SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER CALL-BACK

A method of indicating to a callee an availability status of a caller, the method includes receiving a request of the caller to be called by the callee, receiving from the caller a unique identifier and an availability status, displaying to the callee the availability status of the caller, and displaying to the caller an availability status of the callee.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to phone call management. More particularly, the present invention relates to a systems and methods for managing phone calls with a customer service call center.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With many technological advances in recent years, waiting time periods for calls to customer service centers are still a source of customer frustration. Customers calling a customer service centers can wait up to half an hour until an operator becomes available to take their call.

While some recent solutions allow a customer to enter a phone number with the service center and request the center to call the customer back when an operator becomes available, typical customer responses to this solution indicate that the center usually calls back when it is least convenient for the customer. Such inefficient manner of customer service consumes valuable time both from the customer, and from the customer service center.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is thus provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method of indicating to a callee an availability status of a caller is provided, the method comprising receiving a request of said caller to be called by said callee receiving from said caller a unique identifier, and an availability status, and displaying to said callee said availability status of said caller.

Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises displaying to said caller an availability status of said callee.

Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises automatically initiating a call between said caller and said callee when said availability status of each of said caller and said callee indicate that said caller and said callee are available.

Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises altering an availability status of said caller upon receipt of a signal that said caller has become available.

Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises displaying to said caller a position of said caller in an order of calls to be made by said callee.

Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, said receiving said availability status of said caller comprises receiving a signal as to said availability of said caller, wherein said signal as to said availability of said caller is issued from an input device associated with a communication device of said caller.

Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, said receiving said availability status of said caller comprises receiving a signal that a communication line of said caller is engaged.

Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises presenting to said caller a representation of said callee from among a plurality of callees, and providing to said caller a predefined response for delivery to said callee said unique identifier, said request and said availability status of said caller.

Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises continuously updating said availability status of said caller.

Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a communication system for a network is provided, the system comprising a computing device, having a processor and connected to the network, and at least one communication device, connected to the network and capable of communicating the computing device via the network, wherein said processor is configured to receive a signal via the network, said signal including a unique identifier and an availability status of said at least one communication device.

Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises at least one display configured to display the availability status of said at least one communication device.

Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one communication device further comprises a processor configured to receive an availability status of said computing device.

Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one communication device further comprises at least one display configured to display the availability status of said at least one communication device.

Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, said processor of the communication device is configured to initiate a call between said computing device and said communication device upon receipt of a signal that an availability status of said communication device is available.

Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one computing device further comprises a memory configured to store the availability status of said at least one communication device.

Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one communication device further comprises a memory configured to store the availability status of said computing device.

Furthermore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises at least one sensor that is configured to provide an indication on the availability status of the at least one communication device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The processes and functions presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer, network or other apparatus. Embodiments of the invention described herein are not described with reference to any particular programming language, machine code, etc. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages, network systems, protocols or hardware configurations may be used to implement the teachings of the embodiments of the invention as described herein. In some embodiments, one or more methods of embodiments of the invention may be stored on an article such as a memory device, where such instructions upon execution by for example one or more processors results in a method of an embodiment of the invention. In some embodiments, one or more components of a system may be associated with other components by way of a wired or wireless network. For example one or more memory units and one or more processors may be in separate locations and connected by wired or wireless communications to execute such instructions. Embodiments of the invention may include machine-readable executable code contained in a non-transitory storage medium for a computing device, wherein the executable code, when executed by the computing device, causes the computing device to perform a method of the invention.

Reference is now made toFIG. 1, which schematically illustrates a communication system (wherein the direction of dashed arrows indicates the direction of information flow), generally designated100, according to some embodiments of the present invention. In some embodiments of the invention, communication system100may include one or more computing devices102such as for example a server, which may include one or more processors104such as a central processing unit (CPU), and one or more memory units106. The communication system100may further include at least one output display device108such as a screen, and also at least one input device109such as a keyboard, a touch screen or any other input device, or a combination thereof.

Communication system100may further include at least one telecommunication device110such as a telephone, cellular telephone, smartphone, voice over internet phone or any other telecommunication device, or a combination thereof. According to some embodiments, system100may further include one or more links to a network111such as a telephone network, a cellular network or the Internet.

