information displayed and operations performed in the contact center region are linked with a first identifier, and the information displayed and operations performed in the reference region are linked with a second identifier;

wherein the first identifier is used to retrieve context-sensitive content relevant to the operations being performed and the information being displayed in the contact center region; and

wherein the retrieved context-sensitive content is displayed automatically in the reference region.

8. The computer program from claim 7, wherein the associated support is support for billing.

9. The computer program from claim 7, further comprising a code segment for displaying a second region for presenting to the agent an instant messaging tool for communicating with a subject matter expert.