Abstract:
The present invention relates to systems and methods for communicating with various people from remote locations, and more particularly to assisting customers through online commercial transactions utilizing a mix of live and pre-recorded video presentations and interactions. Various embodiments of the invention comprise: a) a customer connected to a network by a customer interface; b) an operator connected to a network by an operator interface; c) at least one display window in the customer interface, wherein said display window displays an object selected from a list consisting of: a live video feed of operator and a pre-recorded video clip of an operator; d) at least one interaction between said customer and said operator, wherein the interaction may be selected from a list consisting of: live text chat, live video conference, pre-recorded video messages, third party intervention, and changing the appearance of the customer interface; e) a recording device for recording customer behaviors and customer interactions with operator; f) data storage for retention of said customer behaviors and said customer interactions with operator; and g) recall device for playing at least one prerecorded video clip selected by an operator for said customer, wherein said clip is selected from a list consisting of: a prerecorded video clip of an answer to a frequently asked question, a greeting previously recorded by the operator, an answer previously recorded by said operator and an answer previously recorded by a third party.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to systems and methods for communicating with various people from remote locations, and more particularly to assisting customers through online commercial transactions utilizing a mix of live and pre-recorded video presentations and interactions. 
         [0003]    2. Background and Related Art 
         [0004]    The Internet has proven to be fertile ground for commercial and retail sales. Unfortunately, providing adequate customer support in an online retail environment remains problematic. Most on-line retailers support their WebPages with at least some form of customer support. For example, various pages utilize discussion boards, reviews or online operators to assist customers with various questions or concerns. However, difficulty acquiring adequate and timely information continues to result in decreased sales opportunities. 
         [0005]    Certain retail business providers have discovered innovative ways to sell their products, by allowing previous purchasers of products to participate in discussion boards and leave reviews on the product. This has greatly enhanced the Internet retail environment. However, creating an effective customer/business interaction remains an obstacle, which limits retailers&#39; capacity to interact with customers personally. In order to contact on-line businesses, a customer must call the customer service line and wait while they are transferred to someone who will be able to assist them. Importantly, on-line retailers do not have a simple way for assisting customers through Internet retail checkout. 
         [0006]    Some, online retailers have begun to use operators who can communicate with a customer in a display window in the customer interface, such as a chat box. Throughout the shopping experience, the customer is able to ask questions and maintain a dialogue with an operator who works for the particular online retailer. While this is effective and helpful for the customer, it is inefficient and expensive for the business to have one operator working with one customer. Accordingly, there is a need in the online retail market for technology, which may be utilized to efficiently support customers through the online shopping experience. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention relates to various methods for communicating with individuals in an online or video environment. In particular, the present invention relates to assisting individuals through checkout customer service or sales in an online retail environment. Preferred embodiments comprise: a) a customer connected to a network by a customer interface; b) an operator connected to a network by an operator interface; c) at least one display window in the customer interface, wherein said display window displays an object selected from a list consisting of: a live audiovisual feed of operator and a pre-recorded audiovisual clip of an operator; d) at least one interaction between said customer and said operator, wherein the interaction may be selected from a list consisting of: live text chat, live video conference, pre-recorded audiovisual messages, third party intervention, and changing the appearance of the customer interface; e) a recording device for recording customer behaviors and customer interactions with operator; f) data storage for retention of said customer behaviors and said customer interactions with operator; and g) recall device for playing at least one prerecorded audiovisual clip selected by an operator for said customer, wherein said clip is selected from a list consisting of: a pre-recorded audiovisual clip of an answer to a frequently asked question, a greeting previously recorded by the operator, an answer previously recorded by said operator and an answer previously recorded by a third party. 
         [0008]    Some embodiments comprise methods for allowing an operator to initially interface with a consumer who is beginning to browse a particular site, methods for allowing an operator to answer frequently asked questions, methods for allowing third parties to participate with the operator and consumer, and methods for allowing the audio feed between the operator and the consumer to be printed as text in a window on a display screen. 
