Triggering, conducting, and analyzing an automated survey

Abstract

Systems and methods for analyzing results of an automated survey are provided. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method comprises conducting, by a processing device, an automated survey on a survey recipient associated with a customer location. The automated survey is configured to prompt the survey recipient regarding the quality of a service performed for a customer associated with the customer location. The method also includes receiving survey result information from the survey recipient in response to conducting the automated survey. The method further includes analyzing the survey result information and determining if one or more subsequent follow-up actions are warranted based in part on analyzing the survey result information.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for conducting an automated survey regarding quality of a service performed by a servicer for a customer associated with a customer location and determining if at least one follow-up action is warranted based in part on analyzing survey result information, the computer-implemented method comprising the steps of:
 conducting of a survey recipient associated with the customer location the automated survey regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location, the automated survey being configured by a computer utilizing a processing device to automatically prompt the survey recipient for survey result information regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location;   after conducting of the survey recipient the automated survey regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location, automatically receiving, by the computer, the survey result information regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location;   in response to receiving the survey result information regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location, automatically analyzing by the computer the survey result information by performing a numerical analysis of the survey result information regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location; and   in response to the performing of the numerical analysis of the survey result information regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location, determining by the computer if at least one subsequent follow-up action is warranted.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 receiving, by a computer, a notification of an occurrence of a trigger event associated with a completion of the service performed for the customer associated with the customer location;   waiting a configurable amount of time after receiving the notification of the occurrence of the trigger event; and   after waiting the configurable amount of time, initiating the conducting of the automated survey.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing the numerical analysis includes calculating a score based in part on answers provided by the survey recipient in response to one or more survey questions in the automated survey. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein the answers provided by the survey recipient are numeric answers ranging from a number that substantially represents “completely dissatisfied” to another number that substantially represents “completely satisfied.” 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the score is an average of the numeric answers, and wherein the step of determining if at least one subsequent follow-up action is warranted includes determining by the computer if the score is below a threshold. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of determining if at least one subsequent follow-up action is warranted includes determining if at least one numeric answer is below a threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of conducting the automated survey on a survey recipient includes utilizing a survey scheduling queue to determine when the automated survey will take place. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the customer is also the survey recipient. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein all the claimed steps are performed by means for accomplishing the claimed steps. 
     
     
         10 . A survey result analysis system for conducting an automated survey regarding quality of a service performed by a servicer for a customer associated with a customer location and determining if at least one follow-up action is warranted based in part on analyzing survey result information, the survey result analysis system comprising:
 a processing device associated with a computing system, the processing device configured to execute a survey program; and   a memory device in communication with the processing device, the memory device configured to store a database and the survey program, the survey program including
 a survey conducting module configured to automatically conduct on a survey recipient associated with the customer location the automated survey regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location, the automated survey being configured to prompt the survey recipient for survey result information regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location, and 
 an automated survey result analyzing module configured to perform a numerical analysis on received survey result information regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer associated with the customer location, the automated survey result analyzing module further configured to determine if at least one subsequent follow-up action is warranted based in part on performing the numerical analysis of the survey result information from the survey. 
   
     
     
         11 . The survey result analysis system of  claim 10 , wherein the survey program is further configured to enable the processing device to receive a notification of an occurrence of a trigger event associated with a completion of the service performed for the customer associated with the customer location and to wait a configurable amount of time after receiving the notification before conducting the automated survey. 
     
     
         12 . The survey result analysis system of  claim 10 , wherein the survey program is further configured to enable the processing device to calculate scores based in part on numeric answers provided by the survey recipient in response to a plurality of survey questions in the automated survey, wherein acceptable numeric answers range from 1 to 5, where an answer of 1 represents “completely dissatisfied” and an answer of 5 represents “completely satisfied.” 
     
     
         13 . The survey result analysis system of  claim 12 , wherein the processing device determines whether at least one subsequent follow-up action is warranted if the processing device determines that an average of the numeric answers is below 3.0 or if one or more numeric answers are 1. 
     
     
         14 . The survey result analysis system of  claim 10 , wherein the survey conducting module includes a survey scheduling queue to determine when the automated survey will take place. 
     
     
         15 . The survey result analysis system of  claim 10 , wherein the survey program is further configured to set a flag to open a follow-up case upon determining that at least one subsequent follow-up action is warranted. 
     
     
         16 . The survey result analysis system of  claim 10 , wherein all of the claimed functions are performed by means for accomplishing the claimed functions. 
     
     
         17 . A computer-implemented method for conducting an automated survey regarding quality of a service performed by a servicer for a customer associated with a customer location, the computer-implemented method comprising the steps of:
 conducting of a survey recipient associated with the customer location the automated survey regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location, the automated survey being configured by a computer utilizing a processing device to automatically prompt the survey recipient for survey result information regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location;   after conducting of the survey recipient the automated survey regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location, automatically receiving, by the computer, the survey result information regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location;   after receiving the survey result information regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location, automatically determining by the computer if a voice message was received in response to the conducting of the automated survey regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location; and   responsive to determining that a voice message was received in response to the conducting of the automated survey regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location, presenting by the computer the voice message to a person for listening to the voice message.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 17 , wherein the presenting by the computer the voice message to a person for listening to the voice message includes designating from other survey result information a survey results record associated with the voice message, and wherein the computer-implemented method comprises receiving by the computer follow-up action information from the person after the voice message is presented to the person. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 17 , further comprising automatically analyzing the survey result information by the computer with a numeric analysis based in part on numeric answers provided by the survey recipient in response to survey questions in the automated survey. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein the numeric analysis includes calculation of a score based on the numeric answers. 
     
     
         21 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of conducting the automated survey on a survey recipient includes utilizing a survey scheduling queue to determine when the automated survey will take place. 
     
     
         22 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 17 , wherein all the claimed steps are performed by means for accomplishing the claimed steps. 
     
     
         23 . A survey result analysis system for conducting an automated survey regarding quality of a service performed by a servicer for a customer associated with a customer location, the survey result analysis system comprising:
 a processing device associated with a computing system, the processing device configured to execute a survey program; and   a memory device in communication with the processing device, the memory device configured to store a database and the survey program, the survey program including
 a survey conducting module configured to automatically conduct on a survey recipient associated with the customer location the automated survey regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location, the automated survey being configured to prompt the survey recipient for survey result information regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location, and 
 an automated survey result analyzing module configured to automatically determine if a voice message was received in response to the conducting of the automated survey regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location, the automated survey result analysis module being further configured to present the voice message to a person for listening to the voice message in response to a determination that the voice message was received in response to the conducting of the automated survey regarding the quality of the service performed by the servicer for the customer associated with the customer location. 
   
     
     
         24 . The survey result analysis system of  claim 23 , wherein the automated survey result analysis module is further configured to designate from other survey result information a survey results record associated with the voice message, and wherein the survey program further includes a module for receiving by the computer follow-up action information from the person after the voice message is presented to the person. 
     
     
         25 . The survey result analysis system of  claim 23 , wherein the automated survey result analysis module is further configured to calculate scores based in part on numeric answers to survey questions in the automated survey. 
     
     
         26 . The survey result analysis system of  claim 23 , wherein the automated survey result analysis module is further configured to determine if at least one follow-up action is warranted if an average of numeric answers is below 3.0. 
     
     
         27 . The survey result analysis system of  claim 23 , wherein the automated survey result analysis module is further configured to determine if at least one follow-up action is warranted if at least one numeric answer is below a threshold. 
     
     
         28 . The survey result analysis system of  claim 23 , wherein the survey conducting module utilizes a survey scheduling queue to determine when the automated survey will take place. 
     
     
         29 . The survey result analysis system of  claim 23 , wherein the survey program is further configured to set a flag to open a follow-up case based on the follow-up action information received from the person after the voice message is presented to the person. 
     
     
         30 . The survey result analysis system of  claim 23 , wherein all the claimed functions are performed by means for accomplishing the claimed functions.