METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING SERVICE REQUESTS

• US 20120254349A1
• Filed: 05/03/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Quigley, Kevin, Izatt, Mark, James, Leo
• Application Number:
  US13/099,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20120254349A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet

Abstract

An example approach is provided for managing service requests. An input, from a device of a user, for a service request associated with a specified service and/or a product is processed. A determination is made regarding a transmission of the service request and contextual information associated with the specified service and/or product to at least one service provider for responding to the service request

Claims

1. A method comprising facilitating a processing of and/or processing:

(1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal;

the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal based at least in part on the following;

an input, from a device of a user, for a service request associated with a specified service and/or a product; and

at least one determination to cause, at least in part, a transmission of the service request and contextual information associated with the specified service and/or product to at least one service provider for responding to the service request.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based at least in part on the following:

at least one determination to cause, at least in part, a communication session between the device and a representative of the at least one service provider for responding to the service request.

3. A method of claim 2, wherein the contextual information is provided to the representative at or before an initiation of the communication session.

4. A method of claim 2, wherein the contextual information is provided to the representative after an initiation of the communication session.

5. A method of claim 2, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based at least in part on the following:

a further input, from the device of the user, for a subsequent request regarding the service request; and

at least one determination to cause, at least in part, retrieval of information associated with the service request,

wherein the information associated with the service request includes the contextual information associated with the specified service and/or product, and information associated with the communication session.

6. A method of claim 5, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based at least in part on the following:

at least one determination to cause, at least in part, routing of the transmission of the subsequent request and the contextual information to the representative that participated in the communication session.

7. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based at least in part on the following:

at least one determination to cause, at least in part, routing of the transmission of the service request and the contextual information to a specified service provider of the at least one service provider and/or a specified representative of the at least one service provider based upon the contextual information.

8. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based at least in part on the following:

at least one determination to cause, at least in part, retrieval of information associated with the device and/or user to the at least one service provider for responding to the service request.

9. A method of claim 1, wherein the input, from the device of the user, for the service request is initiated using a voice call, video call, a text message, an instant message, an electronic mail message, a widget, an application, a web portal, or a combination thereof.

10. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

process an input, from a device of a user, for a service request associated with a specified service and/or a product; and

determine to cause, at least in part, one or more actions for resulting in a transmission of the service request and contextual information associated with the specified service and/or product to at least one service provider for responding to the service request.

11. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

determine to cause, at least in part, one or more actions for resulting in a communication session between the device and a representative of the at least one service provider for responding to the service request.

12. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the contextual information is provided to the representative at or before an initiation of the communication session.

13. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the contextual information is provided to the representative after an initiation of the communication session.

14. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

process a further input, from the device of the user, for a subsequent request regarding the service request; and

determine to cause, at least in part, one or more actions for resulting in retrieval of information associated with the service request,

wherein the information associated with the service request includes the contextual information associated with the specified service and/or product, and information associated with the communication session.

15. An apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

determine to cause, at least in part, one or more actions for resulting in routing of the transmission of the subsequent request and the contextual information to the representative that participated in the communication session.

16. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

determine to cause, at least in part, one or more actions for resulting in routing of the transmission of the service request and the contextual information to a specified service provider of the at least one service provider and/or a specified representative of the at least one service provider based upon the contextual information.

17. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

determine to cause, at least in part, one or more actions for resulting in retrieval of information associated with the device and/or user to the at least one service provider for responding to the service request.

18. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the input, from the device of the user, for the service request is initiated using a voice call, video call, a text message, an instant message, an electronic mail message, a widget, an application, a web portal, or a combination thereof.

19. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following:

processing an input, from a device of a user, for a service request associated with a specified service and/or a product; and

determining to cause, at least in part, one or more actions for resulting in a transmission of the service request and contextual information associated with the specified service and/or product to at least one service provider for responding to the service request.

20. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:

determining to cause, at least in part, one or more actions for resulting in a communication session between the device and a representative of the at least one service provider for responding to the service request.