CALLER INFORMATION SYSTEM
A system is provided for managing telephone calls made to special service numbers. Information extracted from incoming telephone calls can be received by a system server and cross-referenced with a database to obtain cross-referenced caller information pertaining to previous customer telephone calls and/or in person customer meetings. The cross-referenced caller information can be passed to a client workstation and displayed to the user in the form of an industry-specific template formatted in accordance with the business needs of the user. The template can be automatically populated with the cross-referenced caller information. During the telephone call, the user can view and update the caller information, thereby maintaining a retrievable record of the telephone call. With regard to the multi-housing industry in particular, caller information can be displayed in the form of a guest card template and/or a service card template.
1 . A system for managing telephone calls, comprising:
a database configured to store caller information;
a system server in communication with said database, wherein said system server is configured to:
receive information extracted from an incoming telephone call, and
cross-reference said extracted information with said caller information of said database to obtain cross-referenced caller information; and
a client workstation in communication with said system server, wherein said client workstation is configured to:
receive said cross-referenced information from said system server,
display a list of incoming telephone calls, display said cross-referenced information in response in response to a user's selection of a call in said list,
receive updated caller information input by said user, and
pass said updated caller information to said system server.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said system server is further configured to store said updated caller information in said database.
3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a telephony server in communication with said system server, wherein said telephony server is configured to provide said extracted information to said system server.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said extracted information is ANI information.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said extracted information is DNIS information.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said incoming telephone call is placed to a special service number.
7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein:
said incoming telephone call is placed by a caller responding to an advertisement in a distributed media publication.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein:
said client workstation and said user are located at an office of an advertiser.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein:
said system is adapted for managing caller information for the multi-housing industry.
10 - 11 . (canceled)
12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said system server is further configured to:
generate a report in response to a request received from said client workstation,
wherein said report comprises caller information, and
pass said report to said client workstation.
13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said system server is further configured to:
retrieve a record in response to a request received from said client workstation, wherein said record comprises caller information, and
pass said record to said client workstation.
14 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a computing device for monitoring performance of said system,
wherein said computing device is in communication with said system server,
wherein said computing device is configured to:
request transaction information from said system server,
receive said transaction information from said system server, and
display said transaction information to a developer.
15 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of client workstations in communication with said system server.
16 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a computing device for monitoring whether each of said client workstations is online, wherein said computing device is in communication with said system server, wherein said computing device is configured to:
request client workstation information from said system server,
receive said client workstation information from said system server, and
display said client workstation information to a developer.
17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
at least a portion of said caller information of said database comprises customer information of a walk-in customer.
18 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
at least a portion of said caller information of said database comprises customer information of a caller customer.
19 . A method for managing telephone calls, comprising:
viewing a list of incoming telephone calls;
selecting one of said telephone calls from said list;
answering said selected telephone call to conduct a telephone conversation;
viewing previously stored caller information pertaining to said selected telephone call during said telephone conversation;
entering additional caller information pertaining to said selected telephone call; and
saving said additional caller information.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein:
said method is performed by a user interacting with a user telephone and a client workstation.
21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein:
said user and said client workstation are located at an office of an advertiser.
22 . The method of claim 19 , wherein:
at least a portion of said previously stored caller information comprises customer information of a walk-in customer.
23 . The method of claim 19 , wherein:
at least a portion of said previously stored caller information comprises customer information of a caller customer.
24 - 46 . (canceled)