US007877265B2

(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 7,877,265 B2

Pasquale et al. (45) Date of Patent: Jan. 25, 2011
(54) SYSTEMAND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED 6,389,400 B1* 5/2002 Bushey et al................... 705/7
CUSTOMER FEEDBACK 6,510,427 B1 1/2003 Bossemeyer, Jr. et al. ...... 707/6
6,650,736 B1 * 1 1/2003 Unger et al. ............. 379.88.02
(75) Inventors: Theodore B. Pasquale, Austin, TX 2002/0124247 A1 9/2002 Houghton
(US); Robert R. Bushey, Cedar Park, 2003/0041056 A1 2/2003 Bossemeyer, Jr. et al.
TX (US); Benjamin A. Knott, Round OTHER PUBLICATI
Rock, TX (US) ONS
“Data Mining'; Report by Sudeshna Basu, Georgia State University
(73) Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P., Fall 1997 (attached herein).*
Reno, NV (US) Newton's Dictionary 2001 (attached herein).*
Microsoft's Computer dictionary (attached herein).*
(*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this S. Sixlools
urveying Sy;to get
A S.k . i. Ior St.ingUsing
Member FeedbacK Online
Decisions';
past SY, lusted under 35 Kevin Jepson, Credit UnionJournal. New York; Jan 21, 2002. vol. 6,
M YW- yS. Iss. 3; p. 8 (attached).*
(21) Appl. No.: 10/436,743 (Continued)
(22) Filed: May 13, 2003 Primary Examiner Matthew L Brooks
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm Jackson Walker L.L.P.
(65) Prior Publication Data
(57) ABSTRACT
US 2004/O23O438A1 Nov. 18, 2004
A system and method for automated customer feedback
(51) Int. Cl. allows
11 ffor automatically collecting and analyzing customer
G06O 10/00 (2006.01) feedback data regarding customer satisfaction and customer
H04M 3/00 (2006.01) task completion with respect to self-service applications and
(52) U.S. Cl. ..................... 705/1.1; 705/14.19; 705/304; live agents. When contacting a customer service center, cus
705/346; 705/347; 379/92.03; 379/197; 349/92; tomers provide one or more customer tasks. The customers
349/93: 349/197; 349/198 are routed within the customer service center based on the
(58) Field of Classification Search ....................... None customer task and/or one or more customer characteristics.
See application file for complete search history. While interacting with the customer service center, the cus
tomers are automatically asked one or more specific Survey
(56) References Cited questions relating to the customers interaction with the cus
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS tomer service center and the customers' satisfaction levels.
The customers provide one or more Survey responses to the
5,537,618 A 7, 1996 Boulton et al. .............. 395/161 Survey questions. The Survey responses are recorded and
5,566,291 A 10, 1996 Boulton et al. . 395/161
5.940,471 A 8, 1999 Homavoun 379/1 analyzed in order to modify and update the customer service
6. 15 I. 584 A 11, 2000 Rak et al. r 70.5/10 center and the Survey questions in order to increase customer
6,337,904 B1* 1/2002 Gisby ............... 379,210.01 satisfaction and increase customer task completion.
6,377,944 B1 * 4/2002 Busey et al. ................... 707/3
6,380,928 B1 4/2002 Todd .......................... 345/169 20 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets

82
"grid
RECEIVEAN NCQMNGNUIRY FROMA CUSTOMER 90
- - DOESTHE
CSTOMER HAVE ANY
64 RETREWECUSTMERCHARACTERISTICS
INCUDINGHEGUSTOMERTELEPHONENUMBER ADDITIONAL CUSTOMER
TASKS QUERY CUSTOMER AS 88
TCTHE ADDITIONAL
66\cury THEcustover REGARDING THE CUSTOMERTASK s 0. CUSTOMERTASK
92 SELECT THESURVEYOUESTIONSBASEQ -
ONHECUSIOMERTASKS
68 RECEIVE THE CUSOMERTASKFROM THE CUSTONER
94
70 HAS CONTACT THE 98
ROUTE THE CUSTOMER YES CUSTOMERVIA THE
|CURYBASED TERMINATED THEINBOUND CUSTOMER
ONCUSTOMER NURY ELEPHONE NUMBER
TASK
f2
SELF-SERVICE
76 ROUTHE CJSTONERTO AAUTOMATED ROTE THE 98 COMMUNICATE THESELECE SURVEY
SELF-SERVICEAPPLICATION CUSTOMERTO (UESTIONS TO THE CJSTOMER
ANAGENT
CUSOMERNERACTS WITH
TRECEIVE ONE ORMORE SURWEY-R-
RESPONSES
78-1 THE SELF-SEWGEAPPLICATION CUSTOMER
100 TO THESUREY QUESTIONS
TERACTSWTH
THEASENT
MONITOR THE CUSTOMERS INTERACTION WITH 02 STORE THE SURVEY RESPONSES
80 THE AUTOMATED SELF-SERVICE APPLICATION
BO COMMUNICATE ONE
DETERMINEFHECUSTONER ANY SURVEY
82 COMPLETED THE CUSTOMERASK RESPONSESEXCEEDA ORMORE ADDITIONAL
SURVEY QUESTIONS
THRESHOLD TO THE CJSTOMER
BITHE 104
CUSTOMERCOMPLETE HE TERMINATEHE COMMUNICATION
PURPOSE OF THENBOUND 08 THE CUSTOMER
INQUIRY?
ANAYZE THE SURVEY RESPONSES
DID O - - -
HECSTOME MODIFY THE SELF-SERVICEAPPLICATION,
COMPLETEACUSTOMER AGENT BEAVOR, AND/OR THE SURWEY
TASK 12 (UESTIONSBASED ON THEANALYSIS OF
THE SURVEY RESPONSES
14
 US 7,877,265 B2
Page 2

