Abstract:
An apparatus, computer program product, method and system are disclosed for manually guiding inbound callers through an IVR system, then sequentially playing prerecorded, precategorized scripts, or audio dialogs, to the caller in accordance with the steps of a sales method governing the categorization of the scripts. Certain embodiments of the present invention include substitute means of collecting, conferencing, routing, and managing inbound callers in and out of IVR platforms.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to interactive voice response (IVR) technologies, and more particularly relates to an apparatus, computer program product and data processing system for covertly guiding a caller through an IVR system. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Business processing outsource (BPO) service provides are commercial organizations which run call centers that manage inbound and outbound telephone sales campaigns for their clients. BPO service providers have been quick to incorporate developing technological advances into their business models, including increasingly sophisticated Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technologies, which recognize verbal and keypad input from callers. 
     Sales teams at inbound BPO call centers are able to rely on IVR technology to collect a great deal of information from, and about, inbound callers before routing those inbound callers to live operators. IVR technologies enable customers, and potential customers, of retail business to navigate databases verbally or through the touchpad of the telephone. Through IVR systems, potential customers are able to interface with a computer that prompts callers to enter information and provides voice based-feedback. Callers to IVR systems interact with a voice browser by listening to audio output that is either pre-recorded or computer-synthesized. Callers submit audio input to the IVR system in the form of natural voice communication or DTMF keypad input. 
     In modern BPO business models, inbound sales representatives are required to attend to an increasingly number of incoming calls over the telephone, which calls IVR platforms help them manage. IVR technology has drastically increased the efficiency of the BPO industry, and has been used to manage billions of incoming calls across the industry over the years since IVR use became standard in the industry. IVR technology reduces operation costs and at the same time and increases customer satisfaction. 
     The interfacing features of IVR systems can be configured to direct potential customers through a sequence of simple menus which gather personal information using CTI (Computer Telephony Integration). The capability of the IVR technology to identify and collect personal information from callers makes IVR technology very important to the BPO industry. Call center operators are able to modify their presentation in accordance with personal information gathered by the IVR platform and digitally displayed to the operators. 
     IVR platforms usually run on Wintel and Cisco equipment, and usually rely on VXML, or VoiceXML, technologies to interact with callers using voice-recognition technology. 
     VoiceXML is designed for creating audio dialogs that feature synthesized speech and/or digitized audio. These audio dialogs are played to callers in response to IVR recognition of spoken or dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signaling (keypad input). Modern IVR platforms making use of VXML or VoiceXML can be configured to carry on conversations and sales transactions with callers from the point of contact to the point of sale, by playing audio dialogs to callers. 
     IVR platforms can be further configured to play digitized audio scripts to callers which are so responsive to the natural verbal input of the callers that the callers do not know they are interfacing with a machine. Some embodiments of IVR platforms prompt an operator of the BPO service provider monitoring a call to select from a list of prerecorded scripts to replay to the caller in response to questions asked by the caller. 
     BPO call centers employing operators with poor English skills, or exotic accents, have found that their operators can reach greater levels of sales efficiency replaying digitized scripts of skilled native English speakers then attempting to interact directly with callers. 
     Call Control XML (CCXML) interoperates with VXML to manage a plurality of simultaneously incoming calls. CCXML is the W3C standard markup language for controlling how phone calls are placed, answered, transferred, and conferenced. CCXML works in conjunction with VoiceXML to provide standards for telephony application, including support for multi-party conferencing and message-passing. 
     CCXML imparts the ability to many IVR platforms to give each active line in a voice application its own dedicated VoiceXML interpreter, and the ability to receive events and messages from systems outside of the CCXML or VoiceXML platform. Interaction with an outside call center platform, calls started asynchronously from the VoiceXML platform, and communication between multiple clustered VoiceXML or CCXML platforms all require event interaction from one platform to another. Although IVR systems often make use of the same standards, including VXML and CCXML, there exists no system or computer program product in the industry for interchanging different IVR systems within a single BPO architecture. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for a system, apparatus and computer program product for directing callers through an IVR system. The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art; and, in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available methods, systems and apparatus, and that overcome many or all of the above-discussed shortcomings in the art. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide an apparatus, computer program product, and system for directing a caller through an IVR system. 
