US 7,613,281 B2Granted

Monitoring a response time for a user request

AssigneeSap SE

InventorsPrashant Kumar Singhai, Satyesh Singh

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Abstract

A processing system allows for the monitoring of user requests such that a response may be provided within a defined maximum processing time (MPT). The user request relating to issues or concerns with a product or application/usage of the product is received through an input portal, such as a web site. The user request is assigned a response time, typically based on the type of request, where the response time indicates a preferred guideline for how quickly an assistant should provide a response. Once the request has been assigned to an assistant, a notification is generated to inform the assistant about the user request and the corresponding deadline for response. At a pre-determined time prior to the expiration of the response time, it is determined if the response has been provided. If the response has not been provided, a reminder is generated to inform the assistant of the pending deadline.

Claims13

Dependent claims

An apparatus for monitoring a timely response to a user request, the apparatus comprising:

a processing device operative to:
receive the user request;
determine request factors from the user request;
submit a search request based on the request factors to a response time database, wherein the database includes various response times associated with different inquiries where the response times are set by a governing standard relating to customer support guidelines;
assign a response time to the user request from the response time database;
generate a notification including the user request and a deadline based on the response time;
and
assign the notification to an assistant to respond to the user request from a plurality of assistants based at least on one of:
the assistant's availability, the assistant's experience level, and the assistant's seniority;
an output device coupled to the processing device for receiving and displaying the notification;
and
the processing device further operative to:
prior to the expiration of the response time, determine if the user request has been processed;
and
generate a reminder if the request has not been processed;
and
a routing device operative to route the notification to the assistant.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.