Integrating embedded links with call center operation
View Patent ↗In various embodiments, advertising campaigns can be defined that incorporate technologies such as two-dimensional bar codes or embedded links in electronic material, for directing a user to communicate with a call center. For instance, in particular embodiments, the reading of a two-dimensional bar code may cause a communication to be sent to, and received at, the call center, where a calling campaign associated with an advertising campaign is identified using information associated with the communication. Likewise, in particular embodiments, the activation of an embedded link may cause a communication to be sent to a publisher, who sends a communication to the call center. Upon determining the calling campaign, an appropriate agent is selected and a communication, such as a voice call, is initiated to the user. In particular instances, if a no-answer condition is reached as a result of the communication, another communication may be scheduled for a later time.
1. A method for integrating use of an embedded electronic link associated with a good or service, the method comprising the steps of:
storing contact information for a subscriber of a distributor of electronic reading material in memory used by the distributor;
receiving a particular instance of electronic reading material at the distributor, the particular instance of electronic reading material comprising the embedded electronic link associated with an advertisement for the good or service and data encoded in the embedded electronic link associated with a calling campaign;
offering the particular instance of electronic reading material to the subscriber;
downloading the particular instance of electronic reading material by at least one computer processor used by the distributor to a proprietary reading device provided by the distributor and used by the subscriber to view the particular instance of electronic reading material;
receiving a first communication from the proprietary reading device at the at least one computer processor, the first communication sent by the subscriber activating the embedded electronic link published in the particular instance of electronic reading material displayed on the proprietary reading device and comprising at least a portion of the data encoded in the embedded electronic link;
querying the memory by the at least one computer processor based on the portion of the data encoded in the embedded electronic link to determine the calling campaign;
querying the memory by the at least one computer processor based on the first communication to obtain the contact information for the subscriber; and
after determining the calling campaign and obtaining the contact information, sending a second communication to a call center by the at least one computer processor, wherein the call center is associated with the calling campaign and the second communication provides the contact information to the call center to facilitate the call center sending the subscriber a subsequent communication to provide information on the good or service.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first communication comprises identity information for the subscriber and the identity information is used to query the contact information from the memory.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subsequent communication comprises at least one of a voice call and a short message service text message.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subsequent communication is transmitted to the proprietary reading device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subsequent communication is transmitted to a device different than the proprietary reading device.
6. A system for responding to an activation of an embedded electronic link associated with a good or service, the system comprising:
memory used by a distributor of electronic reading material; and
one or more computer processors used by the distributor and configured to:
store contact information for a subscriber of the distributor in the memory;
offer a particular instance of electronic reading material received by the distributor to the subscriber, the particular instance of electronic reading material comprising the embedded electronic link associated with an advertisement for the good or service and data encoded in the embedded electronic link associated with a calling campaign;
download the particular instance of electronic reading material to a proprietary reading device provided by the distributor and used by the subscriber to view the particular instance of electronic reading material;
receive a first communication sent by the proprietary reading device in response to the subscriber activating the embedded electronic link published in the particular instance of electronic reading material displayed on the proprietary reading device, the first communication comprising at least a portion of the data encoded in the embedded electronic link;
query the memory based on the portion of the data encoded in the embedded electronic link to determine the calling campaign;
query the memory based on the first communication to obtain the contact information for the subscriber; and
after determining the calling campaign and obtaining the contact information, cause a second communication to be sent to a call center, wherein the call center is associated with the calling campaign and the second communication provides the contact information to the call center to facilitate the call center sending the subscriber a subsequent communication to provide information on the good or service.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first communication comprises identity information for the subscriber and the identity information is used to query the contact information from the memory.
8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the subsequent communication comprises at least one of a voice call and a short message service text message.
9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the subsequent communication is transmitted to the proprietary reading device.
10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the subsequent communication is transmitted to a device different than the proprietary reading device.
11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for responding to an activation of an embedded electronic link associated with a good or service, wherein when the instructions are executed by one or more computer processors used by a distributor of electronic reading material cause the one or more computer processors to:
store contact information for a subscriber of the distributor in memory used by the distributor;
offer a particular instance of electronic reading material received by the distributor to the subscriber, the particular instance of electronic reading material comprising the embedded electronic link associated with an advertisement for the good or service and data encoded in the embedded electronic link associated with a calling campaign;
download the particular instance of electronic reading material to a proprietary reading device provided by the distributor and used by the subscriber to view the particular instance of electronic reading material;
receive a first communication sent by the proprietary reading device in response to the subscriber activating the embedded electronic link published in the particular instance of electronic reading material displayed on the proprietary reading device, the first communication comprising at least a portion of the data encoded in the embedded electronic link;
query the memory based on the portion of the data encoded in the embedded electronic link to determine the calling campaign;
query the memory based on the first communication to obtain contact information for the subscriber; and
after determining the calling campaign and obtaining the contact information, cause a second communication to be sent to a call center, wherein the call center is associated with the calling campaign and the second communication provides the contact information to the call center to facilitate the call center sending the subscriber a subsequent communication to provide information on the good or service.
12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the first communication comprises identity information for the subscriber and the identity information is used to query the contact information from the memory.
13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the subsequent communication comprises at least one of a voice call and a short message service text message.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the subsequent communication is transmitted to the proprietary reading device.
15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the subsequent communication is transmitted to a device different than the proprietary reading device.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the proprietary reading device comprises a mobile processing device used by the subscriber executing a proprietary software application configured to exclusively access and view the electronic reading material provided by the distributor.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular instance of electronic reading material comprises one of a digitized book, a digitized periodical, or a digitized newsprint.
18. The system of claim 6 , wherein the proprietary reading device comprises a mobile processing device used by the subscriber executing a proprietary software application configured to exclusively access and view the electronic reading material provided by the distributor.
19. The system of claim 6 , wherein the particular instance of electronic reading material comprises one of a digitized book, a digitized periodical, or a digitized newsprint.
20. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the proprietary reading device comprises a mobile processing device used by the subscriber executing a proprietary software application configured to exclusively access and view the electronic reading material provided by the distributor.
21. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the particular instance of electronic reading material comprises one of a digitized book, a digitized periodical, or a digitized newsprint.