     A system to direct a caller through any IVR system is disclosed, the system comprising: a telephony switching module configured to measure call volume to an inbound call center; an assenter module configured to prompt an operator to join a call channel in response to the call volume measured by the telephony switching module satisfying a predetermined criteria; a joiner module configured to join the operator with the call channel in response to the operator accepting the prompt of the assenter module to join the call channel, the joiner module being configured to allow the operator to exit and rejoin the call channel at will; a switcher module configured to transfer control of DTMF signaling and voice input (“input control”) from the call channel to the operator upon command of the operator such that a caller on the call channel is unaware that input control has been transferred, the switcher module configured to transfer input control back to the call channel upon command; and a commercial IVR system with which the call channel interacts. 
     The system further comprises a control module configured to convey DTMF signals and voice input (“audio input”) from the operator to an IVR system such that the IVR system receives the audio input but the audio input is not heard by the call channel; a router module configured to route the call channel to a second operator after IVR data collection, the second operator automatically selected from a plurality of operators by the router module to have a higher likelihood than one or more other operators of closing a commercial transaction, the second operator selected by the router module in accordance with a selection criteria satisfied in part by cross-referencing historical sales data and data collected by the IVR system from the caller. 
     The system further comprises a point of sale module configured to prompt the second operator to select a recommended digitized audio script for replay on the call channel from one of a plurality of digitized audio scripts exclusively sorted into one of a plurality of closing categories, each closing category corresponding to one of a plurality of predetermined steps of a method of conducting a commercial transaction, wherein the recommended digitized audio script is preselected by the point of sale module to be the most efficient after cross-referencing data collected by the IVR system with historical data. 
     The system may further comprise an automatic call distributor (ACD) configured to bypass the telephony switcher module in response to an inbound call volume exceeding a predetermined threshold. In some embodiments, the method of closing a commercial transaction comprises the following steps: personally introducing oneself; probing the caller with questions about the caller&#39;s needs; delivering an initial value statement that ties back to the caller&#39;s needs; delivering an offer to the caller which creates a sense of urgency; and calmly requesting payment information. 
     In still further embodiments, the assenter module prompts an operator to join a call channel who is available. In further embodiments, the router module routes a plurality of calls to the operator who handles a plurality of calls simultaneously. 
     In still further embodiments, the plurality of digitized audio scripts comprise audio recordings of portions of dialogue spoken by an operator determined to be effective at closing commercial transactions. The system may also comprise a tracker module configured to track the second operator&#39;s progress through the steps of the method of closing a commercial transaction, and configured to instruct the point of sale module which category of digitized audio scripts should be used in prompting the second operator. The system may also comprise a PBX switch. 
     An apparatus is also disclosed, comprising a database server, processor, and a memory device, which apparatus is configured to perform operations that closely mirror the functions imparted to the system recited above. Additionally, a computer program product to direct callers through an IVR system which comprises modules functionally similar to those of the apparatus. 
     Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment. 
     Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention. 
     These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an entity-relationship diagram illustrating one embodiment of a system that directs a caller through any IVR system in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an entity-relationship diagram illustrating one embodiment of a system that directs a caller through any IVR system in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of an apparatus for directing a caller through any IVR system in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart of a method of directing a caller through any IVR system in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart of a method of closing a commercial transaction in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. 
     The described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. The apparatus modules recited in the claims may be configured to impart the recited functionality to the apparatus. For the purposes of the present invention, the systems and technologies taught and recited herein are referred to collectively as Intelligent IVR™. 
       FIG. 1  is an entity-relationship diagram illustrating one embodiment of a system  100  that directs a caller through any IVR system in accordance with the present invention. The system  100  comprises a call channel  104 , an automatic call distributor (ACD)  106 , a switch  108 , a transfer module  112 , an IVR system  114 , persistent storage  116 , a point of sale module  118 , a method  120 , an audio library  122 , and a public switched telephone network (PTSN)  124 . In the shown embodiment, a caller  102  and operator  110  are interacting with the system  100 . 
