Method and system for coordinating data and voice communications via customer contact channel changing system

Abstract

This invention (The Customer Contact Channel Changer) enables the integration of different Customer Contact Channels such as live call centre ACD (Automatic Call Distribution) agents, ADSI (Analog Display Services Interface) enhanced IVR (Interactive Voice Response) systems and WWW (World Wide Web) servers. The world wide web servers are used to allow customers with computer equipment to access information from an organizations databases in a self service mode. Frequently these customers have questions best answered by human ACD agents. With this invention the connection between the customer with the question and the agent with the answer is done quickly and efficiently with both parties sharing screens of common information. Also control is retained by the customer to make the call happen when they want it.

1 . A call center comprising:
 an interface configured to receive, from a customer computing device, information provided in a help request form and an originating Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to the customer computing device, and to receive a terminating IP address assigned to an agent computing device; and   a call center server coupled to the interface and configured to establish a IP based voice communication between the customer computing device and the agent computing device,   wherein the IP based voice communication is established subsequent to the interface receiving the information provided in the help request form and the originating and terminating IP addresses.   
     
     
         2 . The call center according to  claim 1  wherein the help request form further comprises a field for a customer preferred time for call-back, wherein the call center further comprises a message manager configured to record help request form information and associated preferred call-back times, and wherein the call center server is further configured to establish voice over IP connections at specified times according to the preferred call-back times in the help request forms. 
     
     
         3 . The call center according to  claim 1  further comprising a management information system configured to determine an anticipated wait time when no live agent is available for immediate help. 
     
     
         4 . The call center according to  claim 3  wherein the interface is further configured to send a message back to the customer with the anticipated wait time. 
     
     
         5 . The call center according to  claim 2  further comprising a management information system configured to determine an anticipated wait time when no live agent is available for immediate help, and wherein the message manager is further configured to send a message back to the customer with the anticipated wait time. 
     
     
         6 . The call center according to  claim 1  further comprising an agent interface for providing a call center agent with customer relevant information. 
     
     
         7 . The call center according to  claim 1  in which the request form further comprises a URL indicating from which page the customer has requested help and with which the agent can set up an agent computer at the same page. 
     
     
         8 . The call center according to  claim 1  further comprising an HTTP form exchange mechanism through which to provide help to the customer. 
     
     
         9 . An automated call distribution system comprising a server and a call center, the server providing network service to a customer terminal, with the server comprising one or more pages downloadable to the customer terminal and being operable to provide a remote help option selectable by a user of the customer terminal, and upon selection of the remote help option, to send a help request to the call center identifying a contact channel through which the user of the customer terminal can be reached;
 the call center being operable to receive the help request and to contact the user of the customer terminal using the contact channel identified in the help request;   wherein the remote help option provides for the selection of either a IP based voice communication connection or a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) connection as the contact channel.