Abstract:
A method includes displaying a transaction menu that includes multiple selectable call center agent transactions. A plurality of selected transactions are ordered into a list of selected transactions based on a first business rule. The list of selected transactions includes an indicator of a status of each of the selected transactions and the list is separated into a first group of completed transactions and a second group of uncompleted transactions. A selection of an additional transaction is received after initiation of one of the selected transactions but before completion of all of the selected transactions. An updated second group of uncompleted transactions, including the additional transaction, is ordered in a second order based on a second business rule.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application claims priority from and is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/051,547, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,627,109, filed Feb. 4, 2005, entitled “CALL CENTER SYSTEM FOR MULTIPLE TRANSACTION SELECTIONS” and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for use in a call center. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Call center agents are challenged by customers who bring up multiple service needs in a telephone call. Agents are further challenged when, while fulfilling one of the customers needs, the customer brings up one or more additional service needs during the telephone call. Traditionally, agents are compelled to scribble on a piece of paper as multiple service needs are identified. Agents are required to depend on their knowledge and training to sequence fulfillment of the multiple service needs. At the end of the telephone call, an agent may manually check his/her written notes to determine that all of the multiple service needs have been addressed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. However, other features are described in the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an embodiment of a call center system; 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart of an embodiment of a method performed using the call center system; 
         FIG. 3  is a screen shot of an embodiment of a user interface; 
         FIG. 4  is a screen shot of an embodiment of the user interface after a first transaction has been entered; 
         FIG. 5  is a screen shot of an embodiment of the user interface after a second transaction has been entered; and 
         FIG. 6  is a screen shot of an embodiment of the user interface after a third transaction has been entered after an agent has begun but not completed addressing the first transaction. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Disclosed herein are embodiments of a user interface usable by call center agents when interacting with a customer during a telephone call. The user interface provides an electronic checklist of service transactions that enables call center agents to quickly capture customers&#39; service needs at any time during a telephone call. Based on the captured needs, business rules are applied to order the associated service transactions into a preferred sequence. The user interface launches the service transactions in sequence. After each transaction is completed, the user interface updates the status of the transactions, and a next transaction in the sequence is launched. The user interface enables call center agents to determine if a customer is a repeat caller or is calling about an unresolved issue. The user interface further enables call center agents to characterize the customer. 
     Embodiments are described with reference to  FIG. 1 , which is a block diagram of an embodiment of a call center system, and  FIG. 2 , which is a flow chart of an embodiment of a method performed using the call center system. 
     A call center  10  has a computer system  12  and a telecommunication device  14 , both usable by an agent  16  to handle incoming customer service calls. The telecommunication device  14  may comprise a telephone or an alternative device that allows the agent  16  to speak or otherwise communicate to remotely located customers. For purposes of illustration and example, consider a customer  20  who calls the call center  10  using his/her telecommunication device  22 , such as a telephone. The call center  10  directs the call to the telecommunication device  14  of the agent  16  so that the agent  16  can service need(s) of the customer  20 . 
     As indicated by block  30 , the method comprises providing a user interface  32  using the computer system  12 . The user interface  32  assists the agent  16  in identifying customer needs, mapping needs to specific transactions, ordering the transactions into a sequence, launching the transactions in sequence, and indicating the status of each transaction. Initially, the user interface  32  displays or otherwise provides customer account information retrieved from a database  34 . In the above example, the user interface  32  displays account information  36  for the customer  20 , the account information  36  retrieved from the database  34 . The account information  36  may comprise one or more account numbers, pending order information, a billing name, a billing address, an email address, a service address and a contact history. 
     As indicated by block  40 , the method comprises receiving one or more needs communicated by the customer  20 . The need(s) are spoken or otherwise expressed by the customer  20  using the telecommunication device  22  and are received by the agent  16  using the telecommunication device  14 . 
