Method and Apparatus for Leveraging Social Media for Pro-Active Customer Notification
First Claim
1. A method for contacting customers, the method comprising:
- monitoring each one of a plurality of separate and distinct network-enabled user-interactive sites simultaneously using a computing system in communication with the sites, the sites monitored for an active presence of one of a plurality of predefined existing customers of a business on one of the plurality of network-enabled user-interactive sites;
detecting the active presence of one of the predefined customers on one of the network-enabled user-interactive sites;
assigning one of a plurality of customer support agents working for the business to the predefined customer associated with the detected active presence;
establishing a communication channel between the assigned agent and the associated predefined customer; and
using the communication channel to exchange messages between the assigned agent and the associated predefined customer.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Customers are contacted on social media websites and instant messaging programs by monitoring a plurality of network-enabled user-interactive sites, e.g., social media websites, for an active presence of a customer on one of the sites. Upon detection of an active presence, a customer support agent is assigned to the customer associated, and a communication channel of customer'"'"'s choice is established between the agent and the customer. This communication channel is used to exchange messages between the assigned agent and the associated predefined customer. A single contact center representation is established on each site, and a separate logical representation of each single contact center representation is established on premises equipment associated with the agent. The logical representation on the agent premises equipment is used to establish the communication channel between the customer support agent and the associated predefined customer.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for contacting customers, the method comprising:
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monitoring each one of a plurality of separate and distinct network-enabled user-interactive sites simultaneously using a computing system in communication with the sites, the sites monitored for an active presence of one of a plurality of predefined existing customers of a business on one of the plurality of network-enabled user-interactive sites; detecting the active presence of one of the predefined customers on one of the network-enabled user-interactive sites; assigning one of a plurality of customer support agents working for the business to the predefined customer associated with the detected active presence; establishing a communication channel between the assigned agent and the associated predefined customer; and using the communication channel to exchange messages between the assigned agent and the associated predefined customer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for contacting customers, the method comprising:
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creating a group comprising a plurality of customer support agents working for a business and available to participate in exchanging messages with a plurality of predefined existing customers of the business across a communication channel through one of a plurality of network-enabled user-interactive sites; detecting an active presence of one of the plurality of the predefined customers on one of the plurality of network-enabled user-interactive sites, using a computing system in communication with the sites; selecting one of the plurality of customer support agents from the group of customer support agents based on at least one of a prior interaction history between the selected customer support agent and the detected predefined customer, technical expertise of the selected customer support agent, physical location of the selected customer support agent in relation to a physical location of the detected predefined customer and familiarity of the selected customer support agent with specific characteristics of the network-enabled user-interactive site on which presence of the predefined customer is detected; assigning the selected customer support agent to the predefined customer associated with the detected active presence; establishing a communication channel between the assigned customer support agent and the associated predefined customer; and using the communication channel to exchange messages between the assigned customer support agent and the associated predefined customer. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for contacting customers, the method comprising:
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detecting an active presence of one of a plurality of predefined existing customers of a business on one of a plurality of network-enabled user-interactive sites, using a computing system in communication with the sites; establishing a single contact center representation on each network-enabled user-interactive site; establishing a separate logical representation of each single contact center representation on agent premises equipment associated with each customer support agent in a group of customer support agents comprising a plurality of customer support agents working for the business; assigning one of the customer support agents to the predefined customer associated with the detected active presence; establishing a communication channel between the assigned customer support agent and the associated predefined customer using the logical representation on the agent premises equipment associated with the assigned customer support agent of the single contact center of the network-enabled user-interactive site on which presence of the customer is detected to establish the communication channel between the assigned selected customer support agent and the associated predefined customer; and using the communication channel to exchange messages between the assigned agent and the associated predefined customer. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A computer-readable storage medium containing a computer-readable code that when read by a computer causes the computer to perform a method for contacting customers, the method comprising:
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monitoring each one of a plurality of separate and distinct network-enabled user-interactive sites simultaneously for an active presence of one of a plurality of predefined existing customers of a business on one of the plurality of network-enabled user-interactive sites; detecting the active presence of one of the predefined customers on one of the network-enabled user-interactive sites; assigning one of a plurality of customer support agents working for the business to the predefined customer associated with the detected active presence; establishing a communication channel between the assigned agent and the associated predefined customer; and using the communication channel to exchange messages between the assigned agent and the associated predefined customer. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification