PROVIDING CUSTOMER SERVICE HIERARCHIES WITHIN A VIRTUAL UNIVERSE

• US 20090276704A1
• Filed: 04/30/2008
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Finn, Peter G., Hamilton, Rick A. II, Katz, Neil A., Seaman, James W.
• Application Number:
  US12/112,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20090276704A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00

Abstract

The present invention is directed to providing customer service hierarchies within a virtual universe. A method for providing customer service hierarchies within a virtual universe includes: receiving a customer need request from an avatar; presenting a virtual interactive menu and/or a web page after receiving the customer need request; and if the menu and/or web page does not satisfy the customer'"'"'s need request, then providing a customer service representative avatar to the avatar in need of customer service. A system, a program product stored on a computer readable medium, and a method for deploying such an application are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for providing customer service hierarchies within a virtual universe, comprising:

receiving a customer need request from an avatar;

upon the receiving, presenting at least one of;

a virtual interactive menu, and

a web page; and

if the presenting does not satisfy the customer need request, providing a customer service representative avatar.

2. The method of claim 1, if the customer service representative avatar does not satisfy the customer need request, providing a live, real-time customer server representative.

3. The method of claim 2, upon the live customer service representative satisfying at least one aspect of the customer need request, returning the avatar to one of:

the virtual menu, the web page, and the customer service representative avatar.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein live customer service representative is presented in one of the virtual universe and a live, real environment.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring the virtual universe for the customer need request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual interactive menu comprises at least one link to a data repository.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing a customer service representative avatar further comprises:

providing an automated interactive session between customer service representative avatar and the avatar.

8. The method of claim 1, upon the customer service representative avatar satisfying at least one aspect of the customer need request, returning the avatar to one of:

the virtual menu and web page.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying the avatar if the customer need request is satisfied.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the receiving, presenting, and providing are in a virtual commerce setting.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer need request is evidenced by an action, text, a voice, or combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing a response from the avatar to at least one of:

the virtual interactive menu, the web page, and the customer service representative avatar.

13. A system for providing customer service hierarchies within a virtual universe, comprising:

a component for receiving a customer need request from an avatar;

a component for presenting at least one of;

a virtual interactive menu, and

a web page; and

a component for providing a customer service representative avatar if the presenting does not satisfy the customer need request.

14. The system of claim 13, if the customer service representative avatar does not satisfy the customer need request, further comprising a component for providing a live, real-time customer server representative.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a component for monitoring the virtual universe for the customer need request.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a component for querying the avatar if the customer need request is satisfied.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising a component for storing a response from the avatar to at least one of:

the virtual interactive menu, the web page, and the customer service representative avatar.

18. A program product stored on a computer readable medium, which when executed, provides customer service hierarchies within a virtual universe, the computer readable medium comprising program code for:

receiving a customer need request from an avatar;

upon the receiving, presenting at least one of;

a virtual interactive menu, and

a web page; and

if the presenting does not satisfy the customer need request, providing a customer service representative avatar.

19. The program product of claim 18, the program code further comprising:

if the customer service representative avatar does not satisfy the customer need request, providing a live, real-time customer server representative.

20. The program product of claim 19, the program code further comprising:

upon the live customer service representative satisfying at least one aspect of the customer need request, returning the avatar to one of;

the virtual menu, the web page, and the customer service representative avatar.

21. The program product of claim 18, the program code further comprising:

upon the customer service representative avatar satisfying at least one aspect of the customer need request, returning the avatar to one of;

the virtual menu and web page.

22. The program product of claim 18, the program code further comprising:

querying the avatar if the customer need request is satisfied.

23. The program product of claim 18, the program code further comprising:

wherein the customer need request is evidenced an action, text, a voice, or combinations thereof.

24. The program product of claim 18, the program code further comprising:

storing a response from the avatar to at least one of;

the virtual interactive menu, the web page, and the customer service representative avatar.

25. A method for deploying an application for providing customer service hierarchies within a virtual universe, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

receive a customer need request from an avatar;

upon the receiving, present at least one of;

a virtual interactive menu, and

a web page; and

if the presenting does not satisfy the customer need request,

provide a customer service representative avatar.