OTHER PUBLICATIONS Reduces Costs”; Business/Technology Editors. BusinessWire. New

York: Aug. 21, 2000.*
Snapshot of www.inquisite.com retrieved from “wayback machine'? International Search Report and Written Opinion; PCT/US04/14660;
archive.org. pp. 12, Mailing Date Mar. 22, 2006.
"Making the Swith to electronic Surveys'; James Roche et al; Asso S. Basu; "Data Mining'; Georgia State University, Especially p. 8,
ciation Management Washington: Sep. 2000. vol. 52, Iss 9; p. 34 pp. 14, 1997.
(attached).* Microsoft Press Computer Dictionary; Third Edition; p. 313, 2003.
“StorageTek Taps Inquisite for Online Surveys; Easy-to-use, Enter Newtons Telecom Dictionary, 17th Edition; pp. 515 and 53, 2001.
prise rugged Survey System Increase Customer Communication, * cited by examiner
U.S. Patent Jan. 25, 2011 Sheet 1 of 3 US 7,877.265 B2

FIG. 2 ?

PROCESSOR MEMORY

RECEIVING
DEVICE

I/O PORT

PARSING HDD
MODULE
SATISFACTION
36 38 MODULE
C. CP
TRACK
MODULE
40
U.S. Patent Jan. 25, 2011 Sheet 2 of 3 US 7,877.265 B2

60 FIG. 3A
62 RECEIVE AN INCOMING INQUIRY FROM A CUSTOMER

64 RETREVE CUSTOMERCHARACTERISTICS
INCLUDING THE CUSTOMER TELEPHONE NUMBER
66 FROM
QUERYTHE CUSTOMER REGARDING THE CUSTOMER TASK FIG. 3B

68 RECEIVE THE CUSTOMER TASK FROM THE CUSTOMER

70
ROUTE
|NOURY BASED
ON CUSTOMER
TASK

76 ROUTE THE CUSTOMER TO AN AUTOMATED ROUTE THE

SELF-SERVICE APPLICATION CUSTOMERTO
ANAGENT
CUSTOMER INTERACTS WITH
78 THE SELF-SERVICE APPLICATION CUSTOMER
INTERACTS WITH
THE AGENT
MONITOR THE CUSTOMER'S INTERACTION WITH
80 THE AUTOMATED SELF-SERVICE APPLICATION

DETERMINE F THE CUSTOMER

82 COMPLETED THE CUSTOMER TASK

DD THE
YES CUSTOMER COMPLETE THE
PURPOSE OF THE INBOUND
TO INQUIRY?
FIG. 3B 84

DD
YES THE CUSTOMER
COMPLETE A CUSTOMER
TO TASK?
FIG. 3B 86
U.S. Patent Jan. 25, 2011 Sheet 3 of 3 US 7,877.265 B2

FROM
FIG. 3A FIG. 3B
90 FROM
DOES THE le FG. 3A
CUSTOMER HAVE ANY YES
ADDITIONAL CUSTOMER
TASKS2 QUERY CUSTOMER AS I-88
TO THE ADDITIONAL
NO CUSTOMER TASK
92 SELECT THE SURVEY QUESTIONS BASED
ON THE CUSTOMER TASKS Fic'a
94
HAS CONTACT THE 96
THE CUSTOMER CUSTOMER WEATHE
TERMINATED THE INBOUND CUSTOMER
NQUIRY? TELEPHONE NUMBER

NO
98 COMMUNCATE THE SELECTED SURVEY
OUESTIONS TO THE CUSTOMER

RECEIVE ONE OR MORE SURVEY RESPONSES

100 TO THE SURVEY QUESTIONS

102 STORE THE SURVEY RESPONSES

DO COMMUNICAE ONE
ANY SURVEY ORMORE ADDITIONAL
RESPONSES EXCEED A SURVEY QUESTIONS
THRESHOLD TO THE CUSTOMER
p
104
NO 106
TERMINATE THE COMMUNICATION
108 WITH THE CUSTOMER