         [0009]    Some embodiments allow the operator to utilize pre-recorded audio and/or video answers during the consumers shopping experience as a method of communicating information about a particular product, assisting the consumer and/or completing a sale. 
         [0010]    In some embodiments, certain events (e.g., too many digits in a credit card number, incorrect format on an email address, etc.) trigger an operator to assist a consumer during the checkout process. 
         [0011]    In some embodiments, the IP address of a consumer may be retained, wherein the shopping behaviors and the interaction between the consumer and the operator may be tracked to allow operators to assist the consumer based on prior shopping and purchasing habits. 
         [0012]    In some embodiments, various forms, types and levels of information may be captured automatically, as initiated by an operator/supervisor or as triggered by discrete pre-determined events, may be captured and may be subsequently or contemporaneously utilized or processed. Non-limiting examples of the types of information that may be captured/processed comprise information about previous websites visited by a user before visiting a site of interest, geographical location of the user, etc. 
         [0013]    Some embodiments comprise storing large amounts of information about the consumer in a database, which is accessible to an operator or a third party assisting the consumer through the shopping experience. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of an operating environment suitable for implementing some embodiments of the invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  shows an operator interacting with at least two customers according to some embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  shows an exemplary flow chart of the steps that occur as a consumer browses a webpage according to some embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram which shows selected features of the frequently asked questions function according to some embodiments of the present invention; and 
           [0019]      FIGS. 5  A-L are a series of screenshots which show selected features according to preferred embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    A description of the embodiments of the present invention will now be given with reference to the Figures. It is expected that the present invention may take many other forms and shapes, hence the following disclosure is intended to be illustrative and not limiting, and the scope of the invention should be determined by reference to the appended claims. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  and the corresponding discussion are intended to provide a general description of a suitable operating environment in which the invention may be implemented. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may be practiced by one or more computing devices and in a variety of system configurations, including in a networked configuration. 
         [0022]    Embodiments of the present invention embrace one or more computer readable media, wherein each medium may be configured to include or includes thereon data or computer executable instructions for manipulating data. The computer executable instructions include data structures, objects, programs, routines, or other program modules that may be accessed by a processing system, such as one associated with a general-purpose computer capable of performing various different functions or one associated with a special-purpose computer capable of performing a limited number of functions. Computer executable instructions cause the processing system to perform a particular function or group of functions and are examples of program code means for implementing steps for methods disclosed herein. Furthermore, a particular sequence of the executable instructions provides an example of corresponding acts that may be used to implement such steps. Examples of computer readable media include random-access memory (“RAM”), read-only memory (“ROM”), programmable read-only memory (“PROM”), erasable programmable read-only memory (“EPROM”), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (“EEPROM”), compact disk read-only memory (“CD-ROM”), or any other device or component that is capable of providing data or executable instructions that may be accessed by a processing system. 
         [0023]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , a representative system for implementing the invention includes computer device  10 , which may be a general-purpose or special-purpose computer. For example, computer device  10  may be a personal computer, a notebook computer, a personal digital assistant (“PDA”) or other hand-held device, a workstation, a minicomputer, a mainframe, a supercomputer, a multi-processor system, a network computer, a processor-based consumer electronic device, or the like. 
         [0024]    Computer device  10  includes system bus  12 , which may be configured to connect various components thereof and enables data to be exchanged between two or more components. System bus  12  may include one of a variety of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, or a local bus that uses any of a variety of bus architectures. Typical components connected by system bus  12  include processing system  14  and memory  16 . Other components may include one or more mass storage device interfaces  18 , input interfaces  20 , output interfaces  22 , and/or network interfaces  24 , each of which will be discussed below. 
         [0025]    Processing system  14  includes one or more processors, such as a central processor and optionally one or more other processors designed to perform a particular function or task. It is typically processing system  14  that executes the instructions provided on computer readable media, such as on memory  16 , a magnetic hard disk, a removable magnetic disk, a magnetic cassette, an optical disk, or from a communication connection, which may also be viewed as a computer readable medium. 
