Managed channel for agent-to-agent consultation
AssigneeAvaya Inc.
InventorsValentine C. Matula, Bharti Patwari Poorey, Rajagiri Ravi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Communications between agents and customers are a key feature of contact centers. Agents may have a question about how to perform a particular task, a response to the question that other agents may know. A supervisor may be presently unavailable and transferring the customer requires significantly more overhead and resources. The systems and methods herein disclose an agent-to-agent (A-to-A) channel that enables a question to be posed to an agent and receive a response via a dedicated channel for A-to-A communications. Accordingly, the agent may stay engaged with the customer and resolve issues without the need to wait for a supervisor or transfer the customer to another agent.
Claims20
A system for managing communications on a network, comprising:
- a plurality of managed agent communication devices, each of the plurality of managed agent communication devices configured as nodes on the network;
- a microprocessor;
- a memory;
- a network interface facilitating communications via the network;
- wherein the microprocessor is configured to engage in communications, utilizing a fixed number of communication channels, via the network;
- wherein, a first portion of the fixed number of communication channels is allocated for communications with customer communication devices via a first portion of the network further comprising at least a portion of the network external to the system;
- and
- wherein, a second portion of the fixed number of communication channels is allocated for communications between two or more of the plurality of managed agent communication devices via a second portion of the network not comprising the at least a portion of the network external to the system.
A communication device, comprising:
- a microprocessor;
- a memory;
- a network interface facilitating communications via a network;
- wherein the microprocessor is configured to engage in communications, utilizing a fixed number of communication channels, via the network;
- wherein, a first portion of the fixed number of communication channels is allocated for communications with customer communication devices via a first portion of the network further comprising at least a portion of the network external to a system comprising trusted components including the customer communication devices;
- and
- wherein, a second portion of the fixed number of communication channels are allocated for communications between two or more of a plurality of agent communication devices via a second portion of the network not comprising the at least a portion of the network external to the system.
A method, comprising:
- receiving a request for a communication from a node on a network at a device configured to engage in communications, via the network, utilizing a fixed number of communication channels;
- allocating a first portion of the fixed number of communication channels for communications with customer communication devices via a first portion of the network further comprising at least a portion of the network external to a system comprising trusted components including a customer communication device;
- allocating a second portion of the fixed number of communication channels for communications between two or more of a plurality of agent communication devices via a second portion of the network not comprising the at least the portion of the network external to the system;
- and
- wherein each of the fixed number of communication channels is a member of only one of either the first portion of the fixed number of communication channels or the second portion of the fixed number of communication channels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.