Methods for providing cross-vendor support services

• US 8,533,857 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2011
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teletech Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Teletech Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Tuchman, Kenneth D., Sharpe, Bruce A., Truong, Henry D., Rahn, Alan B.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORTHY, ARAVIND K
• Application Number:
  US13/085,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20120266258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 726/28, 709/203, 705/304, 707/603, 707/607, 707/687, 707/705
• US Class Current: 726/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2119 Authenticating web pages, e.g. with suspicious links
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/468 Specific access rights for resources, e.g. using capability register
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/01 Customer relationship services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/012 Providing warranty services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 : with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 : using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 : Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

According to one aspect, a first request is received at a services application programming interface (API) of a support center from a first user for a first product provided by a first client. A second request is received at the services API of the support center from a second user for a second product provided by a second client. A first knowledgebase (KB) associated with the first client and a second KB associated with the second client are identified. A third KB that contains information common to the first product and the second product is identified. The first KB and the third KB are enabled to be accessible by a first agent assigned to provide support services of the first product. The second KB and the third KB are enabled to be accessible by a second agent assigned to provide support services of the second product.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for product support services, the method comprising:

receiving, at a services application programming interface (API) of a support center, a first request from a first user for support services of a first product provided by a first client of the support center, wherein the support center provides support services for a plurality of products provided on behalf a plurality of clients, wherein each of the plurality of clients represents one of a product manufacturer, a product distributer, and a product retailer of the products, wherein the first user has purchased the first product from the first client and has registered the first product with the support center for support services;

receiving, at the services API of the support center, a second request from a second user for support services of a second product provided by a second client of the support center, wherein the second user has purchased the second product from the second client and has registered the second product with the support center for support services;

identifying a first knowledgebase (KB) associated with the first client and a second KB associated with the second client, wherein the first KB contains information describing one or more solutions of one or more problems of the first product that have been previously identified and the first KB has been compiled specifically tailored to the first client'"'"'s needs, and wherein the second KB contains information describing one or more solutions of one or more problems of the second product that have been previously identified and the second KB has been compiled specifically tailored to the second client'"'"'s needs;

identifying a third KB that contains information describing one or more technical solutions to one or more technical problems common to the first product and the second product, but are not specifically related to the first client and the second client;

enabling the first KB and the third KB to be accessible by a first agent assigned to provide support services of the first product to the first user without exposing the second KB to the second agent;

enabling the second KB and the third KB to be accessible by a second agent assigned to provide support services of the second product to the second user without exposing the first KB to the first agent;

establishing a first communication session between the first user and the first agent to enable the first agent to conduct a live support session to provide support services of the first product to the first user using the first KB and the third KB; and

establishing a second communication session between the second user and the second agent to enable the second agent to conduct a live support session to provide support services of the second product to the second user using the second KB and the third KB, such that confidential information of the first KB of the first client and the second KB of the second client is not shared across different clients during the first live session and the second live session.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the first request, creating a first touch plan describing a first outline of support services to be provided to the first user, wherein the first touch plan includes first access control information pertaining to the first KB and the third KB; and

transmitting the first touch plan to the first agent to allow the first agent to access the first KB and the third KB based on the first access control information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first access control information is configured to prevent the first agent from accessing the second KB.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in response to the second request, creating a second touch plan describing a second outline of support services to be provided to the second user, wherein the second touch plan includes second access control information pertaining to the second KB and the third KB; and

transmitting the second touch plan information to the second agent to allow the second agent to access the second KB and the third KB based on the second access control information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second access control information is configured to prevent the second agent from accessing the first KB.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein data stored in the first KB has been flagged to be specifically utilized for supporting the first product by an administrator of the first client, wherein data stored in the second KB has been flagged to be specifically utilized for supporting the second product by an administrator of the second client, and wherein data stored in the third KB has been flagged to be utilized for supporting the first and second products by administrators of the first and second clients.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first request is originated from a first one-touch application installed on a first mobile device of the first user, the first user being identified based on a device identifier (ID) of the first mobile device without having the first user to specifically provide user information, and wherein the second request is originated from a second one-touch application installed on a second mobile device of the second user, the second user being identified based on a device identifier (ID) of the second mobile device without having the second user to specifically provide user information.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for product support services, the method comprising:

receiving, at a services application programming interface (API) of a support center, a first request from a first user for support services of a first product provided by a first client of the support center, wherein the support center provides support services for a plurality of products provided on behalf of a plurality of clients, wherein each of the plurality of clients represents one of a product manufacturer, a product distributer, and a product retailer of the products, wherein the first user has purchased the first product from the first client and has registered the first product with the support center for support services;

receiving, at the services API of the support center, a second request from a second user for support services of a second product provided by a second client of the support center, wherein the second user has purchased the second product from the second client and has registered the second product with the support center for support services;

identifying a first knowledgebase (KB) associated with the first client and a second KB associated with the second client, wherein the first KB contains information describing one or more solutions of one or more problems of the first product that have been previously identified and the first KB has been compiled specifically tailored to the first client'"'"'s needs, and wherein the second KB contains information describing one or more solutions of one or more problems of the second product that have been previously identified and the second KB has been compiled specifically tailored to the second client'"'"'s needs;

identifying a third KB that contains information describing one or more technical solutions to one or more technical problems common to the first product and the second product, but are not specifically related to the first client and the second client;

