IP Library Granted Patent US 8,229,752
Granted Patent B1
US 8,229,752 · App. 12/767,342 · Granted Jul 24, 2012

Script compliance and agent feedback

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,229,752
App. No.
12/767,342
Granted
Jul 24, 2012
Kind
B1
Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for using automatic speech recognition to analyze a voice interaction and verify compliance of an agent reading a script to a client during the voice interaction. In one aspect of the invention, a method may include conducting the voice interaction between the agent and a client, wherein the agent follows the script via a plurality of panels. From there, the voice interaction is evaluated via the plurality of panels employing panel-by-panel playback with an automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze the voice interaction. As such, it may be determined, via generating a score using confidence level thresholds of an automatic speech recognition component such that confidence level thresholds are assigned to each of the plurality of panels and evaluating the score against at least one of a static standard and a varying standard, whether the agent has adequately followed the script.

Claims (23)

1. A method for evaluating compliance of at least one agent reading at least one script to at least one client, the method comprising:

conducting at least one voice interaction between the at least one agent and the at least one client, wherein the at least one agent follows the at least one script via at least one of a plurality of panels;

logging the at least one voice interaction;

based on the logging, evaluating the at least one voice interaction via the at least one of the plurality of panels employing panel-by-panel playback with at least one automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze the at least one voice interaction; and

determining, via generating a score using confidence level thresholds of the least one automatic speech recognition component such that confidence level thresholds are assigned to each of the plurality of panels and evaluating the score against at least one of a static standard and a varying standard, whether the at least one agent has adequately followed the at least one script by using the evaluated at least one voice interaction.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising assigning a time displacement timestamp to each of the plurality of panels as they are presented and viewed by the at least one agent during the voice interaction.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one voice interaction is logged in a log record, and further comprising logging a time displacement, based on the time displacement timestamp, per panel as a portion of the log record.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein conducting at least one voice interaction includes conducting at least one voice interaction involving a telemarketing agent.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein conducting at least one voice interaction includes conducting at least one voice interaction governed by at least one script that includes text corresponding to at least one offer of at least one of goods and services.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein conducting at least one voice interaction includes conducting the at least one voice interaction on at least one of a communications network, a publicly switched telephone network (PSTN), and the Internet.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein evaluating the at least one interaction includes:

providing a script compliance module accessible via a user interface and a communications network, the communications network including at least one of an analog telephone, a digital telephone, an internet-based network, a wireless network, and a selected voice communications supporting network;

converting the at least one voice interaction received via the communications network into at least one digital signal comprising at least one spectral representation of the at least one voice interaction;

comparing the at least one digital signal to at least one reference standard that includes at least one known vocabulary; and

matching the at least one digital signal to at least one of words and phrases contained in the at least one reference standard.

8. A system for evaluating compliance of at least one agent reading at least one script to at least one client, the system comprising:

at least one communication network adapted to support at least one voice interaction between the at least one agent and the at least one client, wherein the at least one agent follows at least one script via at least one of a plurality of panels;

a logging component adapted to log a time displacement of the at least one voice interaction;

at least one automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze, based on the logging component, the at least one voice interaction using each of the plurality of panels and to determine, via generating a score using confidence level thresholds of the at least one automatic speech recognition component such that the confidence level thresholds are assigned to each of the plurality of panels and evaluating the score against at least one of a static standard and a varying standard of the least one automatic speech recognition component, whether the at least one agent has adequately followed the at least one script.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising an action component operable to cause at least one action to be taken based upon a determination by the at least one automatic speech recognition component as to whether the at least one agent has adequately followed the at least one script.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one action is one or more of transmitting at least one signal to the at least one agent, transmitting at least one signal to at least one reviewing authority, and making an entry in a script compliance incentive system.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one communication network comprises at least one of a long distance telephone network and internet-based network.

12. The system of claim 8 , further comprising at least one call center that includes a plurality of agent workstations.

Assignments (10)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: INTERCALL, INC.; INTRADO INC.; TELEVOX SOFTWARE INCORPORATED; WEST ASSET MANAGEMENT, INC.; WEST CORPORATION; WEST CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT GROUP, LLC; WEST DIRECT, LLC; WEST INTERACTIVE CORPORATION; WEST NOTIFICATIONS GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 062160/0307 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Dec 16, 2020
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ALORICA INC.
Reel/Frame 054773/0049 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Dec 15, 2020
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: WEST BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 054759/0115 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Apr 23, 2020
From: ALORICA INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 052474/0328 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 30, 2020
From: ALORICA BUSINESS SOLUTIONS LLC
To: ALORICA INC
Reel/Frame 051674/0065 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 10, 2015
From: WEST BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, LLC
To: ALORICA BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 036315/0337 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 14, 2015
From: PETTAY, MARK J.; VACEK, JILL M.
To: WEST CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 035408/0157 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Mar 4, 2015
From: WEST BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 035132/0677 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Mar 4, 2015
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO LEHMAN COMMERCIAL PAPER INC., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: WEST CORPORATION; ASSET DIRECT MORTGAGE, LLC; BUYDEBTCO, LLC; COSMOSIS CORPORATION; INTERCALL TELECOM VENTURES, LLC; INTERCALL, INC.; INTRADO COMMUNICATIONS OF VIRGINIA INC.; INTRADO COMMAND SYSTEMS, INC.; INTRADO INC.; INTRADO INFORMATION SYSTEMS HOLDINGS, INC.; INTRADO INTERNATIONAL, LLC; NORTHERN CONTACT, INC.; STARGATE MANAGEMENT LLC; THE DEBT DEPOT, LLC; WEST ASSET MANAGEMENT, INC.; WEST ASSET PURCHASING, LLC; WEST AT HOME, LLC; WEST BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, LLC; WEST DIRECT, LLC; WEST DIRECT II, INC.; WEST FACILITIES, LLC; WEST INTERACTIVE CORPORATION; WEST INTERACTIVE CORPORATION II; WEST INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION; WEST NOTIFICATIONS, INC.; WEST RECEIVABLES SERVICES, INC.; WEST TELESERVICES HOLDING COMPANY; WEST DIRECT, INC.; INTRADO COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; GEO911, INC.; POSITRON PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEMS CORP.; MASYS CORPORATION; TELEVOX SOFTWARE, INCORPORATED; WEST NOTIFICATIONS GROUP, INC.; WEST BUSINESS SERVICES, LLC; WEST CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT GROUP, LLC; TUVOX INCORPORATED; TWENTY FIRST CENTURY COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 035132/0709 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 3, 2015
From: WEST CORPORATION
To: WEST BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 035121/0092 →