Customer support systems have over many years been largely based on telephone call centers. Referring to FIG. 1, in a typical call center 100, a number of agents 130 process incoming customer telephone calls. A customer 160 typically places their call using a conventional telephone 150. The call is passed through a public switched telephone network (PSTN) 180 to call center 100. At the call center, telephone switching equipment 110, including switches, private branch exchanges (PBXs), automatic call distributors (ACDs) and interactive voice response units (IVRs, VRUs), route the incoming telephone call from customers 160 to an agent 130. Routing of the incoming telephone call often occurs after the call has been placed in a queue temporarily waiting for an available agent 130. Each agent interacts with a caller over a telephone interface and typically accesses one or more computer server applications 140, such as database applications holding data related to the caller. The agent typically uses an agent console 120 that includes the telephone interface as well as a computer interface. In call centers, an agent may have to handle different types of customer requests, such applications can include billing, order management or provisioning, trouble reporting and tracking (often termed"help desk"applications), and sales support. To access these applications, an agent may have to maintain separate terminal sessions with each of the applications, and may have to reenter information related to the customer repeatedly to access each application. Organizations often have made substantial investment in these server applications making it uneconomical or technically difficult to migrate the functionality into an integrated application that handles multiple functions.

Call centers have incorporated increasingly sophisticated technology in some of their systems. For instance, callers can interact with interactive voice response (IVR) systems prior to or instead of speaking to an operator, for instance providing information using telephone touch tones by pressing buttons on their telephones. Also, the switches and ACDs can use caller identification and dialed number information to automatically route callers to the most appropriate operators. In many systems in which the identity of a caller or other information about the caller is known before the call is transferred to an agent, information is passed by telecommunication equipment along with the call. The operator's workstation then automatically accesses and displays information related to the caller, often prior to the operator even speaking to the caller.

Customer support organizations are increasingly attempting to use alternative methods of communicating with customers including inbound and outbound facsimile, electronic mail, and interactive computer applications, most recently based on the Internet World-Wide Web (the Web). Often, these alternative methods of communicating with customers are not directly integrated with the organization's call center system. That is, the alternative way of accessing the server applications may not be consistent with the manner in which the telephone agents access those applications.

SUMMARY The invention features a method and system for processing customer-made contacts over a number of access channels. The customer support system provides customer support functionality that allows customers to access the system over a variety of communication channels and provides access to a number of computer information systems, which may have a specific interface and data structure different from that of the others.

In a general aspect of the invention, the method includes the steps of receiving a customer contact over one of the access channels; determining a generic description of the customer contact including determining attributes of that customer contact; and selecting a destination for routing the customer contact.

Embodiments of this aspect of the invention may include one or more of the following features. Determining the generic description of the customer contact includes determining a source of the customer contact.

For example, determining the source includes extracting URLs, user name and password when the contact is accepted from the web. On the other hand, when the contact is accepted from the telephone or facsimile, determining the source includes extracting calling information (e. g., a caller ID, ANI, DNIS, caller entered digits). If the contact is accepted from email determining the source includes extracting email addresses of the customer and addressee.

The method further includes accessing information associated with the source from at least one database. An aggregation of the accessed information from the at least one database can be displayed, for example, to an agent; thus providing a"unified view"of the customer contact. Further, information, associated with a most recent contact from the source, can be retrieved from the database. The generic description of the customer contact can be in the form of a template having fields and determining the generic description includes entering a value in at least one of the fields.

The method also includes selecting a destination for routing can include applying rules stored in a rules database, for example, in a predefined sequence (i. e., forward- chaining) the destination for routing can be based on matching attributes of the customer with an agent (e. g., common spoken language) or the last agent with whom the customer last spoke. Selecting a destination for routing can also include establishing a direct communication link to the destination.

In another aspect of the invention, a customer support system for processing customer contacts received over access channels includes an access manager module which receives a customer contact over one of the access channels and determines a generic description of the customer contact including determining attributes of that customer contact; and a work flow engine which uses the generic description to select a destination for routing the customer contact.

Embodiments of this aspect of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The customer support system can further include data storage coupled to the workflow engine for storing data representing rules for selecting the destination for routing the customer contact. The customer support system can also include a connector module including at least one connector having a generic interface to the access manager and a specific interface to the destination.

The destination can be in the form of a computer information system having a first interface and a first computer storage, which stores customer information having a first data structure. The computer information system can be, for example a trouble ticketing system, a billing system, an order management system and a provisioning system.

The customer support system can further include a computer telephony server configured to receive a customer call, route the customer call to an agent and communicate with the manager module; a fax server configured to send and receive faxes to and from a customer's fax machine and communicate with the manager module; and an Internet server configured to receive and respond a customer request via Internet and communicate with the manager module. The customer support system can further include an e-mail server configured to receive e-mail, route the e-mail to an agent, and communicated with the manager module.

The customer support system can further include a data manager configured to access data from at least one database associated with a customer contact; and a connection manager configured to provide an interface for a customer contact to access the access manager. The access channels represent, for example, the Internet, an LAN, or a PSTN. In this

embodiment, the access manager is configured to provide an aggregation of the accessed information from the at least one database to a display.

Among other advantages, the method and customer support system described above advantageously reduces contact (e. g., Internet, telephone, email, and facsimile) handling time, resolves customer issues more quickly, utilizes workforce more efficiently by pooling email, facsimile, Internet and telephone call handling, increases self-service by customers, handles customer consistently regardless of access channel, increases opportunities for cross selling and up-selling, and requires less vendors to coordinate.

The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompa- nying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional call center; FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating hardware components of a customer support system according to this invention; FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating hardware components of a central server computer; FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating functional components of the customer support system; and FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating functional components of a support manager module.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. 2, a customer support system 200, provides support to a number of customers 160, who can access the system through a variety of access channels. These access channels include traditional telephone-based communication channels, which support voice or facsimile communication, as well as Internet-based communication channels, which support electronic mail, Web-based forms, and other message-based communication, as well as interactive communication, such as text chat, and voice-over-IP two-way voice communication. Using customer support system 200, customer 160 can interact with one or more of agents 130 and receive support using computer automated procedures. A feature of customer support system 200 is that the handling of a customer contact, which can be an interactive call or a discrete message that uses one of the access channels listed above, is

handled largely independently of which access channel the customer used. In this way, a customer receives a uniform"experience"independent of which access channel the customer contact was made, as well as providing consistency over a series of contacts when those contacts uses different access channels. For example, consistency is provided when a voice call follows-up a previous email from the customer regarding the same matter. In FIG. 2, for simplicity, only a single representative customer 160 and a single representative agent 130 are shown. Also, an"agent"can be any user of the customer support system, including technicians, supervisors, and other individuals who directly or indirectly provide support to the customers.

In this embodiment, customer support system 200 supports a service provider in the telecommunication industry, including, for example, an inter-exchange carrier (IXC), a cable company, a competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC), an alternative local exchange carrier (ALEC), or an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Such a service provider may need to field customer calls related to a wide range of types of requests such as billing, order entry, service provisioning, local number portability, asset management, quote generation, and equipment repair requests. A similar system can be used to support organizations in a wide range of industries, and alternative embodiments can include different sets of capabilities.

Customer support system 200 includes a number of hardware and software components. In this embodiment, the hardware components include telephony switching equipment 210, an Internet server computer 212, a central server computer 214, and a fax server 218. Other hardware components of customer support system 200 include a number of computer workstations 220, which provide interfaces to agents 130 using the system.

Central server computer 214 coordinates processing of incoming and outgoing contacts and coordinates operation of other components of the customer support system. As will be described in greater detail below, central server computer 214 includes a number of functional components which handle customer contacts through multiple incoming access channels, provide intelligent routing of customer calls, and access a number of computer information systems 240 which, for example, may include legacy systems that have a particular interface and data structure, to which the customer support system 200 is adapted.

Central server computer 214 provides a unified view containing related customer information from several computer information systems on an agent's workstation showing customer data. More specifically, central server 214 aggregates customer information from all of the customer information systems 240 connected to central server computer 214 and provides the agent with a screen view showing the aggregated customer information. A more detailed description of the functional elements of central computer server 214 is provided below in conjunction with FIG. 5.

Internet server computer 212 is coupled to central server computer 214 over a local area network (LAN, not shown). Internet server computer 212 is coupled to a data network, in this embodiment, to Internet 280. Client applications executing on a customer's computer 215 communicate over Internet 280 to Internet server applications executing on Internet server computer 212. For example, customer 160 can send electronic mail from computer 215 to Internet server computer 212, or establish an interactive session between a Web browser executing on computer 215 and a Web server application executing on Internet server computer 212. Internet server computer 212 includes an Internet telephony server application that allows customer to pass two-way voice conversations from computer 215 through Internet server computer 212 to telephony switching equipment 210 where it can be switched to an agent 130 connected to workstation 220. Internet server computer 212 also supports two-way interactive text exchange (chatting) between a customer and an agent.

