Abstract:
A call-recording and retrieval system operates from a computerized server in a contact-center, the server executing software from a machine-readable medium. There is a data repository coupled to the computerized server, and an interface at the server enabled to monitor voice interaction between an agent of the contact center and a customer. The server is enabled to follow one or both of direct input from the customer in a monitored interaction and stored rules associated with the customer to record and playback voice interaction between the agent and the customer.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    NA 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention is in the field of telephony communications and pertains more particularly to contact center operations. 
         [0004]    2. Discussion of the State of the Art 
         [0005]    In the field of telephony communications, including Internet Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT), and Data Network Telephony (DNT), it is known for a contact center telephony system to record voice calls to monitor quality of service afforded to customers of the call center. 
         [0006]    A customer calling the call center, in most situations, will receive an automated prompt that says something like “This call may be recorded for quality management purposes”. In the call center it is probable that not all calls are in fact recorded for quality management purposes. Some calls may be selected randomly for recording, and some calls are not recorded at all. All voice calls may be recorded in some state-of-the-art contact centers for historical purposes. Such call recordings may be stored or archived for later retrieval by authorized call center personnel using a search tool. 
         [0007]    It has occurred to the inventor that a customer engaged in ongoing dialog with a contact center may desire, and have need for access to what was said in voice conversation between the customer and an agent of the center. One benefit of such a capability might be that the customer feels assured that he or she has been heard correctly and that there is no verbal confusion relative to any transaction that may have occurred. However, current means for recording and archiving voice conversations between a contact center and customers do not include any functionality for customer control, either access to or recording of voice interaction. 
         [0008]    Therefore, what is clearly needed is a system and methods for enabling customer control of recorded voice conversations between the customer and a contact center and at least some customer control over post-recording management tasks. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The problem stated above is that it would be desirable to enable customers to control how their calls into a call center are recorded however, current means for recording and archiving voice conversations between a contact center and customers do not include any functionality for customer control of the recording process. 
         [0010]    The inventors therefore considered functional elements of a contact center environment looking for elements that exhibit seamless integration potential that could potentially be harnessed to provide customer control over the call recording process but in a manner that would not create impedance to the call servicing process. 
         [0011]    Every call center is driven by incoming customer requests for interaction and the capability of agents working within the center to handle those interactions successfully. Most contact centers employ various customer access points including telephone, Web interaction, messaging, and computer telephony access. Call switches, routers, servers, interactive voice response systems, message routing systems and the like are typically a part of such contact center apparatus. 
         [0012]    The present inventor realized in an inventive moment that if, at the point of a call a customer could be empowered to control recording of the call significant customer satisfaction might result. The inventor therefore constructed a call recording and post-recording management system that allowed customers of the center to pre-configure recording and post-recording management options and to control the recording process at the time of the call, in some cases overriding pre-configured settings. A significant increase in customer loyalty and trust results with no significant impediment on call flow through the contact center. 
         [0013]    Accordingly, in one embodiment of the present invention a call-recording and retrieval system is provided, comprising a computerized server in a contact-center executing software from a machine-readable medium, a data repository coupled to the computerized server, and an interface at the server enabled to monitor voice interaction between an agent of the contact center and a customer. The server is enabled to follow one or both of direct input from the customer in a monitored interaction and stored rules associated with the customer to record and playback voice interaction between the agent and the customer. 
         [0014]    In some embodiments the stored rules are pre-configured by the customer. Also in some embodiments the server relates DTMF tones to specific functions, and in response to receiving DTMF tones during a monitored interaction, performs the function related to the DTMF signals. The functions enabled by DTMF tones include at least start recording and stop recording. 
         [0015]    In some embodiments the server comprises voice-recognition capability associated with instructions for specific functions, and in response to recognizing certain instructions during an interaction, performs the function. The functions enabled by voice recognition include at least start recording and stop recording. 
