Telephone call processing modifications related to call acceptance for an incoming call received at a contact center

摘要

Modifications to the call acceptance process in a call handler allows determination of how to process a call before the call is answered. In one embodiment a call handler receives an incoming call notification message that include call related information, such as the calling and called telephone numbers. A call acceptance timer is started after the incoming call notification message is received. Prior to accepting the call, the call handler uses the call related information to ascertain an appropriate queue and an available agent in that queue. If an appropriate agent is available, the timer is stopped, the call is accepted, and the call is routed to the appropriate agent. If an agent is not available, then upon expiry of the timer, the call is accepted and an announcement may be played to the calling party, while awaiting for an agent to become available.

主权项

1. A method for processing an incoming call comprising a voice call at a call handler in a contact center wherein the incoming call originates from a calling party, the method comprising:
receiving a call establishment request at an interface to a carrier offering the incoming call to the call handler, wherein the call establishment request includes a number corresponding to a telephone number dialed by the calling party; starting a call acceptance timer in the call handler after receiving the call establishment request, wherein expiry of the call acceptance timer causes the call handler to send a call acceptance message to the carrier accepting the incoming call; using the number corresponding to the telephone number dialed by the calling party to ascertain a group comprising one or more agents configured to accept calls directed to the telephone number; queuing the incoming call for the group prior to accepting the incoming call; detecting in the call handler an event comprising an earlier occurrence of one of:
an agent from among the group is available to accept the incoming call prior to an expiry of the call acceptance timer, andthe expiry of the call acceptance timer has occurred prior to the agent becoming available to accept the incoming call; sending the call acceptance message over the interface to the carrier accepting the incoming call in response to detecting the event; routing the incoming call to the agent if the agent is available to accept the incoming call prior to the expiry of the call acceptance timer; and providing an announcement to the calling party if the agent is not available to accept the incoming call prior to the expiry of the call acceptance timer.