         [0026]    Memory  16  includes one or more computer readable media that may be configured to include or includes thereon data or instructions for manipulating data, and may be accessed by processing system  14  through system bus  12 . Memory  16  may include, for example, ROM  28 , used to permanently store information, and/or RAM  30 , used to temporarily store information. ROM  28  may include a basic input/output system (“BIOS”) having one or more routines that are used to establish communication, such as during start-up of computer device  10 . RAM  30  may include one or more program modules, such as one or more operating systems, application programs, and/or program data. 
         [0027]    One or more mass storage device interfaces  18  may be used to connect one or more mass storage devices  26  to system bus  12 . The mass storage devices  26  may be incorporated into or may be peripheral to computer device  10  and allow computer device  10  to retain large amounts of data. Optionally, one or more of the mass storage devices  26  may be removable from computer device  10 . Examples of mass storage devices include hard disk drives, magnetic disk drives, tape drives and optical disk drives. A mass storage device  26  may read from and/or write to a magnetic hard disk, a removable magnetic disk, a magnetic cassette, an optical disk, or another computer readable medium. Mass storage devices  26  and their corresponding computer readable media provide nonvolatile storage of data and/or executable instructions that may include one or more program modules such as an operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, or program data. Such executable instructions are examples of program code means for implementing steps for methods disclosed herein. 
         [0028]    One or more input interfaces  20  may be employed to enable a user to enter data and/or instructions to computer device  10  through one or more corresponding input devices  32 . Examples of such input devices include a keyboard and alternate input devices, such as a mouse, trackball, light pen, stylus, or other pointing device, a microphone, a joystick, a game pad, a satellite dish, a scanner, a camcorder, a digital camera, and the like. Similarly, examples of input interfaces  20  that may be used to connect the input devices  32  to the system bus  12  include a serial port, a parallel port, a game port, a universal serial bus (“USB”), a firewire (IEEE 1394), or another interface. 
         [0029]    One or more output interfaces  22  may be employed to connect one or more corresponding output devices  34  to system bus  12 . Examples of output devices include a monitor or display screen, a speaker, a printer, and the like. A particular output device  34  may be integrated with or peripheral to computer device  10 . Examples of output interfaces include a video adapter, an audio adapter, a parallel port, and the like. 
         [0030]    One or more network interfaces  24  enable computer device  10  to exchange information with one or more other local or remote computer devices, illustrated as computer devices  36 , via a network  38  that may include hardwired and/or wireless links. Examples of network interfaces include a network adapter for connection to a local area network (“LAN”) or a modem, wireless link, or other adapter for connection to a wide area network (“WAN”), such as the Internet. The network interface  24  may be incorporated with or peripheral to computer device  10 . In a networked system, accessible program modules or portions thereof may be stored in a remote memory storage device. Furthermore, in a networked system computer device  10  may participate in a distributed computing environment, where functions or tasks are performed by a plurality of networked computer devices. 
         [0031]    While those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may be practiced in networked computing environments with many types of computer system configurations,  FIG. 2  represents an embodiment of the present invention in a networked environment that includes clients connected to a server via a network. While  FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment that includes two clients connected to the network, alternative embodiments include one client connected to a network or many clients connected to a network. Moreover, some embodiments, in accordance with the present invention, may also include a multitude of clients throughout the world connected to a network, where the network is a wide area network, such as the Internet. 
         [0032]    As previously indicated,  FIG. 2  illustrates two clients/customers  37  connected via a network to the internet, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. In some embodiments, a customer  37  may begin browsing a website of choice. While browsing the website, the customer may be assisted by an operator  39 . In preferred embodiments the operator  39  may appear as an object  43  on a customer interface device (e.g., a home computer, laptop, PDA, etc.). In preferred embodiments, the operator  39  appears as a small pop-up video frame  43  visible to the customers  37 , supplemental to the information already displayed on the webpage accessed by the client. The operator  39  interaction with the client  37  may comprise live or pre-recorded audiovisual segments. For example, the operator  39  may initially y greet the consumer, and indicate that he/she will be available to answer any questions the consumer may have during the shopping experience. In some embodiments, the operator  39  may push information to the client  37 . 