     The caller  102  may comprise any person, company or organization that is potentially a customer of another person, company or organization. In the shown embodiment, the caller  102  comprises an individual making an outgoing call routed to the system  100  after being solicited to purchase a commercial product in an infomercial on television. 
     The system  100  includes one or more operators  110 . The operator  110  comprises a human beings employed by business processing outsource (BPO) service provider in the shown embodiment, but may comprise a data processing device (DPD), a third-party company or organization which solicits customers, a computing device configured to perform the functions of human being, or any combination of the above. The operator  110  may comprise a (DPD) configured to solicit callers  102  using prerecorded digitized audio scripts. 
     The automatic call distributor (ACD)  106  is a device or system that is well-known to those of skill in the art, and which can be configured to distribute calls to the terminal of any operator  110  who becomes available. The ACD  106  in the shown embodiment comprises additional unique functionality. The ACD  106  comprises the switches, hardware, firmware, software and the like necessary to implement routing instructions and/or a routing strategy imposed upon on the ACD  106 . In some embodiments of the present invention, a common computing device such as personal computer or server is enabled to perform the functions of the ACD  106 . In other embodiments, the ACD  106  forms part of a larger computer telephony integration (CTI) system. 
     In the shown embodiment, the ACD  106  comprises a computer program running on one or more data processing devices (DPDs), such as a server, computer workstation, router, mainframe computer, or the like. In various embodiments, the DPD comprises one or more processors. The processor is a computing device well-known to those in the art and may include an application-specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”). 
     The call channel  104  comprises any telephonic connection between a caller  102  and system  100 . The call channels  104  may comprise inbound telephonic connections initiated by the caller  102 , or may comprise outbound telephonic connections initiated by one or more operators  110  acting within, or in association with, the system  100 . 
     In the shown embodiment, the ACD  106  is configured to route calls the switch  108  when one or more operators  110  are available to monitor the communications on the call channel  104  or when call volume to the system  100  exceeds, or fails to exceed, a predetermined threshold. 
     In the shown embodiment, a plurality of operators  110  are in communication with the system  100 . The ACD  106  is in communication with terminals interfacing with the operators  110 . When all operators  110  in communication with the system  100  are occupied, the ACD  106  routes incoming call channels  104  directly the IVR  114 . If an operator  110  is available to monitor an incoming call channel  104 , the ACD  106  prompts the available operator  110  to join the subject call channel  104  by messaging the operator&#39;s  110  terminal using chimes, tones and/or via mechanisms well-known to those of skill in the art. 
     In some embodiments of the present invention, the operator  110  chooses to join the call channel  104 . In other embodiments of the present invention, the operator  110  is automatically joined to the call channel  104  by the ACD  106  if the operator  110  is available or not preoccupied with one or more other call channels  104 . In various embodiments of the present invention, the call channels  104  in communication with the system  100  comprise exclusively outbound calls, exclusively inbound calls, or a combination of inbound and outbound calls. Thus, the teachings of the present invention may be applied to BPO service providers offering a variety of call related services. 
     The switch  108  comprises the hardware, software, and/or firmware necessary to allow an operator  110  take communicative control over the call channel  104  from the caller  102 . In the shown embodiment, the switch  108  enables the operator  110  to take over voice and DTMF input control from the caller  102  during the period in which the caller  102  is in contact with the IVR  114 . Thus, in the system  100 , the caller  102  believes that he/she is communicating with the IVR  114 ; but, in fact, voice and DTMF input from the caller  102  are being exclusively relayed to the operator  110  rather than to the IVR  114 , while audio output from the IVR  114  is being relayed to both the caller  102  and the operator  110  via the call channel  104 . 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, the switch  108  may prompt the operator  110  to take communicative control from one or more callers by activating color-coded lights or LEDs. In still further embodiments, the switch  108  may use color-coded lights or LEDs to inform the operator  110  of the status of a call channel  104  routed to the operator  110  (e.g. whether or not the operator  110  has communicative control). 
