SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTO-SUGGESTING RESPONSES BASED ON SOCIAL CONVERSATIONAL CONTENTS IN CUSTOMER CARE SERVICES

• US 20150032724A1
• Filed: 07/23/2013
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conduent Business Services, LLC (Conduent, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Vandervort, David R., Sun, Tong, Bakthavachalu, Arun, Thirugnanasundaram, Veerasundaravel
• Granted Patent: US 10,162,884 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3329 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/01 Customer relationship services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

A first embodiment of the disclosure relates to a method for responding to a message posted in a social media stream. The method includes monitoring a social media site for at least one message including select subject matter. In response to identifying a message, the method includes collecting a series of exchanges that form a conversational thread including the message. The method includes determining at least one content attribute of the message. The method includes classifying the message using at least one key attribute. The method includes searching a database for a reference message using a combination of the at least one content and key attributes. The method includes determining a previous outcome of a reference thread including the reference message. The method includes using the previous outcome for determining a course of action.

Claims

1. A method for responding to a message posted in a social media stream, the method comprising:

monitoring a social media site for at least one message including select subject matter;

in response to identifying a message, collecting a series of exchanges that form a conversational thread including the message;

determining at least one content attribute of the message;

classifying the message using at least one key attribute;

searching a database for a reference message using a combination of the at least one content and key attributes;

determining a previous outcome of a reference thread including the reference message; and

,

using the previous outcome for determining a course of action.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one content attribute is selected from a group consisting of:

a set of tags extracted from the message;

at least one slug generated from at least one combination of tags; and

,

quoted text of the message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the key attribute is selected from a group consisting of:

a category;

a topic that the message relates to;

a location; and

,

a combination of the above.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

rating a confidence of the reference message based on the combination of the at least one content and key attributes used in the searching.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

extracting a set of tags forming the message;

forming at least one combination of tags to generate at least one slug;

associating each slug as a content attribute;

searching the database for the reference message by comparing the each slug with reference messages.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

extracting a set of tags forming the message;

filtering and removing irrelevant tags from the set of tags;

associating the filtered tags as the content attribute;

searching the database for the reference message by comparing the filtered tags with reference messages.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

categorizing the message into one of a predetermined set of categories classifying a purpose of the message; and

,

searching the database using at least the category one key attribute in the combination.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

comparing tags in the message with a stored dictionary for identifying at least one topic of the message;

classifying the message as belonging to the topic; and

,

searching the database for the reference message using at least the topic as one key attribute in the combination.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a location of a device posting the message; and

searching the database for the reference message using at least the location as one key attribute in the combination.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the course of action includes:

accessing a database of reference threads to determine if the message corresponds to one of a set of reference threads;

for the message being determined as corresponding to a reference thread, identifying a sentiment of a last message in the reference thread as belonging to one of a negative and a positive sentiment;

for the message being determined as not corresponding to a reference thread, providing the message to an advisor for review.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining the course of action includes:

for the message belonging to the positive sentiment, providing the previous outcome to the advisor as a suggested response to the thread; and

,

for the message belonging to the negative sentiment, providing the message to the advisor for review.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the reference threads include previous threads that were concluded.

13. A computer program product comprising tangible media which encodes instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising a tag and slug generation module adapted to:

extract a set of the tags forming the message;

filter and remove irrelevant tags from the set of tags; and

,

wherein the response search module is further adapted to search the database for the reference message by comparing the filtered tags with reference messages.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the predetermined set of categories includes at least one of:

reasons why messages can be posted in the thread;

types of sentiments that the message conveys based on tags in the message;

topics of messages;

locations of messages; and

,

a combination of the above.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising a topic identification module adapted to:

compare tags in the message with a stored dictionary for identifying at least one topic of the message;

assign the topic to the message; and

,

wherein the response search module is further adapted to;

search the database for the reference message using the topic.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising a location identification module adapted to

determine a location of a device posting the message, wherein the response search module is further adapted to search the database for the reference message using the location.

19. The system of claim 12, further comprising a tag and slug determination module adapted to:

form combinations of tags to generate slugs;

wherein the categorization module is further adapted to categorize the message into one of the predetermined set of categories based on the slugs; and

, wherein the response search module is further adapted to search the database for the reference message by comparing the slugs with reference messages.

20. The system of claim 12, further comprising a message classification module is further adapted to:

in response to the response search module accessing a database of reference threads to determine if the message corresponds to one of a set of reference threads, for the message being determined as corresponding to a reference thread, identify a sentiment of a last message in the reference thread as belonging to one of a negative and a positive sentiment.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the response generation module is further adapted to:

for the message belonging to the positive sentiment, providing as a reply to the message from the reference thread; and

,

for the message belonging to the negative sentiment, providing the message to the advisor for review.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the reference threads include previous threads that were concluded.

14. A system for responding to a message posted in a social media stream, the system comprising:

an auto-suggesting response device comprising;

a message monitoring module adapted to;

monitor a social media site for at least one message including select subject matter, and,

in response to identifying a message, collect a series of exchanges that form a conversational thread including the message,

a categorization module adapted to categorize the message into one of a predetermined set of categories,

a response search module adapted to;

search a database for a reference message using a combination of the at least one content and key attributes,

determine an outcome of a reference thread including the reference message, and

a response generation module adapted to use the outcome to form a response for providing in the thread; and

,

a processor, in communication with the memory for executing the modules.