Interactive dialog-based training method

A method for providing computer-based, interactive call center training, comprising:

• storing at least one call scenario in a database, the at least one call scenario comprising a plurality of dialog segments, each dialog segment comprising a customer portion and at least one keyword;
• receiving a selection of the at least one call scenario via a trainee terminal;
• simulating a customer interaction between a trainee at the trainee terminal and a simulated customer according to the at least one call scenario, the simulating comprising sequentially executing the plurality of dialog segments by providing the customer portion of each dialog segment to the trainee via the trainee terminal and receiving a corresponding trainee response comprising at least one of text and voice entered by the trainee;
• determining whether the trainee response includes the at least one keyword;
• and
• editing on-line a selected dialog segment of the at least one call scenario, the editing comprising one of adding, deleting and changing at least one of the corresponding customer portion and at least one keyword.

A method for interactively training call center personnel using an automated customer interaction between a trainee and a simulated customer, the method comprising:

• retrieving a call scenario from a database, the call scenario comprising at least one dialog segment;
• providing a customer portion of the at least one dialog segment by at least one of displaying text and generating speech at a trainee terminal;
• receiving a trainee portion of the at least one dialog segment from the trainee terminal, the trainee portion comprising at least one of text and voice entered by the trainee;
• determining whether the trainee portion of the at least one dialog segment includes a predetermined keyword associated with the at least one dialog segment;
• and
• when the trainee portion does not include the predetermined keyword, providing a predetermined level of instruction to the trainee relating to the at least one dialog segment, the predetermined level of instruction being set according to a skill level of the trainee.

A computer readable medium for storing a computer program that interactively trains call center personnel, the computer readable medium comprising:

• a memory segment that stores at least one call scenario comprising a plurality of dialog segments, each dialog segment comprising a customer portion and at least one keyword;
• a training source code segment that enables selection of the at least one call scenario;
• a simulator source code segment that simulates a customer interaction between a trainee and a simulated customer according to the at least one call scenario, the simulator source code segment comprising a business rules source code segment that sequentially executes the plurality of dialog segments by providing the customer portion corresponding to each dialog segment to the trainee and receiving a trainee response corresponding to each dialog segment, the trainee response comprising at least one of text and voice entered by the trainee;
• and
• an administration source code segment that enables administrative functions with respect to the computer program, the administration source code segment comprising a call scenario editor source code segment that enables at least one of an addition, deletion and edit of the at least one call scenario.

A computer readable medium for storing a computer program that interactively trains call center personnel using an automated customer interaction between a trainee and a simulated customer, the computer readable medium comprising:

• a retrieving source code segment that retrieves a call scenario from a memory, the call scenario comprising at least one dialog segment;
• a simulator source code segment that executes the at least one dialog segment by providing a customer portion of the at least one dialog segment to a trainee at a trainee terminal and receiving a trainee portion of the at least one dialog segment, the trainee portion comprising at least one of text and voice entered by the trainee;
• and
• a coaching source code segment that determines whether the trainee portion of the at least one dialog segment includes a predetermined keyword associated with the at least one dialog segment, and that provides a predetermined level of instruction to the trainee relating to the at least one dialog segment when the trainee portion does not include the predetermined keyword, the predetermined level of instruction being set according to a skill level of the trainee.