     As indicated by block  42 , the agent  16  uses the user interface  32  to map the need(s) to specific transaction(s) and to enter the specific transaction(s) into the computer system  12 . The user interface  32  comprises a transaction menu  44  that lists possible transactions that the agent  16  can fulfill. In applications where the agent  16  is to handle customers of a telecommunications company, the transaction menu  44  may list various possible billing transactions, collections transactions, ordering transactions, repair transactions and account maintenance transactions. The agent  16  finds the specific transaction(s) from the transaction menu  44  that apply to the need(s) of the customer  20  and enters the specific transaction(s) by making selection(s) from the transaction menu  44 . The selection(s) are made using a user input device of the computer system  12 , examples of which include but are not limited to a keyboard, a voice input device, a mouse, a touch pad, a touch screen, a pointing stick, a track ball or an alternative pointing device. The user interface  32  provides a list  46  of the selected transactions. 
       FIG. 3  shows an embodiment of a user interface  32 ′. Customer information  36 ′ is disposed on a left side of the user interface  32 ′. A transaction menu  44 ′ is disposed at a center portion of the user interface  32 ′. The transaction menu  44 ′ provides various transaction definitions. A right portion of the user interface  32 ′ is to provide a list  46 ′ of selected transaction(s) and their status. 
     For purposes of illustration and example, consider that the customer  20  expresses a need for a bill adjustment. In response to learning of the need, the agent  16  selects a billing transaction option  50 ′ from the transaction menu  44 ′. A menu  52 ′ of specific billing transactions are also provided in the transaction menu  44 ′. The menu  52 ′ of specific billing transactions may be displayed in response to the agent&#39;s selection of the billing transaction option  50 ′. From the menu  52 ′, the agent  16  selects an adjustment option  54 ′. In response to the agent&#39;s selection, the user interface  32 ′ adds an adjustment transaction  56 ′ to the list  46 ′ as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     Further, for purposes of illustration and example, consider that the customer  20  expresses a need to order voice mail in addition to the bill adjustment. In response to learning of the second need, the agent  16  scrolls down the transaction menu  44 ′ to a portion shown in  FIG. 5 . The agent  16  selects an add/change service transaction option  56 ′. A menu  60 ′ of specific add/change service transactions are also provided in the transaction menu  44 ′. The menu  60 ′ of specific add/change service transactions may be displayed in response to the agent&#39;s selection of the add/change service transaction option  56 ′. From the menu  60 ′, the agent  16  selects the voice messaging option  62 ′. In response to the agent&#39;s selection, the user interface  32 ′ adds a voice messaging transaction  64 ′ to the list  46 ′ as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , as indicated by block  70 , the computer system  12  orders the transaction(s) into a sequence based on one or more business rules. The computer system  12  may use an optimization algorithm to optimize the sequence of the transaction(s) based on an objective function and constraints imposed by the business rule(s). The objective function may be a measure of call flow (e.g. an average handle time or a worst-case handle time), in which case the sequence is optimized to provide an optimal call flow. If not optimal, the sequence acts to improve the call flow in fulfilling the transaction(s). An example of a business rule is a rule specifying that a collection transaction must precede an ordering transaction for a customer “in treatment”. Thus, the order in the sequence may differ from the order in which the transaction(s) were selected by the agent  16 . 
     As indicated by block  72 , the user interface  32  displays a script  74  for a next uncompleted transaction in the sequence. Initially, the user interface  32  displays a script for the first transaction in the sequence. 
     As indicated by block  76 , the agent  16  interacts with the user interface  32  and/or the customer  20  based on the script  74  to address the current transaction in the sequence. When the current transaction has been completed (block  80 ), the user interface  32  updates a displayed status of the transaction in the list  46 ′ to indicate that the transaction has been completed (block  82 ). 
     As indicated by block  84 , if any uncompleted transactions are remaining in the sequence, flow of the method is directed back to block  72 , wherein the user interface  32  displays another script, the other script being for a next uncompleted transaction in the sequence. The next transaction is addressed as described with reference to blocks  76 ,  80  and  82 . 