         [0016]    In many embodiments of the invention, the system, in storing a recording according to a real-time or a pre-configured instruction from a customer, associates the recording at least with the customer and the date and time of recording. In some embodiments, after making a recording following a customer instruction, the system provides an acknowledgement to the customer, including instruction for how to retrieve the recording. An interactive interface may be provided to the customer for configuring rules for recording and retrieval of recordings. The interactive interface may be a web page hosted by an enterprise hosting the contact center. 
         [0017]    In another aspect of the invention a call-recording and retrieval method is provided, comprising the steps of (a) monitoring, by a computerized server in a contact- center executing software from a machine-readable medium, voice interaction between an agent of the contact center and a customer; (b) following by the server one or both of direct input from the customer in a monitored interaction and stored rules associated with the customer to record and playback voice interaction between the agent and the customer; and (c) storing recording in and retrieving recordings from a data repository coupled to the computerized server. In some embodiments there is a step of pre-configuring stored rules by the customer. 
         [0018]    In some embodiments in step (b) the direct input from the customer is DTMF tones, the server relates DTMF tones to specific functions, and in response to receiving DTMF tones during a monitored interaction, the server performs the function related to the DTMF signals. The functions enabled by DTMF tones include start recording and stop recording. 
         [0019]    In some cases the server comprises voice-recognition capability associated with instructions for specific functions, and in response to recognizing certain instructions during an interaction, performs the function. The functions enabled by voice recognition include at least start recording and stop recording. 
         [0020]    In some embodiments of the method, in storing a recording according to a real-time or a pre-configured instruction from a customer, the recording is associated at least with the customer and the data and time of recording. After making a recording following a customer instruction, the system provides an acknowledgement to the customer, including instruction for how to retrieve the recording. An interactive interface may provided to the customer for configuring rules for recording and retrieval of recordings, and the interactive interface may be in a web page hosted by an enterprise hosting the contact center. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is an architectural overview of a contact center practicing customer-controlled call recording according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a logical overview of system architecture for recording calls and publishing recordings according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a process flow chart illustrating steps  300  for practicing an IVR-based customer-controlled call recording process. 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is an exemplary screen view of a customer configuration template for configuring recording options. 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a process flow chart illustrating steps for practicing a Web-based customer-controlled call recording process. 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a process flow chart illustrating steps for publishing recorded calls according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]    The inventors provide a system and methods for enabling customers of a call center to control various aspects of call monitoring and recording of their calls. The system also enables customers to have access to recordings based on to preferences of the accessing customer. The present invention is described in enabling detail in examples presented below which may represent more than one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  is an architectural overview of a contact center practicing customer-controlled call recording according to an embodiment of the present invention. A communications network  100  is illustrated in this example and represents a contact center and connected communication networks. A contact center is represented logically herein by a local area network (LAN) and supported workstations and various servers and routing equipment. LAN  103  has access to the Internet network represented in this example by an Internet backbone  101 . Internet backbone  101  represents all of the lines, equipment, and access points that make up the Internet network as a whole including any connected sub-networks. Therefore, there are no geographic limitations to practicing the present invention. 
         [0029]    LAN  103  is connected to Internet  101  via an Internet router (IR)  112  connected to LAN  103 , which in turn is connected via an Internet access line to an Internet router  111  connected to backbone  101 . IRs  112  and  111  are logically illustrated and may include other nodes within the path between LAN  103  and backbone  101  such as one or more connection servers or access nodes provided by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) for example. In a preferred embodiment LAN  103  is connected to Internet  101  on a continuous basis using high-speed Internet access technology. 
         [0030]    A public switched telephone network (PSTN)  102  is illustrated in this example and represents a publicly accessible telephony network. PSTN  102  may include sub-networks such as wireless carrier networks without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Internet  101  may be assumed to include wireless sub-networks as well such as wireless fidelity (WiFi) access networks. The inventor intends that representation of LAN  103 , Internet  101 , and PSTN  102  be viewed as exemplary only of a combination of existing networks that may enable practice of the present invention. PSTN  102  and Internet  101  are preferred in this example because of public accessibility however private networks may also be included as qualified sub-networks over which the present invention may be practiced. 
