Patent Publication Number: US-2005132298-A1

Title: Displaying interactive chat sessions

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
      This invention relates to computer systems, and more particularly to a user interface for computer systems.  
     BACKGROUND  
      Conventional telephone call centers have provided opportunities for existing and potential customers to interact with customer service systems of businesses for various reasons. For example, a potential customer might contact a call center to request product or service information from a customer service agent of the business. In another example, the service agent of the business may contact existing or potential customers to offer them new or updated products and services from the business.  
      Interactive customer service systems use various forms of communication other than the traditional telephone call centers. The increasing usage of computer systems and networks provided existing and potential customers with yet another opportunity to interact with businesses. For example, a customer service system may use an interactive chat session between a service agent and a customer to handle customer questions, such as computer hardware/software support. In such situations, the service agent uses a computer workstation equipped with a desktop computer, a display monitor, and a keyboard to interact with the customer over a conventional online chat server. The service agent&#39;s computer workstation often includes a software program to assist the service agent in gathering information from the customer and in resolving the customer&#39;s questions.  
      Usually, the text of a chat session between the customer and the service agent is scrolled in a window of the service agent&#39;s computer workstation. The service agent reads the text of the customer&#39;s statements to gather information related to the customer&#39;s computer hardware/software support questions. In many cases, the software system on the service agent&#39;s workstation requires the service agent to open various other task windows in order to assist the customer. These task windows often cover the chat window and block the service agent&#39;s view of the ongoing chat session, thus forcing the service agent to repeatedly toggle between the chat session window and the task windows or menus while assisting the customer.  
     SUMMARY  
      Certain implementations of the invention are suitable for use in customer support systems where a service agent and a potential or existing customer communicate via an interactive chat session. The computer system used by the service agent is capable of providing a graphical user interface (GUI) that displays at least a portion of the chat session in a reserved area.  
      In one implementation, a computer program product comprises executable instructions that, when executed, provide a graphical user interface (GUI) for displaying to a user at least a portion of a chat session between the user and an participating party. The GUI comprises a work area to display information relating to an interactive session between the user and the participating party. The information displayed in the work area is switchable between a chat session window and an alternative window. The GUI also comprises a reserved area to display at least a portion of the chat session. The reserved area is located in proximity to the work area such that the reserved area is noticeable to the user when the user is working in the work area. Also, the reserved area displays at least a portion of the chat session when the work area displays the alternative window.  
      Another implementation provides a method for displaying on a user&#39;s display device at least a portion of a chat session between the user and an participating party. In this implementation, the method includes displaying information in a work area of the display device. The information relates to an interactive session between the user and the participating party, and the information displayed in the work area is switchable between a chat session window and an alternative window. The method further comprises displaying at least a portion of a chat session in a reserved area of the display device. The reserved area is located in proximity to the work area such that the reserved area is noticeable to the user when the user is working in the work area. Also, the reserved area displays at least a portion of the chat session when the work area displays the alternative window.  
      Advantages of some implementations may be one or more of the following. In various scenarios, the chat session messages are prominently shown to the service agent in a reserved area of the computer system&#39;s graphic user interface. The service agent is able to constantly view the messages of interactive chat session while viewing various task windows that ordinarily cover or replace the chat session window in the work area of the computer system&#39;s graphic user interface. In this fashion, the agent can view certain information or enter search data and contemporaneously view the chat messages that are sent from the customer. Because the chat session is displayed to the service agent no matter what windows are displayed in the work area, there is no need for the service agent to toggle between the other windows and the chat session window. Also, there is a reduced likelihood of the service agent missing an important message from the customer in the chat session text due to another window obstructing the service agent&#39;s view of the chat session window.  
      The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of a system that is capable of providing an interactive chat session, according to one implementation.  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of a computer system that may be used in connection with the system of  FIG. 1 .  
      FIGS.  3 A-C illustrate a first example of a graphical user interface that is capable of displaying at least a portion of an interactive chat session.  
      FIGS.  4 A-E illustrate a second example of a graphical user interface that is capable of displaying at least a portion of an interactive chat session. 
    
    
      Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      A service agent is able to continually view interactive chat messages while opening various task windows in the graphical user interface (GUI) of the agent&#39;s computer system. When any of these tasks windows cover or replace the chat session window in the work area of the computer system&#39;s GUI, the chat session messages are prominently shown to the service agent in a reserved area of the GUI. In this fashion, the agent can view information or enter search data in the task windows and still be able to view the chat messages that are sent from the customer. For example, the service agent may be engaged in a chat session with a customer having problems with the installation of a computer hardware product. The customer may send a chat message containing pertinent information in response to the service agent&#39;s questions, which causes the service agent to open a task window to further assist the customer in troubleshooting the particular problem. In such a scenario, the chat session is constantly displayed to the service agent in a reserved area of the computer system&#39;s GUI whenever the chat session window in the work area is covered or replaced by the task window or any other window.  
