IP Library Granted Patent US 8,406,412
Granted Patent B2
US 8,406,412 · App. 12/714,368 · Granted Mar 26, 2013

System and method for call flow generation via real-time tracking of guided problem resolution

Inventors: Timothy J Bethea (Sunnyvale, CA); Neil H Boyette (Oregon City, OR); Isaac Kam-Chak Cheng (San Jose, CA); Vikas Krishna (San Jose, CA); Yolanda A Rankin (San Jose, CA); Yongshin Yu (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,406,412
App. No.
12/714,368
Granted
Mar 26, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for adapting an existing call flow wherein the call flow further comprises an associated data set, comprising: activating the existing call flow, the existing call flow generating a series of questions designed to obtain information from a caller; determining if an exception condition has occurred; allowing a user to activate an exception call flow in response to the exception condition; retaining the data set associated with the call flow when the exception condition occurred; adapting the data set such that the call flow addresses the exception condition; analyzing the adapted data set to determine if it is unique; and, modifying the existing call flow to incorporate the adapted data set if the adapted data set is unique.

Claims (46)

1. A method for adapting an existing call flow wherein the call flow further comprises an associated data set, comprising:

activating the existing call flow, the existing call flow generating a series of questions designed to obtain information from a caller;

determining if an exception condition has occurred;

allowing a user to activate an exception call flow in response to the exception condition, wherein the user is a customer service representative;

retaining the data set associated with the call flow when the exception condition occurred;

adapting the data set such that the call flow addresses the exception condition;

analyzing the adapted data set to determine if it is unique;

modifying the existing call flow to incorporate the adapted data set if the adapted data set is unique; and

allowing the user to return to the existing call flow if the exception condition was triggered accidentally.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising employing a user interface to modify the existing data set.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an ability for the user to add to the set of data elements.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring the data set during the exception condition.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising recording the call flow after the exception condition is initiated.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising gathering information sufficient to determine if the caller is entitled to support and terminating the call flow if the caller is not entitle to support.

7. A computer implemented system for adapting an existing call flow wherein the call flow further comprises an associated data set, comprising:

a module to activate the existing call flow, the existing call flow generating a series of questions designed to obtain information from a caller;

a module to determine from the existing call flow if an exception condition has occurred;

a module, upon receiving a determination of an exception condition, to allow a user to activate an exception call flow in response to the exception condition, wherein the user is a customer service representative;

a storage module to retain the data set associated with the call flow when the exception condition occurred;

a module to adapt the data set such that the call flow addresses the exception condition;

a module to analyze the adapted data set to determine if it is unique; and

a module to modify the existing call flow to incorporate the adapted data set if the adapted data set is unique;

wherein the user interface is configured to allow the user to return to the existing call flow if the exception condition was triggered accidentally.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising a user interface to modify the existing data set.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the user interface is configured to allow the user to add to the set of data elements.

10. The system of claim 8 further comprising a module to monitor the data set during the exception condition.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the user interface is configured to prompt the user for confirmation to ensure the data set after the exception condition is resolved.

12. The system of claim 7 further comprising a module to record the call flow after the exception condition is initiated.

13. The system of claim 7 further comprising a decision module to gather information sufficient to determine if the caller is entitled to support and terminating the call flow if the caller is not entitle to support.

14. A non-transitory computer useable storage medium to store a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform operations for adapting an existing call flow, wherein the call flow further comprises an associated data set, comprising:

activating the existing call flow, the existing call flow generating a series of questions designed to obtain information from a caller;

determining if an exception condition has occurred;

allowing a user to activate an exception call flow in response to the exception condition, wherein the user is a customer service representative;

retaining the data set associated with the call flow when the exception condition occurred;

adapting the data set such that the call flow addresses the exception condition;

analyzing the adapted data set to determine if it is unique;

modifying the existing call flow to incorporate the adapted data set if the adapted data set is unique; and

allowing the user to return to the existing call flow if the exception condition was triggered accidentally.

15. The non-transitory computer useable storage medium of claim 14 further comprising employing a user interface to modify the existing data set.

16. The non-transitory computer useable storage medium of claim 14 further comprising providing an ability for the user to add to the set of data elements.

17. The non-transitory computer useable storage medium of claim 14 further comprising providing the user full access to the data set.

18. The non-transitory computer useable storage medium of claim 14 further comprising monitoring the data set during the exception condition.

19. The non-transitory computer useable storage medium of claim 18 further comprising prompting the user for confirmation to ensure the data set after the exception condition is resolved.

20. The non-transitory computer useable storage medium of claim 14 further comprising recording the call flow after the exception condition is initiated.

21. The non-transitory computer useable storage medium of claim 20 further comprising ending the recording of the call flow after the exception condition is resolved.

22. The non-transitory computer useable storage medium of claim 14 further comprising gathering information sufficient to determine if the caller is entitled to support and terminating the call flow if the caller is not entitle to support.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 26, 2010
From: BETHEA, TIMOTHY J; BOYETTE, NEIL H; CHENG, ISAAC K; KRISHNA, VIKAS; RANKIN, YOLANDA A; YU, YONGSHIN
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024002/0513 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110211687A1 · Sep 1, 2011