Method for providing support using answer engine and dialog rules

A computer-implemented method performed by a server, the method comprising:

• providing, by a self-service system of a server running at server hardware, self-support knowledgebase (KB) to allow a plurality of users to navigate the self-support KB information, the self-support KB including descriptions and illustration for demonstrating usage or solving problems of a plurality of products or services provided by a plurality of goods and service (goods/service) providers, wherein the self-support KB includes one or more predefined answers to the problems;
• monitoring, via the self-service system, user interaction of a first of the plurality of users with the self-support KB information while the first user navigates through the self-support KB information, wherein the first user has previously registered with the server a first product purchased from a first of the plurality of goods/service providers;
• in response to a query concerning the first product from a first user device of the first user, automatically examining by the self-service system a set of dialog rules associated with the first goods/service provider in view of the query and the user interaction with the self-support KB tracked by the self-support system;
• analyzing the user interaction to determine one or more subject matters navigated in the self-support KB at a point in time by the first user, wherein the user interaction is based on a presentation presented to the first user, the presentation including a plurality of sections associated with different subject matters, wherein the user interaction captures which of the sections the first user has interacted with, and wherein the user interaction includes information indicating at least one of an amount of time spent on at least one of the subject matters navigated, a number of questions have been asked by the first user, and a detailed level of the at least one of the subject matters;
• determining an overall subject matter for the presentation, wherein the subject matters navigated associated with different weigh factors based on the user interaction and wherein the overall subject matter is determined based on which of the subject matters navigated prevails based on the weight factors;
• identifying at least one of the predefined answers of the self-support KB for the query based on the subject matters navigated at the point in time and the set of dialog rules, wherein the at least one predefined answer is categorized under the subject matters navigated;
• transmitting a first predefined response based on the set of dialog rules to the first user device, wherein the first predefined response includes the at least one predefined answers;
• identifying, by the self-support system, a set of one or more related questions that the first user will likely follow up based on the query, the set of dialog rules, and the user interaction with the self-support KB associated with the first goods/service provider, wherein the set of related questions are associated with the subject matter navigated;
• transmitting the one or more related questions to the first user device to be presented along with the first predefined response to the query on a display of the first user device;
• in response to a signal representing a selection of one of the related questions received from the first user device, transmitting a second predefined response corresponding to the selected related question to the first user device;
• in response to a request from the first user device of the first user to request a live support service with one of a plurality of support agents associated with the server, identifying one or more skill sets required to handle the first product currently navigated by the first user via the first user device based on the overall subject matter;
• selecting, by an agent manager running within the server, a first of the plurality of support agents having a skill set satisfying the identified skill sets;
• and
• establishing, via a multi-channel communications and routing system, a communications session to allow the first user and the first agent to engage live communications discussing the first product.

A data processing system operating as a server, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor to store executable instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method, the method including
• providing self-support knowledgebase (KB) to allow a plurality of users to navigate the self-support KB information, the self-support KB including descriptions and illustration for demonstrating usage or solving problems of a plurality of products or services provided by a plurality of goods and service (goods/service) providers, wherein the self-support KB includes one or more predefined answers to the problems,
• monitoring user interaction of a first of the plurality of users with the self-support KB information while the first user navigates through the self-support KB information, wherein the first user has previously registered with the server a first product purchased from a first of the plurality of goods/service providers,
• in response to a query concerning the first product from a first user device of the first user, automatically examining a set of dialog rules associated with the first goods/service provider in view of the query and the user interaction with the self-support KB tracked by the self-support system,
• analyzing the user interaction to determine one or more subject matters navigated in the self-support KB at a point in time by the first user, wherein the user interaction is based on a presentation presented to the first user, the presentation including a plurality of sections associated with different subject matters, wherein the user interaction captures which of the sections the first user has interacted with, and wherein the user interaction includes information indicating at least one of an amount of time spent on at least one of the subject matters navigated, a number of questions have been asked by the first user, and a detailed level of the at least one of the subject matters,
• determining an overall subject matter for the presentation, wherein the subject matters navigated associated with different weigh factors based on the user interaction and wherein the overall subject matter is determined based on which of the subject matters navigated prevails based on the weight factors,
• identifying at least one of the predefined answers of the self-support KB for the query based on the subject matters navigated at the point in time and the set of dialog rules, wherein the at least one predefined answer is categorized under the subject matters navigated,
• transmitting a first predefined response based on the set of dialog rules to the first user device, wherein the first predefined response includes the at least one predefined answers,
• identifying a set of one or more related questions that the first user will likely follow up based on the query, the set of dialog rules, and the user interaction with the self-support KB associated with the first goods/service provider, wherein the set of related questions are associated with the subject matter navigated,
• transmitting the one or more related questions to the first user device to be presented along with the first predefined response to the query on a display of the first user device,
• in response to a signal representing a selection of one of the related questions received from the first user device, transmitting a second predefined response corresponding to the selected related question to the first user device,
• in response to a request from the first user device of the first user to request a live support service with one of a plurality of support agents associated with the server, identifying one or more skill sets required to handle the first product currently navigated by the first user via the first user device based on the overall subject matter,
• selecting a first of the plurality of support agents having a skill set satisfying the identified skill sets, and
• establishing, via a multi-channel communications and routing system, a communications session to allow the first user and the first agent to engage live communications discussing the first product.