Abstract:
A method for accessing customer service from telephony devices and internet applications is provided in which the telephony devices and internet applications have interfaces specifically designated for accessing the customer service. Upon detection of a customer service request from these interfaces, the telephony devices and internet applications establish a connection to a customer service system either via a telecommunication network or web. Thereafter, the customer service system reads status information and executes a diagnostic script to detect and resolve problems that users are experiencing. The customer service system may utilize either an automated customer service server or a customer service agent in the process of addressing users&#39; problems.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to methods for accessing customer service from telephony devices and internet applications. More particularly, this invention relates to methods for providing a convenient and effective way the users of telephony devices and internet applications access a customer service agent and a customer service web server.  
           [0002]    The internet commerce has gained great popularity recently. The arrangement in FIG. 1 a  illustrates a typical communication network in use today that allows service provider system  40  to provide internet retailing services to users at user devices  60  via internet service providers  50 .  
           [0003]    For example, web  30  enables user devices  60  to access various service providers  40  that range from retailers such as 1-800-Flowers™ and L.L. Bean™ to content providers such as ESPN™ and The New York Times™. User devices  60  are connected to internet service providers  50  such as AT&amp;T World Net™ which functions as gateways to web  30 .  
           [0004]    In spite of its initial popularity, however, the internet commerce still has not reached its full potential because of various problems that arise due to unfamiliarity and complexity that users at user devices  60  face in using the internet. One difficulty typically associated with using internet is connection failures to internet service providers  50  or service providers  40 . The users may resort to written manuals of internet service providers to find out what exactly their problems are, which, if at all helpful, may not necessarily provide resolution to their problems. Using the manuals can be a quite tedious task when finding the right page covering the subject matter of problem in the manuals poses quite a challenge. Generally, most users first look for a customer service telephone number from manuals and then call customer service representatives of internet service providers, which may turn out to be a tremendously time-consuming process due to the limited resources of the internet service providers.  
           [0005]    Difficulties associated with using internet may also arise from technical updates or hardware failures at service provider system  40  or internet service providers  50  that the users at user devices  60  may not even be aware of. Other difficulties may be associated with the errors in system configurations at user devices  60 .  
           [0006]    Similar difficulties arise to the users of today&#39;s sophisticated and complex telephony devices containing high speed processors and displays. The users of telephony functions of user devices  60 , for example, may have to experience a tedious and time-consuming process of locating the telephone numbers for appropriate customer services when they have problems. Again, the manufacturers or service providers of the telephony devices may not have adequate resources to promptly address needs of the telephony device users.  
           [0007]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide users of telephony devices and internet applications with easy and effective methods for accessing customer service.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    This and other objects of the invention are accomplished in accordance with the principles of the present invention by providing methods for accessing a customer service system from a user&#39;s device that can be either a telephony device or internet application located within a communication network. The communication network may also include a service provider system, a public telephone network, a web and an internet service provider. The user&#39;s device contains an interface specifically designated for accessing the customer service system.  
           [0009]    Upon detection of a customer service request from such interface, the user&#39;s device establishes a connection to a customer service system. The customer service system automatically reads status information from the user&#39;s device and subsequently executes a diagnostic script to detect a problem that the user is facing based on the status information. The resolution of such problem is routed back to the user device and, upon the approval of a user, implemented to solve the problem.  
           [0010]    An internet script may be launched during the connection to the customer service system if the user device is an internet-capable device. Such connection may be established via the internet service provider and the web. Alternatively, the direct modem communication may be established using the public telephone network.  
           [0011]    If the user device is a telephony device, a connection is established to a customer service agent located in the customer service system via a public telephone network. The custom service request is detected from an interface such as a hard physical button on the user device. 
       
    
    
       [0012]    Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 a  is a schematic diagram of a prior art network providing internet commerce.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 b  is a schematic diagram of a network infrastructure where the methods of accessing customer service in accordance with the present invention may be implemented.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIGS. 2, 3 and  4  illustrate a flow chart of steps involved in the methods of accessing customer service in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 b  illustrates communication network comprising public telephone network  10 , customer service system  20 , web  30 , service provider system  40 , internet service providers  50 , and user devices  60 .  
         [0017]    User devices  60  have internet capabilities and web  30  enables the users of internet applications at user devices  60  to access customer service system  20 . User devices  60  also have telephony capabilities where public telephone network  10  allows the users of telephony functions at user devices  60  to make connections to other telephony devices. As illustrated in FIG. 1 b,  the users at user devices  60  utilizes a direct modem connection to customer service system  20  via public telephone network  10 . This network arrangement gives the users at user devices  60  a flexibility by providing an alternative way to access customer service system  20  or customer service agent  160 , other than utilizing connections to internet service providers  50 . For example, if the users at user devices  60  have problems in logging into service provider system  40 , customer service system  20  or customer service agent  160  supports the users  60  in accessing and utilizing service provider system  40 .  