         [0031]    LAN  103  is within the domain of a contact center and supports various nodes associated with a contact center. LAN  103  supports a number of agent workstations  109   a  through  109   z . Individual agent stations illustrated include a LAN-connected computer and a telephone represented by an icon. Each agent computer has a graphic user interface (GUI) adapted for facilitation of call center business and communication. Agent telephones are connected by internal telephone wiring to a central office switch (CS)  106  within the domain of the contact center. 
         [0032]    Agent computers in workstations  109   a  through  109   z  may be desktop or laptop computing devices. Other computing devices may also be present in an agent&#39;s workstation like a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a cellular device capable of LAN and Internet access. Agent telephones may be connection-oriented-switched-telephones (COST), private branch exchange (PBX) telephones, or telephony applications hosted on associated LAN connected computers within each workstation. CS  106  may be a PBX switch or an automated call distributor (ACD) or a “soft” telephony switch implemented in software without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0033]    CS  106  is computer telephony integrated (CTI) via a CTI processor  107  connected thereto by a CTI link. CTI processor  107  supports an interactive voice response (IVR) system that serves as first contact point for incoming calls at switch  106 . Intelligent agent level routing is provided through CTI interface  107  controlling CS  106 . CTI processor  106  is connected to LAN  103 . CS  106  is connected to a local telephone switch (LS)  104  within PSTN  102  via telephony trunk  105 . One skilled in the art of network integration will confirm that calls destined for the contact center (CS  106 ) may be sourced from landline telephone, cellular telephone, or computer telephony application or dedicated Internet Protocol (IP) telephone practicing voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). One or more gateways providing seamless integration between the networks may be assumed present in this example although none are specifically illustrated for bridging communication between PSTN  102  and Internet  101 . 
         [0034]    A call monitor and recorder  108  are provided in this example and may be implemented as a dedicated node connected to CTI processor  108  and to LAN  103 . In one embodiment call monitoring and recording is implemented as a software application running on CTI processor  107 . The inventor illustrates call monitor/recorder  108  separately from CTI processor  107  in order to logically isolate the functionality for discussion purposes. Monitor/Recorder  108  is adapted to monitor telephone calls in progress and to digitally record the calls according to aspects of the present invention, which may enable specific customer controls over the process. 
         [0035]    LAN  103  supports a recording management server (RMS)  120  running an instance of RMS software (SW)  119 . RMS  120  has a digital medium accessible thereto and a processor for storing and executing software applications adapted to manage recordings of voice calls made by monitor/recorder  108 . A mass data repository  121  is provided and is connected to RMS  121 . Repository  121  is adapted to store recordings of calls and other historical records associated with the process. In one embodiment all calls connected to an agent through CS  106  are monitored and recorded by default. In this embodiment customers may have control over which recordings or portions thereof are to be captured and made accessible to the customer. In another embodiment all calls connected to an agent through CS  106  are monitored but not necessarily recorded, unless specified through customer instruction based on template pre-configuration or on realtime input made by the customer during the progress of the call. 
         [0036]    A customer station  110   a  and a customer station  110   b  are illustrated in this example. Customer stations  110   a  and  110   b  may be home domains, mobile access points, or other stations through which a customer may make use of the present invention. Like agent workstations  109   a  through  109   z , customer stations  110   a  and  110   b  typically include a computerized appliance capable of accessing the network, and a telephone. 
         [0037]    Customer station  110   a  has a computer enabled by a network browser (BR) that has access to Internet  101  via an Internet access line  114  and an Internet Service Provider (ISP)  113 . Customer station  110   b  includes a computer enabled by a network browser (BR) that has access to Internet  101  via an Internet access line  115  and ISP  113 . Computers  110   a  and  110   b  may be desktop or laptop computers, PDAs, smart phones or like Internet-capable computing devices having a graphics display and browser functionality. 
