A queue, such as a processing queue, may facilitate or enable scheduling or arranging an order in which a unit, object, or data is processed. Various schemes may be used to manage the queue, such as a first in-first out scheme, a last-in first out, a prioritization scheme, and/or other types of schemes.
In some implementations, a system for managing a queue for providing a service includes one or more memories, and one or more processors, communicatively coupled to the one or more memories, configured to: maintain account activity information associated with one or more previous service interactions involving a user of a user account; determine, based on the account activity information, a priority factor associated with facilitating a service interaction involving the user, wherein the priority factor is indicative of an ability of the user to engage in the service interaction via a particular type of interface; receive a request to facilitate the service interaction involving the user, wherein the request includes service information that identifies that the service is to be provided in association with the service interaction; determine, based on the priority factor and the service information, a priority score associated with facilitating the service interaction; select, based on the priority score, a queue location of the queue, wherein the queue is used to facilitate service interactions with one or more other users via a provider system; and perform an action associated with causing the provider system to facilitate the service interaction according to the queue location.
In some implementations, a method for managing a queue for providing a service includes receiving a request to facilitate a service interaction involving a user, wherein the request includes service information that identifies that the service is to be provided in association with the service interaction; determining, based on receiving the request, a priority factor associated with facilitating the service interaction for the user, wherein the priority factor is determined based on account activity information associated with a user account of the user, wherein the priority factor is indicative of at least one of a degree of fraud risk associated with one or more event records of the user account, or a degree of adverse risk to a standing of the user account; determining, based on the priority factor and the service information, a priority score associated with facilitating the service interaction; selecting, based on the priority score, a queue location of the queue, wherein the queue is associated with a provider system that is configured to facilitate the service interaction; and performing an action associated with causing the provider system to facilitate the service interaction according to the queue location.
In some implementations, a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions includes one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the device to: receive a request to facilitate a service interaction involving a user of a user account, wherein the request includes service information that identifies that a service is to be provided in association with the service interaction; determine, based on previous service interactions involving the user, a first priority factor for facilitating the service interaction; determine, based on event records associated with the user account, a second priority factor for facilitating the service interaction; select, based on the first priority factor, a queue associated with a provider system that is configured to facilitate the service interaction; select, based on the second priority factor, a queue location of the queue; and cause the provider system, associated with the queue, to facilitate the service interaction according to the queue location.
The following detailed description of example implementations refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements.
Requests for a service may be processed through a variety of different systems, platforms, and/or service interactions. For example, a service interaction to provide the service to a user or help facilitate a service for the user may involve use of a phone system, a chat system, an application-based system (e.g., using an application of a user device), a self-service system or kiosk, and/or in-person interactions, which may utilize one or more systems for scheduling or arranging a service interaction. However, in many instances, service providers can be occupied with requests for service interactions and/or requested to engage in interactions that are time consuming, involve inefficient use of resources (regardless of the system or platform that is utilized), and/or realistically provide little benefit to the user (despite the user believing that such a benefit exists) or the service provider. Accordingly, some systems may prioritize which users or service requests should be prioritized over others (e.g., based on a level of a user's relationship with the service provider and/or based on a value or business opportunity associated with a service or product that is a subject of the request).
However, in some instances, if one type of provider system is overloaded or designated only for high priority matters, another provider system may still be available to provide or facilitate a same or similar level of service for a user (e.g., depending on the type of the service). Additionally, or alternatively, the service provider may prefer that a user utilize a particular provider system over another because the particular provider system may be more efficient and/or may be more cost effective than the other. Accordingly, although a user may request that a particular type of service interaction is requested for providing a service, a service provider may identify that another type of service interaction may be better suited for the user (e.g., because the other type of service interaction is more readily available to the user, because the other type of service interaction is faster, more efficient, and/or less costly than the requested service interaction, and/or the like). However, typically, some considerations that may be unique to a particular user may not be considered ahead of rejecting a user's request for a particular service interaction and/or suggesting that the user try another service interaction. For example, certain users may be incapable of engaging in certain phone calls (e.g., due to a hearing disability and/or poor telephone service), may not have access to an application used to facilitate a particular service interaction (e.g., due to not having a user device that is capable of hosting the application, due to lack of knowledge surrounding the application, and/or lack of interest in using the application), and/or may not be near or within a reasonable distance of a self-service kiosk, among other examples. Additionally, or alternatively, certain users may be requesting under certain conditions (e.g., risk of fraud to the user account of the user and/or an adverse risk to a standing of the user account) a particular service interaction to receive a service. In such a case, these certain conditions typically should involve a particular type of service interaction (e.g., a type of service interaction that is requested), despite that particular type of service interaction ordinarily being undesirable for providing the requested service.
