NO332811B1 - Procedure in a video call center to handle video calls - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of a video call center for handling an incoming video call from a calling party that addresses one of a set of telephone numbers, data addresses and / or URIs, respectively, associated with a main queue lookup or one of a number of sub queue lookups. If the calling party is an agent and addresses a master queue lookup, an agent main menu is presented to the caller. If the calling party is an agent and addresses a sub queue lookup, a connection is established between the calling party and a caller having a first position in a virtual queue of callers. If the calling party is a caller and addresses a main queue lookup, a caller main menu is presented to the caller. If the calling party is a caller and addresses a sub queue lookup, a virtual queue of callers is created. In addition, if the calling party is a caller, the calling party is inserted into the virtual queue of callers associated with the sub queue lookup that the calling party addresses.

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to video call center solutions Eng.: Video Cali Centers Solutions, also known as video customer center solutions), interactive voice response (eng.: Interactive Voice Response) and interactive video response (eng.: Interactive Video Response).

Background for the invention

Video calls are increasingly becoming the preferred form of real-time remote communication. The spread of video-enabled devices, as well as the rapid increase in available bandwidth, is increasingly making conversational video available to both businesses and consumers.

The progress in conversational video creates new demand for enterprises and telecom service providers. As the number of video-equipped consumers increases, so does the demand for video-enabled services. Furthermore, video calls are no longer limited to advanced endpoints specifically adapted for video conferencing. Video calls can also be arranged from mobile phones and PCs. As real-time communication is developing from audio-only to multimedia communication, there is a growing need to adapt shared services that have been adapted to audio-only conversations to services where the advantages of real-time video are also utilized. Some of the most developed services in this context are call centres.

Referring to material from the Wikipedia article "call center", a call center is a centralized office used for the purpose of receiving and sending a large volume of inquiries over the telephone. A call center is typically operated by a company to manage incoming product support or information requests from consumers. Outgoing calls, e.g. for telemarketing, clientele and debt collection is also done.

A call center is often operated through an extensive open workspace for call center agents, with workstations that include a computer for each agent, a telephone set/headset connected to a telecommunications exchange, and one or more supervisor stations. The center can be operated independently or in a network with additional centers, often linked to a corporate computer network, including mainframes, microcomputers and local area networks. The voice and data paths into the center are increasingly linked through a set of new technologies called computer telephony integration (CTI). This also includes linking with e-mail, databases and web-based services.

Most large businesses use call centers to collaborate with their customers. Business applications for call centers are virtually limitless in terms of the type of transactions they can have. Call centers can e.g. support sales, including order entry, order inquiry and reservations; financial services, including payment transfer, credit card verification and share transactions; information services, including event planning, information services, transport planning and yellow pages; customer services, including technical support, repair dispatch and claims handling. Examples also include utility companies, mail order catalog companies, and customer support for computer hardware and software. Some companies even service internal functions using call centers. Examples of this include help desks and sales support.

Call centers include a type of switched network, which can range from dedicated circuit switches to the use of IP multimedia technologies, such as voice and video over IP. The call center can be modulated as a number of queues. The callers can join a queue based on e.g. a menu selection or from information known about the caller, e.g. the geographical location derived from the caller's country code, or simply from the telephone number from which the call is made. The agents can serve queues based on various techniques known as automatic call distribution (eng: Automatic Call Distribution) or skill-based routing (eng: Skill-based routing), where e.g. the agent's knowledge of language is taken into account along with other factors, such as response time.

It is relatively obvious that call centers take over the advantages of video communication. Videophone customer service would not be complete if customers could not see the agent when calling for assistance. User-friendly video services are needed to improve video phone adoption rates. Offering video call center hosting services will give businesses a way to quickly and cost-effectively form their own video call centers, which will further increase the demand for video calls.

IVVR (Interactive Video and Voice Response) is the extension of IVR (Interactive Voice Response) with video. IVVR adds a new multimodal dimension to the conversation experience. In addition to hearing traditional IVR voice menus and announcements, a caller can see the menu options for dispatching the call, and receive video presentations when waiting for an agent, during transfers, or at appropriate points in the IVVR dialog. This creates new service and revenue opportunities, from ad-supported free information to paid entertainment, etc.

IVVR can be used as a video front end to a traditional voice call center, or as part of a video call center where callers see agents and vice versa when the callers are provided for this. Call centers that cannot immediately upgrade to video can still offer IVVR to video-enable the self-service portion of the call and then transfer it to a voice agent in the legacy call center. In call centers that can upgrade to video, IVVR is the video-enabled entry and gateway for video agents.