     In the shown embodiment, after joining the call channel  104 , the switch  108  imparts the ability to the operator  110  to switch on and off the operator&#39;s  110  exclusive control of voice and DTMF input with the IVR  114 . The operator  110  can monitor the call channel  104  while the switch  108  is switched on or off, and thus the operator  110  can return and take input control from the caller  102  through the pendency of IVR  114  call processing. 
     The switch  108  provides the caller  102  with no indication, either audio or otherwise, that the operator  110  is switching in and out of the call channel  104  and taking input control from the caller  102 . Thus, the caller  102  believes he/she is still communicating with the IVR  114 , when in fact the operator  110  is communicating covertly with the IVR  114  on behalf of the caller  102  in response to input the operator  110  receives from the caller  102 . 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, the operator  110  communicates with the IVR  114  using a different methodology than that which the caller  102  uses to communicate unknowingly with the operator  110 . For instance, the caller  102  may communicate input to the operator  102  using DTMF signaling, while the operator  110  subsequently relays that caller  102  input to the IVR  114  using variations of the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), Post Office Protocol (POP), or other computer-to-computer protocols well-known to those of skill in the art. The operator  110  may additionally and/or alternatively relay the caller  102  input to the IVR  114  using human-to-computer protocols well-known to those of skill in the art, including instant messaging and the like. 
     This functionality imparted to the operator  110  by the switching module  108  improves the efficiency of inbound call centers by allowing operators  110  who are more familiar with the telephony menus of IVRs to correctly navigate the menus and make use of inputs calculating to meet callers&#39;  102  needs and desires without the fear of computer recognition error. 
     Many IVRs are commercially available, including PACER, Prosodie®, and the like. The interactive voice response (IVR)  114  detects voice and dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signaling from callers  102 . In some variations, the IVR  114  interacts with the callers  102  using prerecorded and/or dynamically generated audio messages to lead a caller  102  through simple telephony menus. Voice and DTMF signals are communicated to the IVRs vis-à-vis the call channel  104 , but said DTMF and voice signals do not necessarily originate with the caller  102 , and may originate with the operator  110 . As previously set forth, at the option of the operator  110 , outbound communicative call control is covertly stripped from the caller  102  and transferred to the operator  110 . 
     The interfacing features of the IVR  114  can be configured to direct a caller  102  through a sequence of simple menus which gather personal information using CTI (Computer Telephony Integration). The personal information may comprise name, age, ethnicity, economic status, native language, residence information, purchasing preferences, and the like. The personal information may be stored in database format in the persistent storage  116 . 
     The IVR  114  can be configured to transfer call channels  104  to suitable operators  110  in response to the personal information gathered from a caller  102  meeting certain predefined transfer criteria, including to operators statistically shown to have a higher likelihood of closing a sale with a particular type of caller, such as a caller of a certain ethnicity. 
     In some embodiments, the operator  110  guiding the caller  102  through the IVR  114  may be in communication with a second operator  110  to whom the caller  102  will be routed after IVR processing using variations of the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), Post Office Protocol (POP), or other protocols well-known to those of skill in the art. 
     In some embodiments, the operator  110  guiding the caller  102  through the IVR  112  may be assigned a unique identifier used to track the operator&#39;s  110  average time on a call, call efficiency as function of average time spent, average rate of closing sales, average number of incidental upsales made as measured by the dollar value of the upsales or gross number of incidental upsales, or success in keeping callers  102  and/or call channels  104  progressing through a predetermined sales method. Statistics relevant to tracking the operator&#39;s  110  performance over time are uniquely associated with the operator&#39;s  110  unique identifier and stored in non-volatile storage, or persistent storage  116 , for review by administrative authorities at later dates. 
     In this embodiment, the IVR  114  communicates personal information gathered from the caller  102  electronically to the operator  110  using variations of common protocols well known to those of skill in the art and using computer-supported telecommunications applications (CTSA). In other embodiments, contact information  116  is distributed the operator  110  over a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN), or the Internet  104 . 
     The ACD  106  may route call channels  104  to any DPD, device, person, company, operator  110 , second caller, organization, or the like in communication with the maintenance server  102 , including the operator  110 . The operator&#39;s  110  telephone and communicative apparatus may be internal or external to the system  110 . 