Telephony switching equipment 210, which can include a switch, PBX, ACD, and VRU, is coupled to central server computer 214 by a Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) communication link 215. In this embodiment, the LAN is used to pass the CTI communication between central server computer 214 and telephony switching equipment 210. Telephony switching equipment 210 is also coupled to PSTN 180. Telephony switching equipment 210 receives customer telephone calls and associated data signals, such as caller identification and dialed number information, over its connection to PSTN 180.

Fax server 218 is coupled to PSTN 180 or Internet for sending and receiving faxes to and from customer's fax machine 216. Alternatively, fax calls are passed from PSTN 180 through telephony switching equipment 210 to fax server 218. Fax server 218 is coupled to central server computer 214 over the LAN. In this embodiment, fax server 218 is a general- purpose computer with special purpose hardware for receiving and sending fax transmissions.

Each agent 130 uses a computer workstation 220 to interact with the system. The workstation includes the functionality of a telephone for communicating with telephony switching equipment 210. Alternatively, agent 130 uses a conventional telephone station for communicating with the telephony switching equipment. Computer workstation 220 is coupled to central server computer 214 over the LAN.

Customer support system 200 also includes a number of computer information systems 240. Each of the computer information systems can have a unique, specific interface which differs from that of the others. Computer information system 240 provides, for example, access to a customer database, or access to an order tracking system. Central server computer 214 is coupled to the computer information system 240, for example, over the LAN or over serial terminal lines, in the event that central server computer 214 is being used to

emulate terminal sessions with the computer information system 240. Also, customer support system 200 may further include several central server computers 214 for scalability, workload distribution and fail-cover capabilities.

Referring to FIG. 3, in this embodiment, central server computer 214 is a general- purpose computer, such as an Intel Pentiumt based computer executing the Microsoft Windows NT (g) operating system, a product of Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA. Central server computer 214 includes a processor 310 and a program and data storage 320, including, for example, a combination of random access memory (RAM) and a magnetic disk. Program and data storage 320 stores software, which when executed on processor 310, implements functional elements of the system as described below. The software can be provided to central server computer 214 on a removable program storage medium 340, such as a CD- ROM, or provided to the server computer over a local area network (LAN) 350 from another computer. Central server computer 214 includes a LAN interface 330, such as an Ethernet interface, which provides a communication path to telephony switching equipment 210, computer workstations 220, computer information system 240, and to Internet server computer 212. In embodiments in which a separate Internet server computer 212 is used, the Internet server computer includes a similar hardware configuration as that shown for central server computer 214.

Referring to FIG. 4, customer support system 200 includes a number of functional components implemented on the hardware shown in FIG. 2. A support manager module 211, which executes on the central server computer 214, includes a manager module 500, a data storage 510 and a number of connectors 520. Manager module 500 provides central control of customer contacts. In performing this central control, the manager module communicates with a CT server 440, fax server 430, Internet server computer 212, a number of computer workstations 220 as well as the data storage 510 and the connectors 520. Data storage 510 stores customer account information, including interaction history, and rules for intelligent routing and for accessing computer information systems 240. Connectors 520 serve as interfaces for manager module 500 to access computer information systems 240, which may have a specific interface and data structure different from that of the others. An agent's computer workstation. 220 executes software that implements an agent desktop 450, which provides a screen-based interface to the agent. For instance, agent 130 interacts through a keyboard, mouse, and graphical display with agent desktop 450. In alternative embodiments, other input/output modes, such as audio for voice-over-IP applications, may be supported by agent desktop 450.

Referring to FIG. 5, manager module 500 includes an access manager 410, a connection manager 412, a workflow engine 414, and a data manager 416. In general, access

manager 410 centrally controls inbound and outbound communication with a customer 160 through any of the variety of access channels supported by the system. As will be described in greater detail below, workflow engine 414 determines the manner in which customer contacts are routed through the system. Data manager 416 on the other hand is responsible for accessing data in data storage 510 and computer information system 240, while connection manager 412 controls setup of direct communication links, such as voice telephone links, between customers 160 and agents'workstation 220.

Access Manager 410 Access manager 410 connects with Internet server computer 212, an ACD via CT server 440, fax server 430, workflow engine 414, and connection manager 412. Access manager accepts and processes e-mail and web requests from Internet server computer 212.

Access manager 410 is also responsible for ACD related operations including call control, call center agent control, email processing, contacts routing via the workflow engine 414 and initiating screen pops to the agents 130 via the connection manager 412.

While interfacing with email server 424, access manager 410 supports the following functionality: register with email server 424, email processing, sending email messages, transfer email messages, cancel email message, suspend email message, and hold email.

