System and method for prompt modification based on caller hang ups in IVRs
First Claim
1. A method for improving an effectiveness of a prompt sequence played by an interactive voice response system, the prompt sequence containing a plurality of phrases, the method comprising:
- playing to callers the prompt sequence;
during the playing of the prompt sequence to the callers, collecting call data including rates of caller events during individual phrases of the plurality of phrases;
based on the call data, automatically identifying at least one of the individual phrases as a phrase having a high event rate;
playing to callers an alternate prompt sequence comprising an alternative phrase replacing the phrase having the high event rate;
collecting call data during the playing to callers of the alternate prompt sequence, including a rate of caller events during the alternative phrase;
comparing a rate of caller events during the phrase having the high event rate with the rate of caller events during the alternate phrase; and
automatically replacing the phrase having the high event with the alternative phrase only if the rate of caller events during the phrase having the high event rate is greater than the rate of caller events during the alternate phrase.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a method for use in Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, an IVR is configured such that voice prompts provided to a caller vary systematically and caller hang-up activity is attributed to the particular version of a prompt played to the caller. Voice prompt modifications are chosen based on how long the caller willingly listens to the voice prompt. A relatively short time listening to a prompt before hang-up, indicates dissatisfaction with that prompt. The system compares caller hang-up rates for each of the phrases in a prompt and chooses the optimum solution, which is the variant of the prompt with the longest caller listening time. Optionally, the system compares hang up rates to a threshold and contingent on that comparison chooses an alternative version of the prompt.
16 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for improving an effectiveness of a prompt sequence played by an interactive voice response system, the prompt sequence containing a plurality of phrases, the method comprising:
-
playing to callers the prompt sequence; during the playing of the prompt sequence to the callers, collecting call data including rates of caller events during individual phrases of the plurality of phrases; based on the call data, automatically identifying at least one of the individual phrases as a phrase having a high event rate; playing to callers an alternate prompt sequence comprising an alternative phrase replacing the phrase having the high event rate; collecting call data during the playing to callers of the alternate prompt sequence, including a rate of caller events during the alternative phrase; comparing a rate of caller events during the phrase having the high event rate with the rate of caller events during the alternate phrase; and automatically replacing the phrase having the high event with the alternative phrase only if the rate of caller events during the phrase having the high event rate is greater than the rate of caller events during the alternate phrase. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A non-transistory computer-readable storage device having computer readable instructions stored thereon for improving an effectiveness of a prompt sequence played by an interactive voice response system, the prompt sequence containing a plurality of phrases, wherein execution of the computer readable instructions by a processor causes the processor to perform operations comprising:
-
playing to callers the prompt sequence; during the playing of the prompt sequence to the callers, collecting call data including rates of caller events during individual phrases of the plurality of phrases; based on the call data, automatically identifying at least one of the individual phrases as a phrase having a high event rate; playing to callers an alternate prompt sequence comprising an alternative phrase replacing the phrase having the high event rate; collecting call data during the playing to callers of the alternate prompt sequence, including a rate of caller events during the alternative phrase; comparing a rate of caller events during the phrase having the high event rate with the rate of caller events during the alternate phrase; and automatically replacing the phrase having the high event with the alternative phrase only if the rate of caller events during the phrase having the high event rate is greater than the rate of caller events during the alternate phrase. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An interactive voice response system for improving an effectiveness of a prompt sequence played by an interactive voice response system, the prompt sequence containing a plurality of phrases, the interactive voice response system comprising:
-
an interactive voice response application connected to play the prompt sequence to callers; a capture and tally engine configured to collect call data as the interactive voice response application plays prompt sequences to callers, the call data including rates of caller events during individual phrases of the prompt sequences; an analysis engine configured to; automatically identify, based on the call data, at least one of the individual phrases as a phrase having a high event rate; cause the interactive voice response application to play to callers an alternate prompt sequence comprising an alternative phrase replacing the phrase having the high event rate; cause the capture and tally engine to collect call data during the playing to callers of the alternate prompt sequence, the call data including a rate of caller events during the alternate phrase; compare a rate of caller events during the phrase having the high event rate with the rate of caller events during the alternate phrase; and reconfigure the interactive voice response application to replace the phrase having the high event with the alternate phrase only if the rate of caller events during the phrase having the high event rate is greater than the rate of caller events during the alternate phrase. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification