USER-SPECIFIC CONTACT APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20100088290A1
• Filed: 10/02/2008
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XANT Inc.
• Original Assignee: Insidesales.com
• Inventors: Telschow, Daniel E., Elkington, David Randal, Purdy, Thomas Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,078,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

An apparatus and method are disclosed for detecting online activity by a user and contacting the user in conjunction with a preferred response plan.

Claims

1. A user-specific response apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a data storage module configured to receive contact information for a user and store the contact information in a user-specific profile, the contact information comprising a contact telephone number;

a user activity detection module configured to initiate transmission of at least one user-specific access token to the user;

the user activity detection module further configured to receive a user-specific access token (of the at least one user-specific access token) and provide notification of online activity by the user;

a response plan selection module configured to select a preferred response plan for the user;

a dialing module configured to dial the contact telephone number in accordance with a delay time specified by the preferred response plan and in response to receiving notification of online activity by the user; and

an agent selection module configured to connect the user to an agent having a skill set specified by the preferred response plan.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the user-specific access token corresponds to a browser cookie.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein the user-specific access token corresponds to a URL

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein transmission of the at least one user-specific access token to the user comprises transmitting a plurality of URLs each URL thereof corresponding to a particular offer or service.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein the plurality of URLs are embedded in an email message transmitted to the user.

6. The invention of claim 1, further comprising receiving access related information in conjunction with receiving the user-specific access token.

7. The invention of claim 6, wherein the access related information is selected from the group consisting of a user access time, a user access location, and a selected URL.

8. The invention of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the preferred response plan according to the access related information.

9. The invention of claim 1, wherein the delay time is as soon as possible.

10. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions to perform a user-specific response method, the method comprising:

receiving contact information for a user, the contact information comprising a contact telephone number;

storing the contact information in a user-specific profile;

transmitting at least one user-specific access token to the user;

receiving a user-specific access token (of the at least one user-specific access token) in response to online activity by the user;

selecting a preferred response plan for the user;

dialing the contact telephone number in response to receiving the user-specific access token and in accordance with a delay time specified by the preferred response plan; and

connecting the user to an agent having a skill set specified by the preferred response plan.

11. The invention of claim 10, wherein the user-specific access token corresponds to a browser cookie.

12. The invention of claim 10, wherein the user-specific access token corresponds to a URL.

13. The invention of claim 10, wherein transmitting at least one user-specific access token to the user comprises transmitting a plurality of URLs each URL thereof corresponding to a particular offer or service.

14. The invention of claim 13, wherein the plurality of URLs are embedded in an email message transmitted to the user.

15. The invention of claim 10, further comprising receiving access related information in conjunction with receiving the user-specific access token.

16. The invention of claim 15, wherein the access related information is selected from the group consisting of a user access time, a user access location, and a selected URL.

17. The invention of claim 10, further comprising adjusting the preferred response plan according to the access related information.

18. The invention of claim 10, wherein the delay time is as soon as possible.

19. A user-specific response method, the method comprising:

receiving contact information for a user, the contact information comprising a contact telephone number;

storing the contact information in a user-specific profile;

transmitting at least one user-specific access token to the user;

receiving a user-specific access token (of the at least one user-specific access token) in response to online activity by the user;

selecting a preferred response plan for the user;

dialing the contact telephone number in response to receiving the user-specific access token and in accordance with a delay time specified by the preferred response plan; and

connecting the user to an agent having a skill set specified by the preferred response plan.