Systems and methods of introducing beneficial communication latency in contact handling systems

A method for introducing a slower communication rate in a contact by transitioning from a first communication media to a second communication media having a lower communication rate than the first communication media in a contact handling system including an agent, an agent workstation, a media server, an interactive voice response unit, and an automatic contact distributor, the method comprising:

• during the contact between the contact handling system and a customer, communicating with the customer via the interactive voice response unit, and via a first media having a first media type, wherein the customer is waiting to communicate with the agent via the first media type, and wherein the first media type includes a substantially immediate-response communication media type;
• during the contact between the contact handling system and the customer, receiving a request from the customer to transition to a second media having a second media type, wherein the second media type includes a substantially delayed-response communication media type as compared to the first media type;
• during the contact between the contact handling system and the customer, displaying to the agent a portion of an identifier associated with the second media such that the agent is not provided the entire identifier;
• during the contact between the agent and the customer, requesting and receiving confirmation from the customer that the portion of the identifier is associated with the second media;
• and
• transitioning the contact from the first media to the second media having the second media type, the transition including:
• ceasing communication via the first media;
• beginning a second-media communication between the agent and the customer via the agent workstation with substantially no delay intervening between ceasing communication via the first media and beginning the second-media communication between the agent and the customer;
• and
• communicating with the customer via the agent workstation via the second media, including sending the second-media communication from the agent to the customer via the second media.

A contact handling system comprising:

• an agent workstation, which allows agents to interact with customers, media, and the contact handling system;
• a media server, which handles connection paths for media;
• an automatic contact distributor, which tracks the state of contacts and agents, supplying available agents with waiting media;
• an electronic processor;
• a tangible non-transitory computer readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon for performing a method for improving a contact between a customer and the agent, the method including:
• during the contact between the agent and the customer, communicating with the customer via a first media having a first media type via a first connection path, wherein the first media type includes a substantially immediate-response, speech-based communication type;
• during the contact between the agent and the customer, receiving a request from the customer to transition to a second media having a second media type, wherein the second media type includes a substantially delay-response, text-based communication type;
• during the contact between the agent and the customer, displaying to the agent a portion of an identifier associated with the second media such that the agent is not provided the entire identifier;
• during the contact between the agent and the customer, requesting and receiving confirmation from the customer that the portion of the identifier is associated with the second media;
• during the contact between the agent and the customer, in response to receiving confirmation from the customer that the portion of the identifier is associated with the second media, transitioning from the first media to the second media having the second media type via a second connection path, the transition comprising:
• ceasing speech-based communications with the customer via the first media for a portion of the contact;
• closing the first connection path for a portion of the contact;
• opening the second connection path;
• beginning a text-based communication between the agent and the customer with substantially no delay intervening between ceasing the speech-based communications with the customer via the first media and beginning the text-based communication;
• and
• communicating the text-based communication from the agent to the customer via the second media type.