System and method for providing customer-specific ongoing call center assistance with the aid of a digital computer
A system and method for providing customer-specific ongoing call center assistance with the aid of a digital computer are provided. A call is received from a caller in a call center and the caller is connected to an agent of the call center. The speech of at least one of the caller and the agent is monitored during the call. A subject matter of the call is determined based on the monitoring. One or more characteristics of the caller are obtained. The agent is identified as being in need of assistance. Expert selection criteria are obtained and weighed based on one or more of the characteristics of the caller. An expert agent is selected using the weighed expert selection criteria and the subject matter of the call. The selected expert agent is patched into the call.
1. A system for providing customer-specific ongoing call center assistance with the aid of a digital computer, comprising steps of:
a computer processor; and
a computer memory comprising one or more instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the computer processor to:
receive a call from a caller;
connect the caller to an agent of a call center;
monitor the speech of at least one of the caller and the agent during the call;
determine a subject matter of the call based on the monitoring;
obtain one or more characteristics of the caller, comprising analyzing speech utterances of the caller during the call and determining that the caller having a difficulty in communicating in a language based on the analyzed speech utterances;
obtain expert selection criteria comprising language skills and to weigh the expert selection criteria based on one or more of the characteristics of the caller, wherein the language skills expert selection criterion is weighed heavier than the remaining expert selection criteria;
select an expert agent using the weighed expert selection criteria and the subject matter of the call; and
patch the selected expert agent into the call.
2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the computer processor, further cause the computer processor to:
obtain predetermined call metrics;
determine call metrics of the call;
compare call metrics of the call to the predetermined call metrics; and
determine the agent being in need of assistance based on the comparison.
3. A system according to claim 2 , wherein the call metrics of the call comprise one or more a date of the call, a time of the call, a length of the call, and a location of the caller.
4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the computer processor, further cause the computer processor to:
obtain historical data associated with the caller; and
determine the agent being in need of assistance using the historical data.
5. A system according to claim 4 , wherein the historical data comprises one of more a temper exhibited by the caller during one or more previous calls, willingness of the caller to be put on hold during the one or more previous calls, and a length of time the caller remained on the one or more previous calls.
6. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the computer processor, further cause the computer processor to:
analyze speech utterances of the caller after the expert agent has been patched into the call;
identify a completion of a conversation between the expert agent and the caller based on the analysis; and
detach the expert agent from the call following the identification of the completion.
7. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the computer processor, further cause the computer processor to:
receive a notification from the expert agent signifying a completion of a conversation between the expert agent and the caller; and
detach the expert agent from the call following the identification of the completion.
8. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the expert agent provides whispers to the agent after being patched into the conversation.
9. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the computer processor, further cause the computer processor to:
disconnect the expert agent from the call following the patching in of the expert agent.
10. A method for providing customer-specific ongoing call center assistance with the aid of a digital computer, comprising steps of:
receiving by an automatic call distributor in a call center a call from a caller and connecting by the automatic call distributor the caller to an agent of the call center;
monitoring by an intervention processor comprised in the call center the speech of at least one of the caller and the agent during the call;
determining by the automatic call distributor a subject matter of the call based on the monitoring;
obtaining by the intervention processor one or more characteristics of the caller comprising analyzing speech utterances of the caller during the call and determining that the caller is having a difficulty in communicating in a language based on the analyzed speech utterances;
obtaining by the intervention processor expert selection criteria comprising language skills and weighing by the intervention processor the expert selection criteria based on one or more of the characteristics of the caller, wherein the language skills expert selection criterion is weighed heavier than the remaining expert selection criteria;
selecting by the intervention processor an expert agent using on the weighed expert selection criteria and the subject matter of the call; and
patching by the intervention processor the selected expert agent into the call.
11. A method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
obtaining predetermined call metrics;
determining call metrics of the call;
comparing call metrics of the call to the predetermined call metrics; and
determine the agent being in need of assistance based on the comparison.
12. A method according to claim 11 , wherein the call metrics of the call comprise one or more a date of the call, a time of the call, a length of the call, and a location of the caller.
13. A method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
obtaining historical data associated with the caller; and
determine the agent being in need of assistance using the historical data.
14. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the historical data comprises one of more a temper exhibited by the caller during one or more previous calls, willingness of the caller to be put on hold during the one or more previous calls, and a length of time the caller remained on the one or more previous calls.
15. A method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
analyzing speech utterances of the caller after the expert agent has been patched into the call;
identifying a completion of a conversation between the expert agent and the caller based on the analysis; and
detaching the expert agent from the call following the identification of the completion.
16. A method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving a notification from the expert agent signifying a completion of a conversation between the expert agent and the caller; and
detaching the expert agent from the call following the identification of the completion.
17. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the expert agent provides whispers to the agent after being patched into the conversation.
18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing code for executing on a computer system to perform the method steps according to claim 10 .
19. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the expert selection criteria further comprise one or more of seniority, ranking, a success rate of handling customer interactions associated with the subject matter of the call, level of skill, and knowledge.
20. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the expert selection criteria further comprise one or more of seniority, ranking, a success rate of handling customer interactions associated with the subject matter of the call, level of skill, and knowledge.