         [0038]    Telephones within each customer station may be COST telephones connected to PSTN  102  via telephone trunk  116  to LS  104 . Internet  101  further includes a messaging server (MSG/SVR)  124 , which may be any type of messaging server supporting any of the existing message protocols like post office protocol (POP), simple message transfer protocol (SMTP), multipurpose Internet mail extensions (MIME), instant message access protocol (IMAP), short message service (SMS), multimedia message service (MMS), and others. MSG/SVR  124  logically represents any text and/or multimedia messaging server. LAN  103  supports a message (MSG) routing system (SYS)  123  for routing incoming messages to available agents operating workstations  109   a  through  109   z.    
         [0039]    Internet backbone  101  supports a Web server (WS)  117  having a digital medium accessible for storing and serving electronic information pages (Web pages) upon request. WS  117  may, in one embodiment, host a Web site created by the contact center for the purpose of enabling customers of the center access to recordings of their transactions including telephone conversations or portions thereof that were recorded at the center. WS  117  hosts configuration user interface (CFG UI)  118  provided thereto and executable thereon that is adapted to enable customers of the contact center to register and configure telephony monitoring and recording preferences and recording access parameters to recordings of the customers&#39; conversations with agents of the center. In one embodiment of the invention any customer of the contact center may pre-register with the center as a customer and, using CFG UI  118 , may set call monitoring and recording preferences as well as access preferences to recordings created from voice calls. 
         [0040]    In one embodiment customers are enabled through IVR ( 107 ) and a voice application (not illustrated) to set call monitoring and recording preferences as well as access preferences to recordings created and stored for access by the system. IVR instruction (INS)  122  is illustrated in this example at the telephone of customer station  110   b . In this case a UI enabling pre-configuration of call monitoring, recording and access preferences may not be required to practice the invention. In another embodiment CFG UI  118  is provided and no IVR-based pre-configuration is available. In yet another embodiment both Web-based and IVR-based options are available to customers of the contact center. 
         [0041]    In one embodiment of the invention a customer, such as one operating from customer station  110   b , places a call to a telephone number provided by the contact center, which may be what is known as a toll-free number (although some are not free). The call is then routed through LS  104  in PSTN  102  to CS  106  in the contact center for automatic call distribution (ACD) or agent level routing (ALR). CTI/IVR  107  may answer the call at switch  106  to determine the purpose of the call and to initiate routing of the call to an available agent operating from one of workstations  109   a  through  109   z . Before routing the call to a live agent, the customer may presented instructions  122  for selection as parameters for monitoring and recording the call. The instruction may include dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) options for initiating and for stopping recording of the call, or voice recognition-enabled interaction with the customer. For example, star 4 (*4) may be used to start recording and star 6 (*6) may be used to stop recording. DTMF keys may be used in real time to record selected portions of a conversation or an entire voice interaction. It should be noted that customer&#39;s always have an option for recording conversations ay their own premises, using their own equipment; but in embodiments of the present invention customer control interacts with call-center equipment and software, and the calls are stored at the center. 
         [0042]    In one embodiment the IVR options include voice-recognized commands that a customer may speak during any part of the telephone call like “start recording” and “stop recording”. In this case a call monitor with voice recognition software may monitor the call and initiate recording if the customer vocalizes the intent to record. A voice application may be provided that takes a customer through the entire process of registering to control how voice calls will be treated in the sense of pre-configured preferences, for example recording calls and saving them for access through a Web site for 30 days. 
         [0043]    In one embodiment a call recorded by monitor/recorder  108  is transferred via LAN  103  to RMS  120  running RMS SW  119 . The transfer may occur in near real time as the call is being recorded. RMS  120  stores the recording along with identification of the customer, time of call, perhaps purpose of the call, and perhaps other related information in repository  121 . With the aid of RMS SW  119 , RMS  120  may then publish the recording along with other information deemed appropriate to WS  117 . A customer operating at customer station  110   a  may then access WS  117  using a browser (BR) installed on an Internet-capable appliance such as the illustrated computer. The customer may have a personalized Web page that provides download access to saved recordings taken from calls established between the customer and the center and perhaps other documented business engaged in by the customer with the contact center such as chat transcripts, email dialogs, active invoices, current order status, active purchase orders, and the like. 
