DYNAMICALLY MODIFYING PARTICIPANTS IN AN ONLINE CHAT SESSION

• US 20130332537A1
• Filed: 06/06/2012
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schmidt, Jeffrey A., Emerick, Earl W., Walden, Rawls W. II
• Application Number:
  US13/489,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20130332537A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/026 using e-messaging for transporting management information, e.g. email, instant messaging or chat
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5064 Customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

In a method for managing an online chat session, an instant message received from a customer participating in the online chat session is examined. A determination that the examined instant message indicates characteristic of a problem being experienced by the customer is made. One or more chat participants to include in the online chat session to address the problem are determined based on the characteristic of the problem. A set of chat participants participating in the online chat session is modified to include the determined one or more chat participants in the set of chat participants.

Claims

1. A method for managing an online chat session, the method comprising the steps of:

a computer examining an instant message received from a customer participating in the online chat session;

the computer determining that the examined instant message indicates a characteristic of a problem being experienced by the customer;

the computer determining, based on the characteristic of the problem, one or more chat participants to include in the online chat session to address the problem; and

the computer modifying a set of chat participants participating in the online chat session;

wherein the modifying comprises including the determined one or more chat participants in the set of chat participants.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

the computer determining one or more chat participants for the online chat session based on a customer profile of the customer;

wherein the customer profile includes at least one of a level of support that the customer has purchased, a prior history that the customer has with support staff, and a warranty that the customer has purchased.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the problem is selected from the group consisting of a type of the problem, a severity of the problem, a business impact of the problem, and a system affected by the problem.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the problem is associated with a skill set, and wherein the step of the computer determining the one or more chat participants further comprises the computer determining that the one or more chat participants have the skill set.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the modifying step further comprises removing, from the set of chat participants, a chat participant who is not among the determined one or more chat participants.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of the computer selecting the one or more chat participants from a team comprised of a plurality of chat participants.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

the computer examining a subsequent instant message received in the online chat session;

the computer determining that the examined subsequent instant message includes an other characteristic of a problem being experienced by the customer;

the computer determining one or more chat participants to include in the online chat session based on the other characteristic; and

the computer modifying the modified set of chat participants participating in the online chat session to include the one or more chat participants determined based on the other characteristic.

8. A computer program product for managing an online chat session, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable-tangible storage devices and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable-tangible storage devices, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to examine an instant message received from a customer participating in the online chat session;

program instructions to determine that the examined instant message indicates a characteristic of a problem being experienced by the customer;

program instructions to determine, based on the characteristic of the problem, one or more chat participants to include in the online chat session to address the problem; and

program instructions to modify a set of chat participants participating in the online chat session;

wherein the program instructions to modify the set of chat participants comprise program instructions to include the determined one or more chat participants in the set of chat participants.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable-tangible storage devices, to determine one or more chat participants for the online chat session based on a customer profile of the customer;

wherein the customer profile includes at least one of a level of support that the customer has purchased, a prior history that the customer has with support staff, and a warranty that the customer has purchased.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the characteristic of the problem is selected from the group consisting of a type of the problem, a severity of the problem, a business impact of the problem, and a system affected by the problem.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the characteristic of the problem is associated with a skill set, and where the program instructions to determine the one or more chat participants comprise program instructions to determine that the one or more chat participants have the skill set.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the program instructions to modify the set of chat participants further comprise program instructions to remove, from the set of chat participants, a chat participant who is not among the determined one or more chat participants.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable-tangible storage devices, to select the one or more chat participants from a team comprised of a plurality of chat participants.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable-tangible storage devices, to examine a subsequent instant message received in the online chat session;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable-tangible storage devices, to determine that the examined subsequent instant message include an other characteristic of a problem being experienced by the customer;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable-tangible storage devices, to determine one or more chat participants to include in the online chat session based on the other characteristic; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable-tangible storage devices, to modify the modified set of chat participants participating in the online chat session to include the one or more chat participants determined based on the other characteristic.

15. A computer system for managing an online chat session, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer readable-tangible storage devices and program instructions which are stored on the one or more computer readable-tangible storage devices for execution by the one or more processors via the one or more memories, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to examine an instant message received from a customer participating in the online chat session;

program instructions to determine that the examined instant message indicates a characteristic of a problem being experienced by the customer;

program instructions to determine, based on the characteristic of the problem, one or more chat participants to include in the online chat session to address the problem; and

program instructions to modify a set of chat participants participating in the online chat session;

wherein the program instructions to modify the set of chat participants comprise program instructions to include the determined one or more chat participants in the set of chat participants.

16. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable-tangible storage devices for execution by the one or more processors via the one or more memories, to determine one or more chat participants for the online chat session based on a customer profile of the customer;

wherein the customer profile includes at least one of a level of support that the customer has purchased, a prior history that the customer has with support staff, and a warranty that the customer has purchased.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the characteristic of the problem is selected from the group consisting of a type of the problem, a severity of the problem, a business impact of the problem, and a system affected by the problem.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the characteristic of the problem is associated with a skill set, and where the program instructions to determine the one or more chat participants comprise program instructions to determine that the one or more chat participants have the skill set.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the program instructions to modify the set of chat participants further comprise program instructions to remove, from the set of chat participants, a chat participant who is not among the determined one or more chat participants.

20. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable-tangible storage devices for execution by the one or more processors via the one or more memories, to select the one or more chat participants from a team comprised of a plurality of chat participants.

21. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable-tangible storage devices for execution by the one or more processors via the one or more memories, to examine a subsequent instant message received in the online chat session;

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable-tangible storage devices for execution by the one or more processors via the one or more memories, to determine that the examined subsequent instant message include an other characteristic of a problem being experienced by the customer;

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable-tangible storage devices for execution by the one or more processors via the one or more memories, to determine one or more chat participants to include in the online chat session based on the other characteristic; and

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable-tangible storage devices for execution by the one or more processors via the one or more memories, to modify the modified set of chat participants participating in the online chat session to include the one or more chat participants determined based on the other characteristic.