Apparatus and method for company representatives to monitor and establish live contact with visitors to their website

• US 6,976,056 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2000
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ephiphany Incorporated
• Original Assignee: EPiphany Incorporated (Infor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kumar, Manu
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): DELGADO, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US09/593,978
• Time in Patent Office: 2,009 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/217, 709/224, 709/204, 345/854, 345/629, 345/339, 705/27, 705/26
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0607 Regulated
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

A system for allowing company representatives or web site operators to monitor and track activity of visitors to their web site and proactively establish live contact with the visitor using text messaging. A customer service representative of a website operator can instantly send a message to a visitor in order to help them obtain the most relevant information desired, and to directly answer any questions the visitor may have. A radar screen provides information to the website operator of how people are accessing their website by providing on one screen a visual comparison of the different locations or pages within the website where the visitors are browsing. The radar screen can be divided into sectors representative of each of these locations, and the number of visitors to each one is indicated.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture for monitoring website activity and tracking a visit to a website by each visitor from a plurality of visitors, the article of manufacture comprising:

a computer-readable medium having stored therein a computer program executable by a processor,

the computer program comprising instructions for;

monitoring viewing by each visitor of pages within the website;

initiating direct communication with at least one visitor according to the viewing progress of the visitor of the at least one visitor of pages within the website; and

displaying a radar screen that provides on one screen an indication of a number of visitors accessing each of the pages within the website and a visual comparison of different locations within the website where the visitors are browsing.

2. The article of manufacture as recited in claim 1 wherein the computer program further comprises instructions for initiating direct communication with the visitor via a text box which is presented to the visitor by a customer service representative, the text box includes an identification of the customer service representative to the visitor and includes an interactive dialog box for the exchange of information between the customer service representative and the visitor.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the computer program further comprises

computer instructions for detecting a browsing pattern from the monitored progress.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein said computer program comprise instructions for indicating that the visitor is purchasing an item and helping the visitor purchase the item.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein said computer program comprise instructions for indicating that the visitor is actively seeking information and for providing desired information to the visitor.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein said computer program comprises instructions for indicating that the visitor is navigating through pages of the website and directing the visitor to a page that is of interest to the visitor.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said computer program comprises instructions for sending a message to the visitor based on the monitored progress.

3. A method of providing customer service to a website visitor, the method comprising:

identifying to a website customer service representative that a visitor has accessed the website;

identifying the visitor to the customer service representative;

monitoring viewing progress of the visitor of pages in the website;

connecting the customer service representative with the visitor; and

providing a dialog box from the customer service representative to the visitor such that instantaneous real-time communication is initiated between the customer service representative and the visitor based on the monitored viewing progress of the visitor of the pages in the web site; and

directing the visitor to a page that is of interest to the visitor; and

displaying a radar screen to the customer service representative that provides on one screen an indication of a number of visitors accessing each of the pages within the website and a visual comparison of different locations within the website where the visitors are browsing.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

detecting a browsing pattern from the monitored progress.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein detecting the browsing pattern comprises indicating that the visitor is purchasing an item and providing the dialog box comprises helping the visitor purchase the item.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein detecting the browsing pattern comprises indicating that the visitor is actively seeking information and providing the dialog box comprises providing desired information to the visitor.