Methods and apparatus for providing telephone support for internet sales

• US 20050220289A1
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Services Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Reding, Craig L., Levas, Suzi
• Granted Patent: US 7,433,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.90
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing manned, e.g., live customer support to customers, e.g., people using the Internet to purchase goods and/or services are described. A person viewing a Web Site, e.g., a customer, is presented with a button which provides the opportunity to talk to a customer service representative. Upon activating the button, e.g., by clicking on it, the customer'"'"'s computer or other Internet browser device sends a signal, e.g., a call request message, over the Internet indicating that the customer wants to talk with a service representative. The call request message includes the customer'"'"'s telephone number and/or IP address. In response to the call request message, calling equipment is used to establish a customer service call between the customer and a customer service representative. The equipment can be owned by the telephone company thereby avoiding the need for E-business companies to make investments in telephone equipment. In addition, a customer service representative can be located either at the E-business site or remotely, e.g., at the customer service representative'"'"'s private home or other site, with the representative being called by the conference equipment as required to service a customer. Voice over IP conference equipment may be used instead or in conjunction with telephone conference equipment where one or both of the customer and service representative have voice over IP capability.

Claims

1-29. -29. (canceled)

30. A method comprising:

receiving a message from a user over an IP network representing a request for a call with a customer service representative, said message including an internet address corresponding to said user and an internet address corresponding to the customer service representative; and

operating, in response to said received message, calling equipment to establish a call between said user and the customer service representative over the IP network.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the internet address corresponding to the customer service representative is one of an internet address of a customer service center and an internet address of a customer agent.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the internet address corresponding to the user is an IP address.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the message includes a business identifier.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the calling equipment is voice over IP calling equipment.

35. A method, comprising:

receiving a first message from a user over an IP network representing a request for a call with a customer service representative, said first message including a first address corresponding to said user, a second address corresponding to at least one customer service representative, and a third address corresponding to an Internet server; and

sending a second message to establish a call between said user and the at least one customer service representative using the first address and the second address.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the second message includes the first address, the second address, an identifier and a password.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the first address and second address are telephone numbers.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the first address and second address are internet addresses.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

sending a web page to the user, the web page including the second address.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the identifier corresponds to a business.

41. A method, comprising:

receiving a first message from a user over an IP network representing a request for a call with a customer service representative, said message including a user address corresponding to said user, an address corresponding to an Internet server, and a business identifier; and

sending a second message in response to said first message to establish a call between said user and the customer service representative, the second message including the user address, a customer service representative address, and the business identifier.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the user address and customer service representative address are telephone numbers.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the user address and customer service representative address are internet addresses.

44. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

determining the customer service representative address based on the availability of a customer agent associated with the customer service representative address.