Method for personalizing computerized customer service

• US 20040268217A1
• Filed: 06/26/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hughes, Nathan Raymond, Uretsky, Michelle Ann, Rao, Nishant Srinath
• Granted Patent: US 7,515,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and computer program product for improving user satisfaction with automated response computer driven systems is provided. In one embodiment the automated computer system utilizes a Web browser accessing at least a Web site. In another embodiment, the automated computer system is a telephonic response system with voice recognition and generation capability. In each embodiment the user is first prompted to provide indications of user language usage preferences which are then analyzed and stored in a user profile. Thereafter, subsequent information from the automated system is modified in accordance with the stored user profile before presentation to the user.

Claims

1. A method for enhancing user satisfaction with an automated interactive computer system comprising the steps of:

interactively ascertaining user language usage preferences;

creating a user profile in response to said ascertaining step;

applying said user profile to modify information from said computer system; and

presenting information so modified to said user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said interactive computer system comprises a Web browser and at least a Web site; and

said ascertaining step includes presenting text passages in different styles and prompting said user to chose a text passage indicative of user preferred language usage.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said interactive computer system is a telephonic response system including voice recognition and generation functions; and

said ascertaining step additionally includes iteratively querying said user to determine preferred voice qualities.

4. Apparatus for improving user satisfaction with an automated computer system comprising:

means for prompting a user to indicate language usage pattern preferences;

means for analyzing user indicated preferences;

means for creating a user profile;

means for storing results of said analyzing step in said user profile; and

means for modifying subsequent presentations to said user to reflect said stored user indicated language usage pattern preferences.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein:

said automated computer system comprises a Web browser with access to at least a Web site.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said prompting means includes:

means for presenting to said user a plurality of passages, each utilizing a different personal pronoun.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein:

said means for storing includes means for saving user pronoun choice; and

said means for modifying includes means for assuring subject and verb agreement.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein:

said automated computer system comprises an automated telephonic response system including means for voice recognition and generation.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said means for prompting comprises:

means for iteratively querying said user to answer predefined questions; and

means for ascertaining user preferences for generated voice qualities.

10. A computer program product having computer readable code for improving user satisfaction with computer driven automated interactive systems, comprising:

means for prompting a user to indicate language usage pattern preferences;

means for analyzing user indicated preferences;

means, responsive to said means for analyzing, for creating a user profile;

means for storing results of said analyzing step in said user profile; and

means for modifying subsequent presentations to said user to reflect said stored user indicated language usage pattern preferences.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein:

said automated computer system comprises an automated telephonic response system including means for voice recognition and generation.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein said means for prompting comprises:

means for iteratively querying said user to answer predefined questions; and

means for ascertaining user preferences for generated voice qualities.

13. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein:

said automated computer system comprises a Web browser with access to at least a Web site.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein said prompting means includes:

means for presenting to said user a plurality of passages, each utilizing a different personal pronoun combination.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein:

said means for storing includes means for saving user pronoun combination choice; and

said means for modifying includes means for assuring subject and verb agreement.