Avaya Inc.

Avaya Technology LLC

Kirschen Alcyone Seah

Andrew Thomas Busey

George Currie

Govind Balakrishnan

Peter Bunyan

Peter Novosel

Dwight M Moore

Christopher Sanchez

Edward C Horvath

Stephen P Zilko

Zhiyu Zhang

Mohammed Ehtesham Hoq

Kenneth Lynn Bowen

Mark Lovett Wells

Yuan Sylvia Tien

Rickey E Chevrie

Brett Morrison

Multiple communication types (e.g. chat, email, voice, etc.) are integrated into a call center. Embodiments can allow a single agent to handle multiple endpoints and multiple communication types. An agent user interface allows the agent to have control over accepting multiple communications and provides information to the agent about the communications and the customer. The agent can drag and drop canned responses, images, URLs, or other information into a window for immediate display on a customer's computer. The system also provides flexibility in transferring large amounts of historic and current data from one agent to another, and from storage to an active agent. The system also provides for 'blending' of different communication types to provide a single interface to the agent.

Automatic call distribution system using computer network-based communication

Multiple communication types are integrated into a call center. The communication types can be chat, email, Internet Protocol (IP) voice, traditional telephone, web page, digital image, digital video and other types. Features of the invention include allowing a single agent to handle multiple customers on multiple channels, or 'endpoints.' Prioritizing and assigning calls to agents based on a specific criteria such as the number of endpoints assigned to an agent, the agents availability, the priority of a customer call, the efficiency of a given agent and the agent's efficiency at handling a particular communication type call. An agent user interface is described that allows the agent to have control over accepting multiple calls. The agent can drag and drop canned responses, images, URLs, or other information into a window for immediate display on a customer's computer. The system provides for detailed agent performance tracking. The system provides failure recovery by using a backup system. If the network server fails, then the customer is connected directly to an agent. When a failed computer comes back on line, the statistics gathered are then used to synchronize the returned computer. The system provides extensive call recording or 'data wake' information gathering. The system provides flexibility in transferring large amounts of historic and current data from one agent to another, and from storage to an active agent. The system integrates human agents' knowledge with an automated knowledge base. The system provides for an agent updating, or adding, to the knowledge base in real time. The system also provides for &#x201c;blending&#x201d; of different communication types.

Multiple communication types are integrated into a call center. The communication types can be chat, email, Internet Protocol (IP) voice, traditional telephone, web page, digital image, digital video and other types. Features of the invention include allowing a single agent to handle multiple customers on multiple channels, or &ldquo;endpoints.&rdquo; Prioritizing and assigning calls to agents based on a specific criteria such as the number of endpoints assigned to an agent, the agent's availability, the priority of a customer call, the efficiency of a given agent and the agent's efficiency at handling a particular communication type call. An agent user inteface is described that allows the agent to have control over accepting multiple calls. The agent can drag and drop canned responses, images, URLs, or other information into a window for immediate display on a customer's computer. The system provides for detailed agent performance tracking. The system provides failure recovery by using a backup system. If the network server fails, then the customer is connected directly to an agent. When a failed computer comes back on line, the statistics gathered are then used to synchronize the returned computer. The system provides extensive call recording or &ldquo;data wake&rdquo; information gathering. The system provides flexibility in transferring large amounts of historic and current data from one agent to another, and from storage to an active agent. The system integrates human agents' knowledge with an automated knowledge base. The system provides for an agent updating, or adding, to the knowledge base in real time. The system also provides for &ldquo;blending&rdquo; of different communication types.

A network-based customer interface allows a customer to receive automated information from a variety of data sources, or databases, including a knowledge base and frequently asked question database. The data sources are updated based on recording ongoing customer queries and transactions with the database. The updates can be reviewed before they are used to update the data sources. Customer authentication is performed so that the customer can be given an elevated level of service and so that any prior customer sessions can be used to help human agents know about the customer's situation.

Web response unit including computer network based communication

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Austin, TX, United States of America

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