         [0044]    In one embodiment a customer may be provided with a version of a Web page that is adapted for cellular telephones such as by wireless application protocol WAP or more recent protocols. In this case a customer may be enabled to stop and to start recording on a current call by sending a short message service (SMS) message that may be a pre-configured template with the command of “start recording” or “stop recording”. In another embodiment a token might be used to signal the system to start recording and a different token could be used to signal the system to stop recording. In another embodiment parameters for monitoring and recording calls between the customer and the contact center can be established in rich presence information held and managed at the customer&#39;s accessing device. In this case a thin SW client may be provided to the customer device that enables the pre-configuration and reporting of the presence information and configured call recording and post-recording management options. 
         [0045]    In one embodiment the system utilizes message routing system  123  to generate an automated outbound email or an multimedia messaging service (MMS) message to the customer, the message including one or more recordings formatted in MP3, WAV, MPEG, MOV, AVI, or other compression formats for audio and video. Video may be associated with an audio recording of a voice call in an embodiment where the voice conversation includes video streaming such as in a video phone conversation. 
         [0046]    In one embodiment of the present invention all calls between customers and the center are recorded by default and retained for a period of time as part of the historical record of activity at the call center, but are not necessarily shared with the customers. In this case real time commands for initiating recording and stopping recording of conversations enable “capture” of all or portions of conversations that were already recorded. 
         [0047]    In one embodiment a customer on a call and in a chat room with a contact center simultaneously may control recording aspects of the call in progress from the chat interface. In this example start and stop recording buttons and current state information (recording or not recording) of the call in progress may appear in the chat interface for the customer to use. 
         [0048]      FIG. 2  is a logical overview of system architecture  200  for recording calls and publishing recordings according to an embodiment of the present invention. System architecture  200  includes a call center switch  206  that may be analogous to CS  106  described in  FIG. 1 . Switch  206  shows an active call queue  209  and an active voice session  210  in progress and being monitored. 
         [0049]    A customer computer  201  is illustrated having Web access to a Web server (WS)  205 . WS  205  serves a configuration UI (CFG UI)  211   a  illustrated in state of display on the GUI of computer  201 . Computer  201  may be analogous to a computing device illustrated in customer station  110   a  or  110   b  and WS  205  may be analogous to WS  117  of  FIG. 1 . UI  211   a  may be analogous to UI  118  of  FIG. 1 . A customer telephone  203  has connection to switch  206  and the customer is engaged currently in session  210  with an agent represented herein by an agent telephone  204  connected to switch  206 . The customer&#39;s equipment may alternatively be any sort of computerized alliance capable of supporting the needed protocols and interaction. 
         [0050]    A recording management server (RMS)  208  is illustrated in this example and may be analogous to RMS  120  described in  FIG. 1 . An agent computer  202  has a LAN connection to RMS  208 . RMS  208  has a LAN connection to CTI monitor/recorder, which in turn is connected to switch  206  via a CTI link. The agent computer may be analogous to any of the computers associated with workstations  109   a  through  109   z  and agent telephone  204  may be analogous to any of the telephones associated with those workstations described in  FIG. 1  above. 
         [0051]    In one embodiment of the present invention the customer that is operating from computing device  201  logs into WS  205  and registers for call-control including configuring call management preferences using CFG UI  211   a . WS  205  mirrors the configuration parameters of the customer to RMS  208  where it is stored for later access. The agent operating from computing device  202  accepts the customer call using telephone  204  and session  210  is established. Just before the agent takes the call during the ringing event at telephone  204  the configuration parameters CFG  211   b  of the customer are uploaded to the agent&#39;s computing device  202  by RMS  208 . The interface including the configured parameters is pushed to the agent&#39;s computing device  202  by RMS  208 . The correct configuration parameters are accessed from storage by RMS  208  based on call notification of the parties of session  210  before it is established but after final routing has been determined. In this way the agent may initiate recording of voice session  210  according to configured parameters. 
