METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR HANDLING INTERACTIONS RELATING TO CUSTOMER ACCOUNTS BASED ON A STATUS OF EXISTING TROUBLE TICKETS

• US 20090076871A1
• Filed: 09/13/2007
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Heacock, Matt
• Application Number:
  US11/855,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20090076871A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Methods and systems handle interactions relating to customer accounts by determining the status of existing trouble tickets and then taking an action on behalf of a customer service agent based on the determined status. If no trouble tickets are currently unclosed for the customer account, then a new trouble ticket is opened. If only one trouble ticket is unclosed for the customer account, then the one trouble ticket is statused for the agent. If multiple trouble tickets are unclosed for the customer account, then those unclosed tickets are displayed within a list for selection by the agent. The list may provide the agent with the option to select a new trouble ticket should the existing trouble tickets not be applicable to the current interaction with the customer.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of handling an interaction relating to a customer account, comprising:

determining whether any trouble tickets are currently unclosed for the customer account by performing a look-up of the customer account in a trouble ticket status table;

when no trouble tickets are currently unclosed for the customer account, then creating a new trouble ticket that is associated with the customer account in response to the received interaction;

when only one trouble ticket is currently unclosed for the customer account, then statusing the one trouble ticket; and

when a plurality of trouble tickets are currently unclosed for the customer account, then displaying a list with user selectable entries that include the plurality of unclosed trouble tickets.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the list is displayed in a window that includes a user selectable control for opening a new trouble ticket, the method further comprising:

when a user selection of an entry for one of the plurality of unclosed trouble tickets is received, statusing the unclosed trouble ticket corresponding to the selected entry; and

when a user selection of the control for opening the new trouble ticket is selected, then opening the new trouble ticket.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the new trouble ticket is created, associating an interaction identifier for the interaction with the new trouble ticket;

when the one trouble ticket is statused, associating the interaction identifier for the interaction with the one trouble ticket; and

when the list with the user selectable entries that include the plurality of unclosed trouble tickets is displayed, then receiving a user selection of one or more of the plurality of unclosed trouble tickets and associating the interaction identifier for the interaction with the selected one or more of the plurality of unclosed trouble tickets.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying the list comprises opening a new window that contains the list.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a user selection of a control for indicating a new interaction prior to determining whether any trouble tickets are currently unclosed for the customer account.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a user selection of a control for obtaining a trouble ticket identifier prior to determining whether any trouble tickets are currently unclosed for the customer account.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the list includes a user selectable control for opening a new trouble ticket, the method further comprising:

when only the one trouble ticket is statused, then receiving a user selection of a control to return to a view displaying the control for obtaining a trouble ticket identifier; and

upon the user selecting the control for obtaining a trouble ticket identifier for the current interaction, then displaying the list showing an entry for the one unclosed entry and including the user selectable control for opening the new trouble ticket.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of a control for obtaining a trouble ticket identifier, the control being associated with an existing editable interaction having an existing trouble ticket identifier and being associated with the customer account; and

displaying the list with user selectable entries that include the plurality of unclosed trouble tickets for the customer account.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of a control for obtaining a trouble ticket identifier, the control being associated with an existing editable interaction having an existing trouble ticket identifier and being associated with the customer account; and

displaying the list with user selectable entries that include the plurality of unclosed trouble tickets for the customer account.

10. A computer readable medium containing instructions that perform acts comprising:

determining whether there are any unclosed trouble tickets for a customer account;

when no trouble tickets are currently unclosed for the customer account, then creating a new trouble ticket that is associated with the customer account in response to the received interaction;

when only one trouble ticket is currently unclosed for the customer account, then statusing the one trouble ticket; and

when a plurality of trouble tickets are currently unclosed for the customer account, then displaying a list with user selectable entries that include the plurality of unclosed trouble tickets.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the list is displayed in a window that includes a user selectable control for opening a new trouble ticket, the acts further comprising:

when a user selection of an entry for one of the plurality of unclosed trouble tickets is received, statusing the unclosed trouble ticket corresponding to the selected entry; and

when a user selection of the control for opening the new trouble ticket is selected, then opening the new trouble ticket.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

when the new trouble ticket is created, associating an interaction identifier for the interaction with the new trouble ticket;

when the one trouble ticket is statused, associating the interaction identifier for the interaction with the one trouble ticket; and

when the list with the user selectable entries that include the plurality of unclosed trouble tickets is displayed, then receiving a user selection of one or more of the plurality of unclosed trouble tickets and associating the interaction identifier for the interaction with the selected one or more of the plurality of unclosed trouble tickets.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein displaying the list comprises opening a new window that contains the list.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the acts further comprise receiving a user selection of a control for obtaining a trouble ticket identifier prior to determining whether any trouble tickets are currently unclosed for the customer account.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the list includes a user selectable control for opening a new trouble ticket, the method further comprising:

when only the one trouble ticket is statused, then receiving a user selection of a control to return to a view displaying the control for obtaining a trouble ticket identifier; and

upon the user selecting the control for obtaining a trouble ticket identifier for the current interaction, then displaying the list showing an entry for the one unclosed entry and including the user selectable control for opening the new trouble ticket.

16. A computer system for handling interactions relating to customer accounts, comprising:

storage containing customer account identifiers stored in association with trouble tickets, the trouble tickets being either closed or unclosed;

a processor that performs the following;

receives an inquiry regarding a customer account, that looks up the customer account in the storage in response to the inquiry,

determines whether any trouble tickets are unclosed for the customer account,

when no trouble tickets are currently unclosed for the customer account, then creates a new trouble ticket that is associated with the customer account in response to the received interaction and provides the new trouble ticket for display,

when only one trouble ticket is currently unclosed for the customer account, then statuses the one trouble ticket including provides the one trouble ticket for display; and

when a plurality of trouble tickets are currently unclosed for the customer account, then provides a list with user selectable entries that include the plurality of unclosed trouble tickets for display.

17. The computer system of claim 16, further comprising a network connection, and wherein the processor provides the new trouble ticket, the one trouble ticket, and the list for display by sending data over the network connection.

18. The computer system of claim 16, further comprising a display, and wherein the wherein the processor provides the new trouble ticket, the one trouble ticket, and the list for display by sending data to the display.

19. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the processor further performs the following:

displays a control for opening a new trouble ticket in a window containing the list;

when a user selection of an entry for one or more of the plurality of unclosed trouble tickets of the list is received, statuses the unclosed trouble tickets corresponding to the selected entries; and

when a user selection of the control for opening the new trouble ticket is selected, then opens the new trouble ticket.

20. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the processor further performs the following:

when the new trouble ticket is created, associates an interaction identifier with the new trouble ticket;

when the one trouble ticket is statused, associates the interaction identifier for the interaction with the one trouble ticket; and

when the list with the user selectable entries that include the plurality of unclosed trouble tickets is displayed, then receives a user selection of one or more of the plurality of unclosed trouble tickets and associates the interaction identifier for the interaction with the selected one or more of the plurality of unclosed trouble tickets.