According to some embodiments, communication system100further includes a communication device112(not illustrated to scale) that may include a smartphone, a computer, a laptop, a tablet or any other communication device, or a combination thereof. Communication device112may include one or more processors114, one or more memory units116, one or more displays118or output means, one or more input devices119(e.g. a keyboard or microphone) and one or more network connections113(e.g. with a dedicated communication module).

It should be noted that a user may use the communication device112in order to communicate with the computing device102, via the network111. For example, a customer may use a smartphone112to call a customer service center via a cellular network111, whereby the operator at the customer service center receives call with a laptop102connected to a landline telephone110.

Reference is now made toFIGS. 2A-2B, which show exemplary displays for a user and for a customer service with the communication system, according to some embodiments of the present invention.FIG. 2Aschematically illustrates the display118of the communication device112, andFIG. 2Bschematically illustrates the display108of the computing device102.

In some embodiments, a user using the communication device112may make a call via the network111, seeking service (or an operator) for example from a customer service center or from any other telephone center that employs people to take calls from users, and that may be connected to or associated with a computing device102(for instance as shown inFIG. 1).

Upon generation of the call, according to some embodiments, the user using the communication device112may be presented with either a voice description of a menu of options, and/or a visual menu of such options on, for instance, display118. Such a menu may allow the user to select one or more types of services or operators that the user is seeking on this call. In some embodiments, the user may select a desired option by pressing a corresponding segment on the display118.

For example, a menu may provide initial options201with an audio recording and/or displayed on the display118: “Press 1 to report a claim”, “Press 2 to inquire about a claim”, “Press 3 to obtain information about a new policy”, “Press 4 to inquire about an existing policy”, etc. If the user selects the first option (i.e. presses 1), the menu may present further options202, such as “Press 1 to report an auto claim”, “Press 2 to report a health claim”, “Press 3 to report a homeowner's claim”, etc. A user may select for example 1 to report a claim, and 2 to report a health claim. Optionally, the user may be told (e.g. by an audio recording) that all operators are currently busy, and may be offered an option203to enter a phone number and that an operator will return his call as soon as possible.

The user may also be offered an option to send, and/or send and receive an availability indicator204. The availability indicator204may present to the user an indication of whether the operator at the telecommunication device110(e.g. a phone), for instance who handles health claims, is either available for a call or busy. In some embodiments, the user may use a user availability indicator208(as shown inFIG. 2B) in order to indicate to the operator when the user is available for a call.

According to some embodiments, the computing device102may continuously monitor for a signal or message, for instance from the network111, that the telecommunication device110(e.g. a phone) or rather that the operator of the telecommunication device110is either available or busy. Such a signal may, for instance, be transmitted to the display118of the communication device112, for instance via the network111, in order to activate and/or alter the state of the availability indicator204so as to reflect the state of the operator of the telecommunication device110.

In some embodiments, the selection by the user to leave a number203and/or user availability indicator208, may cause a signal to be sent to the display108of the computing device102where there may be listed the phone number of the user who left the message, and optionally a user availability indicator208of the status or readiness of the user to accept a call from the operator.

In some embodiments, if both the operator and the user are available for a call at the same time, for instance as indicated by the availability indicators204,208the system may automatically generate a call between the user and the operator, and/or send a signal to one (or both) of the user and the operator that they are both available for the expected call. In some embodiments, a system and method of receiving, storing and transmitting a status of cellular telephone and one or more landline or other communication line may be performed. Other ways of tracking, storing and indicating a usage or availability of a communication device may also be used.

According to some embodiments, in order to provide the user availability indication208, the system100may utilize built-in sensors within the communication device112. For example, the communication system100may utilize physical sensors (such as accelerometers, motion sensors, etc.), and/or software-based sensors or device sensors (such as ringer on/ringer off, screen on/screen off, device on/device off, etc.). These sensors may provide an indication when the user uses the communication device112, for instance when the motion sensors detect movement compatible with the user holding the communication device112or sensors indicating connection to a communication network, and also that the user is available to receive a call.

In some embodiments, communication system100may receive a signal from for example a network operating system that the communication device112is no longer in contact with a network, and such signal may automatically trigger a change in a status of the communication device112, as may be stored on memory106, to Not-Available′.