110 ANALYZE THE SURVEY RESPONSES

MODIFY THE SELF-SERVICE APPLICATION,

AGENT BEHAVIOR, AND/OR THE SURVEY
112 QUESTIONS BASED ON THE ANALYSS OF
THE SURVEY RESPONSES

114
 US 7,877,265 B2
1. 2
SYSTEMAND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED customer to pick the option that most closely relates to the
CUSTOMERFEEDBACK purpose of the customer's call. For example, the automated
self-service application may ask the customer if the customer
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION would like to pay a bill, alter their service, change their
address, or learn about new products and services. The cus
The present invention relates generally to telecommunica tomer responds to the menu prompt by either speaking the
tion services, and more specifically relates to a system and response if the automated self-service application utilizes
method for automated customer feedback. speech recognition technology or by touch tone response by
pressing the number keys on the telephone. The automated
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 10 self-service application continues providing menu prompts to
the customer and the customer continues responding to the
Customers often call a company service call center or menu prompts until the customer is able to complete the
access a company's web page to perform a specific customer customer's task and then the customer exits the automated
task Such as change their address, pay a bill, alter their exist self-service application.
ing services, or receive assistance with problems or questions 15 Automated self-service applications reduce costs for com
regarding a particular product or service. When calling, the panies because the customers are moved away from expen
customers may either speak with customer service represen sive live agents to inexpensive automated applications. In
tatives (CSR), also known as agents, or interact with an auto addition, self-service applications have the possibility of
mated self-service application Such as an interactive Voice maintaining high customer task completion, increasing cus
response (IVR) system. Because of the high costs associated tomersatisfaction, and shortening the average call duration in
with live service agents and because companies often do not the customer call center if the customers are satisfied and
employ enough agents to handle all the customers during accomplishing their customer tasks.
peak customer calling times, companies are transitioning Typically, companies do not know if the customers have
many of the customer tasks performed by agents to be prima completed their customer tasks using the self-service appli
rily performed by the automated self-service applications. 25 cations and how satisfied the customers are using the self
Therefore, the customers typically do not interact with a live service applications. Therefore, automated self-service appli
person while performing the customer task when using the cations are generally assumed to be successful in allowing the
automated self-service applications. Because the customers customers to accomplish their customer tasks and in creating
do not interact with a live agent while performing customer a high level of customersatisfaction in the customers. But that
tasks, the companies do not know if the customers actually 30 is a major assumption considering how many companies are
accomplish their customer tasks and the satisfaction levels of transitioning a majority of customer tasks to the self-service
customers. Therefore, many companies typically assume that application away from the live agents and given the large
the customers are completing customer tasks using the auto Volume of customer inquiries received by customer call cen
mated self-service applications and that the customers are ters. If customers are not satisfied using the self-service appli
satisfied whether or not the assumption is actually correct. 35 cation and/or are not completing their customer tasks while
using the self-service applications, then the self-service
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS applications are actually creating unsatisfied customers and
costing the companies additional money. Additional money
A more complete understanding of the present embodi spent by the companies in having to utilize expensive live
ments and advantages thereofmay be acquired by referring to 40 agents to help the customers who are not completing cus
the following description taken in conjunction with the tomer tasks in the self-service application. Furthermore,
accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers because customers are having to interact with both the self
indicate like features, and wherein: service application and live agents, calls are taking longer
FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of an example embodi than customers typically expect. Therefore, customers may
ment of a system for automated customer feedback; 45 leave for competitors because of low levels of customer sat
FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an example customer isfaction and unnecessarily long call durations.
service system; and Occasionally, companies make an attempt to gather infor
FIG.3 depicts a flow diagram of an example embodiment mation regarding task completion and customer satisfaction
of a method for automated customer feedback. regarding the self-service applications. Typically live agents
50 ask the customers questions regarding customer task comple
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION tion and customersatisfaction after a customer has interacted
with a self-service application. But transferring the customer
Preferred embodiments of the present invention are illus to an agent after the customer interacts with an automated
trated in the figures, like numerals being used to refer to like system is an unreliable and inconsistent approach for deter
and corresponding parts of the various drawings. 55 mining customer task completion and customer satisfaction.
When customers call a customer service center or call Agents are not always available to ask the customer satisfac
center seeking to perform a customer task, the customers are tion questions when a customer completes a customer task in
increasingly interacting with an automated self-service appli the self-service application. Furthermore, some customers
cation instead of live agents. An automated self-service appli may find it frustrating and unusual to perform a customer task
cation is a system consisting of a plurality of menus and user 60 using an automated self-service application and then be trans
prompts designed and arranged in a hierarchical design. ferred to an agent to determine customersatisfaction and task
When a customer calls a customer service number or accesses completion. Customers may become frustrated or confused
a customer service web site, the customer is greeted with an when the customer may have preferred to talk to an agent
automated system asking the customer to Supply Such infor instead of the self-service application while performing the
mation as the customer's account number or telephone num 65 customer task and only gets to speak with an agent in order to
ber. The automated self-service application provides one or answer a few questions regarding customer satisfaction. In
more options arranged in a menu to the customer and asks the addition, having agents record data regarding customer sat
 US 7,877,265 B2
3 4
isfaction and customer task completion often results in incon er's or caller's site. CPEs 12, 14, and 16 may be equipped for
