Call Handler Timer Defers Acceptance to Prevent Premature Billing

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Solution Overview

Problem

In contact centers, the existing method of answering incoming calls quickly leads to premature billing and inefficient call routing, as agents may not be available to handle the calls immediately, resulting in callers waiting for agents or being connected to announcements.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a call acceptance timer that allows the call handler to ascertain agent availability before answering the call, deferring the call acceptance if an agent is not available, and sending a message to the carrier to establish a bi-directional audio path only when an agent is available, thereby reducing billing time and improving call handling efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If the call handler answers the call as quickly as possible, then the call acceptance time is reduced, but billing starts before an agent is available causing premature billing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall acceptance timeVSAvoidpremature billing

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by ascertaining agent availability and determining call routing before accepting the call. The call handler receives the incoming call, queries agent availability status, and only accepts the call after confirming an agent is available, thereby avoiding premature billing while maintaining quick acceptance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Speed

If the call handler determines agent availability after answering the call, then the call is answered quickly, but the caller may hear music on hold or announcements before agent connection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall answering speedVSAvoidcaller experience

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs the agent availability check as a preliminary action before answering the call. This ensures that when the call is answered, an agent is already ready to receive it, eliminating the need for music on hold or announcements and providing immediate agent connection to the caller.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of energy

If the call handler waits for agent availability before answering the call, then premature billing is avoided, but the overall call handling time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebilling efficiencyVSAvoidcall handling time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system maintains continuity of useful action by performing agent availability checks in parallel with call setup processes. The call handler continuously monitors agent status and is ready to accept the call immediately when an agent becomes available, minimizing waiting time while ensuring billing only starts when necessary.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS9942402B1Telephone call processing modifications related to call acceptance for an incoming call received at a contact center

Publication Date: 2018.04.10 ALVARIA INC

AI summary

Modifications to the call acceptance process in a call handler allows determination of how to process a call before the call is answered. In one embodiment a call handler receives an incoming call notification message that include call related information, such as the calling and called telephone numbers. A call acceptance timer is started after the incoming call notification message is received. Prior to accepting the call, the call handler uses the call related information to ascertain an appropriate queue and an available agent in that queue. If an appropriate agent is available, the timer is stopped, the call is accepted, and the call is routed to the appropriate agent. If an agent is not available, then upon expiry of the timer, the call is accepted and an announcement may be played to the calling party, while awaiting for an agent to become available.