Patent Application

App. No. 12/713,806

Abstract

Claims (22)

1 . A method for transmitting choices to a caller, comprising the steps of:

(a) interacting by voice with a caller using a communication device;

(b) encountering a point in the interaction that a choice between two or more options is to be provided to the caller;

(c) determining if the caller's communication device is capable of receiving a text message;

(d) selecting a compatible text message comprising the options;

(e) associating with the text message a text message destination address to the caller's device; and

(f) transmitting the text message to the caller's device.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein, in step (a), interaction by voice with the caller is by an interactive voice response (IVR) system utilizing a voice application.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein individual portions of the IVR script providing choices by voice are tagged as associated with text messages providing the same choices, and when such a portion is encountered in the transaction, the associated text message is sent to the caller's device using the text message destination address.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein, in step (c), determination is made by a voice query to the caller, answered by the caller.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein, in step (a), interaction by voice with the caller is by a live agent at a station to which the call is routed.

6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the live agent operates a computerized appliance executing a desktop application, and the desktop application provides standardized text messages of choices the live agent may wish to communicate to the caller, and when the live agent encounters a point in the voice interaction where the agent determines to send a choice to the caller, the agent is enabled to select the associated text message and enter the text message destination address of the caller to send the text message.

7 . A system for transmitting choices to a caller using a communication device, comprising:

a switch receiving a voice call from the caller;

an end point having voice interaction capability to which the call is routed from the switch;

software operating at the end point having access to standardized text messages offering options;

wherein a determination is made as to whether the caller's communication device is enabled to receive text messages, and, upon encountering a point in the transaction with the caller that a choice between two or more options is to be provided to the caller, a compatible text message comprising the options is selected, a text message destination address to the caller's device is associated with the text message, and the text message is transmitted to the caller's device.

8 . The system of claim 7 wherein the end point is an interactive voice response (IVR) system utilizing a voice application.

9 . The system of claim 8 wherein individual portions of the IVR script providing options by voice are tagged as associated with text messages providing the same options, and when such a portion is encountered in the transaction, the associated text message is sent to the caller's device using the text message destination address.

10 . The system of claim 7 wherein determination of whether the caller's device can accept text messages is made by a voice query to the caller, answered by the caller.

11 . The system of claim 7 wherein the end point is a station where the call is connected to a live agent for voice response.

12 . The system of claim 11 wherein the live agent operates a computerized appliance executing a desktop application, and the desktop application provides standardized text messages of choices the live agent may wish to communicate to the caller, and when the live agent encounters a point in the voice interaction where the agent determines to send a choice to the caller, the agent is enabled to select the associated text message and enter the text message destination address of the caller to send the text message.

Assignments (10)