Abstract A customer-interaction network operating system for managing interactions in a multimedia communication center has an external media layer for managing media contact between customers and the communication center, a workflow layer for processing customer interactions and routing events to enterprise agents and knowledge workers; and an internal media layer for managing media contact with the agents and knowledge workers. The workflow layer captures each transaction, prepares a text version of at least a portion of each non-text transaction, and extracts knowledge from the text transaction or text version of a non-text transaction to be stored in a knowledge base for later use in routing and other management functions. All transactions, text versions, and extracted knowledge is related in storage for future analysis and use.
A method for managing transactions between transaction partners, including customers, business partners, agents, and knowledge workers, in a multimedia communication center, comprising steps of; a) managing media contact between the customers, business partners and the communication center by an external media layer; b) processing transactions by a workflow layer, including capturing each transaction as a multimedia file and extracting knowledge from transactions; c) managing media contact with the agents and knowledge workers by an internal media layer; d) providing a knowledge base for storing extracted knowledge from transactions and relationships between transactions; and e) routing media events between the transaction partners based on the knowledge and relationships of transactions in the knowledge base.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
113 words
A method for managing transactions between transaction partners, including customers, business partners, agents, and knowledge workers, in a multimedia communication center, comprising steps of; a) managing media contact between the customers, business partners and the communication center by an external media layer; b) processing transactions by a workflow layer, including capturing each transaction as a multimedia file and extracting knowledge from transactions; c) managing media contact with the agents and knowledge workers by an internal media layer; d) providing a knowledge base for storing extracted knowledge from transactions and relationships between transactions; and e) routing media events between the transaction partners based on the knowledge and relationships of transactions in the knowledge base.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method of claim 1 wherein in step b) the workflow layer comprises further steps of; identifying customer transactions by customer and media type; preparing and storing a text version of at least a portion of the transaction, associating the text version with the transaction, mining the text versions for knowledge; storing the knowledge in the knowledge base; and using the extracted knowledge at least for routing media events between transaction partners.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein, in step (b) recorded transactions are threaded chronologically, and knowledge from previously threaded transactions are also used in the routing of incoming media events between transaction partners.