     The persistent storage  116  provides persistent storage of data. In particular, the persistent storage  109  stores computer readable database files, including a library of prerecorded digitized scripts, i.e. an audio library  122 . In the shown embodiment, the audio library  122  comprises a plurality of playable, digitized, prerecorded audio scripts in computer readable files transmittable over a signal bearing medium. In the shown embodiment, the prerecorded digitized clues are stored in database format, and are categorized into one of a plurality of sales method steps. 
     The persistent storage  116  may also store historical measurements of operator  100  efficiency, including the ratio or percentage of sales made per total call volume routed to the operator, gross sales revenue, average sale amount, and one or more operators&#39;  100  sales per total calls originated from a geographic area. 
     Some embodiments of the system  100  may comprise various call switching technologies such as a public switched telephone network (PTSN)  124 , providing means of seamlessly routing incoming calls  104  originating in a variety of countries to the IVR  114  or to the transfer module  112 . In other embodiments, the PTSN  124  routes calls to the ACD  106 . 
     After a caller  102  has interacted with the IVR  114  with the assistance of the operator  110 , and the IVR  114  has collected personal information from the caller  102 , the transfer module  112  routes the call channel  104  to the point of sale module  118  for further call processing. In some embodiments of the present invention, the caller  102  is transferred directly to the point of sale module  118  before personal information is gathered by the IVR  114 . 
     In some embodiments, the transfer module  112  is optimized to automatically analyze historical sales data and/or an operator&#39;s  100  time on the job in a present shift to determine whether the operator  110  has become fatigued so as to maximize profits by routing call channels  102  to non-fatigued operators. 
     The transfer module  112  may comprise a relational computer database managed by a relational database management system (RDBMS) or a database management system (DBMS), such as Oracle, DB2, Firebird, SQL, or other DBMSs as well-known to those of skill in the art. 
     In still further embodiments, the transfer module  112  is configured to recognize the area code and/or geographic location from which a call channel  104  originated, and to route that call channel  104  to an operator  110  determined from historical analysis to share the socio-economic, ethnic, linguistic or cultural identity of the caller  102 . 
     The point of sale module  118  interconnects the caller  102  with an operator  110 . The operator  110  may be the same operator  110  who originally covertly guided the caller  102  through the IVR  114 , or a second operator  114 . 
     The point of sale module  118  prompts the operator  110  interconnected with the caller  102  to pick one of a variety of prerecorded digital audio scripts saved collectively in the audio library  122  in persistent storage to play over the call channel  104  to the caller  102 . 
     The prerecorded digital audio scripts (“audio scripts”) are categorized into one of a plurality of categories exclusively associated with one of a plurality of steps of a method  120  of closing a sale. There are many methods of closing sales of consumer goods known in the industry, and the present invention may be configured to store audio scripts exclusively associated with the steps of any of these methods. 
     The steps of the method  120  are stored in volatile computer readable memory, such as RAM, in the point of sale module  118 . In some embodiments of the present invention, the steps of the method  120  are stored in persistent storage  116  and transferred into Flash memory accessible by the point of sale module  118 . 
     The audio scripts comprise recordings of select snippets of conversations that operators  110 , who are adept at implemented the steps of the method  120 , have had on previous occasions with one or more callers  102 . In the some embodiments of the present invention, a textualized transcript of the audio recording is stored in persistent storage  116  in the audio library  122 . The textualized transcripts may be translated into a variety of languages known the second operator  110  guiding the caller  102  through the steps of the method  120 , and displayed to the second operator  110  on a display such that the second operator  110  may choose which of a plurality of audio scripts to play from the audio library  120  to the caller  102  in response to questions and comments made by the caller  102  over the call channel  104 . 
     In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the second operator  110  may orally guide a caller  102  through the purchase of a consumer good using entirely selected audio scripts comprising the voice of another operator  110  such that the caller  102  is tricked into believing that he/she is communicating in real time with the second operator  110 . 
     Thus, the present invention overcomes problems in the prior art by, inter alia, allowing the second operator  110  to communicate without disabilities stemming from an accent that the second operator  110  may have, and even to allow the second operator  110  to communicate in languages unknown to the second operator  110  using the audio scripts. 