According to some embodiments, a user may input a status of the communication device112(or of the user) by way of, for instance, input device119, and/or such status may be inputted automatically by a dedicated sensor associated with the communication device112. Such a delivery of status information may be initiated by the user of communication device112, or by the processor114associated with device112. A status or indication of such status may be transmitted from communication device112by via network114or by some other network or signal on, for example, a periodic basis or in response to a trigger or signal.

In some embodiments, a dedicated memory, for instance in a server or a cloud based network, may collect status information from one or more devices and may store such status information in association with an identifier of the device. For example, a telephone number, SIM number or other unique identifier of the communication device112may be stored in, or in association with processor114, be delivered to the server and stored in memory106of the computing device102.

A status information or indication may be delivered for example via network111to memory106, and associated with the unique identifier of device112that may also be stored in or associated with memory106. Unique identifiers of the computing device102may also be associated with the communication device112as being authorized to see or gain access to status information of the communication device112that may be stored on memory116, such that a group of authorized devices may be associated or created on for example memory106as having access to status information of one or more members of such group. In some embodiments, members of a group to which the user or device belongs may be shown or made available for display on display118. For example, a dedicated user interface on communication device112may show or list a group of devices or users, as well as an indication of a status of one or more of such users or devices. In some embodiments a consent or permission may be required by the communication system100in order for the communication device112or user to join a group or otherwise to be permitted to receive or send status information from another device.

A status information may be or include data such as ‘available to take a call’, ‘busy on a call’, ‘phone off’, ‘please call’, or any other status that may be defined for example by a user or may be provided for selection by way of for example a menu that may appear on the display118. One or more of such statuses may be associated with for example an icon, color or any other indication as may appear on display118, and as may be selected by a user or provided by the communication system100.

In some embodiments, on an occasional, periodic or initiated basis, a signal may be sent to the communication device112by for example the network111. Such signal may include for example, updated status information of one or more users or devices102,112that are in a group associated with the computing device102. Such signal may update or change the status indication, color, message or icon that is presented on display108of the computing device102so that the updated status information is displayed.

In some embodiments, a signal may be sent to a user or communication device112upon for example a change in status of the operator or computing device102. For example a computing device102may issue a signal requesting that it be notified when a status of the communication device112goes from ‘busy’ to ‘available’, or that there is some other change in a status of one or more other devices. In some embodiments, the communication system100may request a status setting from the computing device102on a regular or periodic basis, and may store an indication of such status setting in the memory106.

In some embodiments, a memory on the computing device102may store or cache a time of a most recent update of availability status indicators to the computing device102, and also list of status indicators that have changed between a current update time and such last time.

In some embodiments, the amount of data required to be transmitted from to the computing device102may also be reduced by storing on the computing device102a reference number associated with an availability status, and by transmitting only the reference number as an indicator of the status to be displayed with the associated identifier of a name on a contact list. Optionally, updates or changes to status indicators may be delivered to the device102in an encoded form, and such delivered data may be encoded on the computing device102for translation into changes in status indicators.

In some embodiments, an operator may issue a command to alert him through a signal from the computing device102of a change in the availability status of one or more customers. For example, an operator of device102may see that a communication device112on a customer list is shown with a ‘busy’ indicator. The operator may signal the communication system100to alert him by way of device102when the availability status of the communication device112changes, or specifically changes to ‘available’ or ‘please call me now’. Upon such a change in the availability status of the communication device112, a signal may be sent to the computing device102. Optionally, a call may then be automatically executed between the communication device112and the computing device102.

In some embodiments, if the communication device112is not enrolled in a communication method or system such as the one described herein, then a short message service (SMS) may be automatically sent to such communication device upon a change in the availability status of the operator of the computing device102. For example, if a customer, not associated with the communication system100, tries to reach an operator of a call service working with the communication system100, an SMS may be automatically sent to the customer with an indication of the operator's availability status as is saved on the computing device102. Such SMS may in some embodiments include data to allow the customer to join the communication system with the communication device112(for instance an SMS with a download link). In response to the SMS or some other signal, the customer may request that the system for example alert the operator that the customer tried to contact him, and/or connect to the operator of the computing device102(or otherwise alert) when the operator becomes free or available to take a call.