         [0033]    Preferred embodiments comprise error reporting and flagging technology. For example, some embodiments comprise programming and/or coding to determine when a customer has entered wrong information into an HTML form with exact details of the error. When information is entered incorrectly a customer service representative may be notified. In preferred embodiments, the operator  39  may address the error by corresponding live (e.g., video conferencing, text chat, etc), or via prerecorded messages (e.g., pre-recorded audio, pre-recorded video, pre-recorded audiovisual material, etc.) with the client  37 . 
         [0034]    According to some embodiments, when a client  37  begins browsing, an audio noise may be utilized to acquire the clients&#39; attention and an operator  39  may be notified that a client  37  has connected to a particular site. In some embodiments, the notified operator has several options for proceeding. In preferred embodiments, the operator can wait until the client pushes a button requesting to talk to the operator, or the operator may engage the client immediately. If the operator chooses to engage the client immediately, or if the operator has been requested, a window  43  may pop-up on the screen and live or recorded video of the operator appears in which the operator may greet the client and/or answer their question. For example, after a client  37  has entered a website live or recorded, video of the operator may be presented as a supplemental object  43  on the page, “Hi, I am Michelle, welcome to our webpage. If you have any questions I am happy to help you.” In some embodiments, the window  43  may stay open or may be minimized to facilitate optimal browser configurations or user  37 / 39  preferences. 
         [0035]    In preferred embodiments, the operator  39  interaction with the client  37  may be supported by a series of pre-recorded responses, answers and dialogues which may be permanently recorded, recorded intermittently or recorded on a daily basis. For example, an operator  39  may record several preset greetings when the operator first arrives at the office in the morning. The preset greetings may be later accessed at convenient points during the shopping process to assist the operator  39  in managing multiple clients  37  through the shopping experience. For example, one prerecorded greeting may indicate “welcome to our website, if you have any questions I am here to help.” Another recording may indicate “I will be right back with you.” Accordingly, situations that frequently occur during the shopping process may be addressed by a small subset of prerecorded answers, questions, comments and/or greetings. Since the live and recorded video segments are indistinguishable, the customer has the perception that an operator is giving the customer full time attention. The operator may handle several conversations at once by playing the appropriate recorded responses to questions. 
         [0036]    In preferred embodiments, an operator  39  may utilize the set of prerecorded messages to manage the shopping experience of multiple clients as indicated in  FIG. 2 . The operator  39  may simply push a button and the prerecorded video clips will be displayed to the consumer  37  who will experience the clip as a live audio feed, even though the operator  39  may be presently helping another customer  39  through their shopping experience. Accordingly, in preferred embodiments the operator  39  has the capacity assist several customers  37  simultaneous, wherein each assisted customer  37  experiences the assistance as a live one-on-one interaction. 
         [0037]    Some embodiments comprise a prerecorded component and a live component. For example, each client  37  may be initially greeted live by an operator  39 . Subsequently, the client  37  may be exposed to one or more prerecorded audiovisual messages. Interspersed between the presentation of prerecorded messages, an operator  39  and client  37  may conduct live discussions. For example, the live discussions may be video conferencing, live text chatting, etc. For example, if a client, resident on a homepage for a website selling flat screen monitors, first greeted by an operator with a prerecorded video clip (e.g., “Hi I am here and happy to help”), then asks a question by typing text into a chat box to the operator  39 , (e.g., “I have questions about a different thirty-two inch monitor screen,”) then, various embodiments may provide face to face live chat with the client or to allow an operator to push a prerecorded message to the consumer. Ultimately, in preferred embodiments, the consumer engages in a conversation with the live and prerecorded components of the present invention without distinguishing which segments are live and which are prerecorded. 
         [0038]    In some embodiments, the operator  39  may interact with the operator interface  50 , on the operator side, which changes the client interface  48  display. The client/operator/supervisor interface  48 ,  50 ,  52  may be any device which allows communication between the various parties to the interaction. In preferred embodiments the interface may be a computer, a phone and/or a PDA. For example, the operator  39  may initiate the transfer of the client  37  from the home page to a particular product page containing thirty two inch monitor screens. 
