Telephonic communications – Centralized switching system – Call distribution to operator
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-26
2004-02-24
Matar, Ahmad F. (Department: 2642)
Telephonic communications
Centralized switching system
Call distribution to operator
C379S069000, C379S088010, C379S093120, C379S266010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06697481
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a call center system in which a customer accesses a call center via the Internet, to a method of receiving calls therein.
2. Related Art
In a call center system in the past, a customer accessed a call center via a network. The call center in this case was the order-acceptance contact for a mail-order sales, or consultation contact for various services. In general, the call center had a plurality of operators on duty at all times.
In a system of this type, when a customer requests access to the call center, a server performing overall control of the call center selects an appropriate operator from the plurality of operators, and causes that operator to handle the customer.
Otherwise when the customer requests access to the call center, the above-noted server selected the operator which previously handled the customer, causing that operator to handle the customer.
In a call center system of the past such as noted above, the server of the call center selects the operator that handles a customer, and the customer cannot select the operator. For this reason, there is a possibility that the customers' wishes are not reflected, the result being a possible future drop in the rate of access to the call center.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a call center system in which a customer can select an operator, a method for receiving calls therein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the above-noted object, the present invention adopts the following basic technical constitution.
Specifically, a first aspect of the present invention is a call center system in which a customer's computer terminal is connected via the Internet to an operator's computer terminal provided in a call center and a customer's telephone is connected via a public telephone network to an operator's telephone in a call center, wherein the call center system comprising: a storage means for storing historical information with regard to handling of a plurality of customers in the past, a customer data receiving means for receiving identification data of a customer from the customer's computer terminal, an information acquiring means for acquiring historical information of the customer corresponding to the received identification data from the stored historical information, a historical information providing means for providing the acquired historical information to the customer's computer terminal, a requesting means for requesting the customer's computer terminal to select an operator to be contacted, based on the historical information provided to the customer's computer terminal, a selection data receiving means for receiving information of an operator which the customer selected from the historical information, a first connection means for connecting a selected operator's computer terminal to the customer's computer terminal, and a second connection means for connecting a selected operator's telephone to the customer's telephone.
A second aspect of the present invention is that the second connection means is a gatekeeper provided in the call center.
A third aspect of the present invention is that the second connection means is a private branch exchange provided in the call center.
A fourth aspect of the present invention is a call center system in which a customer's computer terminal is connected via the Internet to an operator's computer terminal provided in a call center, wherein the call center system comprising: a storage means for storing historical information with regard to handling of a plurality of customers in the past, a customer data receiving means for receiving identification data of a customer from the customer's computer terminal, an information acquiring means for acquiring historical information of the customer corresponding to the received identification data from the stored historical information, a historical information providing means for providing the acquired historical information to the customer's computer terminal, a requesting means for requesting the customer's computer terminal to select an operator to be contacted, based on the historical information provided to the customer's computer terminal, a selection data receiving means for receiving information of an operator which the customer selected from the historical information, a connection means for connecting a selected operator's computer terminal to the customer's computer terminal, and a gateway for transferring a selected operator's voice to the customer's computer terminal.
A fifth aspect of the present invention is that the selected operator's voice is input to the gateway via a private branch exchange provided in the call center.
A sixth aspect of the present invention is a call center system in which a customer's computer terminal is connected via the Internet to an operator's computer terminal provided in a call center, wherein the call center system comprising: a storage means for storing historical information with regard to handling of a plurality of customers in the past, a customer data receiving means for receiving identification data of a customer from the customer's computer terminal, an information acquiring means for acquiring historical information of the customer corresponding to the received identification data from the stored historical information, a historical information providing means for providing the acquired historical information to the customer's computer terminal, a requesting means for requesting the customer's computer terminal to select an operator to be contacted, based on the historical information provided to the customer's computer terminal, a selection data receiving means for receiving information of an operator which the customer selected from the historical information, a connection means for connecting a selected operator's computer terminal to the customer's computer terminal, and a gatekeeper for transferring a selected operator's voice to the customer's computer terminal.
A seventh aspect of the present invention is that the call center system further comprising; a verification means for verifying whether or not the selected operator is available, and a notification means for notifying the customer's computer terminal that the selected operator is not available, and requesting the customer's computer terminal to select another operator, in a case in which the selected operator is not available.
A eighth aspect of the present invention is that the call center system further comprising; a verification means for verifying whether or not the selected operator is available, and an alternate connection means for connecting a terminal of another operator to the customer's computer terminal, in a case in which the selected operator is not available.
A ninth aspect of the present invention is that the call center system further comprising; a monitoring means for continuously monitoring whether or not each operator in the call center is available, and a monitoring results providing means for providing results of the monitoring to the customer's computer terminal.
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Knowlin Thjuan P
Matar Ahmad F.
Young & Thompson
LandOfFree
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