APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING CALL DEFLECTION
An approach is disclosed for providing call deflection. A voice call or chat is initiated by a user to an agent to satisfy an inquiry is received. The voice call/chat is placed in a call/chat queue. The voice call/chat is deflected by invoking a data application that is accessed by the user over a data session to address the inquiry, wherein the voice call/chat is terminated if the inquiry is satisfied by through the data application.
1 . A method comprising:
receiving a communication session initiated by a user to an agent to satisfy an inquiry, wherein the communication session is placed in a queue; and
deflecting the communication session by invoking a data application that is accessed by the user over a data session to address the inquiry, wherein the communication session is terminated if the inquiry is satisfied by through the data application.
2 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the data application is a website, the method further comprising:
generating the website; and
creating a user identifier for accessing the website by the user.
3 . A method according to claim 2 , the method further comprising:
collecting user information through the communication session, wherein the website is customized for the user based on the collected user information.
4 . A method according to claim 2 , the method further comprising:
providing, to the user over the communication session, the user identifier and addressing information to access the website.
5 . A method according to claim 4 , the addressing information includes a uniform resource location (URL).
6 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the data application is an instant messaging application for establishing a chat session between the user and the agent over the data session, the method further comprising:
collecting user information through the voice call; and
passing the collected information through the chat session to the agent.
7 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the agent is a service representative of a service provider, and the user is a customer of the service provider.
8 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the communication session is either a voice call or a chat session.
9 . An apparatus comprising:
a portal interface coupled to a portal and configured to receive a communication session, from the portal, initiated by a user to an agent to satisfy an inquiry, wherein the communication session is placed in a queue; and
logic configured to invoke a data application that is accessed by the user over a data session to address the inquiry, wherein the communication session is terminated if the inquiry is satisfied by through the data application.
10 . An apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the data application is a website, the apparatus further comprising:
a website generator configured to generate the website; and
an identifier generator configured to create a user identifier for accessing the website by the user.
11 . An apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the portal is configured to collect user information through the communication session, wherein the website is customized for the user based on the collected user information.
12 . An apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the user identifier and addressing information to access the website is provided to the user over the communication session.
13 . An apparatus according to claim 12 , the addressing information includes a uniform resource location (URL).
14 . An apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the portal is configured to collect user information through the communication session, and the data application is an instant messaging application for establishing a chat session between the user and the agent over the data session, the apparatus further comprising:
a chat interface configured to pass the collected information through the chat session to the agent.
15 . An apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the agent is a service representative of a service provider, and the user is a customer of the service provider.
16 . An apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the communication session is either a voice call or a chat session.
17 . A system comprising:
a portal configured to receive a communication session initiated by a user to an agent to satisfy an inquiry, wherein the communication session is placed in a queue; and
a call deflection system coupled to the portal and configured to deflect the communication session by invoking a data application that is accessed by the user over a data session to address the inquiry, wherein the communication session is terminated if the inquiry is satisfied by through the data application.
18 . A system according to claim 17 , wherein the data application is a website, the call deflection system including,
a website generator configured to generate the website; and
an identifier generator configured to create a user identifier for accessing the website by the user.
19 . A system according to claim 18 , wherein the portal is further configured to collect user information through the communication session, wherein the website is customized for the user based on the collected user information.
20 . A system according to claim 18 , wherein the call deflection system is further configured to provide, to the user over the communication session, the user identifier and addressing information to access the website.
21 . A system according to claim 20 , the addressing information includes a uniform resource location (URL).
22 . A system according to claim 17 , wherein the portal is configured to collect user information through the communication session, and the data application is an instant messaging application for establishing a chat session between the user and the agent over the data session, the call deflection system further including,
a chat interface configured to pass the collected information through the chat session to the agent.
23 . A system according to claim 17 , wherein the agent is a service representative of a service provider, and the user is a customer of the service provider.
24 . A system according to claim 17 , wherein the communication session is either a voice call or a chat session.