Method and system for increasing internet traffic to a question and answer customer support system

• US 10,394,804 B1
• Filed: 10/08/2015
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Podgorny, Igor A., Cannon, Matthew, Bartolome, Warren, Patterson, Nolan Richard, Feeley, Bradly Stanton
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Shahid A
• Application Number:
  US14/878,709
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 707708
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3329 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales

Abstract

A method and system increases Internet traffic to a question and answer customer support system, according to one embodiment. The method and system receive a question, and determine a search engine popularity or searchability of the question, according to one embodiment. If the search engine popularity or searchability of the question is less than a threshold, the question is provided to customer support personnel for reformation, according to one embodiment. The question and answer customer support personnel provide question reformation suggests to the customer support personnel, according to one embodiment.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for increasing Internet traffic to a question and answer customer support system, the method comprising:

receiving original question data representing an original question being submitted to a question and answer customer support system by a question submitting user for potential publishing in the question and answer customer support system;

storing the original question data in memory allocated to processing information for the question and answer customer support system;

analyzing the original question data, in the memory with a processor, to determine a searchability score to be associated with the original question data, the searchability score being determined by accumulating numerical assignments applied to attributes of the original question data;

comparing, with the processor, searchability score data associated with the original question data to threshold searchability score data, the threshold searchability score data representing a threshold searchability score;

upon a determination that the searchability score is less than the threshold searchability score represented by the threshold searchability score data, analyzing the original question data, with the processor, using one or more question searchability factors, to determine suggestions for reforming the original question to increase an estimated likelihood of the one or more Internet search engines matching search criteria with the original question, the suggestions including at least a suggestion to convert the original question from one type to another, with suggestions being selected from at least converting a why question type to a how type question type, transforming a why question type to a closed ended question type, and transforming a why question type to a what question type;

based, at least in part, on the analyzing the original question data using the one or more question searchability factors, generating question reformation data representing suggestions to customer support personnel for the question and answer customer support system, for transforming the original question data into reformed question data representing a reformed question estimated to have a searchability score associated with the reformed question data;

providing the question reformation data to the customer support personnel for the question and answer customer support system;

receiving the reformed question data from the customer support personnel representing the reformed question that is reformed from the original question based, at least in part, on the question reformation data;

generating reformed question answer data, the reformed question answer data representing an answer to the reformed question data representing the reformed question; and

publishing the reformed question represented by the reformed question data, with the answer to the reformed question represented by reformed question answer data, in the question and answer customer support system, to enable the reformed question represented by the reformed question data and/or the answer to the reformed question represented by the reformed question answer data to be searched by the one or more Internet search engines and to increase a likelihood of receiving Internet traffic to the question and answer customer support system.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the original question includes at least one of an original question summary and original question details, the original question summary representing a character-limited overview of the original question, wherein the reformed question includes at least one of a reformed question summary and reformed question details.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the searchability score is binary and is one of a first searchability score and a second searchability score, the first searchability score being indicative of a positive likelihood of one or more Internet search engines matching search criteria with the original question, and the second searchability score being indicative of a negative likelihood of one or more Internet search engines matching search criteria with the original question.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the searchability score includes one of two Boolean values that represent whether the one or more Internet search engines are likely to match the search criteria to the original question.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the threshold searchability score is one of an integer number threshold, a floating point number threshold, and a binary number threshold.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the searchability score data associated with the original question data is original searchability score data, the method further comprising:

after receiving the reformed question data from the customer support personnel, processing the reformed question data to determine a reformed searchability score to be associated with the reformed question data, the reformed searchability score being determined based, at least in part, on an updated estimated likelihood of the one or more Internet search engines matching the search criteria with the reformed question that is represented by the reformed question data.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

representing, in a user experience display, the updated estimated likelihood of the one or more Internet search engines matching the search criteria with the reformed question that is represented by the reformed question data, to indicate to the customer support personnel an affect of the reformed question data.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein processing the original question includes:

determining an estimated popularity of the original question, wherein the estimated popularity of the original question is based on a quantity of views that the original question is estimated to receive in comparison to a quantity of views other questions of the question and answer customer support system are estimated to receive.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the estimated popularity of the original question is determined by:

analyzing an original question summary length for the original question,

determining whether the original question includes original question details, and

evaluating a first token for the original question summary for the original question.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a quality score of the original question, before publishing the original question in the question and answer customer support system;

comparing the quality score of the original question to a question quality threshold; and

if the quality score of the original question is less than the question quality threshold, using one or more question quality factors to determine the suggestions for reforming the original question.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating the reformed question answer data includes receiving the reformed question answer data from the customer support personnel for the reformed question.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the original question as a first version of the original question;

storing the reformed question as a second version of the original question; and

associating the answer to the reformed question data with the first version of the original question and with the second version of the original question in a customer support content database.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising:

directing the question submitting user to the first version of the original question and the answer to the reformed question data that is associated with the first version of the original question; and

blocking access to the first version of the original question for the one or more Internet search engines.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the first version of the original question is maintained in a first queue in the question and answer customer support system, and the second version of the original question is maintained in a second queue in the question and answer customer support system, the first queue in the question and answer customer support system being different that the second queue of the question and answer customer support system.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the suggestions, for reforming the original question to increase an estimated likelihood of the one or more Internet search engines matching search criteria with the original question, include suggestions for modifying one or more attributes of the original question, the attributes of the original question including:

a character length of an original question summary of the original question;

a character length of original question details of the original question; and

a first token of the original question summary of the original question.

