Method and apparatus for facilitating customer service communications in a computing environment

• US 5,862,322 A
• Filed: 02/15/1996
• Issued: 01/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Infor Global Solutions Michigan Incorporated (Infor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: DUN & Bradstreet Software Services Incorporated
• Inventors: Kleinfelter, Kevin P., Anglin, David M., Walker, Julia C., Adams, Vernon J., Nugent, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): DeCady, Albert
• Application Number:
  US08/601,972
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 395/183.01, 395/183.22, 395/184.01, 395/185.01, 395/185.02, 395/182.02, 395/185.1, 395/200.36, 395/200.53, 395/200.54
• US Class Current: 714/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for facilitating end user support communications in a computing environment, wherein a product request may be initiated, and forwarded to a product administrator for review and resolution. The product request may be either initiated by the end user, or may automatically be initiated by the end user'"'"'s computer in response to a serious error. In the latter case, diagnostic information is automatically captured and included in the product request, so that the product administrator may know the state of the end user'"'"'s machine when determining the cause of the problem. In one embodiment, if the product administrator is unable to resolve the problem, he may access a database maintained by the vendor of the software and/or forward the product request to the vendor for resolution.

Claims

1. A customer service system for resolving a inquiry concerning an end-user software application program in a computing environment, comprising:

(a) a first computer system accessible by an end-user, wherein said first computer system includes;

(i) a central processing unit and a data storage media communicatively linked for the communication of data therebetween,

(ii) an end-user software application program residing on said data storage media of said first computer system and executed by said central processing unit of said first computer system, wherein said end-user software application program includes a user interface environment and an inquiry sub-program accessible by the end-user from the user interface environment during execution of the end-user software application program, said inquiry sub-program being integral with said end-user software application and enabling receipt of an inquiry from the end-user concerning an aspect of the end-user software application program, and

(iii) a communication interface;

(b) a second computer system accessible by an administrator, wherein said second computer system includes;

(i) a central processing unit and a data storage media communicatively linked for the communication of data therebetween,

(ii) an administrator software application program residing on said data storage media of said second computer system and executed by said central processing unit of said second computer system, wherein said administrator software application program includes a user interface environment and an inquiry resolution sub-program accessible by the administrator from the user interface environment, said inquiry resolution sub-program enabling the administrator to view an inquiry received from said first computer system, and

(iii) a communication interface linked to said communication interface of the first computer system, wherein said respective communication interfaces enable the communication of an inquiry and an inquiry answer between said first and second computer systems; and

,

(c) a third computer system accessible by the administrator and a vendor representative, wherein said third computer system comprises;

(i) a central processing unit and a data storage media communicatively linked for the communication of data therebetween,

(ii) a data base residing on said data storage media of said third computer system and containing a plurality of inquiry answers associated with a respective plurality of inquiries, wherein said data base is accessible by said inquiry resolution sub-program of said second computer system and said inquiry answers of said plurality of inquiry answers are extractable from said data base by said inquiry resolution sub-program, and

(iii) a communication interface linked to said respective communication interfaces of said first and second computer systems, wherein said respective communication interfaces enable the communication of an inquiry answer between said data base of said third computer system and said second computer system and between said data base of said third computer system and said first computer system.

2. The customer service system as defined in claim 1, wherein said inquiry resolution sub-program further includes a means for sending an inquiry from said second computer system to said third computer system and said third computer system further includes a vendor software application program residing on said data storage media and executed by said central processing unit for receiving an inquiry from said second computer system.

3. The customer service system as defined in claim 2, wherein an inquiry received by said third computer system from said second computer system includes the same information as an inquiry received by said second computer system from said first computer system.

4. The customer service system as defined in claim 2, wherein an inquiry received by said third computer system from said second computer system includes information specially generated by the administrator at said second computer system, and is different from an inquiry received by said second computer system from said first computer system.

5. The customer service system as defined in claim 2, wherein an inquiry received by said second computer system from said first computer system includes identification information which identifies an end-user as the originator of the inquiry, and an inquiry received by said third computer system from said second computer system includes identification information which identifies the administrator as the originator of the inquiry.

6. The customer service system as defined in claim 2, wherein said vendor application program further includes means for generating and transmitting an inquiry answer.

7. The customer service system as defined in claim 1, wherein said end-user software application program includes a help sub-program integral with the end-user software application program and accessible by the end-user from said user interface environment during execution of the end-user software application program, and wherein said inquiry sub-program is integral with said help sub-program and is accessible to the end-user from said help sub-program.

8. The customer service system as defined in claim 1, wherein said first, second, and third computer systems are part of a client/server arrangement of computer systems.