         [0052]    The customer may have realtime control over recording or not recording voice session  210  at any time during the session by vocalizing the intent or using DTMF commands from telephone  203 . The agent may initially establish default settings for monitoring and recording session  210  in compliance with the configuration interface  211   b  of the customer with the customer able to override those settings with realtime commands input into the telephone. The commands are interpreted and executed directly by CTI monitor/recorder  207 . 
         [0053]    The customer may also have realtime control over recording or not recording session  210  via sending of one or more messages from computing device  201  connected to WS  205 . A command to start recording in a message from the customer may be routed from WS  205  to CTI monitor/recorder  207  through RMS server  208 . The agent in session  210  may receive notification of the status from RMS  208  as it is implemented. In one embodiment other aspects of recording management like posting recordings online can be handled manually by the agent in session according to parameters in CFG  211   b.    
         [0054]    To record session  210  the agent inputs the command into the interface providing the customer-configured parameters in CFG ( 211   b ) at computing device  202 . The command is uploaded to RMS  208  and routed to CTI monitor/recorder  207 , which initiates the command at switch  206 . The recorded session  210  is transferred to RMS  208  where it is stored. RMS  208  may publish or post the recording to a Web site hosted on WS  205  where the customer may download it or listen to it online. In one embodiment the customer may manage all of the posted recordings such as by deleting them when no longer needed and so on. In one embodiment recordings may be uploaded automatically to any social network page the customer may subscribe to like Facebook™ or Myspace™. The invention may be practiced using an analog telephone interface or a digital telephone interface or application using VoIP and session initiation protocol (SIP) to set up the live sessions. 
         [0055]      FIG. 3  is a process flow chart illustrating steps  300  for practicing an IVR-based customer-controlled call recording process. This process inclusive of steps  300  focuses on an embodiment where an IVR provides the functionality of the invention to the customer. A voice call is answered by IVR at step  301 . The IVR system plays a customer greeting at step  302 . At step  302  the IVR unit may also identify the customer, determine the reason for the call, and request routing for the customer. 
         [0056]    The IVR unit may inform the customer that the call may be monitored for quality assurance purposes at step  303 . The IVR unit lists recording options for the customer before routing the call to a live agent or to a queue. The options may be presented in one or more prompts enabling the customer to select recording options at step  305 . There may be a few or several different options selected by a customer for recording the session and for configuring recording management preferences. In this example the IVR unit places the customer in a queue at step  306  to be distributed to an available agent working the queue. 
         [0057]    An agent takes the call at step  307 . This step may be signaled by a ringing event at the agent&#39;s telephone. The customer may invoke a recording option presented as a command at step  304  to record or to stop recording. The customer controls how much of the session if not all of the session will be recorded. The call is disposed of at step  309 . The RMS prepares the recording for publishing or posting to a Web site personalized to the customer at step  310 . Preparation may include compressing the audio and video if recorded. The RMS may provide a title for the recording and may provide a short text summary of the content or subject matter of the recording. The recording may be listed with other recordings according to some priority scheme set up by the customer. It is noted herein that the present invention may be practiced to monitor and record incoming calls into the contact center and outbound calls placed to customers from the contact center without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0058]    In one embodiment the agent who serviced the customer prepares the recording for posting according to customer preferences made available to the agent before the agent accepted the call. In one embodiment all of the post-recording management is automatic including posting recordings for download or sending recordings to customers. In one embodiment a customer may order a compact disc (CD) of one or more recorded conversations recorded at the contact center. 
         [0059]      FIG. 4  is an exemplary screen view of a customer configuration template  400  for configuring recording options. Customer configuration template  400  may be presented to customers accessing a Web site to register for call-control capabilities as part of a configuration UI like CFG UI  118  of  FIG. 1 . A customer may provide required identification such as address, telephone contact information, username and password for login purposes, and credit card information if required before being served customer template  400  for configuring call recording and management options  401 . 