The use of video and web technology in call centers is well known. Patent US 6,404,747: Integrated audio and video agent system in an automatic call distribution environment, describes a general solution for a video multimedia call center. Patent US 6,389,132: Multi-tasking, web-based call center, shows a web-based call center. None of these patents provide a flexible and simple method for identifying an agent calling the queue. Instead, they are built on the assumption that the agents are called by the automated call dispatcher.

Virtual worlds such as There by Makena, Alphaworld by Activeworlds and Second Life by Linden Labs are platforms that are increasingly used for communication. In such worlds, people are represented by an avatar, i.e. a graphic 3D representation that can be animated. The avatar can usually walk or fly. To move from one location to another in a virtual world, teleportation is usually used, ie the computer controlling the world simply moves the avatar to a new location based on input from the user. The location can e.g. be given as a combination of coordinates and place names. For an enterprise setting up a center in a virtual world, there is a need to establish a call center or to integrate existing call center functions with the presence in the virtual world.

WO-2004/010672 shows a system for providing avatars to a communication device by means of an avatar generating program.

US-5 793 861 shows a system for handling different types of inquiries and calls, such as video calls, e-mail, telephone, fax, etc., where a user can be recognized and associated with a main queue and put in contact with an agent .

Summary of the Invention

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a method which solves at least one of the above-mentioned problems in the prior art.

The features defined in the independent requirements that are attached characterize this procedure.

Brief description of the drawings

In order to make the invention easier to understand, the following discussion will refer to the attached drawings. Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show snapshots of a configuration interface for a basic call center controller, Fig. 4 shows a call flow chart illustrating the beginning of a call flow in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 5 shows a call flow chart illustrating a call flow when the calling party is determined to be a caller, Fig. 6 shows a call flow chart illustrating an alternative flow when the calling party is determined to be a caller, Fig. 7 shows a call flow chart illustrating details of the call flow in the event that a caller leaves a video message, Fig. 8 shows a call flow chart illustrating the flow when the calling party is determined to be an agent, Fig. 9 shows a flow chart illustrating the call flow when an agent enters a queue that has a video mail waiting, Figs 10 and 11 are flowcharts illustrating how the ability to connect callers to agents can be checked.

Detailed description of the invention

In the following, the present invention will be discussed by describing a preferred embodiment, and by reference to the attached drawings. An embodiment applicable to virtual worlds such as Second Life has also been described. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that other applications and modifications exist within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended independent claims.

The present invention is a method and a system for a common point for handling and managing callers and agents in an IVVR that provides an easy access and user-friendly user interface to a call center. Agents can use the same number to configure their status for a queue that callers use to access that queue, and the service compares the calling party number with the agent numbers supplied in the dialplan entry arguments. In this way, both video and audio callers can use the same call centre, and the service detects the type of user who is calling and provides them with the right interfaces. Furthermore, queues can be created by creating an instance (a dialplan entry) in the queue service, and configuring the queue using dialplan entry arguments. Each queue has a separate phone number, or similar identifier, and callers and clients can reach queues through a menu or call the queue's phone number directly.

The present invention will preferably require some kind of pre-configuration to work correctly. Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show some example entries which may be necessary to enter the user interface for the call center to form a call plan and a number of corresponding queues.

Fig. 1 shows an example of a call plan where the numbers for each of the queues in the call center are associated with the queue name and service type. E.g. a caller, by dialing 3108100, will reach a menu that appears on the caller's video screen with options to select which queue to enter. A user can also call the queue directly if the user knows the number of the queue. E.g. the caller will be brought directly to the "savings" queue by dialing 3108101. An administrator can manage the notices in the call center through the web interface by creating new notices and by deleting old ones, and by changing the settings of existing notices.

An extended editing of the ring plan is shown in fig. 2. The posting "Bank call centre" is set as a menu service, and will then become the top level for a number of queues. The network type is chosen to be H.323, which means that this lookup is enabled to receive video calls, and since it is also a menu lookup, as already mentioned, it will provide a visual menu for the video callers. Below the top level, a number of queues and their respective settings are listed. All of these queues will be selectable by a caller dialing the menu number, and in this example all queues are enabled to receive video calls. This means that agents and callers entering the queues can be connected in video calls if both are using a video terminal. Optionally, an on-hold video (eng.: an on-hold video) could also be associated with each queue announcement to be displayed when callers are waiting to be connected to an available agent. The connection between the callers and the agent can be controlled by an Automatic Call Distributor, or using skill-based routing, or other automatic queue management techniques. Based on this, the caller can also receive information via audio or video about the estimated time before the call can be placed with an agent. A video or voicemail and a callback option can also be associated with any queue or at the menu level, to give callers an opportunity to leave a message or phone number, and the agent an opportunity to call back callers who have left the queues.