9. In a computing environment including a first computer system accessible by a first user, a second computer system accessible by a second user, and a third computer system accessible by a third user, wherein the first, second, and third computer systems are configured for intercommunication, a software problem resolution method for an end-user software application program, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) executing an end-user software application program on the first computer system;

(b) detecting a software error during execution of the end-user software application program;

(c) in response to detecting a software error at step (b), capturing diagnostic information including identification of the software error and data related to the state of the first computer system and the state of the end-user software application program at the time of detection of the software error;

(d) creating a problem resolution request comprising the diagnostic information;

(e) interrupting execution of the end-user software application program upon creation of the problem resolution request;

(f) displaying the problem resolution request to the end-user at the time of interruption;

(g) communicating the problem resolution request to a second user at the second computer system;

(h) attempting to resolve the software error at the second computer system;

(i) upon failing to resolve the software error at step (h), communicating the problem resolution request from the second computer system to a third user at the third computer system;

(j) finding a resolution to the software error at the third computer system; and

(k) generating a solution signal to the software error at the third computer system.

10. The software problem resolution method as defined in claim 9, further including the step of transmitting the solution signal generated at the third computer system to the second computer system for relay on to the first computer system.

11. The software problem resolution method as defined in claim 9, further including the step of transmitting the solution signal generated at the third computer system directly to the first computer system.

12. The software problem resolution method as defined in claim 9, wherein the attempting to resolve step includes searching a data base having a plurality of information items associated with the end-user software application program and corresponding solutions.

13. The software problem resolution method as defined in claim 9, wherein the finding a resolution step includes searching a data base having a plurality of information items associated with the end-user software application program and corresponding solutions.

14. The software problem resolution method as defined in claim 9, further including a step of attaching data files potentially aiding in the resolution of the software error to the problem resolution request at the first computer system prior to the step of communicating the problem resolution request to the second user at the second computer system.

15. The software problem resolution method as defined in claim 9, further including a step of displaying status information indicating whether a problem resolution request has been resolved.

16. The software problem resolution method as defined in claim 9, wherein the end-user software application program includes end-user software which manages the performance of computer-aided activities and tasks assigned to the end-user for completion by the end-user.

17. In a computing environment including a first computer system accessible by a first user, a second computer system accessible by a second user, and a third computer system accessible by a third user, wherein the first, second, and third computer systems are configured to intercommunicate, a software question resolution method for an end-user software application program the method comprising the steps of:

(a) executing an end-user software application program on the first computer system;

(b) in response to input from the first user to the end-user software application program, launching an on-line help software component of the end-user software application program at the first computer system, whereby the first user attempts to locate an answer to a software question concerning the end-user software application program;

(c) in response to input from the first user to the on-line help software component of the end-user software application program, displaying a user interface from within the help software component at the first computer system enabling the collection of information related to a software question;

(d) collecting request information at the first computer system from the first user which defines a software question regarding the operation of the end-user software application program;

(e) communicating the request information from the first computer system to a second user at the second computer system; and

,

(f) attempting to resolve the software question at the second computer system.

18. The software question resolution method as defined in claim 17, wherein upon resolving the software question at step (f), the method further comprises the following steps of:

generating at the second computer system a solution signal corresponding to the resolution of the software question; and

,

communicating the solution signal from the second computer system to the first computer system.

19. The software question resolution method as defined in claim 17, wherein upon failing to resolve the software question at step (f), the method further comprises the following steps of:

communicating the request information from the second computer system to a third user at the third computer system;

finding at the third computer system a resolution to the software question; and

,

generating at the third computer system a solution signal corresponding to the resolution of the software question.

20. The software question resolution method as defined in claim 19, further including the step of transmitting the solution signal generated at the third computer system to the second computer system for relay on to the first computer system.

21. The software question resolution method as defined in claim 19, further including the step of transmitting the solution signal generated at the third computer system directly to the first computer system.

22. The software question resolution method as defined in claim 19, wherein the finding a resolution step includes searching a data base at the third computer system having a plurality of information items associated with the application program and corresponding solutions.

23. The communications method as defined in claim 17, wherein the attempting to find step includes searching a data base having a plurality of request information items associated with the application program and corresponding solutions.

24. The software question resolution method as defined in claim 17, wherein the end-user software application program includes end-user software which manages the performance of computer-aided activities and tasks assigned to the end-user for completion by the end-user.

25. The software question resolution method as defined in claim 17, wherein the method further includes, prior to the step of communicating the request information from the first computer system, a step of attaching data files at the first computer system containing information potentially helpful in resolving the software question through interaction with the user interface.