         [0018]    In order to provide effective customer service specific to each of the users at user devices  60 , customer service system  20  maintains various databases containing user-specific information. More specifically, customer service system  20  may include content database  70 , customer database  80 , and customer care database  80 , all of which are interconnected to each other to facilitate information exchange. Customer service server  100  and customer service agent use the information in these databases to support the users at user devices  60 .  
         [0019]    A portion of the user-specific information stored in customer information database  80  and customer care database  90  are input as a part of an initial registration process with customer service system. This may also be a part of the initial registration process with internet service providers  50 . During the initial registration process, the users at user devices  60  are, for example, requested to input their local telephone numbers, passwords and account numbers of their internet service providers  50  or system configurations of user devices  60 . Such information may be used by customer service system  20  to locate errors in user devices  60  and restore user devices  60  when user devices  60  are out of synchronization. Such information may also identify internet service providers  50  and post office protocol servers that handle electronic mails of the users at user devices  60 .  
         [0020]    Customer information database  80  is used to not only authenticate valid the users upon customer service request but also to register the users of user devices  60  each time the users access customer service system  20 . During the access, customer information database creates data based on such registration profiles about the users&#39; problems or needs. For example, a user may repeatedly forget or lose his password to log on to internet service providers  50 . During the customer service transactions to retrieve, correct or reset the password, the nature of the transaction is recorded. If such problem recurs, the stored information about the user&#39;s last use allow to address the same problems. Customer care database  90  similarly maintains frequently asked questions by the users at user devices  60  so as to provide better technical supports in the future.  
         [0021]    Content database  70 , on the other hand, provides more general information such as advertisements or icons to be prompted on the screens of user devices  60 , upon connection to customer service system  20 . These advertisements may be on subscription bases providing alternative source of revenues to customer service system  20  and, therefore, allowing cost-effective customer service. Icons may provide the users at user devices  60  a convenient way to access various service provider systems  40  such as Schwap™ or Visa™ without having to type internet address. Content management database  70  may also provide upgrades of the software resident in user devices  60  or customize interfaces on user devices  60  such as icon configurations and colors.  
         [0022]    Customer service server  100  and customer service agent  170  both have access to the above-mentioned databases to provide customer service to users at user devices. Customer service server  100  is primarily used to support internet applications at user devices  60  but may also provide similar services to telephony user devices  60  with displays. Customer service agent  170  is primarily used to respond to customer service request from telephony user devices  60 . Customer service agent  170  also serves users of internet applications at user devices  60  when customer service server  100  is unable to correct users&#39; problems.  
         [0023]    Service provider system  40  typically includes the following components: Hyper Text Marked Language (“HTML”) server  110 , application server  120 , consumer database  130 , inventory system database  140 , transaction server  150  and content server  160 . HTML server  110  for providing web formatted pages in hypertext marked-up large image format, is a gateway server connecting web  30  and application server  120 . Application server  120  provides actual applications to run on HTML server  110 . Consumer database  130  recognizes and authenticates the users based on a subscription criteria. Consumer database  130  also contains user specific data such as a users&#39; demographic description, nature of the users&#39; last purchase or users&#39; address. Inventory database  140  keeps a track of merchandise stored in warehouses of service provider  40 . Transaction server  150  supports commercial transactions, for example, by verifying credit card numbers and performing billing operations. Content server  160  provides substances such as pictures, texts and stock quotes to be placed on HTML screens.  
         [0024]    User devices  60 , which are capable of either or both of telephony functions and internet applications, contain interfaces that may be a physical service button on user devices  60  or an icon on a screen. Such interface is used to establish a communication link between user devices  60  and customer service server  100  via either web  30  or public telephone network  10 . The communication link may, alternatively, be a wireless network. The direct communication link using telephone network  10  allows the users  60  to request help from customer service server  100  when a connection via internet service providers  50  fails.  
         [0025]    In FIG. 2, the steps in performing customer service in accordance with the present invention are illustrated. At step  210 , user device  60  detects a users&#39; request for customer service from customer service interfaces. For example, access to customer service  100  can be initiated by either pressing physical customer service buttons located on user devices&#39;  60  or keys in user devices&#39;  60  keyboards designated for customer service. The access may also be initiated depressing a preprogrammed icon on a screen. Consequently, a browser, browser-like or other appropriate client software application would be automatically launched between the users  60  and customer service server  100 .  
