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

A machine-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform a method for providing support services to users of products, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a service center, a request from a remote device for a live support session of a product supported by the service center, wherein the service center provides support services for a plurality of products on behalf of a plurality of product providers;
• in response to the request, determining one or more preferred agents that are known to a user of the remote device;
• transmitting information representing the preferred agents to the remote device to allow the user to select one of the preferred agents for the live support session;
• and
• in response to a user selection of an agent, establishing a communications session between the user and the selected agent to enable the selected agent to provide live support.

A data processing system, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor for storing instructions, which when executed from the memory, cause the processor to
• receive a request from a remote device for a live support session of a product supported by the service center, wherein the data processing system provides support services for a plurality of products on behalf of a plurality of product providers,
• in response to the request, determine one or more preferred agents that are known to a user of the remote device,
• transmit information representing the preferred agents to the remote device to allow the user to select one of the preferred agents for the live support session, and
• in response to a user selection of an agent, establish a communications session between the user and the selected agent to enable the selected agent to provide live support.

A computer-implemented method for providing support services to users of products, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a mobile device, information representing one or more preferred agents and one or more recommended agents from a service center over a network, wherein the preferred agents are known to a user of the mobile device and the recommended agents are recommended by the service center, and wherein the service center provides support services for a plurality of products on behalf of a plurality of product providers;
• displaying in a first display area of a display of the mobile device the one or more preferred agents;
• displaying in a second display area of the display of the mobile device the one or more recommended agents to allow the user to select one of the preferred agents and recommended agents;
• and
• in response to a user selection of one of the preferred agents and recommended agents, establishing a communications session with the selected agent via the service center for conducting a live support session concerning a product.