SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRESERVING CONTEXT ACROSS MULTIPLE CUSTOMER SERVICE VENUES

• US 20130006874A1
• Filed: 06/30/2011
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: KLEMM, Reinhard
• Application Number:
  US13/174,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20130006874A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/304
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for preserving context across multiple customer service venues. A system configured to practice the method identifies a user profile of a user requesting customer service, generates a context based on the user profile, the request, and other relevant data. The system communicates with the user at a first customer service venue based on the context, and receives an indication of movement of the user from the first customer service venue to a second customer service venue. The system transfers the context to the second customer service venue, and communicates with the user at the second customer service venue based on the context. A customer service venue can be a knowledge base, a troubleshooting guide, a social network, an online virtual world, a text-based chat, a voice conversation, a video chat, a spoken dialog system, and an onsite visit.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a user profile associated with a user requesting customer service to yield a customer service request;

generating a context based on the user profile and the customer service request;

communicating with the user at a first customer service venue based on the context;

receiving an indication of movement of the user from the first customer service venue to a second customer service venue, wherein a mode of interaction of the second customer service venue differs from the first customer service venue;

transferring the context to the second customer service venue; and

communicating with the user at the second customer service venue based on the context.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is a new user, wherein identifying the user profile further comprises:

receiving user information from the new user;

creating a new user profile; and

storing the new user profile in a database.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is a returning user, wherein identifying the user profile further comprises:

authenticating the returning user; and

retrieving an existing user profile associated with the returning user from a database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the context is further based on at least one of a customer service history, and other data relevant to customer service.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user profile includes personal identifying information describing the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer service request comprises at least one of a product, a customer service topic, a detailed description, a photograph, and an error log.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first customer service venue and the second customer service venue comprises a knowledge base, a troubleshooting guide, an online forum, a social network, an online virtual world, a text-based chat, a voice conversation, a video chat, a spoken dialog system, and an onsite visit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first customer service venue and the second customer service venue has a respective degree of permissions to perform at least one of accessing and modifying the context.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first customer service venue and the second customer service venue is chosen based on at least one of a predetermined order, a user input, and an algorithm.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the algorithm is based on the context and conditions of at least one of first customer service venue and the second customer service venue.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of movement of the user from the second customer service venue to a third customer service venue, wherein a mode of interaction of the third customer service venue differs from the second customer service venue;

transferring the context to the third customer service venue; and

communicating with the user at the third customer service venue based on the context.

12. A system comprising:

a processor;

a first module configured to control the processor to identify a user profile associated with a user requesting customer service to yield a customer service request, wherein the user profile includes personal identifying information describing the user;

a second module configured to control the processor to generate a context based on at least one of the user profile, the customer service request, a customer service history, and other data relevant to customer service;

a third module configured to control the processor to communicate with the user at a first customer service venue based on the context;

a fourth module configured to control the processor to receive an indication of movement of the user from the first customer service venue to a second customer service venue, wherein a mode of interaction of the second customer service venue differs from the first customer service venue;

a fifth module configured to control the processor to transfer the context to the second customer service venue; and

a sixth module configured to control the processor to communicate with the user at the second customer service venue based on the context.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the user is a new user, wherein identifying a user profile further comprises:

receiving user information from the new user;

creating a new user profile; and

storing the new user profile in a database.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the user is a returning user, wherein identifying the user profile further comprises:

authenticating the returning user; and

retrieving an existing user profile associated with the returning user from a database.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein each of the first customer service venue and the second customer service venue is chosen based on at least one of a predetermined order, a user input, and an algorithm based on the context.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a seventh module configured to control the processor to receive an indication of movement of the user from the second customer service venue to a third customer service venue, wherein a mode of interaction of the third customer service venue differs from the second customer service venue;

an eighth module configured to control the processor to transfer the context to the third customer service venue; and

a ninth module configured to control the processor to communicate with the user at the third customer service venue based on the context.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to provide customer service at multiple customer service venues using a single context, the instructions comprising:

identifying a user profile associated with a user requesting customer service to yield a customer service request, wherein the user profile includes personal identifying information describing the user;

generating a context based on the user profile, the customer service request, a customer service history, and other data relevant to customer service;

communicating with the user at a first customer service venue based on the context;

receiving an indication of movement of the user from the first customer service venue to a second customer service venue, wherein a mode of interaction of the second customer service venue differs from the first customer service venue;

transferring the context to the second customer service venue; and

communicating with the user at the second customer service venue based on the context.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the user is a new user, wherein identifying a user profile further comprises:

receiving user information from the new user;

creating a new user profile; and

storing the new user profile in a database.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein identifying the user profile further comprises:

authenticating the returning user; and

retrieving an existing user profile associated with the returning user from a database.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, the instructions further comprising:

receiving an indication of movement of the user from the second customer service venue to a third customer service venue, wherein a mode of interaction of the third customer service venue differs from the second customer service venue;

transferring the context to the third customer service venue; and

communicating with the user at the third customer service venue based on the context.