sistent and incomplete data due to human error and bias. For connectivity to wireless or wireline networks, for example via
instance, each agent may ask the questions differently, record a public switched telephone network (PSTN), digital sub
the answers differently, and use different scales when record scriber lines (DSLs), cable television (CATV) lines, IP tele
ing the customers’ responses to the questions. In addition, phony, or any other appropriate communications network. In
Some agents may only record the good or favorable responses the example embodiment of FIG. 1, CPEs 12, 14, and 16 are
and omit any negative or unfavorable responses thereby shown as telephones but in other embodiments may be any
skewing the results. Furthermore, using agents is expensive other appropriate type of customer premise equipment.
and may be cost prohibitive to the company because of the Telephones 12, 14, and 16 are located at the customer's
high costs associated with agent time. 10 premise. The customer's premise may include a home, busi
Instead of transferring the customer to an agent after the ness, office, or any other appropriate location where a cus
customer has completed a customer task using the self-ser tomer may desire telecommunications services. Customer
Vice application, companies may also contact various cus feedback system 18 is remotely located from telephones 12,
tomers one to four weeks after the customer inquiry and ask 14, and 16 and is typically located within a company’s cus
the customer numerous questions regarding customer task 15 tomer service center or call center which may be in the same
completion and customer satisfaction. But customers gener or different geographic location as telephones 12, 14, and 16.
ally do not remember the details regarding a phone call they The customers or callers interface with customer feedback
made one to four weeks ago and therefore cannot provide system 18 using telephones 12, 14, and 16. The customers and
accurate responses to the questions. Furthermore, if a cus telephones 12, 14, and 16 interface with customer feedback
tomer does remember any details it is usually because the system 18 and customer feedback system 18 interfaces with
customer had a negative experience and therefore the results telephones 12, 14, and 16 through network 20. Network 20
are skewed towards only the negative experiences. In addi may be a public switched telephone network, the Internet, a
tion, many customers may find it bothersome to be called at cable network, a wireless network, or any other appropriate
home or work and be asked numerous questions regarding a type of communication network. Although only one customer
phone call they do not remember. 25 feedback system 18 is shown in FIG. 1, in other embodiments
By contrast, the example embodiment described herein customer feedback system 18 may serve alone or in conjunc
allows for the automatic collection and analysis of customer tion with additional customer feedback systems located in the
feedback. The example embodiment allows for the collection same customer service center or call center as customer feed
of customer feedback upon completion by the customers of back system 18 or in a customer service center or call center
one or more customer tasks but before the customers termi 30 remotely located from customer feedback system 18. In addi
nate the inbound inquiry into the customer service center. tion, although three telephones 12, 14, and 16 are shown in
Because the customers are automatically asked customersat FIG. 1, in other embodiments customer service system 10
isfaction or Survey questions after completing or attempting may include more than three or less than three telephones.
to complete a customer task, the experience is fresh with the FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of customer feedback
customers and therefore the customers are able to provide 35 system 18 in greater detail. In the example embodiment,
accurate and relevant customer feedback. Furthermore, since customer feedback system 18 may include respective soft
the agents are not involved in collecting the customer feed ware components and hardware components, such as proces
back, the costs associated with collecting customer feedback sor 22, memory 24, input/output ports 26, hard disk drive
are reduced. The analysis of the customer feedback allows for (HDD) 28 containing databases 30 and 32, and those compo
the customer feedback to be incorporated into the self-service 40 nents may work together via bus 34 to provide the desired
applications for improvement and allow for greater customer functionality. In other embodiments, HDD 28 may contain
task completion and higher levels of customer satisfaction. more than two or less than two databases. The various hard
The automated collection of customer feedback allows for ware and Software components may also be referred to as
customer feedback to be collected at a much higher rate than processing resources. Customer feedback system 18 may be a
if manually collected by the agents. Therefore, the customer 45 personal computer, a server, or any other appropriate com
feedback collected is more accurate because it is drawn from puting device with a network interface for communicating
a larger group of customers whereby the analysis of the cus over networks Such as the telephone communication net
tomer feedback results in greater customer acceptance and works, the Internet, intranets, LANS, or WANs and located at
satisfaction with respect to automated self-service applica a location remote from telephones 12, 14, and 16. Customer
tions. 50 feedback system 18 also includes receiving device 42 as well
Referring now to FIG. 1, a schematic diagram of an as parsing module 36, track module 38, and satisfaction mod
example embodiment of a system for automated customer ule 40, which reside in memory such as HDD 28 and are
feedback is depicted. Customer service system 10 includes executable by processor 22 through bus 34. Customer feed
three customer premise equipment 12, 14, and 16 and cus back system 18 may further include an automated speech
tomer feedback system 18 with customer premise equipment 55 recognition (ASR) engine and a text to speech (TTS) engine
12, 14, and 16 in communication with customer feedback that enable customer service system 10 to utilize a speech
system 18 via network 20. Customer premise equipment recognition interface with the customers on telephones 12,
(CPE), also known as Subscriber equipment, include any 14, and 16. The ASR engine allows customer feedback sys
equipment that is connected to a telecommunications net tem 18 to recognize the speech or utterances provided by the
work and located at a customer's site. CPEs 12, 14, and 16 60 customers in response to one or more prompts while the TTS
may be telephones, 56 k modems, cable modems, ADSL engine allows customer feedback system 18 to playback to
modems, phone sets, fax equipment, answering machines, the customers in prompts variable data, Such as data returned
set-top box, POS (point-of-sale) equipment, PBX (private from a database search.
branch exchange) systems, personal computers, laptop com Receiving device 42 communicates with I/O ports 26 via
puters, personal digital assistants (PDAs), SDRs, other 65 bus 34 and in other embodiments there may be more than one
nascent technologies, or any other appropriate type or com receiving device 42 in customer feedback system 18 and
bination of communication equipment installed at a custom customer service system 10. One Such type of receiving
 US 7,877,265 B2
5 6
device is an automatic call distribution system (ACD) that After parsing module 36 receives the customer task from