enabling the first KB and the third KB to be accessible by a first agent assigned to provide support services of the first product to the first user without exposing the second KB to the second agent; and

enabling the second KB and the third KB to be accessible by a second agent assigned to provide support services of the second product to the second user without exposing the first KB to the first agent;

establishing a first communication session between the first user and the first agent to enable the first agent to conduct a live support session to provide support services of the first product to the first user using the first KB and the third KB; and

establishing a second communication session between the second user and the second agent to enable the second agent to conduct a live support session to provide support services of the second product to the second user using the second KB and the third KB, such that confidential information of the first KB of the first client and the second KB of the second client is not shared across different clients during the first live session and the second live session.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

in response to the first request, creating a first touch plan describing a first outline of support services to be provided to the first user, wherein the first touch plan includes first access control information pertaining to the first KB and the third KB; and

transmitting the first touch plan to the first agent to allow the first agent to access the first KB and the third KB based on the first access control information.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the first access control information is configured to prevent the first agent from accessing the second KB.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

in response to the second request, creating a second touch plan describing a second outline of support services to be provided to the second user, wherein the second touch plan includes second access control information pertaining to the second KB and the third KB; and

transmitting the second touch plan to the second agent to allow the second agent to access the second KB and the third KB based on the second access control information.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the second access control information is configured to prevent the second agent from accessing the first KB.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein data stored in the first KB has been flagged to be specifically utilized for supporting the first product by an administrator of the first client, wherein data stored in the second KB has been flagged to be specifically utilized for supporting the second product by an administrator of the second client, and wherein data stored in the third KB has been flagged to be utilized for supporting the first and second products by administrators of the first and second clients.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the first request is originated from a first one-touch application installed on a first mobile device of the first user, the first user being identified based on a device identifier (ID) of the first mobile device without having the first user to specifically provide user information, and wherein the second request is originated from a second one-touch application installed on a second mobile device of the second user, the second user being identified based on a device identifier (ID) of the second mobile device without having the second user to specifically provide user information.

15. A system for product support services provided by a support center, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

a services application programming interface (API), executed in the memory by the processor, to receive a first request from a first user for support services of a first product provided by a first client of a support center, the support center providing support services for a plurality of products provided on behalf of a plurality of clients, wherein the services API is configured to receive a second request from a second user for support services of a second product provided by a second client of the support center, wherein each of the plurality of clients represents one of a product manufacturer, a product distributer, and a product retailer of the products, wherein the first user has purchased the first product from the first client and has registered the first product with the support center for support services, and wherein the second user has purchased the second product from the second client and has registered the second product with the support center for support services;

a knowledge manager, executed in the memory by the processor, coupled to the services API to identify a first knowledgebase (KB) associated with the first client, a second KB associated with the second client, and a third KB that contains information describing one or more technical solutions to one or more technical problems common to the first product and the second product, but are not specifically related to the first client and the second client, wherein the first KB contains information describing one or more solutions of one or more problems of the first product that have been previously identified and the first KB has been compiled specifically tailored to the first client'"'"'s needs, and wherein the second KB contains information describing one or more solutions of one or more problems of the second product that have been previously identified and the second KB has been compiled specifically tailored to the second client'"'"'s needs;

an access control module, executed in the memory by the processor, coupled to the knowledge manager to enable the first KB and the third KB to be accessible by a first agent assigned to provide support services of the first product to the first user without exposing the second KB to the second agent and to enable the second KB and the third KB to be accessible by a second agent assigned to provide support services of the second product to the second user without exposing the first KB to the first agent; and

a multi-channel communication system to establish a first communication session between the first user and the first agent to enable the first agent to conduct a live support session to provide support services of the first product to the first user using the first KB and the third KB, and to establish a second communication session between the second user and the second agent to enable the second agent to conduct a live support session to provide support services of the second product to the second user using the second KB and the third KB, such that confidential information of the first KB of the first client and the second KB of the second client is not shared across different clients during the first live session and the second live session.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a touch plan engine, in response to the first request, to create a first touch plan describing a first outline of support services to be provided to the first user, wherein the first touch plan includes first access control information pertaining to the first KB and the third KB, and wherein the touch plan engine is configured to transmit the first touch plan to the first agent to allow the first agent to access the first KB and the third KB based on the first access control information.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first access control information is configured to prevent the first agent from accessing the second KB.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the touch plan engine is further configured to

in response to the second request, create a second touch plan describing a second outline of support services to be provided to the second user, wherein the second touch plan includes second access control information pertaining to the second KB and the third KB, and

transmit the second touch plan to the second agent to allow the second agent to access the second KB and the third KB based on the second access control information.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the second access control information is configured to prevent the second agent from accessing the first KB.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein data stored in the first KB has been flagged to be specifically utilized for supporting the first product by an administrator of the first client, wherein data stored in the second KB has been flagged to be specifically utilized for supporting the second product by an administrator of the second client, and wherein data stored in the third KB has been flagged to be utilized for supporting the first and second products by administrators of the first and second clients.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the first request is originated from a first one-touch application installed on a first mobile device of the first user, the first user being identified based on a device identifier (ID) of the first mobile device without having the first user to specifically provide user information, and wherein the second request is originated from a second one-touch application installed on a second mobile device of the second user, the second user being identified based on a device identifier (ID) of the second mobile device without having the second user to specifically provide user information.