CUSTOMER SUPPORT SYSTEM USING INTERNET

• US 20020111950A1
• Filed: 05/15/1998
• Published: 08/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: LEE, KANG-DONG
• Granted Patent: US 6,542,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A customer support system for providing a customer support service with respect to a consumer product using an Internet. The customer support system includes a customer support server including a customer support engine for providing the customer support service with respect to a consumer product, and a database for storing product-related information to be used by the customer support engine, and a user computer including Internet communications means which can be connected to the customer support server through an Internet. The customer support engine of the customer support server includes a gate page, as a homepage of the customer support system, for providing a menu with respect to a predetermined customer support service, and a service page for providing at least a customer support service, including the usage guidance on a product, according to a predetermined menu selected on the gate page. As a result, the number of after service requests from consumers is reduced, and the service cost is minimized while the service quality is enhanced.

Claims

1. A customer support system for providing customer support service with respect to a consumer product using an Internet, said customer support system comprising:

a customer support server including a customer support engine providing the customer support service with respect to a consumer product, and a database storing product-related information to be used by said customer support engine;

a user computer including Internet communications means accessible to said customer support server through an Internet, providing access to the product-related information of the consumer product; and

said customer support engine of said customer support server comprising a gate page, as a homepage of said customer support system, providing a menu with respect to the customer support service, and a service page providing at least the customer support service, including the usage guidance on the consumer product, according to a predetermined menu selected on said gate page.

2. The customer support system of claim 1, wherein said service page as a service menu provided by said gate page is a support page providing product model guidance, the usage of various resources related to the consumer product, and technical information about the consumer product.

3. The customer support system of claim 2, wherein said service page further comprises a download page downloading a software related to the consumer product to said user computer.

4. The customer support system of claim 2, wherein said service page further comprises a frequently asked question page prewriting answers to most frequently asked questions and notifying the user of said answers.

5. The customer support system of claim 3, wherein said service page further comprises a frequently asked question page prewriting answers to most frequently asked questions and notifying the user of said answers.

6. The customer support system of claim 1, wherein said service page has a movement menu accommodating a direct movement between service pages when said service page is comprised of at least two service pages.

7. The customer support system of claim 1, wherein said gate page comprises:

a Window name window;

a tool bar window providing a menu where an operation tool with respect to a Windows can be selected;

an operation window providing a menu with respect to at least a customer support service;

a screen scroll bar window scrolling said operation window; and

a Window task bar window.

8. The customer support system of claim 2, wherein said support page comprises:

a model menu screen unit providing a model menu including a product model that the user selected;

a specification screen unit providing a detailed item menu comprising a specification of a model selected from the model menu screen and various resources related to the selected model; and

a support service unit providing the usage and technical materials with respect to a detailed item selected from said detailed item menu by making access to a database storing information related to said selected product.

9. The customer support system of claim 8, wherein, when said consumer product is a personal computer, said support service unit includes graphic and text information with respect to the front and rear sides of a main body of the selected personal computer model, a main board of said selected personal computer model, and a switch setting of said selected personal computer model.

10. The customer support system of claim 3, wherein said download page comprises:

a model menu screen unit providing a model menu enabling a user to select a product model;

a detailed item menu output unit displaying a detailed item menu including various utilities, various drivers and bundled software which are required for a model selected on said model menu screen; and

a download service unit downloading a program corresponding to a detailed item selected from said detailed item menu to the user computer.

11. The customer support system of claim 10, wherein said detailed item menu is realized by a multi-step menu driving method.

12. The customer support system of claim 10, further comprising a keyword search unit enabling searching of a program to be downloaded through keyword search after a model is selected on said model menu screen, wherein said download service unit downloads also the program searched by said keyword search unit to the user'"'"'s computer.

13. The customer support system of claim 4, wherein said frequently asked question page comprises:

a model menu screen unit providing a model menu including the product model selected by user;

a detailed item menu output unit classifying disorders and problems experienced by the user during the use of the consumer product into detailed items by models and displaying said classified detailed items, when a model is selected on said model menu screen;

an inquiry content menu output unit displaying a menu consisting of prepared inquiry contents with respect to a detailed item selected from said detailed item menu; and

a question and answer service unit providing information on answers and measures corresponding to a question selected from said inquiry content menu.

14. The customer support system of claim 13, further comprising a keyword search unit enabling searching inquiry contents through keyword search when a model is selected on said model menu screen, wherein said inquiry content menu output unit also displays inquiry contents corresponding to a keyword, searched by said keyword search unit, on the user computer.

16. The customer support system of claim 15, wherein said service page has a movement menu accommodating a direct movement between service pages when said service page is comprised of at least two service pages.

17. The customer support system of claim 15, wherein said gate page comprises:

a Window name window;

a tool bar window providing a menu where an operation tool with respect to a Windows can be selected;

an operation window providing a menu with respect to at least a customer support service;

a screen scroll bar window scrolling said operation window; and

a Window task bar window.

18. The customer support system of claim 15, wherein said download page comprises:

a model menu screen unit providing a model menu illustrating a product model that a user can select;

a detailed item menu output unit displaying a detailed item menu including a plurality of utilities, various drivers and bundled software operationally usable with a model selected on said model menu screen; and

a download service unit downloading a program corresponding to a detailed item selected from said detailed item menu to the user computer.

19. The customer support system of claim 15, further comprising a keyword search unit enabling searching of a program to be downloaded through keyword search after a model is selected on said model menu screen, wherein said download service unit downloads also the program searched by said keyword search unit to the user computer.

20. The customer support system of claim 15, wherein said frequently asked question page comprises:

a model menu screen unit providing a model menu illustrating the model of the consumer product that the user selected;

a detailed item menu output unit classifying disorders and problems experienced by the user during the use of the consumer product into detailed items by models and displaying said classified detailed items, when a model is selected on said model menu screen;

an inquiry content menu output unit displaying a menu consisting of prepared inquiry contents with respect to a detailed item selected from said detailed item menu; and

a question and answer service unit providing information on answers and measures corresponding to a question selected from said inquiry content menu.

21. The customer support system of claim 20, further comprising a keyword search unit enabling searching of inquiry contents through keyword search when a model is selected on said model menu screen, wherein said inquiry content menu output unit also displays inquiry contents corresponding to a keyword, searched by said keyword search unit, on the user computer.

15. A customer support system for providing customer support service with respect to a consumer product using an Internet, said customer support system comprising:

an Internet host;

a customer support server containing a customer support engine providing the customer support service with respect to a consumer product via said Internet host, and a database storing product-related information to be used by said customer support engine;

a user computer including an Internet communications device accessing said customer support server through an Internet to obtain the product-related information of the consumer product; and

said customer support engine of said customer support server corresponding to a customer support software comprised of;

a gate page, serving as a homepage of said customer support system, providing a menu with respect to the customer support service;

a service page providing at least the customer support service, including usage guidance on the consumer product, according to a predetermined menu selected on said gate page;

a download page downloading a software related to the consumer product to said user computer; and

a frequently asked question (FAQ) page providing answers to most frequently asked questions and notifying the user of said answers via the user computer.