Customer service agent to customer connection

• US 9,742,916 B1
• Filed: 12/19/2013
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Christopher, Keian
• Primary Examiner(s): Aubaidi, Rasha Al
• Application Number:
  US14/135,340
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 37926501-26502, 37926509, 37926601
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5141 Details of processing calls and other types of contacts in an unified manner unified messaging in packet-switching networks H04L51/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services

Abstract

Technology for connecting a customer with a customer service agent is provided. In one example, a method may include receiving an initial request from a customer to connect with customer service. A connection may be created between the customer and a customer service agent for the customer service. Customer information for the customer may be linked with agent information for the customer service agent for a predetermined period of time. When a subsequent request to connect the customer with the customer service is received within the predetermined period of time, the customer may be connected with the customer service agent using the linking of the customer information with the agent information.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, via one or more computing devices associated with a customer service center computing system, an initial request from a customer device over a computer network to connect with a customer service agent device, the initial request having been submitted via a graphical user interface associated with the customer service center;

causing a connection to be created between the customer device and the customer service agent device associated with the customer service center computing system in response to the initial request, the connection being an outbound connection to the customer device originating from at least one of the one or more computing devices associated with the customer service center computing system and facilitating at least an audio communication between the customer device and the customer service agent device;

linking, via at least one of the one or more computing devices, customer information for the customer device with agent information for a customer service agent associated with the customer service agent device for a predetermined period of time, the customer information including a customer identifier;

receiving, via at least one of the one or more computing devices, a subsequent request from the customer device over the computer network to connect with the customer service agent device, the subsequent request having been submitted via a graphical user interface including a selectable option to enable indication that the subsequent request is related to the initial request;

causing the customer device to be connected with the customer service agent device using the linking of the customer information with the agent information when the subsequent request is received within the predetermined period of time and when appropriate based on a context of the subsequent request, the context being indicative of a relationship of the subsequent request to the initial request, wherein the context is weighted such that the context gradually becomes less indicative of the relationship of the subsequent request to the initial request as time passes, and wherein the context comprises;

whether there is an intervening request between the initial request and the subsequent request, whether an intervening purchase was made between the initial request and the subsequent request, or an identification of whether the customer device used for the initial request is a same device as used for the subsequent request; and

causing the customer to be connected with a different customer service agent when the subsequent request is received within the predetermined period of time and the context is appropriate for the different customer service agent.

2. The method of claim 1, the subsequent request having been submitted via the graphical user interface associated with the customer service center and the customer information being an email address, the connection further facilitating a video communication between the customer device and the customer service agent device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the connection to be created over a telephone network.

4. A computer implemented method, comprising:

receiving, via one or more computing devices, an initial request from a customer over a computer network to connect with a customer service agent;

causing, via at least one of the one or more computing devices, an outbound communication connection from the at least one of the one or more computing devices to be created between the customer and the customer service agent in response to the initial request, the communication connection originating from at least one of the one or more computing devices;

linking, via the at least one of the one or more computing devices, customer information for the customer with agent information for the customer service agent for a predetermined period of time;

receiving a subsequent request to connect the customer with the customer service agent; and

causing, via at least one of the one or more computing devices, the customer to be connected with the customer service agent using the linking of the customer information with the agent information when the subsequent request is received within the predetermined period of time and based on a context of the subsequent request, the context being indicative of a relationship of the subsequent request to the initial request based on whether there is an intervening request between the initial request and the subsequent request, whether an intervening purchase was made between the initial request and the subsequent request, or whether the customer device used for the initial request is a same device as used for the subsequent request;

or

causing the customer to be connected with a different customer service agent when the subsequent request is received within the predetermined period of time and based on the context.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the initial request is received from the customer via a computer network and the communication connection is caused to be created by at least one of the one or more computing devices via a telephone network.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising assigning a phone number to the customer, via at least one of the one or more computing devices, to enable access to the customer service agent by the customer for the predetermined period of time.

7. The method of claim 6, the method further comprising causing the phone number to expire after the predetermined period of time.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising redirecting the subsequent request to a different customer service agent when the subsequent request is received after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the initial request is received via a telephone network using a telephone number and the subsequent request is received using the telephone number of the initial request.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the customer information comprises a device identifier or a customer identifier associated with a customer account,

the agent information comprises a telephone number or an agent identifier associated with the customer service agent, and

linking comprises linking the customer account with the customer service agent by associating the device identifier or the customer identifier with the telephone number or the agent identifier.

11. The method of claim 4, further comprising proactively electronically monitoring, via at least one of the one or more computing devices, a customer device following the initial request and within the predetermined period of time, and wherein receiving the subsequent request comprises receiving the subsequent request from at least one of the one or more computing devices to re-connect the customer with the customer service agent when an issue with the customer device is identified through the monitoring.

12. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined period of time is predetermined based on a context of the initial request or the communication connection, the predetermined period of time being variable between different contexts and being modifiable by the customer service agent.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein the initial request is received via a user interface of a mobile device and the communication connection comprises an audio-video conference including screen and rights sharing of the mobile device with the customer service agent.

14. The method of claim 4, wherein the subsequent request originates from a customer service center after a set time interval from termination of the communication connection resulting from the initial request.

15. The method of claim 4, wherein the initial request is received from the customer via a computer network and the communication connection is caused to be created by at least one of the one or more computing devices via the computer network.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, implement a system comprising:

a request module to receive an initial request from a customer to connect with a customer service agent;

a connection module to cause a connection to be created between the customer and a customer service agent in response to the initial request, the connection being an outbound connection to the customer and originating from the system; and

a link module to link customer information of the customer with agent information of the customer service agent for a predetermined period of time;

wherein the connection module is configured to re-connect the customer with the customer service agent when a subsequent request is received within the predetermined period of time and based on a context of the subsequent request, the context being indicative of a relationship of the subsequent request to the initial request based on whether there is an intervening request between the initial request and the subsequent request, whether an intervening purchase was made between the initial request and the subsequent request, or whether a customer device used for the initial request is a same device as used for the subsequent request, the connection module being further configured to connect the customer with a different customer service agent when the subsequent request is received within the predetermined period of time and based on the context.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the agent information is an agent telephone number, the system further comprising a number module to associate the agent telephone number with the customer service agent when the connection is created and to dissociate the agent telephone number from the customer service agent when the predetermined period of time expires.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a proactivity module to submit the subsequent request to re-connect the customer with the customer service agent when the customer is experiencing device issues with a customer device or when the customer is repeatedly performing a same action in interacting with a web page or the customer device.