         [0039]    In addition to allowing an operator  39  to manipulate the client interface  48 , the operator  39  may have the option to add comments, questions or initiate a sale. For example, the operator may indicate, “by the way, you do know that we have twelve months same as cash financing on the thirty-two inch purchase today?” Or, in another example, the operator may indicate “my manager has told me that we can offer a free extended warranty for all those that purchase by 12:00 p.m. today.” The consumers  37  may also chat (e.g., text messaging, video conferencing, etc.) with the operator if they have additional questions. 
         [0040]    In some embodiments, the operator can involve third parties  41  to assist the operator and the client through the shopping experience. In some embodiments, multiple parties may interact with a consumer. For example, the client may work with the operator, a supervisor, a third party tech consultant, a warranty rep and/or any other entities who may be utilized to assist the client in acquiring information or deciding whether to purchase a particular item. In one example, the operator  39  may introduce his/her supervisor  41 . A pop up video screen of the supervisor  41  may become visible to the consumer  37  allowing the consumer  37  to interact directly with the supervisor  41  and/or with the operator  39 . 
         [0041]    In some embodiments, the supervisor  41  or other the third party  41  may intervene in an interaction already occurring between an operator  39  and a client  37 . Accordingly, if a supervisor  41  monitoring a particular client/operator  37 ,  39  interaction decides that some additional information may be helpful, or may drive a sale, a supervisor  41  may intervene into the conversation. According to some embodiments, audio noise and/or visual notification may accompany a pop up audiovisual window which appears on the client and operator browser  48 ,  50 . The intervening party  41  may interact by with the operator  39  and the client  37 , or the intervening party  41  may utilize pre-recorded clips, which may be played to the client  37  and/or operator  39  to assist during important steps in the purchasing process. 
         [0042]    In some embodiments, once at checkout, the operator  39  may pass the client to another party  46  to close the transaction. The closer  46  may interact with the client  37  either utilizing live chat or prerecorded video clips. For example, the closer  46  may introduce herself with a pre-recorded video clip. In some embodiments, the closer may initiate a dialogue with a client to assist the client through the critical steps of finalizing the transaction. 
         [0043]    In some embodiments, an operator  39  or closer  46  may be working with several different customers  37  simultaneously. For example, one operator  39  may work with up to fifty or more clients  37 . Because, in accordance with some embodiments, the operator  39  merely introduces himself/herself with a prerecorded video clip, the operator  39 , may in live time, actually be assisting another client  37  with a live video chat option, and yet another client  37  with a distinct pre-recorded audiovisual message, and yet another client  37  with a live text chat option. Accordingly each consumer  37  may be presented with the perception that an operator  39   a  is dedicated to assisting that particular consumer  37  for the entire shopping experience via a one-on-one setting, while the operator  39  is simultaneously assisting multiple customers  37  through the shopping experience. For example, one consumer  37  may have just logged onto the webpage and be browsing while another consumer  37  may have already filled a shopping basket and be ready to be transferred to a closer  46 . In this example, the operator may press a first button, which plays a pre-recorded clip for the first customer which indicates “it appears that you are browsing for flat screen monitors, can I give you assistance in selecting a particular model?” And, within seconds press a button which introduces the closer  46  to the second customer  37 . Accordingly, in preferred embodiments one operator  39  has an increased capacity to interact with multiple clients  37  simultaneously, and to communicate to each of the clients  37  that an operator  39  is live, waiting and assisting them on a one-on-one basis through the entire shopping experience. By mapping the path the customer has taken and displaying it every time live convseration is requested, the operator can keep track of where they left off in the conversation. 
         [0044]    In some embodiments, the entire transaction history associated with a particular IP address and/or customer  37  may be recorded. For example, if a particular customer visited a website and did not purchase an item and then subsequently returned to the website, the tracked IP address/customer identification would trigger the recorded history for the IP address/particular customer which may include the consumer&#39;s browsing, purchasing and operator interaction history. The history may be instantly available to the operator  39  assisting the client at the webpage on their subsequent visit. 
