SYSTEM, METHOD, APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR PROVIDING MOBILE DEVICE SUPPORT SERVICES

• US 20140024348A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Assurant Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Assurant Incorporated
• Inventors: Conrad, Cassandra G., Hurst, Cameron E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,413,893 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0742 in a data processing system embedded in a mobile device, e.g. mobile phones, handheld devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0793 Remedial or corrective actions recovery from an exception in an instruction pipeline G06F9/3861; by retry G06F11/1402; for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity H04L69/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/18 Delegation of network management function, e.g. customer network management [CNM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5064 Customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5074 Handling of user complaints or trouble tickets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/56 including a user help function
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data

Abstract

A method is provided for providing mobile device support services. The method may include monitoring a mobile device status. The method may additionally include performing device diagnostics based at least in part on captured deice status data to identify potential faults that may affect mobile device functionality. A corresponding system, apparatus, and computer program product are also provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving device status data from a mobile device;

determining whether to escalate to a support session facilitated by a customer service representative;

if the determining whether to escalate results in the support session, determining a particular customer service representative to assign to the support session based at least in part on information regarding a plurality of customer support representatives;

assigning the particular customer service representative to the support session; and

providing a record of the received device status data to the assigned customer service representative.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to escalate to the support session facilitated by the customer service representative is further based at least in part on the received device status data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, based at least in part on the received device status data, a user sophistication level.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining whether to escalate to the support session facilitated by the customer service representative is further based at least in part on the user sophistication level.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the particular customer service representative is further based at least in part on the user sophistication level.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising causing an indication of the user sophistication level to be provided to the particular customer support representative.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the device status data comprises information regarding one or more actions performed by a user of the mobile device prior to the support session being initiated.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the information regarding one or more actions performed by the user of the mobile device comprise information regarding support information accessed by the user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the information regarding support information accessed by the user comprises one or more indications of the user'"'"'s satisfaction with the accessed support information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the information regarding one or more actions performed by the user of the mobile device comprise indications of one or more corrective actions performed by the user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more corrective actions performed by the user comprise using one or more self-help tools.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more corrective actions performed by the user comprise one or more actions performed in accordance with accessed support information.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the information regarding the plurality of customer service representatives comprises at least one of:

languages spoken, fault resolution times, fault resolution success rates, or customer feedback.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the particular customer service representative comprises correlating the received device status data to the information regarding the plurality of customer support representatives.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, based at least in part on the received device status data, one or more potential faults related to the mobile device;

and

wherein the information regarding the plurality of customer service representatives comprises respective indications of the customer service representatives'"'"' experience with resolving the one or more potential faults.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the information regarding the plurality of customer service representatives comprises respective indications of the customer service representatives'"'"' experience with resolving faults arising from a particular device configuration.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to escalate to a support session facilitated by a customer service representative comprises determining whether an escalation request was received.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the received escalation request is generated in response to user selection of an escalation option.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the escalation option is presented via a support portal.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the escalation option is presented via the mobile device.

21. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory having program code instructions embodied therein, the at least one memory and program code instructions being configured to, with the at least one processor, direct the apparatus to at least:

receive device status data from a mobile device;

determine whether to escalate to a support session facilitated by a customer service representative;

initiate, in an instance in which a determination is made to escalate, a support session with the mobile device;

determine a particular customer service representative to assign to the support session based at least in part on information regarding a plurality of customer support representatives;

assign the particular customer service representative to the support session; and

provide a record of the received device status data to the assigned customer service representative.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the apparatus is further directed to determine, based at least in part on the received device status data, a user sophistication level.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the apparatus is directed to determine the particular customer service representative based at least further in part on the user sophistication level.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the device status data comprises information regarding one or more actions performed by a user of the mobile device prior to the support session being initiated.

22. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

28-40. -40. (canceled)

41. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having program code portions stored therein, the program code portions being configured to, upon execution, direct an apparatus to at least:

receive device status data from a mobile device;

determine whether to escalate to a support session facilitated by a customer service representative;

initiate, in an instance in which a determination is made to escalate, a support session with the mobile device;

determine a particular customer service representative to assign to the support session based at least in part on information regarding a plurality of customer support representatives;

assign the particular customer service representative to the support session; and

provide a record of the received device status data to the assigned customer service representative.

42-60. -60. (canceled)

61. A system comprising:

a mobile device comprising at least one first processor and at least one first memory having first program code instructions embodied therein, the at least one first memory and first program code instructions being configured to, with the at least one first processor, direct the mobile device to at least;

collect device status data, and

transmit the device status data;

a customer service center apparatus comprising at least one second processor and at least one second memory having second program code instructions embodied therein, the at least one second memory and second program code instructions being configured to, with the at least one second processor, direct the customer service center apparatus to at least;

receive the device status data from the mobile device,

determine whether to escalate to a support session facilitated by a customer service representative,

initiate, in an instance in which a determination is made to escalate, a support session with the mobile device,

determine a particular customer service representative to assign to the support session based at least in part on information regarding a plurality of customer support representatives,

assign the particular customer service representative to the support session, and

provide a record of the previously received status information to the assigned customer service representative.

62-145. -145. (canceled)