       FIG. 1  shows one implementation of a system  100  that is capable of providing an interactive chat session between a plurality of parties. In this implementation, a customer uses a computer system  110  to connect via the internet  120  to a contact center system  130 . The contact center system  130  includes a server  140  that maintains various software and/or hardware systems and one or more agent computer systems  150  that are connected to the server  140 . In the implementation shown in  FIG. 1 , the contact center server  140  includes a chat system  142  that is capable of hosting a secured interactive chat session between the customer computer system  110  and the agent computer system  150 . In addition, the server  140  may include a business model  144  that, when executed, is capable providing customer data, support information, alerts, or other business rules decisions to the agent&#39;s computer system  150 .  
      In this implementation, the customer computer system  110  may be a conventional desktop computer system that is connectable to the internet or another network system. The customer computer system  110  may connect to the internet (or directly to the contact center system  130 ) using any network connections means. In addition, more than one customer computer system  110  may be connected to the contact center system  130  to participate in a single interactive chat session with an agent computer system  150  or in separate chat sessions with different agent computer systems  150 .  
      Depending on the complexity of the contact center system  130 , the contact center system  130  may include more than one server  140  that connects to agent computer systems  150 . The agent computer systems  150  of the contact center system  130  may connect to the server  140  using any network connection means. Some agent computer systems  150  may be local to the server  140  and the contact center system  130  while other agent computer systems  150  may remotely connect to the server  140  and the contact center system  130 .  
       FIG. 2  shows a computer system that may be employed to display an interactive chat session. In this implementation, the agent computer system  150  includes a processor  210 , computer memory  220 , and a storage device  230  that are connected to a system bus  240 . The computer system  150  also includes one or more input/output ports  250  that are connected to the system bus  240 . A display device  260 , such as a computer monitor or flat screen panel, is connected to the input/output port  250 . Depending on the complexity of the computer system  150  and the contact center system  130 , other devices may be included in the computer system  150  to efficiently enable the interactive chat session, such as user interface devices and network connection devices.  
      Still referring to  FIG. 2 , the display device  260  of the computer system  150  is capable of displaying a graphical user interface (GUI  262  when a computer program stored in the memory  220  or storage device  230  is properly executed. The GUI  262  may be displayed in a browser that is used to display various forms of information relating to the customer session. The browser may be any form of web-enabled browser, such as Internet Explorer, Netscape, Opera, Mozilla, and the like. The GUI  262  displayed to the user of the computer system  150  includes a reserved area  264  and a work area  266 . Optionally, the GUI  262  may include a navigational area  268  so that the user may navigate through various windows displayed in the work area  266 . The size, shape, and orientation of the browser, the reserved area  264 , the work area  266 , and the navigational area  268  may vary and are not limited to the implementation shown in  FIG. 2 .  
      The content shown in the work area  266  includes information relating to an interactive session between the service agent and the inquiring customer. For example, the work area  266  may be used to display a chat session window that includes the text of the chat session between the service agent and the customer. Other examples of information that may be displayed in the work area  266  include customer identity/account information, records of previous transactions with the customer, troubleshooting search criteria and solutions, and the like. The information displayed in the work area  266  may be displayed in various windows. For example, the user of the computer system  150  may select the chat session window to be displayed in the work area. At this point, the user is able to view the text of the interactive chat session. If the user selects another window for display in the work area, such as a window to verify the customer&#39;s identity/account information, the information displayed in the work area  266  may be switched from the chat session window to another window related to the customer&#39;s identity/account information.  
      To facilitate switching between information displayed in the work area  266 , the GUI  262  may include a navigational area  268 . In one implementation, the navigational area  268  includes a navigational HTML frame having selectable buttons. If the user of the computer system  150  selects one of the buttons, a particular window related to that button will be displayed in the work area  266 . In this implementation, the user of the computer system  150  can efficiently switch between the information displayed in the work area  266  by selecting different buttons in the navigational area  268 .  
      The reserved area  262  is located in proximity to the work area  266  such that it is noticeable to the user of the computer system  150  when the user is working in the work area  266 . One function of the reserved area  264  is to display at least a portion of the chat session between the service agent and the customer whenever the chat session window in the work area  266  is covered or replaced by another window. For example, the service agent may view the chat session window in the work area  266  and subsequently select a button in the navigational area  268  to replace the chat session window in the work area  266  to show another window related to the customer identity/account information. In such a scenario, the chat session window in the work area  266  would be replaced by the customer identity/account information window, and the chat session messages would become displayed in the reserved area  264 . Accordingly, there is no need for the service agent to toggle between the other windows and the chat session window to check for an update of the customer&#39;s chat session message. Moreover, there is a reduced likelihood of the service agent missing an important message from the customer in the chat session text due to another window obstructing the service agent&#39;s view of the chat session window in the work area  266 .  
