Method and apparatus of providing live support service in a notification system

• US 10,200,334 B1
• Filed: 02/21/2017
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: West Technology Group LLC (West Corporation)
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Cordell, Jeffrey William, Boutcher, James K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nano, Sargon N
• Application Number:
  US15/437,849
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/01 Customer relationship services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

A method and apparatus of providing notifications to a customer is disclosed. One example method of operation may include identifying a notification event associated with a customer via a customer management module and retrieving a customer preference record and determining a notification device preference for a customer Internet protocol (IP) device included in the customer preference record. The method may also include transmitting the notification event to the customer'"'"'s IP device based on the notification device preference, the notification event may include a live agent support option which may be accessed in the event that the automated support options fail to satisfy the customer'"'"'s questions and concerns.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting a notification event to a customer'"'"'s device based on a notification device preference and based on a content of the notification event, the notification event including a live agent support option and a video message option explaining a purpose of the notification event and answering questions pertaining to the notification event, the transmitting based on a request to receive the notification event;

receiving a response from the customer'"'"'s device requesting information regarding preparation for the notification event; and

providing the customer'"'"'s device with access to the requested information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising forwarding the notification event to a notification management module which retrieves a customer preference record and creates a delivery setup configuration used to initiate communication with the customer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification event is a least one of a doctor appointment, medical procedure, a recurring reminder and an educational data segment transmitted as at least one of a video, audio, multi-media and text message.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the customer'"'"'s preference record comprises a communication device type preference and a message type preference.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein contacting the customer further comprises transmitting a plurality of options to the customer'"'"'s device via a push notification protocol the plurality of options comprising at least one of a message access option, a calendar application updating option, and a rescheduling option.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the response from the customer'"'"'s device confirms receipt of the notification event.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

receiving a request for additional help from the customer after receiving the notification event;

initiating a live call session; and

bridging a live agent connection to the live call session to provide the customer with access to the live agent responsive to the request for additional help.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a transmitter configured to transmit a notification event to a customer'"'"'s device based on a notification device preference and based on a content of the notification event, wherein the notification event includes a live agent support option and a video message option to explain a purpose of the notification event and to answer questions that pertain to the notification event, the transmit based on a request to receive the notification event; and

a receiver configured to request information in regards to preparation for the notification event, and wherein the processor is further configured to provide the customer'"'"'s device with access to the requested information.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to forward the notification event to a notification management module which retrieves a customer preference record and creates a delivery setup configuration used to initiate communication with the customer.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the notification event is a least one of a doctor appointment, medical procedure, a reminder that recurs and an educational data segment transmitted as at least one of a video, audio, multi-media and text message.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the customer'"'"'s preference record comprises a communication device type preference and a message type preference.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit a plurality of options to the customer'"'"'s device via a push notification protocol the plurality of options comprises at least one of a message access option, a calendar application update option, and an option to reschedule.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a response from the customer'"'"'s device that confirms receipt of the notification event.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a request for additional help from the customer after the notification event is received, and the processor is further configured to initiate a live call session, and bridge a live agent connection to the live call session to provide the customer with access to the live agent responsive to the request for additional help.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform:

transmitting a notification event to a customer'"'"'s device based on a notification device preference and based on a content of the notification event, the notification event including a live agent support option and a video message option explaining a purpose of the notification event and answering questions pertaining to the notification event, the transmitting based on a request to receive the notification event;

receiving a response from the customer'"'"'s device requesting information regarding preparation for the notification event; and

providing the customer'"'"'s device with access to the requested information.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to perform forwarding the notification event to a notification management module which retrieves a customer preference record and creates a delivery setup configuration used to initiate communication with the customer.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the notification event is a least one of a doctor appointment, medical procedure, a recurring reminder and an educational data segment transmitted as at least one of a video, audio, multi-media and text message.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the customer'"'"'s preference record comprises a communication device type preference and a message type preference.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein contacting the customer further comprises transmitting a plurality of options to the customer'"'"'s device via a push notification protocol the plurality of options comprising at least one of a message access option, a calendar application updating option, and a rescheduling option.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to perform at least one of:

receiving a request for additional help from the customer after receiving the notification event;

initiating a live call session; and

bridging a live agent connection to the live call session to provide the customer with access to the live agent responsive to the request for additional help.