SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING VISIBILITY IN A TECHNICAL SUPPORT RESOLUTION PROCESS

• US 20090132307A1
• Filed: 11/20/2007
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2007
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Messer, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 10,282,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An embodiment relates generally to a method of providing visibility in technical support. The method includes providing for a plurality of technical groups, each group specializing in a technical area and is comprised of a plurality of senior and junior members. The method also includes receiving a technical issue from a user to be resolved by a selected technical group of the plurality of technical groups and providing access to the user in a process of resolving the technical issue by the selected technical group.

Claims

1. A method of providing visibility in technical support, the method comprising:

providing for a plurality of technical groups, each group specializing in a technical area and comprised of a plurality of senior andjunior members;

receiving a technical issue from a user to be resolved by a selected technical group of the plurality of technical groups; and

providing access to the user in a process of resolving the technical issue by the selected technical group.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

logging the technical issue into an issue tracker module; and

instantiating a ticket for the technical issue.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising notifying the rest of the members of the selected technical group with the issue tracker module of the ticket.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing at least one comment associated with the technical issue to the ticket from one of the rest of the members of the technical group and the user.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing a subscription link to the ticket to the user; and

receiving any comment associated with the ticket through the mail list in response to the user activating the subscription link.

6. A system for providing technical support, the system comprising:

a logical router configured to receive requests for technical assistance from a web service and a telephone network;

an issue tracker module configured to instantiate a respective ticket for each received request for technical assistance and manage the respective ticket to resolution, wherein the issue tracker issue module is coupled to the logical router; and

a plurality of technical groups, each technical group organized based on at least one of a product and a skill, comprising of junior and senior members and is linked to the issue tracker module, wherein the issue tracker module is configured to provide visibility to a user requesting technical assistance from a selected technical group from the plurality of technical groups.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the issue tracker module is configured to broadcast a notification message to notify the members of the selected technical group and the user and to request a resolution of the selected request for assistance.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the issue tracker module is configured to provide a subscription link to the ticket for interested parties to participate in a resolution of the selected request for assistance and the user.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the issue tracker module is configured to receive a post from an interested party and broadcast the post to the members of the selected technical group and the user.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the issue tracker module is configured to receive a post from a member of the selected technical group.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the issue tracker module is configured to broadcast the post to the members of the selected technical group and the user.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the case management system is configured to broadcast a notification message to notify the members of the selected group and the user and to request a resolution of the selected request for assistance.

12. An apparatus for providing technical support, the apparatus comprising:

a routing module configured to receive requests for technical assistance from a web site and a telephone network;

a case management system configured to instantiate a respective ticket for each received request for technical assistance and manage the respective ticket to resolution, wherein the case management system is coupled to the routing module; and

a plurality of groups, each group organized based on at least one of a product and a skill, comprising of junior and senior members and is linked to the case management system, wherein the issue tracker module is configured to provide visibility to a user requesting technical assistance from a selected technical group from the plurality of groups.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the case management system is configured to provide a subscription link to the ticket for interested parties to participate in a resolution of the selected request for assistance and the user.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the case management system is configured to receive a post from an interested party and broadcast the post to the members of the selected group and the user.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the case management system is configured to receive a post from a member of the selected technical group.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the case management system is configured to broadcast the post to the members of the selected group and the user.