Method and system for call to role

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for routing incoming customer service requests directly to the most appropriate destination within a call center without requiring customer knowledge of a specific telephone number or extension to call and without requiring the customer to select from a series of menus. The receiving location or inbound call center accepts a voice call from a customer. The incoming voice call includes an associated data stream. This data stream is processed by the inbound call center and is used to route the call to the appropriate destination or customer service representative, for example a specific person, a department, a subsidiary, an individual either working within a facility or working outside the facility, a subcontractor and combinations thereof. Additional functionality is provided by including additional data, e.g. data in addition to routing data, along with voice data.

1 . A method for processing an audio communication, the method comprising: 
 identifying processing criteria to be applied to an audio communication between an initiating entity and a receiving entity;    transmitting the identified processing criteria to the receiving entity independent of any audio communication data;    establishing the audio communication between an initiating entity and a receiving entity;    associating the identified processing criteria with the established audio communication at the receiving entity; and    processing the audio communication at the receiving entity in accordance with the associated processing criteria.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identified processing criteria are transmitted to the receiving entity before establishing the audio communication.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying the processing criteria comprises selecting at least one processing criterion from a pre-determined list of processing criteria.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising identifying said processing criteria from a list of processing criteria maintained by the receiving entity.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using a single device to transmit the processing criteria and to establish the audio communication.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein: 
 the single device comprises audio communication equipment disposed at the initiating entity; and    the step of transmitting the processing criteria further comprises forwarding alpha-numeric designations to the receiving entity using the audio communication equipment disposed at the initiating entity.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the single device is capable of transmitting and receiving text data and audio communication data.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying the processing criteria further comprises expressing the processing criteria using extensible mark-up language.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the step of transmitting the processing criteria comprises using session initiation protocol to forward the processing criteria; and    the step of establishing an audio communication comprises establishing a voice over internet protocol audio communication.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the step of identifying processing criteria comprises identifying processing criteria in a web-based environment using a first device;    the step of transmitting the processing criteria comprises transmitting across one or more networks;    the step of establishing the audio communication comprises using a second device independent of the first device to establish the audio communication; and    the step of associating the processing criteria with the audio communication comprises forwarding a unique telephone number from the receiving entity to the transmitting entity in response to the transmitted processing criteria, the unique telephone number used to establish the audio communication.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing criteria comprise audio communication routing data, security data, identification of a service to be provided by the receiving entity or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of processing the audio communication comprises: 
 identifying a destination within the receiving entity based upon the associated processing criteria; and    routing the audio communication to the identified destination.    
   
   
       13 . A method for routing an inbound telephone call through a call center, the method comprising: 
 transmitting routing criteria for an inbound telephone call from a caller to a call center independent of the inbound telephone call;    initiating the inbound telephone call between the caller and the call center; and    routing the inbound telephone call through the call center in accordance with the routing criteria.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of transmitting the routing criteria comprises forwarding alpha-numeric designations indicative of the routing criteria using equipment disposed at the caller.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the routing criteria are transmitted to the call center before initiating the inbound telephone call.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising identifying at least one routing criterion from a pre-determined list of routing criteria maintained by the call center.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the routing criteria comprise an identification of at least one destination within the call center, an identification of a role to be performed by the call center or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of initiating the telephone call comprises initiating a voice over internet protocol based telephone call and the step of transmitting the routing criteria comprises transmitting the routing criteria in an extensible markup language document.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising using session initiation protocol to control the telephone call.  
   
   
       20 . A computer-readable medium containing a computer-readable code that when read by a computer causes the computer to perform a method for processing an audio communication, the method comprising: 
 identifying processing criteria to be applied to an audio communication between an initiating entity and a receiving entity;    transmitting the identified processing criteria to the receiving entity independent of any audio communication data;    establishing the audio communication between an initiating entity and a receiving entity;    associating the identified processing criteria with the established audio communication at the receiving entity; and    processing the audio communication at the receiving entity in accordance with the associated processing criteria.    
   
   
       21 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the identified processing criteria are transmitted to the receiving entity before establishing the audio communication.  
   
   
       22 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the step of identifying the processing criteria comprises selecting at least one processing criterion from a pre-determined list of processing criteria.  
   
   
       23 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22 , further comprising maintaining the pre-determined list of processing criteria using the receiving entity.  
   
   
       24 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , further comprising using a single device to transmit the processing criteria and to establish the audio communication.  
   
   
       25 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein: 
 the single device comprises audio communication equipment disposed at the initiating entity; and    the step of transmitting the processing criteria further comprises forwarding alpha-numeric designations to the receiving entity using the audio communication equipment disposed at the initiating entity.    
   
   
       26 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein the single device is capable of transmitting and receiving text data and audio communication data.  
   
   
       27 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein: 
 the step of identifying the processing criteria further comprises expressing the processing criteria using extensible mark-up language;    the step of transmitting the processing criteria comprises using session initiation protocol to forward the processing criteria; and    the step of establishing an audio communication comprises establishing a voice over internet protocol audio communication.    
   
   
       28 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein: 
 the step of identifying processing criteria comprises identifying processing criteria in a web-based environment using a first device;    the step of transmitting the processing criteria comprises transmitting across one or more networks;    the step of establishing the audio communication comprises using a second device independent of the first device to establish the audio communication; and    the step of associating the processing criteria with the audio communication comprises forwarding a unique telephone number from the receiving entity to the transmitting entity in response to the transmitted processing criteria, the unique telephone number used to establish the audio communication.    
   
   
       29 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the processing criteria comprise audio communication routing data, security data, an identification of a service to be provided by the receiving entity or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       30 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the step of processing the audio communication comprises: 
 identifying a destination within the receiving entity based upon the associated processing criteria; and    routing the audio communication to the identified destination.    
   
   
       31 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the step of associating the audio communication comprises using an identification of the initiating entity, using keyword extraction, using natural language extraction, using synonym matching, using topic matching, using transmission association or combinations thereof.