     The point of sale module  118  is configured to sequentially guide the second operator  110  through the steps of the method  120  by displaying the textualized transcripts of only those audio scripts categorized into the step of the method  120  in which the caller  102  and second operator  110  are currently engaged. Once at least one audio script has been played for each step of the method  120  to the caller  102 , the point of sale module  118  advances the second operator  110  through the method  120  by displaying audio scripts associated with the next subsequent step in the method  120 . 
     The point of sale module  118 , in some embodiments, may advance the method  120  to a subsequent step in response to input from the second operator  110  that the method  120  should be advanced. Alcoholics 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an entity-relationship diagram illustrating another embodiment of a system  200  that directs a caller through any IVR system in accordance with the present invention. The system  200  comprises a computer program product  202 , an outgoing call channel  202 , an incoming call channel  204 , displays  206   a - c , a voice input  208 , a DTMF input  210 , audio scripts  212   a - c , and payment info  214 . Callers  102   a - c  and operators  110   a - c  are interacting with the CPP  202  and system  200 . 
     The outgoing call channel  202  comprises the audio signal relayed from the caller  102   a  to the operator  110   a  after the operator  110   a  has take input control from the caller  102   a.    
     The incoming call channel  204  comprises the audio signal relayed from the system  200  to the caller  102   a.    
     The operator  110   a  receives the audio sent via the outgoing call channel  202 , and sends voice input  208  and/or DTMF  210  of the operator&#39;s  110  own the CPP  202  which comprises the IVR  114 . 
     The displays  206   a - c  comprise computer displays well-known to those of skill in the art, and may comprise liquid crystal displays (LCD), plasma displays, cathode ray, projectors, and the like. 
     The voice input  208  comprises spoken audio by the operator  110   a . The DTMF  210  comprises dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signaling on a telephone keypad by the operator  110   a.    
     The audio scripts  212   a - c  are substantially described above in relation to  FIG. 1 . 
     The payment info  214  comprises payment information given by the caller  102  to an operator  110 , including bank routing numbers, and/or checking account numbers, and/or credit card numbers, and/or expiration dates, and/or PayPal® account information, and/or credit information, and the like. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a block diagram illustrating an apparatus  300  for directing a caller through any IVR system in accordance with the present invention. The apparatus  300  comprises an ACD  106 , an IVR  114 , a persistent storage  116 , a telephony switching module  302 , an assentor module  304 , a switcher module  306 , a control module  310 , a router module  312 , a point of sale module  118 , a PBX switch  322 , a PTSN  124 , and a tracker module  320 . 
     The ACD  106  is substantially described above in relation to  FIGS. 1-2 . 
     The IVR  114  is substantially described above in relation to  FIGS. 1-2 . 
     The persistent storage  116  is substantially described above in relation to  FIGS. 1-2 . 
     The telephony switching module  302  measures call volume and routes calls 
     The assentor module  304  is configured to prompt an operator  110  to join a call channel  204  in response to the call volume measured by the telephony switching module  302  satisfying a predetermined criteria. In some embodiments, the operator  110  assents to the prompt to join the call channel  204  by depressing a key marked with a numeral on a standard computer keyboard. In some embodiments, the predetermined criteria is predetermined by one or more DPDs. 
     The switcher module  306  is configured to transfer control of DTMF signaling and voice input (“input control”) from the call channel  204  to the operator  110  upon command of the operator  110  such that a caller on the call channel is unaware that input control has been transferred, the switcher module configured to transfer input control back to the call channel upon command. 
     The control module  210  is configured to convey DTMF signals and voice input (“audio input”) from the operator  110  to an IVR  114  such that the IVR  114  receives the DTMF input  210  and voice input  208  such that neither the DTMF input  210  or voice input  208  is not heard by caller  102  on the call channel  104 . 