         [0060]    Options  401  may include an option for recording all voice interactions between the customer and the center. If the customer selects the first option listed then all voice interactions are recorded by default. A next option enables initiation and termination of recording of a voice interaction in real time. Associated with this option are selections for using touch-tone commands to start and stop recording and a selection for using voice commands for starting and stopping recording. In one embodiment the system provides those touch-tone and voice commands. In another embodiment the customer may configure the touch-tone and voice commands that will be used. 
         [0061]    A next option if selected enables the customer to record voice interaction based on identity. Associated with this option are selections for recording based on agent identity and a selection for recording based on department identity. If recording by agent identity is selected, a text window may appear for inputting one or more identities of agents working at the contact center. A list of agent names and/or numbers may be provided for the customer to check which agents the customer would like recorded if they handle a voice call for the customer. The identities entered may be names of agents or ID numbers of agents. If recording by department ID is selected then a window may appear for the customer to enter the department identification (name or number). A list of departments may be provided for the customer to select from. 
         [0062]    If recording by agent identity any selected agent that takes a call from the customer will be recorded during that voice interaction. The customer may still exercise realtime control over recording overriding the pre-configured parameters. If recording by department ID all calls from the customer handled by a selected department are recorded regardless of agent identity. However, in one embodiment the customer may set recording options to record all calls between the customer and a specific department of the contact center with an exception of one or more identified agents working in that department. The reverse scenario is also possible, that is not to record conversations between the customer and a specific departing with the exception of one or more specific agents working within the department. 
         [0063]    A next option for recording enables the customer to record interactions according to the subject of the call. A text entry field may be provided for the customer to type in one or more subjects that are subject to recording. For example, a subject might be a particular type product or service. A subject might be customer service or technical support. Every time a call from the customer is handled and the subject of the call relates significantly to a subject matter selected or entered into the system by the customer, the call is recorded. 
         [0064]    Some of options  401  are relative to post-recording management services. A next option in this category is the option for organizing and summarizing all recordings. This option enables the customer to configure how the system will list recordings, for example, on a personalized Web page. Associated with this option are selections for organizing the recordings by date and one for categorizing recordings by product or service. A summary of a recording may include the subject of the call, and a short paragraph describing the content of the call. In one embodiment a customer may specify how long recordings should be kept. In one embodiment this can be managed by the customer by right clicking on a recording and selecting from a list of time periods for keeping the recording. A customer may be enabled to remove recordings from the presentation page and may in some cases delete them from the server if authorized. 
         [0065]    Another option  401  directs the system to email recordings directly to a customers email address. In this case a recording may be emailed to the customer shortly after the recording was made in the contact center. An automated email may be generated and sent to the customer each time a recording is made. 
         [0066]    Another option  401  allows the system to email download links for the recordings. In one embodiment a customer may order backup copies of recordings to be made and kept for safekeeping. Another option directs the system not to retain the recordings. In this case recordings may be sent to the customer but not kept at the contact center. One option  401  allows the customer to tag recordings saved for the customer. A related option enables the customer to search through recordings by applied tag word used as a search term. There may be other options presented in customer template  400  than are illustrated herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Likewise, there may be fewer options available without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0067]    In one embodiment a customer may have options for carbon copy (CC) and blind carbon copy (BCC) mailing of recordings to designated recipients whose addresses are automatically included in the list of recipients who will receive the recording. In another embodiment recordings may be posted to a customer&#39;s personalized Web page for access and to other Web sites where the customer has a password protected personal page. There are many possibilities. 
         [0068]      FIG. 5  is a process flow chart illustrating steps  500  for practicing a Web-based customer-controlled call recording process. At step  501  an agent working for the contact center takes an incoming call from a customer. A call monitor/recorder analogous to call monitor/recorder  108  of  FIG. 1  monitors the call at step  502  and records the call if ordered. The call monitor/recorder sends the recorded version in real time as it is being recorded to a recording management server (RMS) analogous to RMS  120  of  FIG. 1 . The RMS receives the call recording and stores the recording internally or in a connected repository on behalf of the customer at strep  503  and in addition, simultaneously creates a Web event of the call in progress associated with the recording. The RMS publishes the Web event at step  504  to the personal page of the customer that initiated the call. In this step customer identification is associated to the call in progress and the live Web event may identify the customer and the agent as well as the current duration, recording state, subject of the call and time and date of the call. 