Fig. 3 shows a further extended editing of the call plan. In this window, call plan details for a separate queue are specified. In this part of the calling plan, the agents are specified by e.g. the phone number in the agent notice. The specification of the agents will allow the system to differentiate calls originating from agents from other calls.

Once all the lookups and associated settings have been entered in Basic Call Center Manager, the call center is ready for use. Callers can use the menu service to select a subject or call a queue service directly, and agents can also use the menu service or call a queue directly to set their status and to be connected to one of the callers. Fig. 4 shows a call flow diagram illustrating the beginning of a call when a caller enters a queue service in accordance with the present invention by calling one or more of the numbers defined in the Basic Call Center Manager. Callers can call the menu service to select the subject of their call, the menu service then connects them to the appropriate queue service. Alternatively, if a caller already knows the number for the queue service, he can call this directly. First, IVVR checks if the queue for the service already exists (using the subject argument from the dial plan), if not, it sends a command to a SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) interface to create it. The service then checks the calling party number against the agent numbers in the dial plan lookup arguments to see if the call originates from an agent or a caller. Fig. 5 shows a call flow diagram illustrating the flow when the calling party is determined to be a caller. The figure is self-explanatory, but the general steps are as follows: as soon as the queue service determines that the calling party is a caller, the caller is registered to the SOAP interface in the call center. Every time a caller registers or an agent changes their status to "available", the call center checks whether the caller and an agent can be connected. If not, the caller is put in a waiting loop, and a waiting movie is started. Depending on the call plan lookup argument, the caller is presented with the option to leave a video mail, i.e. record a video message, after a predefined time. During this waiting time, it is regularly checked whether it is the caller's turn, i.e. whether the caller has the first position in the queue, and whether an agent has an available status. If this is the case, the caller and the available agent are connected and both statuses change to "conversation". When a connection with an agent is terminated, a Disconnect CauseValue is checked to see if the call terminated normally or if an error occurred (eg, agent endpoint busy).

In the example in fig. 5 query the queue service regularly on behalf of the caller whether it is the caller's turn to be connected to an agent. Fig. 6 shows an alternative flow when the calling party is determined to be a caller. In this variation, the caller's IVVR does not need to poll the SOAP interface to determine if an agent is ready. Instead of regularly polling the SOAP interface, IVVR waits for the caller for an "agent ready" signal from the call center. IVVR still checks if the caller has waited in the queue long enough to be able to leave a videomail message, but this is done internally and does not require SOAP messages.

In both Figures 5 and 6, the call ends after "let the service call the agent for termination". After each call, an agent is called by the system and presented with information about the call. This provides the agent with key data such as the length of the call, caller ID, queue served and subqueue, and can also provide information on the outcome of the call, confirm storage, provide statistical information on agent and call center performance such as average delay, average talk time, average handling time, service level percentage value, calls per time handled by agent and center, time not ready, first call resolution figure, total calls entered, and idle time.

The information can be displayed as text and graphics in the video stream from the call center to the agent, or in combination with web pages, web feeds such as RSS or e-mail. In the present invention as shown in fig. 5 and 6, the system knows that the agent is busy reading the information, until the agent releases the conversation.

Fig. 7 shows the details of the call flow in the event that a caller leaves a video message. If a caller chooses to leave a videomail message and wait for an agent to call them back instead of remaining in the waiting queue, their status changes to "Callback". If the number for the calling party is not known, the user is encouraged to enter a preferred number that has been stored. The recording of the video message is then started and kept in progress until the user presses #. Alternatively, the caller can choose to simply leave a predefined callback request. A post-registration menu is then presented to the caller, the videomail is saved, and the connection with the caller is terminated. The caller holds its position in the queue, and a callback is performed by an available agent when the caller reaches the first position in the queue. Fig. 8 shows a call flow diagram illustrating the flow when the calling party is determined to be an agent. If an agent enters the queue service after a call, information about this call is displayed (caller's phone number, time, etc.). An agent can then change its status (to "available" or "not available") or log out. If an agent changes its status to "available", the service checks if there are any videomail messages for this queue, and if the caller who left the message (the callback caller) is the first caller in the queue. If so, the agent is prompted to make a call to the caller. If not, the normal flow continues, the agent is connected to a waiting caller, and the agent's status changes. Fig. 9 shows a flowchart illustrating the conversation flow for the case mentioned above, when an agent enters a queue that has a waiting video mail. The agent first gets a screen with information about the caller who left the message, and the message is displayed. The agent can then replay the message or connect to the caller who left the message. After the call has been made, the agent is connected to the queue service again, where he automatically receives wrap-up information for the call.