         [0045]    According to some embodiments, when a client  37  visits a site, a query is performed to determine whether the client  37  has ever visited the site before. If they have, instantly all of the data relating to the client&#39;s history is loaded into a window, visible to the operator  39 . In some embodiments the operator  39 , may mine down into the data set, acquiring additional supplemental data related to the client&#39;s history. The operator  39  may have the capacity to acquire information, not only about what the client has purchased, but what conversations were previously held between with the client  37 , other operators  39  and/or other third parties  41 . Continuing the example utilized above, if the consumer  37 , who had previously been looking for a thirty-two inch screen failed to purchase and then returns, a new operator  39  working with the client would have access to this information. Using the referenced information, the operator  39  may modify the way in which the operator  39  interacts with the prospective customer  37 . For example, if the same customer  37  has returned to the site multiple times, and looked at the same screens, the operator  39  may deduce that the customer  37  is price sensitive and may offer a price break to close the sale. Alternatively, the new operator  39  may simply engage the customer  37  with a prerecorded greeting “oh, I see you&#39;ve been here before and were looking at the 32 inch screen. What can I do to help you make a purchase today?” Accordingly, the new operator  39  has various options for proceeding. 
         [0046]    Additionally, third parties  41  may choose to intervene, or the operator  39  may choose to integrate a third party  41  into the discussion in an effort to close a sale or to provide information for the consumer  37 . For example, an operator  39  working with a repeat customer  37  may introduce herself as indicated above and then indicate: “Please allow me to ask my manager if we can get a better price on that thirty-two inch flat screen for you today; you have been here a couple of time before, so you are obviously serious.” Accordingly, various sales techniques may be integrated into the online shopping experience, which may be utilized to improve the shopping experience, provide information to a consumer or increase the rate of sales experienced at a particular website. 
         [0047]    The third party  41  may be resident anywhere in the world and the supervisor or manager  41  can be watching thousands or tens of thousands of operators  39  at any one time on the manager&#39;s interface device  52 . According to some embodiments, the manager may insert a video image of himself next to the video image of the operator on the client&#39;s browser  48  introducing himself to the client  37 . For example, the manager  41  may indicate “our operator just asked if you could get a better deal on the thirty-two inch screen today?” In some embodiments, a consumer  37  may be presented with the perception, that the consumer  37  is being handled simultaneously by a live operator  39  and by a live manager  41 . For example, the consumer  37  has the option to live chat with the operator  39  and live chat with the manager  41 , contemporaneously. Alternatively, the supervisor  41 , the operator  39  or the customer  37  may terminate any one of the connections so that the client  37  is capable of talking with only one of the operator  39  and supervisor  41 . Further, the operator  39  and supervisor  41  may correspond in real time with one another about the customer&#39;s purchasing behavior without the customer  37  being aware of their interaction. 
         [0048]    In some embodiments, video cameras, web cameras or similar technologies may be utilized to facilitate video to video conferencing. Accordingly, an operator  39  may have access to a live video feed of a customer  37  and/or other third parties  41  (e.g., a supervisor). And, likewise the supervisor  41  and/or the consumer  37  may, as previously noted, receive a live video feed of the operator  39  and/or the manager  41 . In some embodiments the manager  41  may actually conduct a video to video conference with the operator  39  and/or the customer  37 . These live video to video, face to face conversations may be augmented by prerecorded fillable audiovisual, audio, and/or written material. For example, if a parent  37  is interested in having their child interviewed by a prominent psychologist  39  or foremost authority on attention deficit disorder, but live several hours away, the present technology may be utilized to conduct a live face to face conversation between the parent  37 , child and the authority  39 . 
         [0049]    Some embodiments may comprise the additional feature of converting audio, spoken by any of the parties involved, into text which may be displayed in a chat window associated with the particular speaker. For example, if an operator  39  greets an individual  37  as they enter a particular website, the pre-recorded video clip will be presented with the additional feature that the audio portion of the clip will be available for viewing as text below the operator&#39;s video image. Accordingly, the present application may be utilized by persons with disabilities and/or the technology may be utilized to synthesize various elements of the audio conversation being conducted between parties to the system. 