It is appreciated that embodiments of the invention may include a system that has or is associated with a processor, a memory, a connection to one or more networks and a display. A processor may be configured to receive a signal from for example a caller (e.g. a customer), where such signal includes a unique identifier such as telephone number, or VOIP user name of the caller. The signal may have been sent in response to the caller indicating to a processor104that he wishes to speak to someone such as an operator (being a “callee”) that may have been selected from a menu. The processor104may also receive an availability status of the caller and a link to a memory or remote device that optionally receives and stores an indication of an availability status of the caller. One or more processors may issue a signal to display108to the callee an indication of the availability status208of the caller at one or more times following the caller's delivery of its signal. In some embodiments, the processor104may issue a signal to display118to the caller an availability status204of the callee.

In some embodiments, the processor is configured to initiate a call between the caller and the callee upon receipt of a signal that an availability status204,208of each of the caller and the callee has changed to available, or free to accept a call.

In some embodiments, the processor104may be configured to issue a signal to display to the caller a position of the caller in a list with order of calls, to be responded to by the callee. For example, the processor may deliver to the caller's display118an indication of the number of calls that are in line for the callee to make before the callee calls the caller.

In some embodiments the processor104may be configured to deliver to the caller a predefined response for delivery to the callee of the unique identifier and the availability status204. For example, a processor may deliver an icon or button indicator that may be pressed by the caller, whereupon such pressing, the caller's communication device112delivers its contact info (e.g. phone number) to the callee, and delivers a link to a memory116to which may deliver and store the caller's availability status208.

In some embodiments, the communication system100may collect and detect a language setting of the communication device112, and may direct a call from a user of communication device112to a customer service representative associated with the computing device102who speaks such corresponding language.

In some embodiments, when a caller communication device112dials a callee who is recognized by computing device102such as a server, a pop-up may appear on the display118of communication device112to indicate for example an availability status of the callee. Such pop-up or screen icon may include a chat function that may allow the user of communication device112to chat with the customer service center, and/or with other callers who are waiting to be served by the center.

Referring back toFIG. 1, according to some embodiments, such pop-up screen or other displayed content may also include for example an icon, or function selection button, or indicator to allow the caller to activate a function that may have been selected by the callee. For example, a caller makes a call on communication device112to a callee within a branch of a bank. In some embodiments, an icon130or any other indicator may appear, or be shown, or may pop-up on display118of the communication device112. The icon or function may be selected by the callee's bank branch, and when the caller selects the icon, there may be shown on display118a real time, live image of the bank branch and the line for service at a teller (e.g. with video streaming from a camera within the bank). This may allow the caller to see in real time the waiting time for service at the bank branch.

Other functions may be selected by a callee and associated with at least one icon130or function buttons that pop up on the display118of the caller. For example, an icon130may allow a user to press and see the hours of operation of the bank branch as such will be transmitted to and displayed on display118, see a summary of the account balance of the caller at the bank branch, pay a bill owing by the caller from the account of the caller at the bank branch, receive promotional offers from the bank branch or perform other functions. In some embodiments, icon130may activate a function on the communication device112, such as for example a built-in camera132(still or video) of communication device112, so that when so activated, camera132of communication device112may capture one or more images in an area of communication device112and transmit such images in real time to the network or to a device associated with the callee. For example, an emergency services system may include a function icon130, so that when a call is placed to the emergency number, an icon130appears on display118of communication device112that activates one or more of a microphone and camera132of communication device112and then transmits the collected sound and/or images to the callee. Other function icons130may be selected by a callee and presented to a caller device112when such device calls callee.

In some embodiments, a user may input into the communication device112his own status, such as ‘busy’, ‘sleeping’ or the like, and an availability indication of such status may appear as associated with his idenfication as it is stored in the contact list of others. In some embodiments, a status of a user of communication device112may be for example ‘interested in buying a new refrigerator, call me at 5:30 PM to discuss’. Such status may be inputted from, for example, a template of statuses or a drop-down list of statuses, or may be inputted manually. This status of a user of communication device112may be conveyed for example to relevant stores or catalogues that sell refrigerators along with an indication of a time to call the user of the communication device112. Other statuses and other indications or requests may also be used.

