System and method for customer requests and contact management

• US 20070198368A1
• Filed: 03/19/2007
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: [24]7.ai, Inc.
• Original Assignee: 24/7 Customer Incorporated
• Inventors: Miller, Reagan, Jain, Mohit, Kannan, Pallipuram
• Granted Patent: US 7,996,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing

Abstract

A method and a web-based system is provided that enables a customer service center of a company to provide its customers with a choice of different modes for establishing contact with customer service representatives. The different modes of contact are displayed on a single web page. The modes of contact include, but are not limited to call, chat, email and Internet talk. Further, the system provides information regarding the estimated wait time and the less busy time for the modes of contact. In addition, the system and method provide means for conducting a search in a knowledge database for automated responses to queries from customers. The system and method enables the customer to provide feedback for each interaction with the customer service center through the web page. Further, the system and method enable the storage of all interaction between each customer and the customer service center.

Claims

1. A method for providing assistance to a customer of a company through a web based system, the company having a customer service center, the customer service center supported by an automatic call distributor (ACD), an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, a work flow management (WFM) system, a web portal, one or more web-based applications, a knowledge database, map functions, a message web gateway, a customer satisfaction (CSAT) system, a customer relationship management (CRM) system and a suggestions/feedback repository system, the method comprising:

a. providing a web page on the web portal, the web page acting as an interface between the customer and the customer service center of the company;

b. providing one or more options on the web page to be selected by the customer, the one or more options corresponding to one or more modes of contact between the customer and customer service representatives at the customer service center;

c. providing an estimated wait time on the web page, for at least one of the one or more modes of contact;

d. providing a less busy time on the web page for at least one of the one or more modes of contact; and

e. providing a knowledge database search option.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of displaying a call-back option for the customer, the call-back option being displayed on the web page.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the ACD automatically connects the customer and a customer service representative if the customer selects the call-back option.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of sending a message to the customer based on the one or more options selected by the customer.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of sending a message to the customer, when estimated wait time for the one or more options selected by the customer falls below a predetermined value.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of sending a message to the customer when estimated wait time for the one or more options selected by the customer never falls below a predetermined value, within a predetermined interval of time.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of providing one or more pay-for-service options on the web page.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more pay-for-service options allow the customer in a queue of customers to exchange positions with other customers in the queue.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of displaying a site locator option on the web page, the site locator option providing maps and directions for a physical location to the customers.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of collecting feedback from the customer through the web based system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more options are selected from a group comprising a chat, an email, a call and an Internet talk.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of displaying the one or more options, when at least one from the one or more options is selected by the customer to establish contact with a customer service representative, and, wherein the one or more options displayed allow the customer to establish contact with the customer service representative at the same time.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of providing an option to co-browse the web page with the customer, wherein the option to co-browse the web page is provided to a customer service representative at the customer service center, wherein the assistance is provided by the customer service representative to the customer through at least one from the one or more modes of contact.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of providing an option to the customer service representative to fill a form along with the customer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the customer service representative transfers the control entirely to the customer while filling details in specific fields of the form.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the knowledge database search option is used for searching in the knowledge database.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of assigning a ticket number corresponding to an action chosen from the group consisting of:

a query made by the customer through the knowledge database search option, a request made by the customer through the web page, and a transaction made by the customer through the web page.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of providing a customer login name to the customer registering to the company, wherein the customer registers through the web page.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of defining a query for the customer through the web page, wherein the customer is provided query-defining options through the web page.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of defining a query for the customer through the web page, wherein the customer is provided a problem capture form on the web page, wherein the customer fills in the problem capture form for defining the query.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of providing one or more solutions to a problem of the customer through the web page, wherein the customer enters the problem through the web page.

22. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of recording all interaction between the customers and the customer service center.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of retrieving all interactions between the customer and the customer service center recorded while providing assistance to the customer, wherein the interactions are retrieved by a customer service representative providing assistance to the customer.

24. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of providing an option to select a mode of contact from one or more modes of contact when time spent by the customer in trying to resolve a query through a mode of contact exceeds a threshold time.

25. A computer program product for providing assistance to a customer of a company through a web based system, the company having a customer service center, the customer service center supported by an automatic call distributor (ACD), an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, a work flow management (WFM) system, a web portal, one or more web-based applications, a knowledge database, map functions, a message web gateway, a customer satisfaction (CSAT) system, a customer relationship management (CRM) system and a suggestions/feedback repository system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code containing instructions for performing the steps of:

a. providing a web page on the web portal, the web page acting as an interface between the customer and the customer service center of the company;

b. providing one or more options on the web page to be selected by the customer, the one or more options corresponding to one or more modes of contact between the customer and customer service representatives at the customer service center;

c. providing an estimated wait time on the web page, for at least one of the one or more modes of contact;

d. providing a less busy time on the web page for at least one of the one or more modes of contact; and

e. providing a knowledge database search option.

