Presence awareness agent

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a customer contact 100 in which a agent service function 136 to collect predetermined types of information regarding the contact and/or the contact center 100 and interface with the contact. The interface can include presenting service options to the contact. A mood detector 152 can be used to collect information about the customer's state of mind.

1 - 66 . (canceled)  
     
     
         67 . A method for servicing contacts, comprising: 
 determining whether a contact center has a predetermined state;    when the contact center has the predetermined state, creating topical dynamic chats on a topic-by-topic basis to service sets of customers; and    when the contact center does not have the predetermined state, not creating topical dynamic chats.    
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein the predetermined state is at least one of an expected wait time exceeds a predetermined level, a size of a selected queue exceeds a predetermined threshold, and a staffing level falls below a predetermined level.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein, when the contact center has the predetermined state, determining for a selected customer whether the selected customer is willing to participate in a chat in the event that one will be offered related to the topic for which the selected customer is calling and how the selected customer would like to be notified when and if a chat is formed.  
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein, when the chat is to be offered at a later time, a selected customer is given a unique access code to enter the chat automatically upon entry of the code.  
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein, if a selected customer is interested in the chat but elects not to participate in the chat, the selected customer is provided with a transcript of the chat.  
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein, while a selected customer is participating in a chat, a queue position of the selected customer is maintained and wherein, in a selected chat session, different participants use different contact modes.  
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein the contact center has the predetermined state and the creating step comprises the substeps: 
 determining whether there is a contact center resource able to moderate a chat on a selected topic;    determining whether there is a sufficient number of customers to participate in the chat on the selected topic;    when a contact center resource is identified and a sufficient number of customers exists to participate in the chat on the selected topic, creating the chat on the selected topic; and    when a contact center resource is not identified and/or a sufficient number of customers does not exist to participate in the chat on the selected topic, not creating the chat on the selected topic.    
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 73 , wherein, when the chat on the selected topic is created, the identified contact center resource is provided with chat configuration rules and/or parameters, a script for the chat, and selected information on each chat participant and wherein the selected information comprises a plurality of a value of each participant to the contact center, a need of each participant, and historical information about each participant.  
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein the contact center has the predetermined state and the creating step comprises the substeps: 
 receiving an incoming contact from a first customer;    determining whether an eligible chat exists for the incoming contact;    when an eligible chat exists, determining whether the eligible chat has an opening;    when an eligible chat exists and has an opening, connecting the incoming contact to the chat; and    announcing the first customer to a moderator of the chat and other participants in the chat.    
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein the contact center has the predetermined state and the creating step comprises the substeps: 
 determining that a customer has left an ongoing chat and a chat vacancy has been created;    determining whether the contact center is configured to allow barge in of another customer into the ongoing chat;    when the contact center is configured to allow barge in of another customer into the ongoing chat, connecting a second customer with the ongoing chat; and    when the contact center is not configured to allow barge in of another customer into the ongoing chat, not connecting a second customer with the ongoing chat.    
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein the contact center has the predetermined state and the creating step comprises the substeps: 
 determining that a chat has ended and a chat moderator is now available;    identifying a chat having at least a selected value to the contact center, the value being based on one or more of the following: a business rule, a service level requirement, a contact center state, a predicted queue wait time, a staffing level, available resources, available skill levels, current populations for the possible chat sessions, a length of the possible chat sessions, the contents of the possible chat sessions, and a potential revenue realized from the possible chat sessions; and    assigning the chat moderator to the identified chat.    
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein the contact center has the predetermined state, wherein an initial contact mode of a selected customer is changed to a different contact mode, and wherein one of the following is true: 
 the initial contact mode is a text communication on a first channel and, after a keyword is inputted successfully, the different contact mode is instant messaging on a second channel different from the first channel; and    the initial contact mode is a electronic mail and, after a hotlink in an electronic mail is selected, the different contact mode is a text chat.    
     
     
         79 . A computer readable medium comprising processor executable instructions to perform the steps of  claim 67.