     In some embodiments of the present invention, the IVR  114  comprises a uniquely configured IVR system which is preprogrammed to recognize keywords spoken by the caller  102  and/or the operator  110 , and to then make assumptions about non-recognized oral communications of the caller  102 . The IVR  114 , in this unique embodiment, is configured to recognize keywords indicative of a caller  102  need, intent, or instruction. In some embodiments, the IVR  114  is additionally configured to recognize keywords indicative of personal information of the caller  102 . 
     For instance, the IVR  114  may be configured to recognize: keywords denoting the names of products the caller  102  wishes to purchase such as “silverware”; keywords denoting the city, state, country or continent where the caller  102  resides such as “San Diego”; keywords denoting an affirmative or negative response to a yes or no questions posed to the caller  102  by the IVR  114  or the operator  110  such as “yes,” “no,” and “yep”; keywords indicating a state of mind such “fine” or “good”; and keywords manifesting a desire, such as “need,” “want” or “wish.” 
     In some embodiments of the present invention, the IVR  114  is configured to recognize keywords spoken in a plurality of languages, such as English, Spanish, or Chinese. In other embodiments of the present invention, the IVR  114  may be switched from one mode to either, which each mode configured to recognize a finite number of keywords in a particular language exclusively associated with that mode. This mode switching functionality provides efficiency to IVR  114  systems handling calls for a variety of consumer products from a variety of callers  102  speaking multiple languages or having multiple accents. 
     In still further embodiments of the present invention, the IVR  114  may be configured to recognize short phrases, such as “I don&#39;t think so,” “I would like” or “Yo no ablo Ingles.” 
     Upon recognition of one or more keywords, the IVR  114  may recommend that the operator  110  play one or more prerecorded digital scripts  212  to the caller  102 , which prerecorded digital scripts are associated by the IVR  114  with one or more of the recognized keywords. Prerecorded digital scripts  212  that have already been played to the caller  102  are not included by the IVR  114  in the list of recommendations, and the IVR  114  prioritizes, in some embodiments, the recommendations using an efficiency rating. Prerecorded scripts  212  that are calculated to progress the caller  102  in the conversation toward conclusion or a commercial sale may have higher efficiency ratings that prerecorded digital scripts  212  calculated only to be responsive to the caller  102  communication at hand. 
     The router module  212  is configured to route the call channel  104  to a second operator  110  after IVR data collection, the second operator  110  automatically selected from a plurality of operators by the router module  212  to have a higher likelihood than one or more other operators of closing a commercial transaction, the second operator  110  selected by the router module  212  in accordance with a selection criteria satisfied in part by cross-referencing historical sales data and data collected by the IVR  114  from the caller  102 . 
     The point of sale module  118  is described above in relation to  FIGS. 1-2 . The point of sale module  118  is configured to prompt the second operator  11 —to select a recommended digitized audio script  212  for replay on the call channel  104  from one of a plurality of digitized audio scripts  122  exclusively sorted into one of a plurality of closing categories, each closing category corresponding to one of a plurality of predetermined steps of a method of closing a commercial transaction, wherein the recommended digitized audio script  212  is preselected by the point of sale module  118  to be the most efficient after cross-referencing data collected by the IVR  114  with historical data. 
     The PBX switch  222  is well-known to those of skill in the art. 
     The PTSN  124  is substantially described above in relation to  FIGS. 1-2 , and known to those of skill in the art. 
     The tracker module  220  is configured to track the second operator&#39;s  110  progress through the steps of the method of closing a commercial transaction, and configured to instruct the point of sale  118  module which category of digitized audio scripts should be used in prompting the second operator  110 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a flow chart of a method  400  of directing a caller through any IVR system in accordance with the present invention. The method  400  substantially includes the embodiments and modules described above with regard to the apparatus, computer program product, and system depicted in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
     The method  400  begins with a measurement module measuring 404 the call volume, or number of incoming calls, to a BPO service provider. If, at  406 , the call volume does not exceed a predetermined threshold, an operator  110  is prompted  408  to join the call channel  104 . 
     The method  500  proceeds, and the operator  110  is allowed 412 to exit and rejoin the call channel  104 . Input control is transferred  414  from the caller  102  to the operator  110 , meaning that any audio or DTMF input that the caller  102  attempts to make to the IVR  114  is exclusively directed to the operator  110  instead, and the operator  110  assumes the place of the caller  102  for the purpose of inputting audio information to the IVR  114 . 