Whenever an agent or caller changes state, the SOAP interface checks whether there is an opportunity to connect callers to agents. The conversation flow chart in fig. 10 and 11 show how the SOAP interface checks this. The first diagram concerns the caller's conversation flow with polling, and the second concerns the caller's conversation flow with signaling.

In another embodiment, the present invention is used in or integrated with a virtual world such as Second Life. In virtual worlds, there is usually a chat or voice service that operates between avatars in sight or at a reasonable distance from each other. In this embodiment, the callers have voice-activated avatars. They can be served by a call center in three ways (apart from the obvious text chat or instant messaging): i) The caller avatar is served by an agent using only voice. The caller avatar simply uses a virtual phone or voice-activated chat to contact the call center and join a queue there, as described in the previous embodiment. ii) The caller avatar is operated by an agent using video. The caller avatar simply uses the virtual world similarly to a videophone as described in the previous embodiment. iii) The caller avatar is served by an agent avatar in the same or another virtual world. a. The caller avatar enters the queue service as in fig. 4 by activating a teleport and thus selecting an address in the namespace of the relevant virtual world. This is equivalent to dialing a number or selecting a URI in the preceding embodiment. b. The caller and the agent are connected as shown in fig. 5 and 6 "connect caller to agent" by teleporting the caller and agent avatar to a suitable meeting place in a virtual world. The place can e.g. be a dedicated virtual call center office or any location chosen by the calling avatar or agent avatar. The call ends, "call ended" in fig. 5 and 6, e.g. when one of the avatars leaves the place or when the conversation is marked as ended in a Head Up Display, touches a button, gives a command or the like. Preferably there are arrangements for the avatar to leave the place, e.g. to explore a problem in a common way or to consider an object for sale. c. The "show queue records and start pending movie" element can be replaced by the caller avatar being allowed to roam freely until teleporting when "connect caller to agent". d. The use of video mail is similar to that shown in the first embodiment, as shown in fig. 5, 6 and 7. The video for the caller avatar's message is recorded and can be replayed by the agent. During registration, the caller's avatar can move or teleport to show or explain what the call is about. The agent views a video mail as shown in fig. 9.

e. The agent calls in as in fig. 8, by activating a teleport in the same way as the caller. The agent is identified e.g. by an avatar name, as is commonly used in virtual worlds.

f. Changes in status are as for the first embodiment shown in fig. 10 and 11.

In this embodiment, the video mail registered when registering the avatar is with or without the surroundings and other avatars present. The surroundings and other avatars can be saved in separate layers of the registration.

In yet another embodiment, the caller uses a video call as described in the first embodiment, but the agent is present in a virtual world and represented by an avatar. The avatar calls the queue by selecting it, e.g. on a teleport. As the caller is not represented by an avatar, the agent is either teleported to a suitable video screen and can see the caller there, or the video is simply displayed in front of the agent. Video and audio for the agent's avatar is captured and transmitted to the calling user's video endpoint.

The description of the invention also includes the following aspects, which should not be confused with patent claims: Aspect 1. A method in a video call center for handling an incoming video call from a calling party who addresses one of a set of telephone numbers, computer addresses and/or URTs respectively associated with a main queue lookup or one of a number of subqueue looksup,

characterized by

I. to define the calling party to be an agent if the identity of the calling party exists in a pre-stored set of agent identities, II. to define the calling party to be a caller if the calling party's identity is not found in the pre-stored set of agent identities,

III. if the calling party is defined to be an agent, then

III. 1. if the calling party addresses a main queue announcement, to present an agent main menu for the caller, III. 2. if the calling party addresses a subqueue lookup, to establish a connection between the calling party and a caller who has a first position in a virtual queue of callers associated with the subqueue lookup addressed by the calling party if such a virtual queue exists,

IV. if the calling party is defined to be a caller, then

IV. 1. if the calling party addresses a main queue announcement, to present a call main menu to the caller,

IV.2. if the calling party addresses a subqueue lookup,

IV.2.a. to create a virtual queue of callers associated with the subqueue lookup that the calling party addresses if such a virtual queue does not exist, VI.2.b. inserting the calling party into the virtual queue of callers associated with the subqueue entry addressed by the calling party.

