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Method for providing support services using consumer selected specialist and specialist ratings

  • US 8,874,636 B2
  • Filed: 01/03/2012
  • Issued: 10/28/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method for providing support services to users of products, the method comprising:

  • providing a self-support site to present an article describing one or more possible solutions to a problem associated with a product;

    monitoring user interaction of a user with the article while the user is navigating the article, including periodically receiving signals representing the user interaction from at least one of a remote device and the self-support site within the same user session;

    determining a subject matter that the user is interested in based on an analysis of the user interaction;

    determining a skill set required to provide live support services to the subject matter associated with the product;

    receiving, at a computer server representing a support center, a request from the remote device for a live support session of the product supported by the support center, wherein the support center provides support services for a plurality of products on behalf of a plurality of product providers;

    in response to the request, determining by the computer server a first list of one or more preferred agents that are known to the user of the remote device, wherein the preferred agents have a prior relationship with the user in a previous support session;

    identifying a second list of one or more recommended agents to be recommended to the user based on a subject domain of the product, user interaction, and a skill set required to provide support to the product, wherein the recommended agents have no prior relationship with the user;

    transmitting from the computer server information representing the first list of preferred agents and the second list of recommended agents to be displayed on the remote device to allow the user to select one of the preferred agents and the recommended agents for the live support session, wherein the first list of preferred agents and the second list of recommended agents are concurrently displayed on the remote device, including displaying information indicating that the preferred agents have a prior relationship with the user and that the recommended agents are not known to the user but recommended by the computer server, wherein the information transmitted to the remote device representing the preferred agents and recommended agents includes an average rating of each of the preferred agents and recommended agents, a thumbnail image of each of the preferred agents and recommended agents, an indication indicating whether each of the preferred agents and recommended agents is available at the point in time, and expected wait time for each of preferred agents and recommended agents to be available;

    receiving at the computer server a user selection of an agent from the remote device that is selected from the displayed preferred agents and the recommended agents; and

    in response to the user selection, establishing a communications session between the remote device of the user and the selected agent to enable the selected agent to provide live support on the product.

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