26. A web based system for providing assistance to a customer of a company, the company comprising a customer service center, the customer service center supported by an automatic call distributor (ACD), an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, a work flow management (WFM) system, a web portal, one or more web-based applications, a knowledge database, map functions, a message web gateway, a customer satisfaction (CSAT) system, a customer relationship management (CRM) system and a suggestions/feedback repository system, the web based system comprising:

a. a web page, the web page being provided on the web portal of the company, the web page comprising;

i. one or more options corresponding to one or more modes of contact between customer service representatives at the customer service center, and the customer;

ii. an estimated wait time for at least one or more options selected by the customer;

iii. a less busy time for at least one or more options selected by the customer;

iv. an estimated response time for at least one or more options selected by the customer;

v. an estimated resolution time for at least one or more options selected by the customer; and

vi. a knowledge database search option for allowing the customer to search the knowledge database,

b. an ACD module, the ACD module interacting with the automatic call distributor and the web page;

c. a WFM module, the WFM module interacting with the work flow management and the web page;

d. a central interface provided between the web page and the one or more web-based applications; and

e. a search tool, the search tool interacting with the web page and the knowledge database.

27. The web based system of claim 26 further comprising a chat system, the chat system providing the estimated wait time and the less busy time for chat between the customer and the customer service representatives.

28. The web based system of claim 26 further comprising an email system, the email system providing the estimated response time and the estimated resolution time for email between the customer and the customer service representatives.

29. The web base system of claim 26 further comprising an Internet talk system, the Internet talk system providing the estimated wait time and the less busy time for Internet talk between the customer and the customer service representatives.

30. The web based system of claim 26 further comprising a CRM module, the CRM module interacting with the web page and the CRM system.

31. The web based system of claim 26 further comprising a ticket management system, the ticket management system assigning ticket number to an action chosen from the group consisting of a query made by the customer through the knowledge database search option, a request made by the customer through the web page, and a transaction made by the customer through the web page.

32. The web based system of claim 26 further comprising an escalation system, the escalation system providing options to the customer to select other modes of contact to resolve a query when the time spent by the customer while trying to resolve the query through a mode of contact exceeds a threshold time.

33. The web based system of claim 26 further comprising a workflow-based resolution system, the workflow-based resolution system providing an update of status of a request made or a query asked by the customer to the customer service center.

34. The web based system of claim 26, wherein the web page displays a call-back option and a message option.

35. The web based system of claim 34 further comprising a processing module, wherein the processing module interacts with the ACD to connect one of the customer service representatives to the customer, if the customer selects the call-back option.

36. The web based system of claim 35, wherein the processing module sends a message to the customer based on a predetermined condition, if the customer selects the short message service option.

37. The web based system of claim 36, wherein the predetermined condition is the estimated wait time of a mode of contact selected by the customer falling below a predetermined level, within a predetermined amount of time.

38. The web based system of claim 36, wherein the predetermined condition is the estimated wait time never falling below a predetermined level, within a predetermined amount of time.

39. The web based system of claim 26, wherein the web page further comprises information regarding the one or more modes of contact.

40. The web based system of claim 26, wherein the web page further comprises information regarding one or more pay-for-service options, wherein the pay-for-service options provide the customer a set of privileges upon paying a certain amount for a service.

41. The web based system of claim 26, wherein the web page further comprises a site locator option, wherein the site locator option interacts with the map function and provides maps and directions for physical locations to the customer.

42. The web based system of claim 26, wherein the web page further comprises a customer feedback option, wherein the customer feedback option interacts with the CSAT system and the suggestions/feedback repository system, wherein the customer feedback option provides an option to the customer to provide feedback to the customer service center.

43. The web based system of claim 26, wherein the web page further comprises a register online option, wherein the register online option enables the customer to register with the company and obtain a customer login name, wherein the customer uses the customer login name to interact with the customer service center.

44. The web based system of claim 26, wherein the web page further comprises a define-query option, wherein the define-query option enables the customer to define a query.

45. The web based system of claim 44, wherein the customer defines the query by selecting one or more query-defining options displayed on the web page.

46. The web based system of claim 26, wherein the customer defines the query by filling in a problem capture form.

47. The web based system of claim 26, wherein the web page further comprises a purchase-related-query option, wherein the customer obtains one or more solutions to a problem entered by the customer through the purchase-related-query option.

48. The web based system of claim 26, wherein the one or more web-based applications are selected from a group comprising a chat application, an email application and an Internet talk application.

49. The web based system of claim 26, wherein the search tool searches in the knowledge database of the company, if the customer selects the knowledge database search option and enters a query.

50. The web based system of claim 26, wherein the search tool stores a query entered by the customer for a predetermined time.

51. The web based system of claim 50 wherein the search tool stores one or more responses to the query for a predetermined time.