ENHANCED CUSTOMER SERVICE

• US 20110213717A1
• Filed: 05/09/2011
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Prorock, Thomas Joseph
• Application Number:
  US13/103,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20110213717A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/304
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A user such as a customer or store employee uses a service finding node to generate a request for information related to a desired service. The request is made on an input device such as a touch sensitive panel. The service finding node sends the request to an information source such as a monitor program executing on a store controller. In response, the requested information is transmitted to the service finding node and is presented to the user via an output device such as a display. In one embodiment the presented information is displayed on a map and includes location, distance, and status information as well as directions to one or more customer service nodes providing the desired service. In a second embodiment, the presented information includes directions to an active, operational, and staffed checkout station.

Claims

1. A method for providing information relating to customer service, the method comprising:

monitoring a status of each of a plurality of customer service nodes, each customer service node having a fixed physical location and providing a customer with one or more services at the physical location, and about which a customer seeks information;

receiving a request from a customer, the request received at a service finding node, the service finding node mounted at a fixed location, the request comprising a request for status information pertaining to a service provided at at least one of the plurality of customer service nodes;

transmitting the request from the service finding node;

receiving, at the service finding node, status information in response to the request, the status information comprising status of a service provided at a customer service node of the plurality of customer service nodes; and

providing the received status information to the customer, the service finding node providing the received status information to the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received status information provided to the customer comprises an indication of availability of the customer service node to provide the service to the customer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the customer service node comprises a point of sale (“

POS”

) station and wherein the indication of availability comprises an indication that the POS station is available for checkout.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the received status information comprises displaying a map directing the customer to the customer service node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the received status information comprises presenting the status information audibly.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the received status information comprises presenting the status information in a text format.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring a status of each of a plurality of customer service nodes is by way of a store controller in communication with the service finding node and the plurality of customer service nodes.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the service finding node communicates wirelessly with one or more of a store controller and a customer service node.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the service finding node is located remote from the one or more customer service nodes corresponding to the status information received at the service finding node.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the service finding node and the plurality of customer service nodes are associated with a retail store.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the service finding node comprises an electronic display.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for status information is accompanied by an identification mark and further comprising utilizing the identification mark to determine which of a plurality of service finding nodes to provide the status information to.

13. An apparatus for providing information relating to customer service, the apparatus comprising:

means for monitoring a status of each of a plurality of customer service nodes, each customer service node having a fixed physical location and providing a customer with one or more services at the physical location, and about which a customer seeks information;

means for receiving a request from a customer, the request received at a service finding node, the service finding node mounted at a fixed location, the request comprising a request for status information pertaining to a service provided at at least one of the plurality of customer service nodes;

means for transmitting the request from the service finding node;

means for receiving, at the service finding node, status information in response to the request, the status information comprising status of a service provided at a customer service node of the plurality of customer service nodes; and

means for providing the received status information to the customer by way of the service finding node.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for presenting the received status information to the customer comprises displaying a map to the customer.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for presenting the received status information to the customer comprises providing audible status information to the customer.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for presenting the received status information to the customer comprises providing status information to the customer in text form.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for monitoring a status of each of the plurality of customer service nodes comprises using a monitor program.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for transmitting the request from the service finding node and means for receiving, at the service finding node, status information comprises a computer network.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for providing the received status information to the customer by way of the service finding node comprises an electronic display.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for receiving a request from a customer comprises an input device.