Managing contact attempts to an account in a contact center
View Patent ↗A party associated with multiple contact addresses, such as a home, cell, and/or work telephone numbers, is contacted by a dialer using a contact attempt sequence that defines how the various contact addresses are used. A graphical user interface allows a user to create a visual representation of the contact attempt sequence flow for contacting the party, e.g., a template, where logic is defined indicating how and when the various contact addresses are to be used. Thus, in one instance, the dialer may use the template to make multiple attempts to reach the party using first their home number and then their cell phone number, and if such attempts are unsuccessful, then make a further attempt to the reach the party using their work number, wherein attempts to reach the party using the home, cell, and/or work phone numbers may be limited over one or more defined time periods.
1. A method for identifying a contact address to use in attempting to contact a party by a contact center comprising:
retrieving a template created based on a visual representation of a contact attempt sequence flow comprising a plurality of icons connected in a sequential order that includes a first contact icon defining a first contact address, a second contact icon defining a second contact address, and at least one of an action icon defining an action to be carried out based on a corresponding action value, a wait time icon defining a wait time to be carried out based on a corresponding wait time value, and a condition icon defining a condition to be evaluated based on a corresponding condition value;
using the template by a dialer component to initiate contact attempts to the party; and
based on the sequential order:
initiating one or more contact attempts to the party using the first contact address defined by the first contact icon by the dialer component in response to evaluating one or more current values with respect to at least one of the corresponding action value for the action to be carried out defined by the action icon, the corresponding wait time value for the wait time to be carried out defined by the wait time icon, and the condition value for the condition to be evaluated defined by the condition icon; and
after a number of unsuccessful contact attempts has occurred using the first contact address, initiating another contact attempt to the party using the second contact address defined by the second contact icon by the dialer component in response to evaluating another one or more current values with respect to at least one of the corresponding action value for the action to be carried out defined by the action icon, the corresponding wait time value for the wait time to be carried out defined by the wait time icon, and the condition value for the condition to be evaluated defined by the condition icon, wherein the template indicates a contact attempt threshold identifying a total number of contact attempts that can be made to the party in a defined time period and the another contact attempt to the party using the second contact address is not over the contact attempt threshold.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising
using a graphical user interface tool by a user to define the visual representation of the contact attempt sequence flow; and
converting the visual representation of the contact attempt sequence flow into the template representing the plurality of icons connected in the sequential order.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
using the graphical user interface tool to indicate the number of unsuccessful contact attempts that should occur using the first contact address before using the second contact address.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the visual representation of the contact attempt sequence flow further indicates that a text call should be attempted to the party.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the number of unsuccessful contact attempts is indicated in a context of the defined time period.
6. A system for initiating contact to a party comprising:
a dialer component configured to:
retrieve a template created based on a visual representation of a contact attempt sequence flow comprising a plurality of icons connected in a sequential order that includes a first contact icon defining a first contact address, a second contact icon defining a second contact address, and at least one of an action icon defining an action to be carried out based on a corresponding action value, a wait time icon defining a wait time to be carried out based on a corresponding wait time value, and a condition icon defining a condition to be evaluated based on a corresponding condition value;
use the template to initiate contact attempts to the party; and
based on the sequential order:
initiate one or more contact attempts to the party using the first contact address defined by the first contact icon in response to evaluating one or more current values with respect to at least one of the corresponding action value for the action to be carried out defined by the action icon, the corresponding wait time value for the wait time to be carried out defined by the wait time icon, and the condition value for the condition to be evaluated defined by the condition icon; and
after a number of unsuccessful contact attempts has occurred using the first contact address, initiate another contact attempt to the party using the second contact address defined by the second contact icon in response to evaluating another one or more current values with respect to at least one of the corresponding action value for the action to be carried out defined by the action icon, the corresponding wait time value for the wait time to be carried out defined by the wait time icon, and the condition value for the condition to be evaluated defined by the condition icon, wherein the template indicates a contact attempt threshold identifying a total number of contact attempts that can be made to the party in a defined time period and the another contact attempt to the party using the second contact address is not over the contact attempt threshold.
7. The system of claim 6 further comprising a processor configured to:
receive input via a graphical user interface from a user for defining the visual representation of the contact attempt sequence flow; and
convert the visual representation of the contact attempt sequence flow into the template representing the plurality of icons connected in the sequential order.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the input received by the processor indicates the number of unsuccessful contact attempts that should occur using the first contact address before using the second contact address.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the input received by the processor indicates that a text call should be attempted to the party.
10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the number of unsuccessful contact attempts is indicated in a context of the defined time period.
11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer instructions that when executed by a dialer component cause the dialer component to:
retrieve a template created based on a visual representation of a contact attempt sequence flow comprising a plurality of icons connected in a sequential order that includes a first contact icon defining a first contact address, a second contact icon defining a second contact address, and at least one of an action icon defining an action to be carried out based on a corresponding action value, a wait time icon defining a wait time to be carried out based on a corresponding wait time value, and a condition icon defining a condition to be evaluated based on a corresponding condition value;
use the template to initiate contact attempts to the party; and
based on the sequential order:
initiate one or more contact attempts to the party using the first contact address defined by the first contact icon in response to evaluating one or more current values with respect to at least one of the corresponding action value for the action to be carried out defined by the action icon, the corresponding wait time value for the wait time to be carried out defined by the wait time icon, and the condition value for the condition to be evaluated defined by the condition icon; and
after a number of unsuccessful contact attempts has occurred using the first contact address, initiate another contact attempt to the party using the second contact address defined by the second contact icon in response to evaluating another one or more current values with respect to at least one of the corresponding action value for the action to be carried out defined by the action icon, the corresponding wait time value for the wait time to be carried out defined by the wait time icon, and the condition value for the condition to be evaluated defined by the condition icon, wherein the template indicates a contact attempt threshold identifying a total number of contact attempts that can be made to the party in a defined time period and the another contact attempt to the party using the second contact address is not over the contact attempt threshold.
12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the visual representation of the contact attempt sequence flow is defined by a user via a graphical user interface and is converted into the template representing the plurality of icons connected in the sequential order.
13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the graphical user interface tool indicates the number of unsuccessful contact attempts that should occur using the first contact address before using the second contact address.
14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the graphical user interface tool indicates that a text call should be attempted to the party.
15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the number of unsuccessful contact attempts is indicated in a context of the defined time period.