Call Deflector Incentive Routing for Call Center Workload Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Call centers face challenges in efficiently deflecting callers to websites, as existing systems lack effective methods to incentivize callers to terminate calls and access relevant webpages, leading to increased wait times and resource overload.

Innovation Solution

The system employs a call processor and call deflector that use automated call-routing techniques, interactive voice systems, and incentive processors to offer callers the option to access personalized webpages, providing incentives such as monetary rewards or priority queuing, while fraud prevention mechanisms ensure legitimate access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If call centers use automated call routing to route all incoming calls to human agents, then callers receive personalized assistance, but call center workload and wait times increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecaller service qualityVSAvoidcall center efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables callers to access information and complete transactions independently through webpages, eliminating the need for human agent intervention for routine inquiries. The call deflector automatically routes appropriate callers to self-service webpages based on call analysis, reducing call center workload while maintaining service quality for complex issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system segments callers into different groups based on their needs and characteristics. Routine informational callers are deflected to webpages, while callers requiring personalized assistance remain in the call queue. This segmentation allows the call center to focus resources on high-value interactions while automated systems handle routine inquiries.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If call centers deflect more callers to websites, then call center workload decreases, but callers may have difficulty finding relevant information

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall center efficiencyVSAvoidcaller information accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary analysis of the caller's needs during the call using speech recognition and natural language processing. Based on this analysis, the system pre-selects and personalizes the webpage content before deflecting the caller, ensuring the webpage contains relevant information specific to the caller's inquiry rather than generic content.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms to track caller interactions with webpages and measure information accuracy. By analyzing whether callers find the information they need on deflected webpages, the system continuously improves its call routing algorithms and webpage personalization to reduce misinformation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If call centers offer incentives to callers to access webpages, then caller deflection rate increases, but fraudulent abuse of incentives may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecaller deflection rateVSAvoidincentive system integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary fraud detection analysis before offering incentives. It verifies caller identity, checks call legitimacy, and assesses whether the caller genuinely needs the information on the webpage. This preliminary verification prevents fraudulent callers from exploiting the incentive system while maintaining integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary verification layer between the incentive offer and incentive delivery. This intermediary checks multiple factors including call patterns, caller history, and webpage relevance to determine whether to honor the incentive, preventing abuse while allowing legitimate callers to receive incentives.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Ease of operation

If call centers provide personalized webpage content, then caller satisfaction increases, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecaller experience qualityVSAvoidsystem processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses a universal call analysis framework that handles multiple types of inquiries through a single processing architecture. The same speech recognition, natural language processing, and webpage generation components serve all callers, reducing overall system complexity while enabling personalized content delivery for each caller type.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS8818849B2Methods and apparatus to provide incentives to deflect callers to websites

Publication Date: 2014.08.26 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

Methods and apparatus to provide incentives to deflect callers to websites are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein to deflect a caller to a webpage include receiving a call from the caller, offering an incentive to the caller to terminate the call and access the webpage, and providing an address of the webpage to the caller after the caller consents to terminate the call.