receives plural inbound telephone calls and then distributes the customer, at step 70 parsing module 36 determines the
the inbound telephone calls to agents or automated systems. correct routing for the inbound inquiry of the customer. When
Another type of receiving device is a voice response unit determining the correct routing, parsing module 36 may take
(“VRU) also known as an interactive voice response system into account only the customer task, only the customer char
(“IVR). When a call is received by a VRU, the caller is acteristics, or a combination of the customer task and the
generally greeted with an automated Voice that queries the customer characteristics. With respect to routing based on the
caller for information and then routes the call based on the customer task, Some customer tasks may not be available with
information provided by the caller. When inbound telephone the automated self-service application. Therefore if a cus
calls are received, typically VRU and ACD systems employ 10 tomer has a customer task that cannot be performed with the
identification means to collect caller information Such as self-service application, then parsing module 36 routes the
automated number identification (ANI) information pro customer to an agent. But if the customer task can be per
vided by telephone networks that identify the telephone num formed within the self-service application, then parsing mod
ber of the inbound telephone call. In addition, VRUs may be ule 36 routes the customer to the self-service application. The
used in conjunction with ACDS to provide customer service. 15 routing of the inbound inquiry may also be affected by the
FIG. 3 illustrates a flow diagram of one embodiment of a customer characteristics. For example, a premium customer
method for automated customer feedback. The method or a customer who has a history of spending a large amount of
allows for the automated collection and analysis of customer money may be routed directly to an agent and specifically to
feedback. The method begins at step 60 and at step 62 receiv one of the top agents so that the customer will receive the best
ing device 42 through I/O ports 26 receives one or more possible service. Furthermore, a premium customer may be
inbound inquires from one or more customers. The customers routed to an agent even though the customer task for the
contact customer feedback system 18 via receiving device 42 premium customer is one that can be performed using the
over network 20 using telephones 12, 14, or 16 by calling a self-service application.
customer service telephone number. The customers may also Ifat step 70 the customer is to be routed to an agent because
access customer feedback system 18 by utilizing computers 25 of the customer task and/or the customer characteristics, then
and the Internet by sending email or accessing a web site. In at Step 72 parsing module 36 routes the customer to an agent
the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the inbound inquiry is a and the customer interacts with the agent at step 74 whereby
telephone call but in other embodiments the inbound inquiry the agent assists the customer in completing the customer
may be an email, an access of an Internet web site, instant task. If an agent is not immediately available to speak with the
messaging, or any other appropriate inbound inquiry into 30 customer, the customer holds in a queue until an agent
customer feedback system 18. becomes available to interact with the customer at step 74.
Once the customer's call has been received by receiving Once the customer finishes interacting with the agent at step
device 42, parsing module 36 queries the customer for cus 74, the agent disconnects from the customer (the customer
tomer identification information and retrieves one or more remains connected to customer feedback system 18) and
customer characteristics regarding the customer at Step 64. 35 parsing module 36 transfers the customer to step 84 to deter
Customer characteristics may include customer name, mine if the customer has completed the customer task and to
address, telephone number, account information, account sta potentially collect automated customer feedback as described
tus, account activity, customer status (premium or standard below.
customer), and any other appropriate information regarding Ifat step 70 the customer is to be routed to the self-service
the customer. For example, parsing module 36 may ask the 40 application because of the customer task and/or the customer
customer for the customer's name, telephone number, characteristics, then at step 76 parsing module 36 routes the
account number, or any other appropriate information that customer to the self-service application and at step 78 the
will assist parsing module 36 in the recognition of the cus customer interacts with the self-service application. The cus
tomer. In other embodiments, parsing module 36 may utilize tomer interacts with the self-service application by respond
ANI in order to obtain the telephone number of the customer 45 ing to one or more menu prompts provided by the self-service
and thereby determine the identity of the customer. Parsing application. The menu prompts ask questions of the customer
module 36 uses the customer identification information to and/or ask the customer for additional information thereby
search a database of customer information, such as database enabling the customer to navigate the hierarchical menu
30 or 32, in order to retrieve the customer characteristics of design of the self-service application in order to accomplish
the calling customer. 50 the customer task. While the customer interacts with the
At step 66 parsing module 36 queries the customer for the self-service application, at step 80 track module 38 monitors
customer task. The customer task is the reason or purpose for the customers interaction and behavior within the self-ser
the customer in contacting customer feedback system 18. For vice application. Track module 38 monitors and stores in
example, a customer task may be to pay a bill, update or database32 each selection or response made by the customer
change customer account information, modify the customer's 55 when interacting with the self-service application as well as
service, request information on new products and service, or the customer's navigation of the menus within the self-ser
any other appropriate reason for contacting a customer Ser Vice application.
vice center. Parsing module 36 queries the customer for the Track module 38 has knowledge of the customer task Sup
customer task by asking the customer for the purpose of the plied by the customer at step 66 from parsing module 36 and
call. If customer service system 10 is equipped with speech 60 database 32. By comparing the customer task with the cus
recognition technology, then the customer speaks the cus tomer's progression within the self-service application
tomer task. If customer service system 10 is not equipped including the menus navigated by the customer where par
with speech recognition technology or if the customer is not ticular menus are associated with completion of each cus
comfortable speaking responses, then the customer can pro tomer task, track module 38 determines when a customer
vide the customer task through touch tone input. At step 68 65 completes a customer task at Step 82 and stores the completed
parsing module 36 receives the customer task from the cus task with an association to the customer along with a notation
tomer and stores the customer task in database 32. that the task was completed in the self-service application in
