Call routing from manual to automated dialog of interactive voice response system
AssigneeSBC Technology Resources, Inc.
InventorsKurt M. Joseph, Aaron W. Bangor, Robert R. Bushey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A customer service call system that provides both manual (assisted by a service representative) and automated problem solving dialogs. A routing process determines which dialog is appropriate for incoming calls. The routing process determines a probability that the automated system will resolve the problem and also determines an expected hold time for the customer to reach the manual dialog. The routing process uses this information to determine how the call should be routed.
Claims26
A method of routing a customer's call to either a manual dialog or an automated dialog of a customer service call system, comprising:
- detecting a task to be resolved by the call;
- determining a probability value representing the probability that the task will be successfully resolved by the automated dialog;
- predicting a hold time to reach the manual dialog;
- calculating a wait index as a function of the hold time and the probability value;
- and
- determining whether to route the call to the manual dialog or the automated dialog based at least on the calculated wait index.
A routing system for a customer service system having alternative manual and automated dialogs, the routing system comprising:
- a task detection system that elicits a task to be performed for a caller;
- and
- a routing unit that includes logic that:
- determines a probability value representing the probability that the task will be successfully performed by the automated dialog;
- predicts a hold time to reach the manual dialog;
- calculates a wait index as a function of the hold time and the probability value;
- and determines whether to route the call to the manual dialog or the automated dialog based at least on the calculated wait index.
A method of routing a call to either a manual dialog or an automated dialog of a call system, the method comprising:
- determining a task to be resolved for a caller;
- determining a probability that the task can be successfully resolved by the automated dialog;
- predicting a hold time to reach the manual dialog;
- and
- determining whether to route the call to the manual dialog or the automated dialog based at least on the determined hold time and the determined probability.
A call routing system having manual and automated dialogs, the system comprising:
- a task detection system operable to determine a task to be performed for a caller;
- and
- a routing unit operable to:
- determine a probability that the task can be successfully resolved by the automated dialog;
- predict a hold time to reach the manual dialog;
- and
- determine whether to route the call to the manual dialog or the automated dialog based at least on the determined hold time and the determined probability.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.