Portable Continuity Object for Call Center Transaction Context

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current call center operations face challenges in maintaining customer information and business context across multiple interactions, leading to cumbersome and frustrating experiences when customers need to engage with multiple call centers or enterprises, as existing solutions rely on locally managed systems and require customers to recall service tokens, causing delays and inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

A Portable Continuity Object (PCO) is created as a digital package by PCO software, providing identity, communication device address, and continuity context, allowing for seamless updating and access across transactions, enabling automatic access and storage of information, and supporting interactive interfaces for data alteration and retrieval.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If locally managed systems (CRM, LDAP) are used to store customer information, then data security and system reliability are improved, but system complexity and difficulty of information access across multiple enterprises increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a Portable Continuity Object (PCO) as an intermediary that mediates between locally managed systems and multiple enterprises. The PCO contains customer information and business context, allowing secure local storage while enabling easy portability and access across different enterprises without increasing system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments customer information and business context into a separate, portable PCO that is distinct from the locally managed CRM and LDAP systems. This segmentation allows the core systems to maintain security and reliability while the PCO handles portability and cross-enterprise access

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If service tokens (case IDs, ticket numbers) are provided to customers for recall, then information accuracy is improved, but customer convenience and service speed deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation accuracyVSAvoidcustomer convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables the system to automatically retrieve and associate PCOs with customer transactions without requiring customer action. The PCO is automatically created, updated, and accessed by the system based on transaction data, eliminating the need for customers to manually recall or provide service tokens

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary actions by automatically creating and storing the PCO with customer information and business context before the customer needs to reference it. The system proactively manages the entire lifecycle of the PCO, including automatic retrieval and association with transactions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple call centers and enterprises are involved in customer service, then service coverage and adaptability are improved, but continuity of service and customer experience worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice coverageVSAvoidservice continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal PCO format that can be used across multiple enterprises and call centers. The PCO contains standardized fields for customer information and business context that can be universally interpreted and processed by any participating enterprise, enabling seamless continuity across diverse service providers

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the PCO is continuously updated with transaction information as customers interact with different call centers. This real-time feedback ensures that all enterprises have access to the most current customer information and business context, maintaining service continuity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Reliability

If manual workflows are used to locate tokens and retrieve customer information, then system reliability is improved, but service speed and productivity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidservice speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical workflows with automated electronic processes. The PCO software automatically creates, updates, retrieves, and associates customer information and business context with transactions, eliminating manual steps for locating tokens and retrieving data while maintaining system reliability through structured data management

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP2534822B8Provision of communication transactions continuity in a call center
Publication Date: 2019.07.10 GENESYS CLOUD SERVICES INC

AI summary

A method for providing continuity over a series of transactions is provided, comprising the steps of (a) creating a Portable Continuity Object (PCO) as a defined digital package by an instance of PCO software executing on a computerized appliance also capable of communication transaction; (b) providing identity of a person, an address of a communication device and a continuity context in the PCO; (c) sharing the PCO in related transactions, with the PCO updated with information concerning individual transactions by digital equipment enhanced with an instance of PCO software; and (d) providing context continuity in succeeding transactions by accessing the PCO by one or both parties to a transaction.