A call handler is configured to originate calls using records stored in a contact list by using various campaign call data comprising a set of calling party numbers or “ANIs” that are to be used when originating calls. Each ANI is associated with a status, which reflects whether a terminating voice service provider has blocked a prior call using that ANI. The call handler is configured to recognize when a call is blocked by examining SIP protocol-based error codes and/or intercept announcements provided by the carrier when the call is blocked. Upon detecting the call is blocked, the call handler will update the status of that ANI and select another ANI value from the campaign call data to use for subsequent call originations of that campaign. A set of ANIs that a carrier has blocked may be stored to facilitate subsequent redress with that carrier.

A call center system has a computerized server executing software (SW) from a machine-readable medium, a data collection function of the SW enabled for collecting data regarding incoming transactions, a data processing function coupled to the data collection engine and enabled for processing the data collected against a set of business rules, the data processing function determining a priority level for individual ones of the incoming transactions, and a distribution function enabled for distributing a priority indication determined by the data processing function to one or more presentation interfaces accessible to agents, at or near the time the associated transaction is engaged by the agent.

Various embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for using real-time speech analytics to navigate a call that has reached a machine or service. In various embodiments, a call leg is established from a call handler handling the call to a speech analytics system configured to analyze the call to detect keywords. As the speech analytics system monitors the call, the speech analytics system sends an event to the call handler upon detecting a keyword. In turn, the call handler carries out some action based on the event that is configured to advance the progress of the call. Accordingly, if the call handler determines a live party has been reached on the call as result of the action, the call handler connects the call with a second live party to converse with the live party reached on the call.

A dialer in a contact center is managed by a Communication Attempt Management System (“CAMS”) for tracking the total number of communications attempts, including voice calls, originated to an individual within a period of time. A list comprising account data of a plurality individuals may be processed by the CAMS to identify those accounts exceeding a weekly limit on the number of allowable communication attempts and are not authorized to receive further communications in that period of time. The list is modified to reflect those accounts which have not exceeded their corresponding limit and are authorized to be contacted. The modified list is provided to the dialer, which then originates a call to each account. The CAMS may then update each account to reflect each communication attempt made by the dialer and whether the communication is considered exempt or non-exempt with respect to the communication limits.

A predictive dialer in a call center may originate a number of outbound calls on behalf of agents for an outbound call campaign. Since many calls may fail to connect with the right party, the predictive dialer may originate several contemporaneous calls in order to provide a single call to an available agent. A pacing algorithm in the predictive dialer determines how many calls are to be made based on various factors, conditions, and rules. In some instances, the predictive dialer may attempt to originate more calls than there are available trunks. In such instances, the number of originated calls is limited by the number of available trunks causing a trunk-related deficiency condition, which can adversely impact the agents' performance. Various embodiments of the invention detect such conditions and address them to attempt to minimize current and future trunk-related deficiency conditions.

An agent queuing system implemented without relying on a private branch exchange. The queuing system can be cloud-based and routes calls to agents, for example, through a first-in/first-out (FIFO) queue. Clients are assigned a unique number that identify one or more queues. When a call is received, a database maintains the unique number that was called and the associated company information is retrieved, along with any queues allocated for their company. A call is placed to the next available agent from the selected queue. A recording is played to the agent identifying the queue the call is arriving from and the agent is prompted to accept the call. If the call is accepted, the agent is taken out of the available agent pool for the duration of the call. The call can be routed without exposing the phone numbers of the caller or agent involved in the call.

A system and method are disclosed herein for an automated progressive dialer system. The system comprises maintaining a callee database for a calling campaign. A Presence registrar is maintains a list of call center agents, wherein the list comprises the agent's current state, account information and other metrics. An agent progressive dialer (APD) indicates an agent's current state to the Presence registrar and maintains an agent's open line to connect with a connected outbound call to a callee. One or more callees are selected to call based upon the agent's current state. Outbound calls are placed to the selected callee using a callee progressive dialer (CPD). Upon successfully connecting a call to a callee, the Presence registrar provides an available agent with an open line to receive the call. The CPD then bridges the successfully connected callee outbound call with the available agent's open line on the APD.

An agent queuing system implemented without relying on a private branch exchange. The queuing system can be cloud-based and routes calls to agents, for example, through a first-in/first-out (FIFO) queue. Clients are assigned a unique number that identify one or more queues. When a call is received, a database maintains the unique number that was called and the associated company information is retrieved, along with any queues allocated for their company. A call is placed to the next available agent from the selected queue. A recording is played to the agent identifying the queue the call is arriving from and the agent is prompted to accept the call. If the call is accepted, the agent is taken out of the available agent pool for the duration of the call. The call can be routed without exposing the phone numbers of the caller or agent involved in the call.

Various embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for generating a roster template used in scheduling agent resources to conduct a first campaign and a second campaign involving two different channels of communication. Specifically, forecasts are generated for the first and second campaigns and agent resources needed to handle communications forecasted for each campaign are identified. A roster template is generated that includes one or more shifts to schedule based on the agent resources identified for the first campaign and evaluated to identify whether a deficiency exists with respect to the one or more shifts not meeting the agent resources identified for the second campaign. If so, the one or more shifts are revised so as not to cause a second deficiency with respect to the first campaign.

To detect side-by-side parked vehicles at night, the present invention discloses a night-detection device and method. The night-detection device comprises a moving-vehicle sensor and a parked-vehicle sensor. It uses the light beam from a passing-by vehicle to extract at least a reflection of at least a head-light or at least a portion of a front bumper.