      In certain implementations, the reserved area  264  may be a navigational button for the user of the computer system  150 . For example, the service agent may be viewing the customer identity/account information in the work area  266  when an important message from the customer appears in the chat session text displayed in the reserved area  264 . The service agent may select (e.g., mouse click or move a cursor using a keyboard) the chat session text that is displayed in the reserved area  264 , which acts as navigational button for the chat session window to appear in the work area  266 .  
      FIGS.  3 A-C show one implementation of a GUI  262  that may be displayed using a computer system  150 . This implementation shows only one possible example of the GUI  262 , and it is understood that invention is not limited to this example illustrated in FIGS.  3 A-C. Referring to  FIG. 3A , the GUI  262  includes a reserved area  310 , a work area  320 , and a navigational area  330 . A chat session window  322 , which includes chat messages between a service agent (“P.J.”) and a customer (“Jane”), is displayed in the work area  320 . The GUI  262  is displayed to P.J. as he uses an agent computer system  150  connected to the contact center system  130  ( FIG. 1 ). P.J. is able to enter chat messages into the chat session by typing the text into the textual entry field  323  of the chat session window  322 . While the chat session window  322  is displayed to the service agent, the reserved area  310  displays an alert to notify the service agent that the participating customer is a “Premium Customer.” Of course, other alerts or messages may be displayed in the reserved area  310  while the chat session window  322  is displayed in the work area  320 .  
      Still referring to  FIG. 3A , Jane is participating in the chat session with P.J. because Jane is having problems installing a computer hardware device. In his attempt to provide Jane with computer hardware support, P.J. asks Jane what operating system is running on her computer system (as shown in the messages in the chat session window  322 ). After learning that Jane is using WINDOWS 2000 operating system, P.J. proceeds to troubleshoot Jane&#39;s computer hardware problem.  
      Referring to  FIG. 3B , P.J. selects a button  332  in the navigational area  330  to view a different window  324  (other than the chat session window  322 ) in the work area  320 . Alternatively, P.J. could use a navigational pull-down menu  331  to select the another window for display in the work area  320 . In this scenario, the window  324  displays information related to related to Jane&#39;s computer hardware problem based upon the information shared in the interactive chat session. In particular, the window  324  displays information related to troubleshooting search criteria and potential solutions to Jane&#39;s problem. As shown in  FIG. 3B , the reserved area  310  displays a portion of the interactive chat session when the chat session window  322  ( FIG. 3A ) was covered or replaced by the other window  324  ( FIG. 3B ). Even though the chat session window  322  is not displayed in the work area  320 , P.J. is able to view an important chat message  312  sent from Jane. Because P.J. learned that Jane was previously incorrect, and her operating system is actually WINDOWS NT, P.J. is able to enter the appropriate search information  326  into the solution search/troubleshooting window  324  without wasting time in a search for troubleshooting information related to WINDOWS 2000. If, for some reason, P.J. desires to read previous chat messages from the interactive chat session, he may use the scroll arrows  314  to cause other portions of the chat session to be displayed in the reserved area  310 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 3C , P.J. may enter a reply chat message to Jane by navigating to the chat session window  322 . In this scenario, he may switch the information displayed in the work area  320  from the solution search/troubleshooting window  324  to the chat session window  322  by selecting the navigational button  334  in the navigational area  330  or by selecting the chat option from the navigational pull-down menu  331 . Alternatively, P.J. may cause the chat session window  322  to be displayed in the work area  320  by selecting (e.g., mouse click) the chat message  312  ( FIG. 3B ) displayed in the reserved area  310 . After the chat session window  322  is displayed in the work area  320 , P.J. may send a new chat message by entering the text in the textual entry field  323  of the chat session window  322 . As previously described, when the full chat session window  322  is displayed in the work area  320 , the reserved area  310  may display other alerts or messages.  
