System and method for eliminating hold-time in phone calls
An independent calling system (ICS) used in a transaction between a waiting party and a queuing party includes the queuing party having a queuing calling system (QCS) with the ICS adapted to communicate with the QCS and determine a hold status of the transaction.
1. An independent calling system (ICS) implemented in a transaction between a waiting party and a queuing party, the queuing party having a queuing calling system (QCS) and a phone system associated with the QCS, the ICS comprising a dial device dialing the phone system associated with the QCS and a navigate device using recorded and computer generated DTMF tones and voice cues to navigate without interaction from the waiting party an interactive voice response (IVR) menu of the phone system associated with the QCS and an audio processor processing at least one of continually and intermittently electronically processing audio received from the phone system associated with the QCS and searching for certain cues from the QCS to identify a transition from an on-hold state to a live state in which an agent is present, such that the ICS does not require cooperation from the QCS except for directing dialing and navigating the phone system associated with the QCS on behalf of the waiting party.
2. The ICS of claim 1 , wherein the ICS is adapted to allow the waiting party to specify a voice address and to call the waiting party at the voice address once a live agent at the queuing party is available.
3. The ICS of claim 1 , wherein the ICS is adapted to inform the waiting party of the hold status.
4. The ICS of claim 1 , wherein the ICS is adapted to accept and handle at least one of a cancellation, a handoff, an advance scheduled calling, and a change of voice address upon request from the waiting party.
5. The ICS of claim 1 , wherein the ICS is adapted to generate aggregate statistics about a queuing party, the aggregate statistics comprising at least one of an average hold time, a call volume, a call duration, and an optimal time to schedule a call.
6. The ICS of claim 5 , wherein the ICS is further adapted to display or inform the aggregate statistics.
7. The ICS of claim 1 , wherein the ICS is adapted to automatically select an appropriate voice address of the waiting party.
8. The ICS of claim 7 , wherein the ICS is adapted to select the voice address based on profile information about the waiting party.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the certain cues comprise at least one of music, pre-recorded voice, silence, or any combination thereof.
10. A method implemented in a transaction between a waiting party and a queuing party, the queuing party having a queuing calling system (QCS) and a phone system associated with the QCS, the method comprising electronically dialing the phone system associated with the QCS using computer generated and recorded DTMF tones and voice cues to navigate without interaction from the waiting party an interactive voice response (IVR) menu of the phone system, and at least one of continually and intermittently electronically processing audio received from the phone system associated with the QCS and searching for certain cues from the QCS to identify a transition from an on-hold state to a live state in which an agent is present, wherein the method does not require cooperation from the QCS except for directing dialing and navigating the phone system associated with the QCS on behalf of the waiting party.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method allows the waiting party to specify a voice address and to call the waiting party at the voice address once a live agent at the queuing party is available.
12. The method of claim 10 , further informing the waiting party of the hold status.
13. The method of claim 10 , further accepting and handling at least one of a cancellation, a handoff, an advance scheduled calling, and a change of voice address upon request from the waiting party.
14. The method of claim 10 , further generating aggregate statistics about a queuing party, the aggregate statistics comprising at least one of an average hold time, a call volume, a call duration, and an optimal time to schedule a call.
15. The method of claim 14 , further displaying or informing the aggregate statistics.
16. The method of claim 10 , further automatically selecting an appropriate voice address of the waiting party.
17. The method of claim 16 , further selecting the voice address based on profile information about the waiting party.
18. The ICS of claim 1 , wherein the voice cues are generated by at least one of using pre-recorded audio and computer generated speech.
19. The ICS of claim 1 , wherein the ICS is further adapted to communicate the hold status via at least one of graphics, voice, and text to at least one of a mobile device and a computer.
20. The method of claim 10 , further comprising generating the voice cues by at least one of using pre-recorded audio and using computer generated speech.
21. The method of claim 10 , further comprising communicating the hold status via at least one of graphics, voice, and text to at least one of a mobile device and a computer.
22. The method of claim 10 , wherein the certain cues comprise at least one of music, pre-recorded voice, silence, or any combination thereof.