     After assuming  414  input control, the operator  110  interacts  416  with the IVR  114  and then conveys  418  audio input to the IVR  114 . The operator  110  then routes  420  the caller  102 , in some embodiments, to a second operator  110  who is prompted  422  to join the call channel  104 . 
     If, at  424 , there are unexecuted steps in a sales method, the second operator  110  is continuously prompted  426  to select digitized audio scripts  212  exclusively associated with the next subsequent unexecuted step in the sales method until there remain no more unexecuted steps. After each digitized audio script  212  is played in accordance with the sales method, the second operator  110  awaits  428  a response from the caller  102 . The audio library  122 , in the preferred embodiment, archives a sufficient number of digitized scripts  212  so as to provide the second operator  110  with answers and responses to almost every logically conceivable caller  102  response to any digitized script  212 . In the event that a caller  102  gives  430  a non-typical response to a digitized script  212 , the second operator  110  transfers  432  the caller  102  to a third operator who has previously demonstrated better proficiency with the caller&#39;s  102  native language than the second operator  110 , or who has demonstrated better a better ability to close sales of consumer products or services. In some embodiments, the caller  102  plays an exit script before transferring  432  the caller  102 , informing the caller  102  that the second operator&#39;s  110  supervisor needs to speak with the caller  102  or take control of the call channel  104 . 
     In the event that, at  424 , there are no more unexecuted steps in the sales method, the second operator  110  closes  434  the call with the caller  102  by playing one or more digitized scripts associated with call termination, such as digitized scripts  212  comprising farewells or thanks. 
     Finally, caller information gleaned by the IVR  114  is written into persistent storage  116  for future reference. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a flow chart of a method  500  of closing a commercial transaction in accordance with the present invention. 
     The method  500  begins  502  when a call channel  104  is transferred to the second operator  110  who personally introduces  504  himself the caller  102 . In some embodiments of the present invention, the second operator  110  personally introduces himself  504  by playing one or more prerecorded, digitized scripts  212  to the caller  104 , which digitized scripts  212  are categorized into a single category exclusively associated with step  504  of the method  500 . The digitized scripts  212  associated with step  504  may comprise statements about the second operator&#39;s  110  background, education, likes, dislikes, time on the job, and the like. The digitized scripts  212  may also comprise questions about the caller&#39;s  102  likes, dislikes, background, weather, family, income, how the caller  102  learned the phone number the caller  102  dialed to reach the second operator  110 , and the like. 
     The method  500  proceeds when the second operator  110  probes  506  the caller  102  with questions about the caller&#39;s  102  needs. In step  506 , the second operator  110  picks digitized scripts  212  from a second group, or category, of digitized scripts exclusively associated with step  506  of method  500 . The digitized scripts  212  associated with step  506  may comprise questions about products the caller  102  likes, needs or prefers, questions about the caller&#39;s  102 , daily activities, and the like. 
     The method  500  proceeds when the caller  102  delivers  508  an initial value statement that ties back to the caller&#39;s  102  needs. As before, the second operator  110  may present an initial value statement to the caller  102  using digitized scripts  212  exclusively associated with this step of the method  500  (step  508 ). The digitized scripts  212  may comprise prerecorded statements about the quality, durability, utility, price, efficiency, speed, weight, fitness, or size of a consumer product which the second operator  110  is attempting to sell to the caller  102 . 
     The method  500  proceeds when the second operator  110  calmly requests  510  payment information from the caller  102 . As with previous steps of the method  500 , the second operator  110  may calmly request the payment information from the caller  102  using digitized scripts  212  exclusively associated with this step of the method  500  (step  510 ). The digitized scripts  212  may comprise prerecorded statements requesting credit card information, checking account information, billing address information, and/or PayPal® information, and/or the like. 
     In the final step of the Plus One Method™, a commercial transaction is consummated when the caller  102  remits money to the second operator  110  via means well-known to those of skill in the art, including PayPal®, credit card credit, debit card, eCheck, direct bank deposits, and the like. 
     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.