IP Library Granted Patent US 8,352,276
Granted Patent B1
US 8,352,276 · App. 13/540,808 · Granted Jan 8, 2013

Script compliance and agent feedback

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,352,276
App. No.
13/540,808
Granted
Jan 8, 2013
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 (27)

1. A method, comprising:

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

logging the at least one voice interaction;

evaluating the at least one logged 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;

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

determining whether the at least one agent has adequately followed the at least one script based on the generated score.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising evaluating the score against at least one of a static standard and a varying standard.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising determining whether the at least one agent has adequately followed the at least one script based on the evaluated at least one logged voice interaction.

4. The method of claim 1 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.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one voice interaction is logged in a log record.

6. The method of claim 5 comprising logging a time displacement, based on the time displacement timestamp, per panel as a portion of the log record.

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

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein evaluating the at least one logged voice 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.

11. The method of claim 10 , comprising 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.

12. The method of claim 11 comprising comparing the at least one digital signal to at least one reference standard that includes at least one known vocabulary.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein evaluating the at least one logged voice interaction includes matching the at least one digital signal to at least one of words and phrases contained in the at least one reference standard.

14. A system, comprising:

a logging component adapted to log a time displacement of at least one voice interaction between at least one agent and at least one client, wherein the at least one agent follows at least one script via at least one of a plurality of panels; and

at least one automatic speech recognition component communicably coupled to the logging component, the at least one automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze the at least one voice interaction using each of the plurality of panels and to determine whether the at least one agent has adequately followed the at least one script based on a score using confidence level thresholds assigned to each of the plurality of panels of the at least one automatic speech recognition component.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the score is evaluated against at least one of a static standard and a varying standard.

16. The system of claim 14 , comprising an action component operable to cause at least one action to be taken.

17. The system of 16 , wherein the at least one action is 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.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one action is at least one signal transmitted to the at least one agent.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one action is at least one signal transmitted to at least one reviewing authority.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one action is an entry being made in a script compliance incentive system.

Assignments (14)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 22, 2022
From: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ALORICA INC.
Reel/Frame 062185/0057 →
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 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2020
From: ALORICA INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 054671/0380 →
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 (TERM LOAN FACILITY) IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Dec 14, 2020
From: ALORICA, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 054717/0781 →
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 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL 030537, FRAME 0676 Recorded Oct 10, 2017
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: INTERCALL, INC. NKA WEST UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES, INC.; WEST INTERACTIVE CORPORATION II (NKA WEST INTERACTIVE SERVICES CORP.); WEST NOTIFICATIONS, INC. (NKA WEST INTERACTIVE SERVICES CORP.); WEST CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 044166/0699 →
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 15, 2015
From: PETTAY, MARK J.; VACEK, JILL M.
To: WEST CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 035410/0933 →
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 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 3, 2013
From: INTERCALL, INC.; WEST CORPORATION; WEST INTERACTIVE CORPORATION II; WEST NOTIFICATIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 030537/0676 →