In some embodiments, a call center working with computing device102may want to call a large number of contacts, and an automatic dialing function may dial one or more of the numbers to be called, and may pass the call to an operator when a call is answered. Once the operator has completed the call that was passed to him by the automated function, an automated process may select a next call to be dialed that has been answered, and may pass such next answered call to the operator who may then speak with the customer (i.e. now the callee). In this way, an operator may use a function to dial several numbers that are to be called, and may receive a call passed to him only once the call has been actively answered by a person.

In some embodiments, a telephone number that is stored in a contacts list of a user's communication device112(e.g. in the memory of a phone) may be associated with a network identifier, such as a TCP/IP number, a SIM number or some other identifier by which the device is recognized by a data network. The name of the contact as well as his telephone number and the network identifier number may all be associated with each other in the telephone contact list stored in the memory116of the communication device112, and optionally in a remote server. A user may thereby input into a function for example one of a name, telephone number or network identifier number, and instruct the communication device (or the server) to place a call over the data network, the cellular network or the telephone network in order to reach the desired contact. Optionally, there may be no need to input one or either of the network identifier or the telephone number of the contact in order to place the call, since the name of the contact may be identified with both numbers. Further, such functions may be instructed to contact the desired contact over the line or path that is cheapest at the time (e.g. over a particular cellular network), that provides the best reception, or that meets some other predefined criteria.

In some embodiments, a callee may subscribe to, for example, an answering service so that calls made to the callee are passed to a human operator so that callers may leave a message for the callee with a operator. Optionally, the callee may select a function as, for example, ‘answering service’, and such selected status may trigger an instruction at for example computing device102in order to pass all calls to the callee directly to the manned answering service. Such immediate passing of calls may alleviate the typical situation where a telephone call first rings several times at the dialed number before it is passed to the answering service. In some embodiments, this function may allow the call to be transferred directly upon dialing to the answering service. Further, the callee, such as, for example, a doctor whose patients called him in the office and were answered by an answering service, may be able to access a list of the telephone numbers or names of callers who called and left a message with the answering service. A function of an embodiment of communication system100, may deliver a list of the calls to the office that were forwarded by the system100to the answering service, and may also call back one or more of such callers when the doctor is ready. In some embodiments, the communication system100may generate one or more of such call backs when the status of such callers is indicated as being available to receive a call, such as a call from the doctor.

Reference is now made toFIG. 3, which shows a flow chart for a caller control communication system, according to some embodiments of the present invention. Embodiments of the invention may include a method of indicating to a callee an availability status of a caller208, where the method may include as in block301, receiving from the caller a unique identifier of the caller and a request of the caller to be called by a particular callee. Embodiments of the method may also include as in block302, receiving a link to remote memory116where is stored an availability status of the caller. Embodiments of the invention may include as in block303, displaying108to the callee the availability status of the caller208, and as in block304, displaying118to the said caller an availability status of the callee204.

Embodiments of the invention may include automatically initiating a call between the caller and the callee when an availability status of each of them indicates that each or both (are available for a call.

Embodiments of the invention may include altering an availability status208of the caller upon receipt of a signal that the caller has become available. For example, a caller may leave his unique identifier and request for a call with the operator, and then use the line of the telephone for a different call, or may otherwise indicate his unavailability for a call from the callee. At a later time, the caller may be available, and upon receipt of a signal of such availability, the availability indicator displayed108for the callee may switch from unavailable to available and initiate a call.

Embodiments of the invention may include displaying on a display of the caller118a position of the caller in an order of calls to be made by the callee before it is the turn of the caller to be called by the callee.

Embodiments of the invention may include receiving an indication of the availability status208of the caller upon receiving a signal from an input device119of the caller such as a keyboard or touch screen associated with the caller.

Embodiments of the invention may include receiving a signal that a communication line of the caller is engaged, or that the caller is unavailable for a call even though such communication line is not engaged, such as for example if the user is sleeping, or otherwise occupied and not interested in being bothered.

Embodiments of the invention may include presenting to the caller a representation of the callee from among several callees. For example, a representation of several operators may be presented to the caller, and the caller may select one or more of the presented operators. The caller may be provided with a predefined response, such as a button to be pressed for delivery to the callee of one or more of the callers' telephone number, and/or the request and availability status208.

Unless explicitly stated, the method embodiments described herein are not constrained to a particular order in time or chronological sequence. Additionally, some of the described method elements may be skipped, or they may be repeated, during a sequence of operations of a method.