Help option enhancement for interactive voice response systems

A system for providing help within an Interactive Voice Response application comprising the steps of:

• a processor;
• a non-transitory computer readable storage having stored thereon instructions for controlling the processor for:
• determining an interactive voice response event corresponding to a request for help;
• classifying said event as a default help request if said event is one of a no-match event and a time-out event, wherein the no-match event occurs when said event does not correspond to a user option provided by the application, and wherein the time-out event occurs if a user fails to respond to an application prompt within a predetermined duration of time, and classifying said event as a user initiated help request if said event includes a user request for help;
• setting a time-out threshold to a default time;
• decreasing said time-out threshold if and only if said event includes a user request for help;
• audibly presenting a first help message;
• starting a no-response timer once said first help message has been presented;
• audibly presenting a second help message if said no-response timer exceeds said time-out threshold, wherein said second help message comprises one of a plurality of different help messages;
• repeating a previous presentment of a menu or other prompt if a first time-out event occurs subsequent to a no-match event;
• presenting a predetermined help message if a second time-out event occurs after repeating the previous presentment of the menu or other prompt;
• presenting the predetermined help message such that the previous presentment of the menu or other prompt is not repeated if the first time-out event occurs subsequent to a no-response event;
• determining whether the default help request is a no-match event or whether said default help request is a time-out event if said event is a default help request;
• audibly presenting one of the plurality of help messages if the default help request is a no-match event;
• and
• audibly presenting a different one of the plurality of help messages if the default help request is a time-out event.

A non-transitory computer readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a computer system for causing the computer system to perform the steps of:

• determining an interactive voice response event;
• classifying said event as a default help request if said event is one of a no-match event and a time-out event, wherein the no-match event occurs when said event does not correspond to a user option provided by the application, and wherein the time-out event occurs if a user fails to respond to an application prompt within a predetermined duration of time;
• classifying said event as a user initiated help request if said event is a user request for help and not a non-help request;
• setting a time for receiving user input to a default value if said event is classified as said default help request;
• setting said time for receiving user input to a value less than said default value if said event is classified as said user initiated help request, wherein said interactive voice response application takes one of a plurality of different programmatic actions upon expiration of said time for receiving user input;
• repeating a previous presentment of a menu or other prompt if a first time-out event occurs subsequent to a no-match event;
• if a second time-out event occurs after repeating the previous presentment of the menu or other prompt, presenting a predetermined help message;
• if the first time-out event occurs subsequent to a no-response event, presenting the predetermined help message such that the previous presentment of the menu or other prompt is not repeated;
• if said event is a default help request, determining whether the default help request is a no-match event or whether said default help request is a time-out event;
• performing one of the plurality of programmatic actions if the default help request is a no-match event;
• and
• performing a different one of the plurality of programmatic actions if the default help request is a time-out event.

A non-transitory computer readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a computer system for causing the computer system to perform the steps of:

• determining an interactive voice response event corresponding to a help message request;
• classifying said event as a default help request if said event is one of a no-match event and a time-out event, wherein the no-match event occurs when said event does not correspond to a user option provided by the application, and wherein the time-out event occurs if a user fails to respond to an application prompt within a predetermined duration of time;
• classifying said event as a user initiated help request if said event includes a user request for help;
• setting a time-out threshold to a default time;
• if and only if said event includes a user request for help, decreasing said time-out threshold;
• audibly presenting a first help message;
• once said first help message has been presented, starting a no-response timer;
• and
• if said no-response timer exceeds said time-out threshold, audibly presenting a second help message, wherein said second help message comprises one of a plurality of different help messages;
• repeating a previous presentment of a menu or other prompt if a first time-out event occurs subsequent to a no-match event;
• if a second time-out event occurs after repeating the previous presentment of the menu or other prompt, presenting a predetermined help message;
• if the first time-out event occurs subsequent to a no-response event, presenting the predetermined help message such that the previous presentment of the menu or other prompt is not repeated;
• if said event is a default help request, determining whether the default help request is a no-match event or whether said default help request is a time-out event;
• audibly presenting one of the plurality of help messages if the default help request is a no-match event;
• and
• audibly presenting a different one of the plurality of help messages if the default help request is a time-out event.