METHOD SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR PROVIDING CUSTOMER SERVICE OVER THE WORLD-WIDE WEB
First Claim
1. A method for providing live customer service between a customer and a customer service representative (CSR) in real-time over the World Wide Web, comprising the steps of:
- (a) enabling a Web site for live customer service (CS);
(b) enabling a customer service window to be displayed on a browser of the customer visiting the CS enabled Web site;
(c) receiving a query input in the customer service window by the customer;
(d) routing the received query to a CSR;
(e) enabling a CSR window including the received query to be displayed on a browser of the CSR; and
(f) sending a response input in the CSR window by the CSR to the browser of the customer while the customer browses the World Wide Web.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method, system, and computer program product provides live customer service between a customer and a CSR in real-time over the World Wide Web. Customer service for the Web is provided which is secure, private and responsive to particular customer needs. Queries sent by potential customers browsing a Web site are intelligently routed to appropriate customer service representatives. Potential customers browsing a Web site are also intelligently routed to appropriate customer service representatives. A memory coupled to a server stores a CS enabled Web site having a service applet. When a customer browses the CS-enabled Web site, the service applet is downloaded and executes in a customer computer to support the live customer service. The server executes a customer service agent. The customer service agent enables a customer service window to be displayed by the customer browser. A CSR window is displayed on a browser of the CSR. The customer service agent and service applet determine whether a customer qualifies for live customer service. The level of customer service to be provided can be based at least upon one of the following: browsing data gathered while the customer browses the CS enabled Web site; a customer profile; and a policy of the CS enabled Web site. The customer service window can include a service dialog window and/or a service form. Polling allows a customer to be notified while the customer is browsing the Web that a CSR has chosen to respond to the query input by the customer. Messages are encapsulated/de-encapsulated in HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTP) to pass through Internet firewalls. Secure communication for Web-based customer service is provided. Communication between the customer and the CSR can be supervised and customer service performance can be tracked.
402 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A method for providing live customer service between a customer and a customer service representative (CSR) in real-time over the World Wide Web, comprising the steps of:
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(a) enabling a Web site for live customer service (CS);
(b) enabling a customer service window to be displayed on a browser of the customer visiting the CS enabled Web site;
(c) receiving a query input in the customer service window by the customer;
(d) routing the received query to a CSR;
(e) enabling a CSR window including the received query to be displayed on a browser of the CSR; and
(f) sending a response input in the CSR window by the CSR to the browser of the customer while the customer browses the World Wide Web. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for providing live customer service between a customer and a customer service representative (CSR) in real-time over the World Wide Web, comprising:
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(a) means for enabling a Web site for live customer service (CS);
(b) means for enabling a customer service window to be displayed on a browser of the customer visiting the CS enabled Web site;
(c) means for receiving a query input in the customer service window by the customer;
(d) means for routing the received query to a CSR;
(e) means for enabling a CSR window including the received query to be displayed on a browser of the CSR; and
(f) means for sending a response input in the CSR window by the CSR to the browser of the customer while the customer browses the World Wide Web. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A system for providing live customer service (CS) between a customer and a customer service representative (CSR) in real-time over the World Wide Web (WWW), comprising:
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a first computer that supports a customer browser;
a second computer that supports a CSR browser;
a memory that stores a CS enabled Web site having active content that executes in said first computer to support the live customer service; and
a server linked to said first and second computer over the WWW;
wherein said server executes a customer service agent in response to a customer browsing the CS enabled Web site stored in said memory; and
wherein the customer service agent enables a customer service window to be displayed by the customer browser, receives a query input in the customer service window by the customer, routes the received query to a CSR, enables a CSR window including the received query to be displayed on a browser of the CSR, and sends a response input in the CSR window by the CSR to the browser of the customer while the customer browses the World Wide Web. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling at least one processor in a server to provide live customer service (CS) between a customer and a customer service representative (CSR) in real-time over the World Wide Web (WWW), said computer program logic comprising:
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first computer readable program code means for enabling said at least one processor to route a query input in a customer service window by the customer to a CSR; and
second computer readable program code means for enabling said at least one processor, in response to a polling by a computer of the customer, to send a response input in a CSR window by the CSR to the browser of the customer;
whereby a customer can browse or perform other tasks after the query is input in the customer service window.
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40. A method for providing live customer service in real-time over the World Wide Web, comprising the steps of:
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enabling a customer service window including a dialog window to be displayed while a customer browses a Web site;
receiving a query entered in said dialog window by the customer;
routing the received query to a customer service representative; and
in response to a polling by a computer of the customer, sending a response to the received query from the customer service representative to the customer;
whereby a customer can browse or perform other tasks after the query is input in the customer service window.
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41. A method for providing customer service over the World Wide Web, comprising the steps of:
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enabling a customer service window including a service form to be displayed while a visitor browses a Web site;
receiving customer information entered in fields of the service form by the visitor;
routing the visitor to a customer service representative based at least in part on said received customer information; and
establishing a person-to-person connection between the visitor and the customer service representative over the World Wide Web (WWW). - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. A method for providing customer service over the World Wide Web, comprising the steps of:
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monitoring a visitor who is browsing a Web site;
routing the visitor to a customer service representative; and
establishing a person-to-person connection between the visitor and the customer service representative over the World Wide Web. - View Dependent Claims (45)
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46. A method for providing communication between first and second users, comprising the steps of:
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monitoring the first user who is browsing a Web site;
routing the first user to a second user; and
establishing a person-to-person connection between the first and second users over the World Wide Web.
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47. A method for determining need for live interaction with a Web site visitor and facilitating such interaction comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining if Web site visitors need assistance to use the Web site;
(b) determining if a Web site visitor is in a state to hear a sales pitch, or ready to place an order or perform any other task;
(c) automatically making contact with a Web site visitor using a live representative or an automated agent based on any criteria which may include;
enabling commerce on the Web or providing a better experience in the Web site;
(d) accepting and processing the decision of the Web site visitor during the facilitation of instant connections;
(e) interacting with a visitor using an automated agent (computer programs) wherein the agent pretends to be a real person and interacts with the customer; and
detecting when the agent can no longer handle the customer, and smoothly passing it on to a live representative without the customer being aware of such change; and
(f) facilitating the notification to a customer, when the customer is on hold waiting for a representative, using a variety of devices when the representative is ready to interact with the customer.
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48. A method for establishing and conducting instant meetings where users connect and communicate using a variety of text and voice-supported devices comprising the steps of:
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locating people and notifying them of an instant meeting about to occur, by locating a device closest to the people attending the meeting capable of accepting a notification, and making such notification;
accepting and processing the decision of each person notified;
facilitating an invitee who wishes to participate in the meeting to be connected to the meeting using a suitable device;
facilitating the communication in the meeting where participants use a variety of devices to communicate to each other, by automatically converting spoken words to text and text to spoken words and communicating the results to each attendee in the required form in either text or spoken words including translating to the required language for a participant to understand the proceedings; and
providing the requisite security to authenticate only authorized users are participating in an instant meeting where multiple devices are employed.
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Specification