Technique for effectively providing concierge-like services in a directory assistance system

Abstract

Telephone users desiring directory assistance services are connected via standard telephone procedures to a directory assistance provider, such as an operator. An operator provides the destination number and initiates a connection to that number. Once that connection is initiated, the connection is monitored for the occurrence of a predetermined condition, such as a busy signal. If no such condition is detected, the caller proceeds with the call in the normal manner. If, however, such a condition is detected, the caller is automatically transferred to a directory assistance provider for further help. In addition, a pool of operators/agents capable of receiving the request for concierge-like services generate an electronic ticket representing such request. A pool of fullfillment agents capable of receiving the electronic ticket engage in such action as necessary to fulfill the request. The agents are networked to directory assistance and concierge databases and to third-party providers of concierge services to facilitate the process.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for providing concierge and directory assistance services from a directory assistance center comprising: 
 receiving a request for a concierge service from a caller at the directory assistance center;    retrieving stored information regarding one or more caller details from a database; and    utilizing said stored information to satisfy said request for a concierge service.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more caller details was obtained from the caller during a previous request for a concierge service.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising generating a ticket containing details of the request for a concierge service, wherein selected fields of the ticket are automatically populated with said stored information regarding one or more caller details.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said one or more caller details comprises one or more caller preferences.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said one or more caller details comprises caller preferences for a plurality of geographic regions.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising entering the name of an establishment at which reservations are desired on the ticket, accessing a database to retrieve other information regarding said establishment, and automatically populating selected fields of said ticket with said other information.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising connecting said caller to the directory assistance center over a communications channel, and receiving additional information regarding one or more caller details over said communications channel.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising automatically populating selected fields of said ticket by default with said additional information.  
     
     
         9 . A method for providing both concierge and directory assistance services from a directory assistance center comprising: 
 connecting a call from a caller to the directory assistance center over a communications channel;    receiving a request for a concierge service from a caller at the directory assistance center;    receiving information regarding one or more caller details over said communications channel; and    utilizing said information to satisfy said request for a concierge service.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising generating a ticket containing details of the request for a concierge service, wherein selected fields of the ticket are automatically populated with said information received over said communications channel.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said received information comprises the caller's telephone number.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said received information comprises the caller's home address.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said received information comprises the caller's present location.  
     
     
         14 . A method for providing both concierge and directory assistance services from a directory assistance center comprising: 
 (a) receiving a request for a concierge service from a caller at a first directory assistance center;    (b) determining if the request for a concierge service can be better fulfilled by a fulfillment agent at a second directory assistance center then by a fulfillment agent at the first directory assistance center; and    (c) if it is determined that the request for a concierge service can be better fulfilled by a fulfillment agent at a second directory assistance center, sending information regarding the request for a concierge service to the second directory assistance center and fulfilling the request at the second directory assistance center.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein step (b) comprises determining if the request for a concierge service comprises a request for a service in a geographic region more closely proximate to said second directory assistance center than to said first directory assistance center.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said determining if the request for a concierge service comprises a request for a service in a geographic region more closely proximate to said second directory assistance center than to said first directory assistance center is performed automatically.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising generating a ticket containing details of the request for a concierge service, wherein a field on the ticket representing which directory assistance center is to attempt to fulfill the concierge request is populated by default with said first directory assistance center.  
     
     
         18 . A method for providing concierge and directory assistance services from a directory assistance center comprising: 
 receiving a call from a caller at the directory assistance center;    directing the call to a directory assistance operator;    determining that the caller is requesting a concierge service; and    assigning a fulfillment agent to fulfill the concierge service request.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said assigning comprises assigning the directory assistance operator as the fulfillment agent.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising providing the caller with directory assistance service after receiving the caller's request for a concierge service.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said directory assistance service comprises driving directions.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said directory assistance service comprises sending a telephone number to a pager.  
     
     
         23 . A method of providing directory assistance service by a directory assistance provider comprising: 
 receiving a call from a caller at a directory assistance center;    directing the call to a directory assistance operator;    receiving a request from the caller for suggestions of businesses which provide a desired good or service;    responding to said request as a function of which businesses have provided consideration to the directory assistance provider.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein businesses which provide the desired good or service and have provided consideration to the directory assistance provider will be suggested to the caller before businesses which provide the desired good or service and have not provided consideration to the directory assistance provider.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said directory assistance operator comprises a human operator.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising displaying a list of business which provide the identified good or service on an operator screen, whereby businesses which have provided consideration to the directory assistance provider are listed before businesses which have not provided consideration to the directory assistance provider.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising connecting the caller to a business which has provided consideration to the directory assistance provider.  
     
     
         28 . A method for providing concierge-like services to a user comprising: 
 (a) receiving, from the user, a request for a concierge-like service;    (b) performing an action, by a first agent, in an attempt to fulfill the request;    (c) updating a status of fulfilment of the request in a database based on the results of the last action performed;    (d) setting a next action time in a database when further action relating to the request should be taken;    (e) automatically notifying a second agent when said next action time has arrived; and    (f) performing a next action, by said second agent, relating to said request.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said first agent and said second agent are the same agent.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said first agent and said second agent are different agents.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said next action time is set automatically.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said request for a concierge-like service relates to the caller's desire to visit an establishment, and wherein said next action time relates to the time at which the caller wishes to visit the establishment  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising displaying the possible next actions for the second agent on a computer interface.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising automatically performing steps towards completing the next action selected by the second agent.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said steps towards completing the next action comprises looking up in a database a phone number of an establishment the caller wishes to visit  
       and dialing the phone number.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said request for a concierge-like service is accorded a priority.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the order in which the request for a concierge-like service is attempted to be fulfilled is a function of its priority.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein which agent attempts to fulfill the request for a concierge-like service is a function of its priority.