While interfacing with the ACD via the CT server 440, access manager 410 supports the following call control functions: register with ACD, new call, answer call, release call, outbound call, transfer call, conference call, dialing prefixes UUI (User to User Information), hold, forward/redirect, park, and speaker phone/mute. While interfacing with the ACD via CT server 440, access manager 410 supports the following customer contact center user based functionality : logon/logoff, ready/not ready, auxiliary work modes, breaks, supervisor assistance, activity codes, queue information, group information, agent information, and error reporting. This functionality can be invoked either directly by access manager 410 or based on requests from connection manager 412.

Access Manager 410 adds an incoming request to its own Universal Queue. This internal queue is used. for processing Internet and email requests, and for routing a telephone call. While interfacing with workflow engine 414, requests to route a customer 160 to an agent 130 or queue within the ACD will be received. Access manager 410 must be able to handle these requests: Direct Routing to an Agent 130-Responsible for ensuring the agent 130 is available and informing the ACD to route the call to the specified agent's phone. If the agent

130 is not available to service this request, access manager 410 must iterate through any additional choices provided by workflow engine 414.

Route call to an ACD queue-Responsible for routing the call to the specified queue on the ACD. Workflow engine 414 has determined that the call can be placed on a queue to be serviced at some future point rather than by an agent 130 immediately.

Update Agent Status-Responsible for updating the agent status with workflow engine 414 upon changes received from the agents 130 or the ACD.

While interfacing with connection manager 412 and the ACD, access manager 410 is responsible for telling connection manager 412 to initiate a screen pop for the specified agent 130. The command must also contain any information access manager 410 have received from any contact via the initial call or any UUI Access manager 410 accepts customer contacts from the various access channels over which customers 160 access customer support system 200. A customer contact refers to an interaction between the customer and the customer support system which, at the access manager, is typically represented by a message that the access manager receives in connection with that customer contact.

For instance, in the case of a telephone call placed by a customer, access manager 410 receives a message from CTI server 440 that typically includes the dialed number (DNIS) and the telephone number from which the customer is placing the call (ANI). In the case of an electronic mail message, access manager 440 receives the e-mail message from Internet server computer 212 indicating a"from"and"to"address for the electronic mail message, and optionally indicating other information about the customer contact, such as an order number in the"subject"field of the message. Access manager 410 can also communicate facsimile messages to a customer 160 by sending the facsimile message from fax server 430 to the customer's fax machine 216. In alternative embodiments, information may be received from a customer by receiving a facsimile at fax server 430, and information in the received fax is interpreted using automated algorithms (e. g., optical character recognition, OCR) or by a human operator viewing an image of the received fax. In the case of customer contacts over other of the available access channels, access manager receives whatever information is available about contacts on those access channels.

As a first step of processing a customer contact, access manager 410 forms a generic description of the contact based on the information it initially receives with the customer contact, as well as based on secondary information about the contact. This generic description or"contact abstraction"of the contact is then used to process the contact without necessarily having separate procedures for each access channel.

The generic description of the customer contact has a number of fields that access manager fills with values, or leaves empty if no value is available. For example, the generic description may include a"customer"field. Depending on the access channel, access manager may obtain a value for this field in different ways. In the case of a telephone call, the information (e. g., ANI, DNIS, Caller Entered Digits, Speech Recognition, etc.) received with the call is used to match the telephone number of a customer with a customer identification based on customer data stored in data storage 510. Similarly, in the case of an email contact, the"from"or"reply-to"fields are used to determine a customer identification.

In general, the mapping from information directly available about the customer contact to the generic fields for the contact is performed in a manner that depends on the access channel of the customer contact. Other generic fields are similarly filled in for the customer contact, such as information about the previous contact with that customer, such as an order number involved in the last contact, a date of the last contact, or the agent who handled the last contact. In addition, some field values (as opposed to the fields themselves) may reflect the nature of a customer contact, so that a contact may be routed based on the nature of the contact if necessary. For example, voice based telephone contact may receive preferential processing as compared to email contacts, even though both types of contacts are routed to agents using the same rules and procedures.

Workflow Engine 414 As a next step to processing a customer contact, the generic description is processed by a rules engine 620, that makes use of a number of logical rules. Each of the rules is of the form of a condition, and an action to perform if that condition is satisfied. A number of rules may be applicable at any one time, and each application of a rule may itself enable multiple other rules. In this embodiment, a commercially available engine that processes rules expressed in a language like OP5. The rules that are processed by workflow engine 414 described below.

