Social media feedback for routing user communications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9712481-B2
Application number	US-201414448365-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2014
Priority date	Jul 31, 2014
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A call handling platform receives a call placed by a caller to a calling number. The platform examines parameters of the call, determines identifying information of the caller and matches the identifying information with a social network username corresponding to a social media network. The platform obtains the caller's social network data from the social media network. Using the social network data, the platform computes a social network influence score for the caller. The platform compares the social network influence score to a predetermined influence score threshold value and determines that the social network influence score for the caller indicates that the activity of the caller in the social media network has a high level of impact. The platform accordingly selects a first human agent at a call center and routes the call to the first human agent at the call center.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, at a call handling platform, a call placed by a caller to a calling number;
examining, by the call handling platform, parameters of the call;
determining, by the call handling platform, identifying information of the caller based on examining the parameters of the call;
matching, by the call handling platform, the identifying information of the caller with a social network username corresponding to a social media network;
obtaining, by the call handling platform and from the social media network, social network data associated with the caller using the social network username;
analyzing, by the call handling platform, the social network data;
in response to analyzing the social network data, measuring, by the call handling platform, values of one or more social network parameters that are configured with first weights by a first content provider associated with the calling number, the first weights of the one or more social network parameters being distinct from second weights of the one or more social network parameters that are configured by a second content provider different from the first content provider, wherein the first weights and the second weights of the one or more social network parameters are concurrently stored in a storage medium associated with the call handling platform;
computing, by the call handling platform, a social network influence score for the caller using the values of the one or more social network parameters that are configured with the first weights, wherein the social network influence score reflects a numerical measure of a level of impact of activity of the caller in the social media network;
accessing, by the call handling platform, a predetermined influence score threshold value;
comparing, by the call handling platform, the social network influence score to the influence score threshold value;
conditioned on determining, by the call handling platform and based on the comparing, that the social network influence score for the caller indicates that the activity of the caller in the social media network has a high level of impact, selecting a first human agent at a call center; and
routing, by the call handling platform, the call to the first human agent at the call center.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining a list of human agents available at the call center for handling the call;
determining one or more characteristics of the human agents; and
selecting the first human agent for routing the call based on the determined characteristics of the human agents and the social network influence score of the caller.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that a human agent is not available at present to handle the call; and
in response to the determining, placing the call in a call waiting queue, wherein an order of calls placed in the call waiting queue are based on social network influence scores of associated callers.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more social network parameters are configured by the first content provider using a graphical user interface (GUI) provided by the call handling platform, the method further comprising:
assigning the first weights to the one or more social network parameters, wherein the first weights are configured by the first content provider; and
computing the social network influence score based on the values of the one or more social network parameters weighted using the first weights.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the call placed by the caller comprises:
initially routing the call to an interactive voice response (IVR) module associated with the call handling platform;
collecting data points based on an interaction of the caller with the IVR module during the call;
computing an experience score for the caller using the data points, wherein the experience score reflects a numerical measure of a level of satisfaction of the caller in interacting with the IVR module during the call;
accessing a predetermined experience score threshold value that indicates a first level of caller satisfaction;
comparing the experience score to the experience score threshold value; and
conditioned on determining, based on the comparing, that the experience score for the caller indicates that the caller has a lower level of satisfaction than the first level of satisfaction, deciding to route the call to a human agent at the call center.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining whether an option for recording a call is enabled; and
based on determining that the option for recording a call is enabled, initiating recording of interaction between the caller and the first human agent.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the social network influence score for the caller indicates that the activity of the caller in the social media network has a high level of impact comprises determining that the social network influence score for the caller is greater than the influence score threshold value.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second content provider is associated with a second calling number, the method comprising:
receiving, at the call handling platform, a second call placed by a second caller to the second calling number;
examining, by the call handling platform, parameters of the second call;
determining, by the call handling platform, identifying information of the second caller based on examining the parameters of the second call;
matching, by the call handling platform, the identifying information of the second caller with a second social network username corresponding to the social media network;
obtaining, by the call handling platform and from the social media network, second social network data associated with the second caller using the second social network username;
analyzing, by the call handling platform, the second social network data;
in response to analyzing the second social network data, measuring, by the call handling platform, values of the one or more social network parameters that are configured with the second weights by the second content provider;
computing, by the call handling platform, a second social network influence score for the second caller using the values of the one or more social network parameters that are configured with the second weights, wherein the second social network influence score reflects a numerical measure of a level of impact of activity of the second caller in the social media network;
accessing, by the call handling platform, a predetermined second influence score threshold value;
comparing, by the call handling platform, the second social network influence score to the second influence score threshold value;
conditioned on determining, by the call handling platform and based on the comparing, that the second social network influence score for the second caller indicates that the activity of the second caller in the social media network has a high level of impact, selecting a second human agent at a call center; and
routing, by the call handling platform, the second call to the second human agent at the call center.

9. A system comprising:
a call handling platform that includes a processor and instructions stored in a machine-readable medium that, when executed by the processor, are configured to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, at the call handling platform, a call placed by a caller to a calling number;
examining, by the call handling platform, parameters of the calf;
determining, by the call handling platform, identifying information of the caller based on examining the p

Assignees

• Angel Com Incorporated
• Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Inc

Inventors

• Harasimiuk Pawel
• Wellman Aaron
• Frazier Lindsay
• Kumar Praphul

Classifications

• H04M2203/655

  Combination of telephone service and social networking · CPC title

• H04M3/5191 Primary

  interacting with the Internet · CPC title

• H04L51/32 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L51/52 Primary

  for supporting social networking services · CPC title