         [0050]    Some embodiments comprise platforms which may be utilized by various portable devices. For example, a user may access the present system from a telephone or PDA. All of the features of the present invention may be routed through such remote processing devices. The present invention may be utilized in various settings. For example, the technology may be utilized in a counseling setting, a training setting, in medical applications, in commercial and retail environments or in educational settings. 
         [0051]    In some embodiments, a color coding system may be utilized to assist an operator  39  and/or a supervisor  41  in managing the multiple clients/operators for which they are responsible. In some embodiments, color codes may be used to show the progress of the person through the purchasing process. For example, persons  37  highlighted in green may have received an introduction and have barely begun browsing. Persons  37  highlighted in yellow may have items in their basket and persons  37  highlighted in red may be in the checkout phase. Various additional color coding schemes may be utilized to identify particular characteristics associated with clients  37 . For example, the color purple may be associated with clients  37  who are return non-purchasing customers  37 , while blue be utilized in association with clients  37  who may have previously purchased from a given website. Accordingly, an operator  39  present in front of a computer screen may be exposed to several small browsers each of which contain color coded information related to the various customers  37 . 
         [0052]    As previously indicated, in some embodiments a database storage function may be utilized. In particular the browsing purchasing behaviors and interactions with the operators may be temporarily or permanently recorded to a database. Database information may be retrieved on demand or at any time the customer  37  returns to a supported webpage. 
         [0053]    In addition to tracking a particular user&#39;s behavior, all of the interactions between clients  37  and operators  39  (e.g., video conferencing, text messaging, answer question sessions between client  37  and operator  39 , etc.) may be collected and stored centrally. 
         [0054]    A manager or supervisor  41  may utilize recorded data as a basis for developing improving client  37  operator  39  interactions. For example, a supervisor  41  may produce an answer set. The answer sets may be incorporated into an archive of frequently asked questions and associated video clip answers, or the answers may be incorporated into the pre-recorded messages created by an operator  39  on a daily basis. In other embodiments, the information may simply be passed to operators  39  and utilized as a basis for providing correct answers to customers  37  in live chat sessions. For example, a supervisor  41  who has reviewed the stored data set may note that nearly all customers  37  have basic questions about the warranties offered on various items. According to some embodiments, the supervisor  41  may record a video clip which provides information referring to the frequently asked question and save the same to a database which is accessible by operators  39 , other supervisors  41  and/or clients  37 . In this example, once a client  37  asks a frequently asked question, an operator  39  and/or a supervisor  41  may push a button associated with the particular frequently asked question, which in turn plays the previously recorded video clip containing an answer to the frequently asked question for the consumer  37 . In some embodiments, operators  37  may conduct live chat sessions after playing the pre-recorded video clip, as a means of following up with a consumer  37  to ensure that all of the consumers questions and concerns have been addressed. 
         [0055]    In some embodiments, operators  37  may have the capacity to access a database to search all of the questions and answers, which have a particular term associated with them. The operator  39  may then respond by answering the questions verbally in a live video chat session with the consumers, type the answer to the consumer  37  in a chat session, or push another video onto the screen which provides information in a pre-recorded format for the consumer  37 . Accordingly, the operator  39  may provide information to clients in various formats and has the capacity to manage multiple clients with multiple queries simultaneously. 
         [0056]    In some embodiments the database may act as a training tool for operators allowing the operator to develop a broader capacity to understand appropriate reactions to various marketing and business situations. 
         [0057]    In some embodiments, the tracking and analytics may contain diverse data. For example, data may comprise information related to but not limited to the following: page views including data related to time per individual page, entry and exit pages, geographical information including (e.g., country, state and city codes), computer stats (e.g., desktop resolution, operating system, browser, browser version), Click stream information including upstream and downstream from a site of choice, what products a user looked at and for how long, if a user is using the sites search engine and what the queries are, complete transcripts of chat sessions including: audio, video and text, search engine keywords used to bring a user to a particular site, referring domains that ended in sales/conversions, PPC Visitor Referral Tracking, user IP address, user Internet Service Provider, and time zone information. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.