     At any time during the call, the customer  20  may speak or otherwise express one or more additional need(s). As indicated by block  90 , the method comprises the agent  16  receiving the one or more additional needs communicated by the customer  20 . 
     Optionally, as indicated by block  92 , the method comprises receiving a user input made by the agent  16  to return to the user interface  32  that is receptive to additional transaction(s) entered by the agent  16 . The user input may comprise a selection of a graphical tab  93  or another graphical object. The embodiment of  FIGS. 3-5  show the graphical tab  93  being labeled as a “Call Plan” tab  93 ′. 
     As indicated by block  94 , the agent  16  uses the user interface  32  to map the additional need(s) to specific additional transaction(s), and to enter the specific additional transaction(s) into the computer system  12 . 
     As indicated by block  96 , the computer system  12  orders the remaining transaction(s), including the additional transaction(s), into a sequence based on one or more business rules. This act is similar to the act performed in block  70 , however the introduction of the additional transaction(s) may cause a different transaction order to be produced. The computer system  12  may use an optimization algorithm to optimize the sequence of the remaining transaction(s) based on the objective function and the constraints imposed by the business rules. The objective function may be a measure of call flow (e.g. an average handle time or a worst-case handle time), in which case the sequence is optimized to provide an optimal call flow. If not optimal, the sequence acts to improve the call flow in fulfilling the remaining transaction(s). Thus, the order in the sequence may differ from the order in which the transaction(s) were selected by the agent  16 . 
     For purposes of illustration and example,  FIG. 2  depicts the additional need(s) being received from the customer  20  (block  90 ) after the agent  16  has begun to address a transaction (block  76 ), but before the agent  16  has completed the transaction (block  80 ). In this case, after the agent has entered the additional need(s) (block  94 ), flow of the method is directed back to block  76  so that the agent can continue to address the transaction which was interrupted. More generally, the agent  16  can make a selection of at least one additional transaction from the transaction menu  44  after the agent  16  has begun to address one of the agent-selected transactions from the list  46  but before the agent  16  has completed all of the agent-selected transactions from the list  46 . 
     For example, consider the customer  20  bringing up an additional need in the middle of the call and while the agent  16  is working on the billing adjustment. The additional need is to report a problem with the customer&#39;s phone equipment and to open an associated trouble ticket. In response to learning of the additional need, the agent  16  selects a new trouble report option  96 ′ from the transaction menu  44 ′ as shown in  FIG. 6 . In response to the agent&#39;s selection, the user interface  32 ′ adds a report trouble transaction  100 ′ to the list  46 ′ and optionally re-orders the agent-selected transactions in the list  46 ′. Thereafter, the agent  16  can return to working on the billing adjustment. 
     Optionally, as shown in  FIGS. 3-6 , the user interface  32 ′ further comprises user interface elements  102 ′ that are receptive to selections by the agent  16 . The user interface elements  102 ′ allow the agent  16  to indicate if the customer  20  is a repeat caller, if an issue is unresolved, if the customer  20  is an irate caller, or if the call was terminated early. The user interface elements  102 ′ comprise graphical check boxes in one embodiment. 
     The acts performed by the computer system  12  to provide the user interface  32  and  32 ′ can be directed by a computer-readable medium having computer-readable program code stored therein. 
     The herein-disclosed method and system simplify and streamline the process of managing multiple service transactions. Contact flow can be optimized to improve an average handle time for the contact. Providing a check list for the transactions mitigates agents forgetting to address some of the multiple service needs of a customer. Thus, customers&#39; experiences with the call center  10  are improved. 
     Additionally, the computer system  12  can log or otherwise store a history of customer interactions in a customer contact history log  110 . The history can be logged in real-time based on the computer system&#39;s  12  real-time knowledge of the service needs and transactions. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed embodiments may be modified in numerous ways and may assume many embodiments other than the particular forms specifically set out and described herein. For example, some acts described with reference to  FIG. 2  can be performed in a different order than that depicted in  FIG. 2  without affecting their results. 
     The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments which fall within the true scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.