Third party coaching for agents in a communication system

US7151826B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Rockwell Electronic Commerce Technologies, LLC · US

Inventors

• Craig Shambaugh · Wheaton, US
• Roger Sumner · Batavia, US
• Mark Power · Carol Stream, US
• Carlo Bonifazi · Woodridge, US
• Jeffrey Hodson · Wheaton, US
• Mark Michelson · Elburn, US
• Robert Beckstrom · Bolingbrook, US
• Anthony Dezonno · Bloomingdale, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 27, 2002
• Grant date: Dec 19, 2006
• Expiry date: Mar 16, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04M3/5175
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The method and apparatus improve transactions in a communication system, such as a communication system having an automatic call distributor. In one embodiment, an assessment is performed in substantially real time of respective stress levels of at least one of a caller and an agent in a call transaction. A third party is engaged in the transaction when at least one of the stress levels of the caller and the agent exceeds a threshold. This third party may include, for example, a virtual party or an automated input source. The third party may engage in the background of the transaction or in the foreground of the transaction, thus communicating either only with the agent or with both the caller and the agent, respectively. The respective stress levels of at least one of the caller and agent may be assessed by methods which include, but are not limited to; analyzing a respective voice signal of at least one of the caller and the agent, converting a respective voice signal of least one of the caller and the agent to text and analyzing the text and/or analyzing a physical stress level of the agent. The apparatus implements the method.