Technique for providing information assistance including a concierge-type service
First Claim
1. A method for providing a concierge-type service at a service provider comprising:
- (a) receiving a call at the service provider from a caller;
(b) directing the call to an agent;
(c) receiving a request for a concierge-type service relating to an unidentified vendor from the caller;
(d) automatically determining information related to said request, said pre-selected preference information comprising one or more vendors selected by the service provider;
(e) determining if one or more inconsistencies exist between at least two of;
user preferences received with said request, said preferred vendors of a group to which the caller belongs, said preferred vendors of a concierge provider, and said preferred vendors of a telephone carrier;
(f) if no such inconsistencies exist, using said pre-selected preference information to identify an appropriate vendor;
(g) otherwise, if said one or more inconsistencies exist, accessing stored information from which said inconsistencies can be resolved, and identifying said appropriate vendor; and
(h) acting to fulfill said request.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A user may access information assistance for a concierge-type service, whereby the user may make restaurant reservations, purchase goods and services, obtain movie listings, etc. with an agent'"'"'s (or operator'"'"'s) assistance. In accordance with the invention, the agent may suggest a vendor for providing the goods or services requested by the user, and attempt to fulfill the user request. The suggested vendor may be one of the preferred vendors pre-selected by the user; it may be one of the preferred vendors pre-selected by a group to which the user belongs; it may be one of the preferred vendors pre-selected by the provider of the concierge-type service; and it may be one of the preferred vendors pre-selected by a telephone carrier to which the user subscribes. The suggested vendor may also be a function of characteristics of the vendors that the user prefers, costs, etc. The invention resolves conflicts of preferences of different parties involved to come up with the suggested vendor.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method for providing a concierge-type service at a service provider comprising:
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(a) receiving a call at the service provider from a caller; (b) directing the call to an agent; (c) receiving a request for a concierge-type service relating to an unidentified vendor from the caller; (d) automatically determining information related to said request, said pre-selected preference information comprising one or more vendors selected by the service provider; (e) determining if one or more inconsistencies exist between at least two of;
user preferences received with said request, said preferred vendors of a group to which the caller belongs, said preferred vendors of a concierge provider, and said preferred vendors of a telephone carrier;(f) if no such inconsistencies exist, using said pre-selected preference information to identify an appropriate vendor; (g) otherwise, if said one or more inconsistencies exist, accessing stored information from which said inconsistencies can be resolved, and identifying said appropriate vendor; and (h) acting to fulfill said request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 38)
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13. A method for selecting a vendor with which to attempt to fulfill a service request, comprising:
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(a) receiving first vendor selection criteria from a user in conjunction with a user request; (b) accessing stored second vendor selection criteria; (c) determining if one or more inconsistencies exist between two or more vendor selection criteria; (d) if no such inconsistencies exist, fulfilling said user request as a function of third vendor selection criteria; and (e) otherwise, if said one or more inconsistencies exist, obtaining information from which said inconsistencies can be resolved, and fulfilling said user request as a function of fourth vendor selection criteria and said information. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for providing a concierge-type service at a service provider comprising:
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(a) receiving a call at the service provider from a caller; (b) directing the call to an agent in a first location; (c) receiving a request from the caller for a concierge-type service relating to an unidentified vendor in a second location; (d) transferring said request to another agent located in the second location; (e) automatically determining information related to said request; (f) using said information to identify an appropriate vendor; and (g) acting to fulfill said request. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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34. A method for providing a concierge-type service at a service provider comprising:
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(a) receiving a call at the service provider from a caller; (b) directing the call to an agent; (c) receiving a request for a concierge-type service relating to an unidentified vendor from the caller, said request including first vendor selection criteria; (d) accessing stored caller vendor selection criteria and stored service provider vendor selection criteria related to said request; (e) determining if one or more inconsistencies exist between at least two of said first vendor selection criteria, said stored caller vendor selection criteria, and said stored service provider vendor selection criteria; and (f) if one or more said inconsistencies exist; accessing stored information from which said inconsistencies can be resolved; and fulfilling said request. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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41. A method for providing a concierge-type service at a service provider comprising:
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(a) receiving a call at the service provider from a caller; (b) directing the call to an agent; (c) receiving a request for a concierge-type service relating to an unidentified vendor from the caller; (d) automatically determining pre-selected preference information related to said request, said pre-selected preference information comprising first vendor criteria selected by the caller and second vendor criteria selected by a party other than the caller; (e) determining if one or more inconsistencies exist between the first vendor criteria the second vendor criteria; and (f) if one or more said inconsistencies exist; accessing stored information from which said inconsistencies can be resolved; and fulfilling said request.
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Specification