         [0069]    The live Web event representing the call in progress may be accessed by the customer and it may be manipulated to stop recording. In one embodiment if the call is monitored but not being recorded, a Web event may still be created representing the live, in-progress call. 
         [0070]    The customer on the call may, in one embodiment, decide whether to access the live call at step  505 . The live call is represented on the customer&#39;s Web site and in order to start or stop recording of the event, the customer logs into the site and can highlight the call in progress event displayed to control recording and post-recording management of the recording resulting from the call. 
         [0071]    If at step  505  the customer decides not to access the represented call in progress, then the process may loop back until the decision is made to access the event. After the duration of the event representation of the event may be terminated at the Web site but any recording taken from the call represented is presented for listen or download by the customer. 
         [0072]    If at step  505  the customer decides to access the call in progress (CIP) at step  506  the customer may log into the Web site hosting the representation of the live event. It is noted herein that there may be some slight delay before the representation of the live event becomes accessible on the Web site. Once at the Web site the customer can see the represented event in progress including customer and agent identification, recording state, department ID, and perhaps additional information associated with the event. Controls for starting and stopping recording may be present as radio buttons or icons associated with the event. The initial state of recording of the event depends on the default setting configured by the customer in the customer configuration template previously described before. 
         [0073]    A customer may double-click an icon representing the CIP at step  507  to open up the possible options for realtime control over aspects of the event. Primary among these options is the ability to stop recording the call and the ability to start recording the call. At step  508  the customer may select a call option and implement that option. Step  508  may be repeated for each option selected. For example, a customer may select and implement the option record call for a CIP that is being monitored and represented as a Web event but that is not currently being recorded. 
         [0074]    A customer may also select and implement an option that stops recording a CIP that is currently being monitored, represented on the Web-site in real time and that is currently being recorded. Other options that may override pre-configured call-control and post-recording management options may be provided for selection relative to the CIP representation on the Web site. Call-control options provided with the representation of the event on the Web site may be selected and implemented as long as the state of the represented event is live meaning that the call is in progress between the accessing customer and the agent. At step  509  the process ends when the CIP representation is terminated because the call is no longer connected. 
         [0075]      FIG. 6  is a process flow chart illustrating steps  600  for publishing recorded calls according to an embodiment of the present invention. At step  601  the contact center receives an incoming call. In one embodiment the call received may be the result of an outbound contact made to a customer that is treated as an inbound call if answered by the customer. The system (IVR) answers the call and identifies the caller at step  6002 . In this step the system may also greet the customer and determine the reason for the call if not already known to the system. 
         [0076]    At step  603  routing is requested and the call is routed to a live agent. The CTI monitor/recorder monitors and records the call at step  604  when the agent picks up the call by default in this example. The recording of the call and additional identification and other data deemed relevant is sent to the recording management server (RMS) at step  605 . This process occurs in near real time and the call in progress may or may not be simultaneously represented on a Web site accessible to the customer of the call. 
         [0077]    At step  606  the RMS stores the recording and relevant information in a format for presentation to the customer. The customer may opt to listen to the recording online or to download and save the recording to a personal appliance for storage and playback. At step  608  the customer can be notified by email, instant message, SMS or MMS that the recording has posted for download or listening. At step  609  the process ends for that customer. 
         [0078]    The present invention may be practiced over the Internet network and connected telephony networks wired or wireless or a combination thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The present invention may be practiced with a PBX system, a COST system or with VoIP systems or a combination thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0079]    It will be apparent to one with skill in the art that the customer-controlled recording system of the invention may be provided using some or all of the mentioned features and components without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It will also be apparent to the skilled artisan that the embodiments described above are specific examples of a single broader invention which may have greater scope than any of the singular descriptions taught. There may be many alterations made in the descriptions without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.