 US 7,877,265 B2
7 8
database32. For example, the customer has a customer task of faction module 40 queries the customer regarding any addi
paying a bill. Parsing module 36 routes the customer to the tional customer tasks that need to be completed. A customer
self-service application where the customer navigates the may decide that the reason for contacting customer service
menus in order to arrive at a menu prompt where the customer system 18 is complete at step 84 but then realize that there is
is able to provide a credit card number in order to pay the bill. one or more additional customer tasks to be completed. Or a
Track module 38 determines that the customer is attempting customer having two customer tasks may interpret the query
to pay a bill so when track module 38 detects that the cus at step 84 as only referring to the first customer task and
tomer has navigated to the menu prompt requesting the cus therefore answer affirmatively with respect to completing the
tomer to provide a credit card number to pay a bill, track reason for contacting customer service system 18 while still
module 38 determines that the customer has completed the 10 having one or more customer tasks to complete. If the cus
customer task when the customer provides the credit card tomer has one or more additional customer tasks at step 90,
number. parsing module 36 determines that the customer has already
Once the customer completes or appears to complete a completed at least one customer task and therefore at step 88
customer task at step 74 with an agent or at step 82 within the parsing module 36 queries the customer as to the additional
self-service application, satisfaction module 40 queries the 15 customer task and routes the customerto eitheran agent or the
customer regarding completion of the customer task at step self-service application to complete the additional customer
84. At step 84 satisfaction module 40 prompts the customer task as described above.
asking if the customer has completed the purpose or reason Ifat step 90 the customer has no additional customer tasks,
for the customer's query to the customer service center. If the the customer maintains the connection with customer feed
customer responds at step 84 that the customer has not com back system 18 while satisfaction module 40 selects one or
pleted the reason for contacting customer feedback system more Survey questions to ask the customer with respect to the
18, then at step 86 satisfaction module 40 communicates with customer's experiences and satisfaction regarding interaction
track module 38 and searches database 32 in order to deter with either an agent or the self-service application at step 92.
mine if the customer completed a customer task while inter The Survey questions are self-service dependent and agent
acting with eitheran agent or the self-service application. Ifat 25 dependent. For instance, a customer using the self-service
step 86 satisfaction module 40 determines that the customer application to complete his customer task is not asked any
has not completed a customer task, then track module 38 Survey questions regarding interaction with an agent while a
transfers the customer to step 72 so that the customer can customer who interacts with an agent is not asked any Survey
interact with an agent in order to complete the customer task. questions relating to the self-service application. Further
At step 86 the customer is transferred to an agent instead of 30 more, the Survey questions are also task dependent. There
back into the self-service application when the customer has fore, a customer is asked questions relating to the actual
not completed a customer task at step 86 because typically the customer task performed by the customer. For example, if the
customer had been interacting with the self-service applica customer used the self-service application to pay a bill, the
tion and had not been able to complete the customer task customer is not asked any Survey questions regarding using
using the self-service application. It would be very frustrating 35 the self-service application to update customer account infor
to the customer who was unsuccessful in completing the mation. In addition to being task dependent and self-service?
customer task using the self-service application to be trans agent dependent, the Survey questions are also weighted so
ferred back to the self-service application to attempt for a that responses to more heavily weighted Survey questions
second time to complete the customer task. Therefore, the may result in different routing or analysis versus the same
track module 38 transfers the customer to an agent so that the 40 response to Survey questions not as heavily weighted.
agent canassist the customer in completing the customer task. Satisfaction module 40 selects the survey questions from
Ifat step 86 satisfaction module 40 determines from com database 30. All of the survey questions are stored in database
municating with track module 38 and searching database32 30 and are searchable by customer task as well as self-service
that the customer did complete a customer task either through application and agent. For instance, if the customer task at
interaction with an agent or the self-service application, then 45 issue is payment of a bill using the self-service application,
the customer must have more than one customer task for satisfaction module 40 searches database 30 for survey ques
which the customer contacted customer feedback system 18. tions relating to the customer task of paying a bill using the
For instance, a customer may contact customer feedback self-service application. Furthermore, satisfaction module 40
system 18 needing to both pay a bill and update her account typically selects three Survey questions to ask of each cus
information and may only communicate pay a bill as the 50 tomer. Three Survey questions is a good number to ask the
customer task at step 66. Therefore the customer interacts customers because asking three questions does not require
with the self-service application at step 78 and successfully too much of the customers’ time and therefore the customers
pays her bill and track module 38 determines that the cus are more likely to listen to the Survey questions and actually
tomer completed a customer task and notes the completion of provide responses instead of just hanging up or becoming
the task. At step 84 when asked if the purpose of the call has 55 frustrated. In addition, asking three questions of each cus
been completed, the customer replies no because although the tomer allows for large pool of customer feedback data for
customer has successfully completed a customer task (paid analysis purposes. In other embodiments, satisfaction module
her bill), the customer has an additional customer task to 40 may select more than three or less than three Survey ques
complete, here updating customer account information. tions for each customer. Furthermore in other embodiments,
Therefore, at step 88 parsing module 36 queries the customer 60 the customers may be given the option of whether or not they
for the additional customer task and routes the customer to want to answer the Survey questions before satisfaction mod
either an agent or the self-service application depending on ule 40 retrieves the appropriate survey questions. Therefore,
the customer task and/or the customer characteristics. The if the customers do not want to hear and answer the Survey
customer then interacts with customer service system 18 in questions, satisfaction module 40 does not waste resources
order to accomplish the customer task as described above. 65 searching for Survey questions.