      FIGS.  4 A-E show yet another implementation of a GUI  262  that may be displayed using a computer system  150 . This implementation shows only one possible example of the GUI  262 , and it is understood that invention is not limited to this example illustrated in FIGS.  4 A-E. Referring to  FIG. 4A , the GUI  262  includes a reserved area  410 , a work area  420 , and a navigational area  430 . A chat session window  422 , which includes chat messages between a service agent (“garciojo@ccs.com”) and a customer (“sZ@Work.com”), is displayed in the work area  420 . The GUI  262  is displayed to the service agent as he or she uses a computer system  150  connected to the contact center system  130  ( FIG. 1 ). The service agent is able to enter chat messages into the chat session by typing the text into the textual entry field  423  of the chat session window  422 . In this scenario, the customer is having technical problems with a computer hardware device (e.g., a scanner). As shown in the chat session window  422 , the service agent requests the customer&#39;s account number during the initial stage of the interactive session. The customer informs the service agent that the account number is “1111.” Then the service agent selects a navigational button  432  in the navigational area  430  to switch the information displayed in the work area  430 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 4B , the service agent switches the information displayed in the work area  420  to an “Identify Account” task window  424 . This task window displays information related to the customer&#39;s identity and other account information. When the information displayed in the work area  420  is switched from the chat session window  422  ( FIG. 4A ) to the task window  424  ( FIG. 4B ), the reserved area  410  displays a portion of chat session between the customer and the service agent. In this scenario, while the service agent attempts to verify the customer&#39;s account information, the customer sends an important chat message  412  that corrects the previously stated account number (e.g., informs the service agent that the correct account number is “111,” not “1111”). Because the service agent learned of the customer&#39;s correction, the service agent is able to enter the appropriate account number information  426  into the task window  424  to verify the customer&#39;s account without wasting time by attempting to verify the wrong account number. After the service agent enters the correct account number information  426 , the service agent then returns to the chat session window  422  to request more information from the customer.  
      Referring to  FIG. 4C , the service agent switches the information displayed in the work area  420  from the task window  424  to the chat session window  422  by selecting a navigational button  434  in the navigational area  430 . Alternatively, the service agent may select the appropriate option from the navigational pull-down menu  431  to switch the information displayed in the work area  420 . The service agent may request more information from the customer by entering a chat message in the textual entry field  423  of the chat session window  422 . In this scenario, the service agent requests the model number of the computer hardware device that is troubling the customer, and the customer returns a chat message stating the proper model number (e.g., scanner model “3742”). At this point, the service agent desires to determine whether the previously described model number is covered under the customer&#39;s account.  
      Referring to  FIG. 4D , the service agent switches the information displayed in the work area  420  from the chat session window  422  ( FIG. 4C ) to the task window  424  by selecting the navigational button  432  from the navigational area  430 . The service agent then enters the model number stated by the customer (e.g., scanner model “3742”) into the proper field  427  of the task window  424 . Even though the chat session window  422  has been covered or replaced by the task window  424  in the work area  420 , the service agent is still able to view additional chat messages  414  in the reserved area  410 . In this scenario, the chat message  414  sent by the customer was not necessarily important to the service agent when verifying the model number of the computer hardware device included in the customer&#39;s account. As previously described, however, there are instances when the customer&#39;s chat messages are important to the service agent&#39;s work in a task window displayed in the work area  420 . In this instance, the service agent enters the model umber into the proper field  427  of the task window  424 , and that particular model is shown in another field  428  to be covered under the customer&#39;s account. After verifying the customer&#39;s account and the proper model number, the service agent then returns to the chat session window  422  to request more information from the customer.  
      Referring to  FIG. 4E , the service agent switches the information displayed in the work area  420  from the task window  424  to the chat session window  422  by selecting the navigational button  434  in the navigational area  430 . Alternatively, the service agent may switch from the task window  424  to the chat session window  422  by selecting (e.g., mouse click) the chat message  414  ( FIG. 4D ) displayed in the reserved area. The service agent may request more information from the customer by entering a chat message in the textual entry field  423  of the chat session window  422 . In this scenario, the service agent continues the effort to resolve the customer&#39;s computer hardware problems by asking the customer to describe the particular problem that is occurring. The interactive chat session may continue between the service agent and the customer while the service agent occasionally switches the information displayed in the work area  420  to alternative windows by selecting the various navigational buttons in the navigational area  430 .  
      Certain implementations of the invention have been illustrated above, but it is understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to these implementations. For example, the invention is not limited to interactive chat sessions involving service agents. Rather, any user of a computer system that displays a chat session window may employ various implementations of the invention.  
      Likewise, implementations of the invention are not limited to chat sessions involving a potential or existing customer. Instead, any participating party may use a computer system to participate in a chat session with a user at the contact center system  130 .  
      In another example, the invention is not limited to the system  100  disclosed in  FIG. 1 . Instead, the interactive chat session may be operated using various combinations of networks, computer systems, and chat servers. For instance, the chat system  142  for hosting an interactive chat session may be separate from the contact center server  140  and, in some implementations, separate from the contact server system  130  (e.g., located on a third-party server that is separate from the contact center system).  
      Furthermore, the computer system for displaying the previously described GUI is not limited to the implementation described in  FIG. 2 . Rather, the GUI may be displayed to a user by any computer system that is capable of executing instructions to display information on a display device.  
      A number of implementations of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.