Granted Patent B2

US 12,238,246 · App. 17/359,225 · Granted Feb 25, 2025

Inventors: Eugene Lee Lew (Olney, MD); Vasileios John Gianoukos (Winchester, MA); Kenneth Norman Heim (Barrington, IL)

Assignee: Salesforce, Inc.

H04M3/5183H04W4/14

Abstract

Claims (72)

1. A computer-implemented method for enabling a call center interface to communicate with a mobile device via electronic message communication, the computer-implemented method comprising:

establishing a secure connection between an external platform and a call center interface;

identifying an existing call center telephone number used for telephone support;

registering the existing call center telephone number

in a database accessible by a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) with access to a global Short Message Service (SMS) network, and

into at least one industry white list for exception processing of call center interface characteristic traffic patterns;

receiving an electronic message from the mobile device directed to the existing call center number, routed through a mobile device carrier of the mobile device, through the global SMS network and through the external platform to the call center interface;

providing delivery of the electronic message from the mobile device to a Customer Service Representative (CSR) workstation; and

providing a communications channel to and interfacing with a call center interface routing switch and a window on a CSR screen that enables interface to electronic message threads directed through the call center interface routing switch.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein identifying an existing call center telephone number includes determining one of a toll-free call center telephone number and a non-toll-free call center telephone number.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein registering the existing call center telephone number further includes:

provisioning the existing call center telephone number with industry and carrier database directories with routing information including at least one of origin, destination, IP address, network ID, and entity ID;

provisioning the call center telephone number into a messaging hub database directory and servers to act as host, storage and router of the call center telephone number; and

provisioning the call center telephone number into industry registration directory databases for electronic message traffic with associated entity information.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising establishing interconnections between the external platform and global SMS infrastructure for routing of electronic messages.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein providing an interface between call center interface operations and the mobile device further comprises providing a one of a direct to PC application, a web application, and a native application to send/receive electronic messages.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising providing a client application on the mobile device to communicate with the call center interface using electronic messaging wherein the electronic messages are routed via the external platform.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

retaining an electronic message conversation thread for future messages for CSR continuity;

displaying an electronic message thread on a CSR screen; and

assigning one of a call center telephone number, a call center business name, and a call center business product name on a CSR generated electronic message as an originating telephone number of the CSR generated electronic message.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining a Letter of Authorization (LOA) to utilize the existing call center telephone number for an electronic messaging purpose before provisioning the existing call center telephone number, and

wherein the existing call center telephone number is a published operational call center telephone number.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the external platform further comprises a unified messaging service, and

further comprising connecting to third party messaging gateways.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic message comprises a live-texting message.

11. A computer-implemented method for enabling a call center interface to communicate with a customer via electronic message communication, the method comprising:

identifying a call center telephone number;

provisioning the call center telephone number including routing information into a carrier database directory;

provisioning the call center telephone number into an external platform and an industry registration directory database for electronic messaging;

establishing an interconnection between external platform and one of a message mobile aggregator and a mobile carrier for electronic message routing;

establishing a secure connection between the external platform and a call director of the call center interface;

receiving a customer electronic message directed to the call center number routed through a mobile device carrier of the mobile device, through a global Short Messaging Service (SMS) network and through the external platform to the call center interface;

determining whether the received customer electronic message is starting a new conversation;

in response to determining that there is a new conversation, creating a conversation thread and a corresponding conversation thread token;

passing the corresponding conversation thread token to a call director; and

providing delivery of the electronic message from the mobile device to a Customer Service Representative (CSR) workstation.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving the customer electronic message in a call director;

determining whether there is a no designated CSR; and

in response to determining that there is no designated CSR, designating a CSR to handle the conversation thread, updating the corresponding conversation thread token, and routing the customer electronic message to the designated CSR.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising switching the conversation thread to and from voice communication and electronic messaging.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising storing an electronic message, message time data, and token information including the designated CSR for a portion of the conversation thread.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:

providing a web page with instructions requesting the customer to return an electronic message to the call center interface including location information of the customer;

embedding in an electronic message a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) referring to the web page; and

receiving an electronic message with the location information of the customer as entered by the customer.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , further comprising:

processing the received electronic message; and

displaying one of the location information of the customer as supplied by the customer, and directions to the customer location.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:

providing a web page with instructions requesting the customer to return an electronic message to the call center interface including an image to be taken by the customer;

embedding in an electronic message a uniform resource locator (URL) referring to the web page; and

receiving an electronic message with the image taken by the customer.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , further comprising:

processing the received electronic message;

retrieving the image; and

displaying the image taken by the customer.

19. A computer-implemented method for enabling a call center interface to communicate with a mobile device via electronic message communication, the method comprising:

provisioning a call center telephone number for electronic messaging, the provisioning comprising:

establishing a secure connection to an external platform and the call center interface;

receiving a customer electronic message from a mobile device directed to the call center telephone number, routed through a mobile device carrier of the mobile device, through a global Shorth Message Service SMS network and through the external platform to the call center interface;

including a conversation thread token;

determining whether there is a designated Customer Service Representative (CSR); and

in response to determining that there is no designated CSR, designating a CSR to handle the conversation thread token, updating the conversation thread token with information of the designated CSR, and routing the customer electronic message to the designated CSR,

wherein the telephone number is a published operational call center telephone number.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 , further comprising in response to determining that there is a designated CSR, routing the customer electronic message to the designated CSR.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 , further comprising switching the conversation thread between voice communication and electronic messaging as selected by the CSR.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 , further comprising:

receiving a voice call;

identifying a previous conversation thread; and

updating the conversation thread token to reflect a voice conversation.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (8)

References Cited (177)