Cross-Channel Context Preservation in Contact Centers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern contact centers face challenges in preserving context across different communication channels, such as transitioning from digital interactions like chat to voice interactions, leading to loss of established context and suboptimal service delivery.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that associates communications across various channels by using identifiers to link interactions in a database, allowing context from previous interactions to influence how subsequent interactions are handled, such as routing to the same agent or providing transcripts for context awareness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the contact center uses multiple communication channels to serve customers, then the versatility and accessibility of service is improved, but the ability to preserve context across channels deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a database as an intermediary component that stores interaction identifiers and context information. When a customer interacts through any channel, the system generates an identifier, stores it in the database, and uses it to retrieve previous interaction context. This mediator enables context preservation across different communication channels without requiring direct channel integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the contact center system into independent communication channels (voice, chat, email, etc.) that all interface with a common database through standardized identifier-based access. Each channel operates independently but can access shared context through the database, allowing versatility while maintaining context through a modular architecture.
2Loss of information
If the contact center tracks and stores interaction identifiers across channels, then context preservation is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal identifier system that works across all communication channels. The same database structure and identifier-based access mechanism serves multiple functions: tracking customer interactions, preserving context, enabling cross-channel continuity, and supporting various communication modes. This universal approach reduces overall system complexity despite the multi-channel environment.
3Reliability
If the contact center modifies handling of interactions based on contextual information, then service quality is improved, but the processing time and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by storing interaction identifiers and context information in the database during each interaction. When a new interaction occurs, the system quickly retrieves pre-stored context data using the identifier, enabling rapid modification of handling approaches without time-consuming analysis. The context preparation happens in advance, reducing real-time processing requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A method facilitating a cross-channel interaction between a customer and a contact center. The method includes: receiving and conducting a first interaction with the customer; determining a first identifier related to the first interaction; storing, in a database, the first identifier and associating the first identifier with the first interaction; receiving a second interaction from the customer; determining a second identifier related to the second interaction; using the second identifier to check the database to determine if the second interaction is associated with the first interaction; determining, based on the check of the database, that the second interaction is contextually related with the first interaction; and modifying, in response to determining that the second interaction is contextually related to the first interaction, at least one way in which the second interaction is handled by the contact center.