         [0026]    Any of the following situations would prompt the users at user devices  60  to request such service: user devices  60  are unable to establish connection to internet service providers  50 ; user devices  60  have invalid passwords; user devices  60  have trouble in receiving e-mails; users&#39; accounts have been wrongly terminated; or internet settings in user devices  60  have defects.  
         [0027]    At step  220 , in response to the customer service request, user devices  60  query the users about the mode of customer service between internet or voice.  
         [0028]    At step  230 , user devices  60  determine whether the users has selected the internet mode. If it is determined that instead the voice mode is selected by the users, user devices  60  in step  240  dial a pre-programed telephone number to establish a connection to customer service agent  170  via public telephone network  10 .  
         [0029]    Once the connection is established, customer service agent  170  at step  250  diagnoses and resolves the users&#39; problems by conversing with the users and analyzing information about the users&#39; previous problems from customer information database  80  and customer care database  90 . Subsequently, the connection is terminated at step  260 .  
         [0030]    If it is determined that the users have selected the internet mode, user devices  60  in step  270  execute an internet connect script. The internet connect script may be contained in storage devices such as read-only memory, hard disks or other devices connected to user devices  60 .  
         [0031]    At step  280 , user devices  60  dial a pre-programed internet access number for customer service server  100 . This number can be either an  800  number directly connecting to customer service server  100  or local numbers of internet service provider  50 . In a latter case, an internet connection is made between user devices  60  and customer service server  100  via web  30 .  
         [0032]    At step  290 , user devices  60  confirm the establishment of proper connection between customer service server  100  and user devices  60 . If a proper connection is not confirmed, user devices  60  attempt redialing at step  300 . If internet service providers  50  have been used in the first failed attempt to connect to customer service server  100 , user devices  60  may switch and directly call customer service  100  server  100  using public telephone network  10 .  
         [0033]    In step  310 , user devices  60  confirm a successful connection. If not, user devices  60  proceeds to step  240  and dial the telephone number for customer service agent  170 .  
         [0034]    If a successful connection is made between user devices  60  and customer service server  100  in either of steps  290  or  310 , user devices  60  in step  320  launches local client applications to support customer service applications. The local client applications are, for example, browsers such as AT&amp;T World Net™ browser.  
         [0035]    Customer service server  100  authenticates user devices  60  at step  330  based on the registration information. The registration information is stored in customer information database  80  and used to determine if the users at user devices  60  have valid standing to use the customer service. If not, user devices  60  proceed to step  240  where the users at user devices  60  are requested, for example, to register with customer service system  20 .  
         [0036]    If it is determined that user devices  60  are valid, customer service server  100  in step  340  reads user devices&#39;  60  state information and error codes from user devices  60 . For example, an internet access configuration may be set up with errors causing connection failures between user devices  60  and internet service providers  50 . This automatic reading of necessary data not only provides accurate data for customer service server  100  to detect problems but also free the users at user units  60  from manually inputting such data.  
         [0037]    At step  350 , customer service server  100  based on the appropriate state and error code information read from user devices  60  executes diagnostic script to identify problems that user devices  60  experience.  
         [0038]    At step  360 , customer service server  100  determines if user devices&#39;  60  problem can be resolved. If customer service server  100  determines that the problem user devices  60  face is not resolvable with customer service server&#39;s  100  capacity, customer service server  100  recommends at step  370  that the users at user devices  60  to try customer service agent  170 . If the users at user devices  60  respond positively to this recommendation, user devices  60  proceeds to step  240 .  
         [0039]    If it is determined that the problem can be resolved, customer service server  100  at step  390  displays resolution on user devices&#39;  60  display. At step  400 , the users at user devices  60  are queried about implementation of the resolution displayed. If user devices  60  respond negatively to implementation, customer service server  100  and user devices  60  in step  420  terminate the operations.  
         [0040]    If user responds positively to the implementation recommendation, customer service server  100  and user devices  60  in step  430  implement the resolutions. For example, reconfiguration codes for network connection may be downloaded to user devices  60  and edited into resident programs in the user devices  60  to modify internet connection operations and resolve the problem.  
         [0041]    In step  440 , customer service server  100  and user devices  60  test, if possible, whether such implementation has addressed and resolved user&#39;s problems. If the problem persists, user devices  60  proceed to step  240  to obtain customer service agent&#39;s  170  assistance. If it is determined that implementation has been successful, customer service server  100  and user devices  60  in step  450  terminate internet connection script.  
         [0042]    The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.