Workflow engine 414 provides customizable treatment of customer contacts (e. g., e- mail, telephone call, etc.) through the use of a rule-based engine. For example, workflow engine 414 determines how calls and emails are routed. Also, workflow engine 414 determines if special screens of the customer's web client"pop-up"when accessing the customer support system 200 through the web server. Workflow engine 414 also determines special voice menus for an IVR that are based on a caller's profile and preferences. Also, different agent screens can be selected by workflow engine 414 depending on customer and agent characteristics, such as a skill level of the agent or the sophistication of the customer.

Workflow engine 414 will handle a number of functions within the support manager module 211 with regards to customer management and user interactions. The functions include: Routing-Workflow engine 414 manage the routing of a contact. Workflow engine 414 determines which agent (s)/queue (s) a contact should be routed to. Workflow engine 414 will interact with data manager 416 and access manger 410 to make intelligent decisions on which agent (s)/queue (s) are best suited for a particular contact. For example, the decision can be based on"language spoken"by the customer or"last agent"the customer spoke to.

Inference-Workflow engine 414"learns"a customer's habits over time. Based on learning these habits, it will be able to select better routing/screen pops. Workflow engine 414 will need customer history to perform an inference.

Screen Selection-Workflow engine 414 determines which client screen should be used based on rules stored in the data storage 510. This information will then be passed along to access manager 410. This may be done at the same time the agent (s)/queue (s) information is being passed back to access manager 410.

Maintaining State-Workflow engine 414 maintains the state of each agent 130.

Customer ID-Workflow engine 414 determines up-sell or cross-sell opportunities.

Case Based Reasoning-Workflow engine 414 engine reasons based on rules for problem determination and solution.

Scripting-Workflow engine 414 leads an agent or customer through a workflow based on historical or trend information and current interactions.

Data Manager 416 Data manager 416 accesses data stored from computer information systems 240 through connectors 520 and accesses rules stored in the data storage 510 for determining intelligent routing. Data manager 416 is also capable of writing data (e. g., from customers or agents) back to computer information systems 240. For example, data written to the computer information system may be an order over the phone or website, as well as loads the computer information systems 240. Data manager 416 and connectors 520 is designed in such a way that there will be no limitations on connections to computer information systems 240. Data manager 416 has the following functions: Load data storage 510-Data storage 510 is a set of database tables that store and retrieve complex customer information, relationships, and rules to support requests.

The data residing in the data storage 510 is used by workflow engine 414 to provide access manager 410 with routing data and routing decisions. Data manager 416 will

load the data storage 510 with customer data, agent data, and any other data that is significant for workflow decisions or"view"data on the agent's desktop.

Extract data storage 510-Data manager 416 provides a business object level abstraction of the data storage for use throughout the manager module 500 or for use by other related computer information systems 240.

Support connection manager 412-Connection manager 412 requires data for client desktop presentation and content-sensitive screen pops. Data objects utilized by connection manager 412 may come from the data storage 510, computer information systems 240 and CT server 440.

Configuration-Data Manager 416 is responsible for configuration of the repository data.

Connection Manager 412 Connection manager 412 will provide the supporting process that will enable agents 130 to interface with manager module 500. Connection manager 412 will be a local server that will communicate to other components in manager module 500 using COM (Component Object Model, which enables programmers to develop objects that can be accessed by any COM-compliant application) as the interface mechanism.

Client connections will be handled via TCP sockets using a pre-defined port number.

Each client will be handled on a per session basis, each with its own queue to handle all requests generated by the client. All synchronous or asynchronous interactions to other server components will be via COM interfaces with the use of connection points.

Applications executing on computer information systems 240 The main applications executing on the computer information systems 240 to which the support manager module 211 will interface include but not limited to: Order Entry Order Status Billing Service Provisioning Repair/Trouble Ticket Systems Local Number Portability (LNP) Interface to the data storage 510 Data storage 510 includes generic customer information and rules. The rules for intelligent routing may come from one or many tables in one or more disparate computer

information systems 240 across the customer support system 200. In the overall architecture of the customer support system 200, the number of data sources will vary from customer to customer depending on the resources available to them, existing systems and applications, data requirements, and/or scalability requirements. Because data relevant to a customer can come from any number of computer information systems 240 across the customer support system 200, a process will be created to aggregate the data into the data storage 510 to facilitate easy access to the data with adequate response times from the components requesting data. As discussed above, this process is referred to as providing a"unified view." A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the functionality of central server computer 214, Internet server computer 212 and fax server 218 can be combined to be hosted on a single computer. Also, a different division of functionality between telephony switching equipment 210 and central server computer 214 can be implemented. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is: