Agent Override for Call Outcome Detection in Contact Centers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Contact centers face challenges in accurately distinguishing between calls answered by live persons and automated call answering devices, leading to potential misclassification and inefficient handling of calls, which can result in frustration for customers and poor resource allocation for agents.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that uses a dialer to originate calls, detect call outcomes, and analyze audio to determine whether a call was answered by a live person or an automated call answering device (ACAD), with an agent override timer and indication mechanism to verify and correct the call answering outcome.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automated equipment is used to determine call outcomes, then call handling efficiency is improved, but measurement precision of call answering outcome deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary verification mechanism where agent input serves as a mediator between the automated ACAD detection system and the final call handling decision. The system allows agents to override automated determinations, creating a hybrid decision-making process that combines automated efficiency with human judgment to improve measurement precision while maintaining productivity.
2Productivity
If automated ACAD detection is used, then agent resource allocation is optimized, but reliability of call outcome determination deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a cushioning mechanism by providing agents with the capability to override automated ACAD detection results before final call handling decisions are executed. This override function acts as a safety buffer that prevents unreliable automated determinations from causing erroneous call terminations or misallocations, thereby improving reliability while preserving the benefits of automated resource allocation.
3Speed
If automated equipment terminates calls answered by ACAD, then call handling speed is improved, but object-affected harmful factors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by allowing agents to review and override automated ACAD detection results before calls are terminated. This feedback loop ensures that potentially erroneous automated determinations are caught and corrected by human agents, preventing the harmful effect of customer frustration while maintaining the speed benefits of automated detection for genuinely unanswered calls.
Data Source
AI summary
A dialer is configured to connect an agent to a call upon answer and present information to a computer workstation used by the agent as to whether the call was answered by a live person or an automatic call answering device (“ACAD”). An agent override timer is started allowing the agent to override the determination of whether a live person or ACAD answered the call. If an ACAD is reported to have answered the call and the agent does not provide an override indication or provides an override indication after the expiry of the agent override timer, then the agent may be disconnected from the call. If an agent override indication is received prior to the expiry of the agent override timer, then the agent is not disconnected from the call. This allows the agent to override an incorrect determination by the dialer as to an ACAD answering the call.