Ifat step 84 the customer has accomplished the purpose for The Survey questions ask the customers about their satis
contacting customer service system 18, then at step 90 satis faction levels with respect to their interaction with customer
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10
service system 18 as well customer task completion. Typi As stated above, each Survey question has an assigned
cally, the survey questions are based on the LICRA scale (1-5) weighted value because some Survey questions are of more
where “1” is very satisfied and “5” is very dissatisfied. Three importance than other Survey questions and are therefore
example Survey questions are listed below: weighted more heavily. Each of the more heavily weighted
Survey Question 1: survey questions has a threshold value for which if a survey
Did you accomplish your task today? response exceeds the threshold, additional action is taken by
Press 1 for yes, satisfaction module 40 to address the survey response above
Press 2 if you partially completed your task, the threshold. For instance, a question relating to interacting
Press 3 for no, you did not complete your task. with an agent may ask the customer how satisfied they were
Press 9 to repeat this question. 10 with the demeanor of the agent. Because knowing if agents
Survey Question 2: are rude to the customers is very important to companies in
How satisfied were you with the touch tone system you the customer service business, this question may be weighted
used at the beginning of your call today? very heavily. A threshold for this question may be established
Press 1 for Very Satisfied, at “Dissatisfied so that a survey response of “dissatisfied’ or
Press 2 for Satisfied, 15 “very dissatisfied' is above the threshold for this survey ques
Press 3 Neutral, tion. Therefore if the customer's survey response to this sur
Press 4 for Dissatisfied, vey question is at or above the threshold, the customer may be
Press 5 for Very Dissatisfied. asked additional questions regarding the behavior or
Press 9 to repeat this question. demeanor of the agent or immediately transferred to an agent
Survey Question 3: so that all the information may be gathered surrounding the
How satisfied were you with your overall experience behavior of the agent.
today? At step 104, satisfaction module 40 examines the survey
responses with respect to the Survey questions to determine if
Press 1 for Very Satisfied, any of the Survey responses exceed any thresholds values for
Press 2 for Satisfied, 25 any of the heavily weighted Survey questions having a thresh
Press 3 Neutral, old value. If at least one of the Survey responses exceeds at
Press 4 for Dissatisfied, least one threshold value, then at step 106 satisfaction module
Press 5 for Very Dissatisfied. 40 asks the customer additional Survey questions relating to
Press 9 to repeat this question. the Survey question having a Survey response at or above the
Once satisfaction module 40 selects the appropriate survey 30 threshold and then repeats steps 100, 102, and 104 until none
questions for the customer and the corresponding customer of the of the survey responses exceed any threshold values
task, at step 94 satisfaction module 40 checks to see if the and an adequate amount of data has been gathered by satis
customer has terminated the inbound inquiry to customer faction module 40 regarding the Survey questions above the
service system 18. After completing the customer tasks, many thresholds. In other embodiments, the customer may be
customers will terminate the telephone call because the cus 35 immediately transferred to an agent instead of being asked
tomers do not want to be bothered by answering a few survey additional Survey questions when at least one of the Survey
questions or do not realize that there are Survey questions to responses exceeds a threshold value.
answer after they have completed the customer task. If a Furthermore, in other embodiments the customer charac
customer has terminated the inbound inquiry at Step 94, then teristics may affect how satisfaction module 40 responds to
at step 96 satisfaction module 40 locates the customer's tele 40 the Survey responses at or above a threshold. If a customer is
phone number using ANI if the customer's telephone number a premium customer and has one or more Survey responses at
has not already been determined using ANI and contacts the or above a threshold, satisfaction module 40 may immedi
customer via the customer's telephone number and commu ately transfer the premium customer to an agent so that the
nicates the selected Survey questions to the customer at Step agent can immediately deal with any problems experienced
98. In addition to the selected survey questions, satisfaction 45 by the premium customer whereas a non-premium customer
module 40 may also ask the customer Survey questions relat having the exact same Survey response may only be asked
ing to why the customer terminated the telephone call before additional Survey questions by satisfaction module 40. In
being asked the Survey questions. Furthermore, if the cus addition, for premium customers the threshold values for the
tomer hangs up before completing a customer task while heavily weighted Survey questions may be set at a lower value
interacting with the self-service application, track module 38 50 so that any slightly negative Survey response results in an
monitors and records the customer hang up and using the immediate transfer of the premium customer to an agent.
customer telephone number retrieved using ANI, satisfaction Ifat step 104 none of the survey responses exceed a thresh
module 40 contacts the customer and asks the customer Sur old, then at step 108 the customerhangs up and terminates the
vey questions relating to why the customer hung up before telephone call with customer service system 18. Once the
completing the customer task. 55 customer has terminated the telephone call, satisfaction mod
If the customer has not terminated the inbound inquiry at ule 40 analyzes the Survey responses including customer task
step 94, then at step 98 satisfaction module 40 communicates completion data stored in database 32 in order to determine
the selected Survey questions to the customer. The customer any problems with the self-service application, any of the
provides one or more Survey responses to the Survey ques agents, or any of the Survey questions. At step 112 satisfaction
tions which are received by satisfaction module 40 at step 100 60 module 40 utilizes the analysis of the survey responses to
and stored in database 32 by satisfaction module 40 at step modify and update the self-service application including
102. The survey responses collected and stored by satisfac altering menu designs to make it easier for customers to
tion module 40 relate to the customers' satisfaction with complete their customer tasks. The analysis of the Survey
customer service system 18 as well as customer task comple responses can be used to locate one or more problems areas
tion regarding which tasks are being completed by the cus 65 within the self-service application Such as menus where cus
tomers and which customers tasks are not being completed by tomers get stuck or do not understand the menu prompts. In
the customers. addition, the analysis of the Survey responses may also be
 US 7,877,265 B2
11 12
utilized to update and modify the Survey questions so that the receiving from the caller one or more Survey responses to
Survey questions better capture information regarding cus the Survey questions; and