Aspect 2. Procedure as defined in aspect 1,

characterized in that the agent main menu and the caller main menu include selectable options that each correspond to the respective subqueue entries and by selecting one of the options, the calling party is defined to address the subqueue entry with which the selected option is associated.

Aspect 3. Procedure as defined in aspect 1 or aspect 2,

characterized by the fact that the caller can leave a video mail.

Aspect 4. Procedure as defined in aspect 1 or aspect 2,

characterized by the fact that the caller can leave a video mail.

Aspect 5. Method as defined in any of the above aspects,

characterized by the agent receiving an indication of video mail messages for the queue.

Aspect 6. Method as defined in any of the above aspects,

characterized by the fact that the agent can call the caller from a menu below or after viewing the video email.

Aspect 7. Method as defined in any of the above aspects,

characterized by the agent receiving a system video call that provides information and statistics regarding a completed call with a calling party, and the agent being defined as busy until the system video call is released.

Aspect 8. Method as defined in any of the above aspects,

characterized by the caller and/or agent being represented by an avatar.

Aspect 9. Method as defined in any of the above aspects,

characterized by the fact that the connection of the conversation is made by placing the avatar in a virtual place and poses suitable for communication.

Aspect 10. Method as defined in any of the above aspects,

characterized in that the avatar performing the caller's or agent's queue selection uses a virtual teleporter.

Aspect 11. Method as defined in any of the above aspects,

characterized by the fact that the calling avatar, after selecting a queue or subqueue, is not teleported to a meeting point until an agent is free and in place.

Aspect 12. Method as defined in any of the above aspects,

characterized by the calling avatar having selected a queue or subqueue hitting the agent at a place and time of the calling avatar's choosing.

Claims (11)

1. A method in a video call center for handling an incoming video call from a calling party addressing one of a set of telephone numbers, data addresses and/or URFs respectively associated with a main queue or one of a number of sub-queues, characterized by 1. to compare the identity of the calling party with a pre-stored set of agent identities, whereby the calling party is identified to be an agent if the calling party's identity is found in the prestored set of agent identities, or the calling party is identified as the caller if the called party's identity is not found in the pre-stored set of agent identities, II. if the incoming video call is from an agent, then II. 1. to present an agent main menu for the agent if the agent addresses a main queue, II. 2. to establish a video call between the agent and a caller who has a first position in a virtual queue of callers associated with a subqueue if the agent addresses the subqueue and such a virtual queue exists, III. if the incoming video call is from a caller, then III. 1. to present a main caller menu for the caller if the caller addresses a main queue, III.2. if the caller addresses a subqueue, III.2.a. to create a virtual queue of callers associated with the subqueue the caller addresses if such a virtual queue does not exist, and to introduce the caller into the virtual queue of callers, III.2.b. to enter the caller in the virtual queue of callers associated with the subqueue the caller addresses. 2. Procedure as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the agent main menu and the caller main menu include selectable options, each option corresponding to the respective subqueue, and by selecting one of the options, the calling party is defined to address the subqueue to which the selected option is associated. 3. Procedure as defined in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the caller can leave a video mail message. 4. Method as defined in any of the above claims, characterized in that the agent receives an indication of videomail messages for the queue. 5. Method as defined in one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the agent can call the caller from a menu, while the agent sees the videomail message, or after seeing it. 6. Method as defined in any of the above claims, characterized in that the agent receives a system video call that provides information and statistics regarding a completed video call with a caller, and that the agent is defined as busy until the system video call is released. 7. Method as defined in any of the above claims, characterized in that the caller and/or the agent is represented by an avatar in a virtual world. 8. Procedure as defined in claim 7, characterized in that the connection of a video call between caller and agent is made by placing the avatar in a virtual location and poses suitable for communication. 9. Method as defined in one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the avatar that performs the caller's or agent's queue selection uses a virtual teleporter. 10. Procedure as defined in claim 9, characterized in that the avatar is not teleported to a meeting place until an agent is free and present. 11. Method defined in any one of claims 8-11, characterized in that the avatar can leave a video mail message.