CALL PRIORITIZATION METHODS IN A CALL CENTER
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of allocating calls coming into a call center from a caller location remote from the call center, receiving a call from a caller which includes information from an RFID chip located in close proximity to the caller location; decoding the information from the RFID chip to determine one or more parameters relating to the information; using said one or more parameters to allocate the call from the caller at the call center to ensure calls are handled in accordance with the parameters. This has the advantage of much more efficient management of the of the calls within the call center and ensures that the calls are sent to the agent with the most appropriate skill set.
1 . A system for interfacing a customer with an information service, the system comprising:
at least one communication interface configured:
to receive a request for a communication session from a customer terminal; and
to receive information read from at least one information storage element by the customer terminal, the information storage element being external to the customer terminal, the information identifying a subject of interest to the customer, a location and a type of the location of each of the at least one information storage element; and
a communication session router configured to route the communication session within the information service based, at least in part, on the location and the type of the location of the at least one information storage element.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the communication interface is configured to receive information read from at least one information storage element by receiving information read by detecting an electromagnetic signal over a wireless medium.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the information identifies a commercial offering, and the information storage element is located in close proximity to an advertisement of the commercial offering.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the customer terminal is a mobile telephone.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the customer terminal is configured to read the information by detecting an electromagnetic signal over a wireless medium.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the information service comprises a contact center configured to establish the communication session between the customer and an agent.
7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the information service comprises a call center configured to establish a voice call between the customer and the agent.
8 . An apparatus for facilitating a customer enquiry regarding a commercial offering, the apparatus comprising:
a presentation element configured to present information regarding the commercial offering in human readable form; and
a device readable information storage element in close proximity to the presentation element, the device readable information storage element containing device readable information identifying the commercial offering.
9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the presentation element is a visual presentation element configured to present visual information regarding the commercial offering.
10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the device readable information storage element is readable by detecting an electromagnetic signal over a wireless medium.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the device readable information element comprises at least one electronic tag.
12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the device readable information element comprises at least one RFID tag.
13 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the device readable storage element is readable by a portable communication terminal.
14 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the device readable storage element is readable by a mobile phone.
15 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the device readable information identifying the commercial offering is in a format usable by a contact center to route a request for a communication session to an agent appropriate for the commercial offering.
16 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the device readable information storage element is remotely programmable to modify the device readable information.
17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the device readable information storage element is wirelessly remotely programmable.
18 . A portable communication device, comprising:
a communication element configured to set up a communication session between a human user and a remote party; and
an information reading element configured to read information identifying a commercial offering from a device readable information storage element associated with a presentation element, the presentation element being configured to present information regarding the commercial offering in human readable form.
19 . The device of claim 18 , wherein the information reading element is configured to read the device readable information storage element by detecting an electromagnetic signal over a wireless medium.
20 . The device of claim 19 , wherein the information reading element is configured to read at least one electronic tag.
21 . The device of claim 20 , wherein the information reading element is configured to read at least one RFID tag.
22 . The device of claim 18 , wherein the portable communication device is a mobile phone.
23 . The device of claim 18 , wherein the device readable information identifying the commercial offering is in a format usable by a contact center to route a request for a communication session made using the portable communication device to an agent appropriate for the commercial offering.
24 . An RFID chip programmed with information that can be read by an RFID chip reader associated with a communications device wherein when the communication device communicates with a call center the information from the RFID chip is transmitted thereto to enable the call center to allocate the call in accordance with indications of parameters included in the information from the RFID chip.
25 . An RFID reader associated with a communications device which is able to read an RFID chip containing information at a location and in conjunction with the communications device transmitting said information to a call center where the information is used to determine allocation parameters included within the information so as to allocate a call made from the communications device to the call center in accordance therewith.
26 . A terminal including an RFID reader which is able to read an RFID chip containing information at a location and in conjunction with the terminal transmitting said information to a call center where the information is used to determine allocation parameters included within the information so as to allocate a call made from the communications device to the call center in accordance therewith.
27 . A method of reprogramming information on an RFID chip at a remote location comprising:
transmitting to an antenna in proximity to the remote location updated information to be programmed into the RFID chip using the antenna to wirelessly download the updated information to the RFID chip; and
rewriting the RFID chip with the updated information.