tomer task completion and customersatisfaction. Satisfaction based on the Survey responses, altering the user interface
module 40 may also make recommendations for ways for the C.
agents to modify their behavior so that they are more appeal 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the
ing and friendly to the customers. Satisfaction module 40 received Survey responses in a database.
continually analyzes the Survey responses and makes modi 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining
fications to increase customer satisfaction and increase cus caller identification information and using the caller identifi
tomer task completion. cation information to retrieve caller characteristics.
In other embodiments, Survey questions may be asked of 10 4. The method of claim3, wherein the caller characteristics
the customers after the customer have completed each cus include account activity information.
tomer task instead of waiting until the customers have com 5. The method of claim3, wherein the caller characteristics
pleted all customer tasks before asking the Survey questions. include caller status information indicative of a premium
Furthermore, the Survey questions may be asked of the cus status of the caller.
tomers at any stage within the interaction of the self-service 15
6. The method of claim 3, wherein routing the call com
application and not affect the customers interaction with the prises routing the call based at least in part on the caller
self-service application. Even when the Survey questions are characteristics.
asked at the completion of the call, the Survey questions do 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising using auto
not affect the interaction between the customer and customer
feedback system 18. mated number identification to determine the identity of the
caller and using the identity to retrieve caller characteristics.
It should be noted that the hardware and software compo 8. A method of improving caller satisfaction comprising:
nents depicted in the example embodiment represent func receiving an inbound inquiry from a caller,
tional elements that are reasonably self-contained so that each receiving an indication of a task from the caller,
can be designed, constructed, or updated Substantially inde routing the inbound inquiry based on the task indicated by
pendently of the others. In other embodiments, however, it 25
the caller to an automated self-service application
should be understood that the components may be imple including at least one user interface menu presented to
mented as hardware, Software, or combinations of hardware the caller;
and software for providing the functionality described and responsive to an indication that the caller completed the
illustrated herein. In other embodiments, systems incorporat indicated task and before terminating the inbound
ing the invention may include personal computers, mini com 30
inquiry, automatically asking the caller a set of Survey
puters, mainframe computers, distributed computing sys questions, the survey questions concerning interaction
tems, and other suitable devices. of the caller with the self-service application;
Other embodiments of the invention also include com
puter-usable media encoding logic Such as computer instruc receiving from the caller one or more Survey responses to
tions for performing the operations of the invention. Such 35 the Survey questions;
computer-usable media may include, without limitation, Stor based at least in part on the Survey responses, updating the
age media such as floppy disks, hard disks, CD-ROMs, DVD set of Survey questions.
ROMs, read-only memory, and random access memory; as 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising storing the
well as communications media Such as wires, optical fibers, received Survey responses in a database.
microwaves, radio waves, and other electromagnetic or opti 40 10. The method of claim 8, further comprising obtaining
cal carriers. caller identification information and using the caller identifi
In addition, one of ordinary skill will appreciate that other cation information to retrieve caller characteristics.
embodiments can be deployed with many variations in the 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the caller character
number and type of devices in the system, the communication istics include account activity information.
protocols, the system topology, the distribution of various 45 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the caller character
Software and data components among the hardware systems istics include caller status information indicative of a pre
in the network, and myriad other details without departing mium status of the caller.
from the present invention. 13. The method of claim 10, wherein routing the call com
Although the present invention has been described in prises routing the based at least in part on the caller charac
detail, it should be understood that various changes, Substi 50 teristics.
tutions and alterations can be made hereto without departing 14. The method of claim 8, further comprising using auto
from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the mated number identification to determine the identity of the
appended claims. caller and using the identity to retrieve caller characteristics.
What is claimed is: 55
15. A method of improving caller satisfaction comprising:
1. A method of improving caller satisfaction comprising: receiving an inbound inquiry from a caller,
receiving an inbound inquiry from a caller, receiving an indication of a task from the caller,
receiving an indication of a task from the caller, routing the inbound inquiry based on the task indicated by
routing the inbound inquiry based on the task indicated by the caller to an automated self-service application
the caller to an automated self-service application 60 including a set of user interface menus presented to the
including at least one user interface menu presented to caller;
the caller; monitoring interaction of the caller with the user interface
after an indication that the caller completed the indicated menus to determine whether the caller completes the
task and before terminating the inbound inquiry, auto indicated task;
matically asking the caller a set of Survey questions, the 65 upon determining completion of the identified task and
Survey questions concerning interaction of the caller before terminating the inbound inquiry, automatically
with the self-service application; asking the caller a set of Survey questions, the Survey
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13 14
questions concerning interaction of the caller with the progression within the self-service application to recognize a
self-service application; particular menu associated with completion of the indicated
caller task.
storing responses to the Survey in a database; and
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising storing in
based at least in part on the responses to the Survey, modi a database data indicating that the task was completed.
fying the self-service application. 19. The method of claim 15, further comprising terminat
16. The method of claim 15, wherein monitoring interac ing communication with the caller prior to analyzing the
tion comprises monitoring the caller's selections and Survey responses.
responses made with a user interface menu. 20. The method of claim 15, wherein routing the inbound
17. The method of claim 16, wherein monitoring interac 10 inquiry consists of routing to a human agent or to a self
tion to determine whether the caller completes the indicated service application.
task comprises comparing the caller task with the caller's