16. A system for increasing Internet traffic to a question and answer customer support system, the system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory having stored therein instructions which, when executed by any set of the at least one processors, perform a process for increasing Internet traffic to a question and answer customer support system, the process including;

receiving original question data representing an original question being submitted to a question and answer customer support system by a question submitting user for potential publishing in the question and answer customer support system;

storing the original question data in the at least one memory;

analyzing the original question data, in the at least one memory with the at least one processor, to determine a searchability score to be associated with the original question data, the searchability score being determined by accumulating numerical assignments applied to attributes of the original question data;

comparing, with the at least one processor, the searchability score data associated with the original question data to threshold searchability score data, the threshold searchability score data representing a threshold searchability score;

upon a determination that the searchability score is less than the threshold searchability score represented by the threshold searchability score data, analyzing the original question data, with the at least one processor, using one or more question searchability factors, to determine suggestions for reforming the original question to increase an estimated likelihood of the one or more Internet search engines matching search criteria with the original question, the suggestions including at least a suggestion to convert the original question from one type to another, with suggestions being selected from at least converting a why question type to a how type question type, transforming a why question type to a closed ended question type, and transforming a why question type to a what question type;

based, at least in part, on the analyzing the original question data using the one or more question searchability factors, generating question reformation data representing suggestions to customer support personnel for the question and answer customer support system, for transforming the original question data into reformed question data representing a reformed question estimated to have a searchability score associated with the reformed question data;

providing the question reformation data to the customer support personnel for the question and answer customer support system;

receiving the reformed question data from the customer support personnel representing the reformed question that is reformed from the original question based, at least in part, on the question reformation data;

generating reformed question answer data, the reformed question answer data representing an answer to the reformed question data representing the reformed question; and

publishing the reformed question represented by the reformed question data and the answer to the reformed question represented by reformed question answer data, in the question and answer customer support system, to enable the reformed question represented by the reformed question data and/or the answer to the reformed question represented by the reformed question answer data to be searched by the one or more Internet search engines and to increase a likelihood of receiving Internet traffic to the question and answer customer support system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the original question includes at least one of an original question summary and original question details, the original question summary representing a character-limited overview of the original question, wherein the reformed question includes at least one of a reformed question summary and reformed question details.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the searchability score is binary and is one of a first searchability score and a second searchability score, the first searchability score being indicative of a positive likelihood of one or more Internet search engines matching search criteria with the original question, and the second searchability score being indicative of a negative likelihood of one or more Internet search engines matching search criteria with the original question.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the searchability score includes one of two Boolean values that represent whether the one or more Internet search engines are likely to match the search criteria to the original question.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the threshold searchability score is one of an integer number threshold, a floating point number threshold, and a binary number threshold.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the searchability score data associated with the original question data is original searchability score data, wherein the process further includes:

after receiving the reformed question data from the customer support personnel, processing the reformed question data to determine a reformed searchability score to be associated with the reformed question data, the reformed searchability score being determined based, at least in part, on an updated estimated likelihood of the one or more Internet search engines matching the search criteria with the reformed question that is represented by the reformed question data.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the process further includes:

representing, in a user experience display, the updated estimated likelihood of the one or more Internet search engines matching the search criteria with the reformed question that is represented by the reformed question data, to indicate to the customer support personnel an affect of the reformed question data.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein processing the original question includes:

determining an estimated popularity of the original question, wherein the estimated popularity of the original question is based on a quantity of views that the original question is estimated to receive in comparison to a quantity of views other questions of the question and answer customer support system are estimated to receive.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the estimated popularity of the original question is determined by:

analyzing an original question summary length for the original question,

determining whether the original question includes original question details, and

evaluating a first token for the original question summary for the original question.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the process further includes:

determining a quality score of the original question, before publishing the original question in the question and answer customer support system;

comparing the quality score of the original question to a question quality threshold; and

if the quality score of the original question is less than the question quality threshold, using one or more question quality factors to determine the suggestions for reforming the original question.

26. The system of claim 16, wherein generating the reformed question answer data includes receiving the reformed question answer data from the customer support personnel for the reformed question.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein the process further includes:

storing the original question as a first version of the original question;

storing the reformed question as a second version of the original question; and

associating the answer to the reformed question data with the first version of the original question and with the second version of the original question in a customer support content database.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the process further includes:

directing the question submitting user to the first version of the original question and the answer to the reformed question data that is associated with the first version of the original question; and

blocking access to the first version of the original question for the one or more Internet search engines.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the first version of the original question is maintained in a first queue in the question and answer customer support system, and the second version of the original question is maintained in a second queue in the question and answer customer support system, the first queue in the question and answer customer support system being different that the second queue of the question and answer customer support system.

30. The system of claim 16, wherein the suggestions, for reforming the original question to increase an estimated likelihood of the one or more Internet search engines matching search criteria with the original question, include suggestions for modifying one or more attributes of the original question, the attributes of the original question including:

a character length of an original question summary of the original question;

a character length of original question details of the original question; and

a first token of the original question summary of the original question.