Some implementations described herein provide a service management system that analyzes account activity information (e.g., associated with historical events or previous service interactions involving the user) to determine which provider system is capable of facilitating a particular service interaction to provide a service (e.g., despite that provider system being different from a provider system that is requested by the user). In some implementations, the service management system identifies, based on specific historical information that is associated with the user, whether a particular user is capable of engaging in a particular type of service interaction and/or if that type of service interaction is preferred (e.g., by the user and/or the service provider) over a requested service interaction to provide a service. Additionally, or alternatively, the service management system may determine, based on receiving a request for a particular service interaction, one or more risks to the user account ahead of scheduling and/or designating a particular provider system for facilitating the service interaction. In this way, rather than wasting computing resources (e.g., processor resources and/or memory resources) and/or network resources on requesting, suggesting, or requiring that a user utilize a particular service platform that the user is incapable of using or that may be unsuccessful in addressing certain risks associated with the user, the service management system may identify a provider system that is most likely to meet the needs of both the user and the service provider. Accordingly, the service management system may improve a user experience with respect to engaging in or scheduling a service interaction.
As shown in
The service management system may receive and/or obtain the service interaction information based on monitoring and/or collecting information from the user and/or from the service provider in association with a service interaction being performed (e.g., via a related survey and/or via a related notification). Additionally, or alternatively, the service management system may monitor one or more of the provider systems, identify ongoing service interactions via the individual provider systems, obtain identifiers of user accounts involved in the service interactions, and record and/or store the service interactions within a user account data structure, as shown. More specifically, the service management system may store the service interaction information in a service log associated with a user account of User A (shown as User Account A).
As further shown in
As an example, the service provider may be a banking institution and the application may be a banking application. Correspondingly, User A may be subscribed to the banking application via the user account. Accordingly, when User A engages in a transaction using the user account, such as a transaction for goods and/or services, the service management system may generate and store an event record associated with the purchase in a record log of User Account A. The service management system may maintain the event record in the record log of User A. In example implementation 100, the user account of User A may correspond to a transaction account, such as a checking account, a savings account, a credit account, or other type of financial account.
As further shown in
As shown in
In some implementations, the service management system may determine the priority factor, as a first priority factor of a plurality of priority factors, based on service interaction information. The service interaction information may be stored in the service log and identify previous service interactions that may be indicative of whether a user is capable of engaging in corresponding service interactions.
Additionally, or alternatively, one or more other priority factors may be determined, as described herein. For example, the service management system may determine a service factor associated with a fraud risk and/or an adverse risk to a standing of the user account (e.g., a recent or impending event that may negatively affect the standing of the user account). In such a case, the service management system may determine, as a second priority factor of the plurality of priority factors, whether there is fraud risk or adverse risk based on the event records associated with the user account (e.g., transaction records in the record log).
The service management system may detect fraud from the event records according to any suitable fraud detection technique (e.g., based on suspicious transactions, based on suspicious transaction locations, based on suspicious merchants involved in the transactions, and/or the like). Additionally, or alternatively, the service management system may detect an adverse risk to a user account based on one or more event records or the record log indicating that events in the record log are going to cause and/or introduce negative impacts to the standing of the user account (e.g., indicating a delinquency and/or indicating that the user account dropped to a lower customer relationship tier associated with the service provider). Such adverse risk (a degree of an adverse risk) may be based on a transaction occurring after a designated date (e.g., a payment after a payment due date) and/or based on an impending due date without an event record existing in the record log to satisfy the due date).
As further shown in
In some implementations, a particular priority factor may be specific to the provider system. For example, one priority factor for facilitating an in-person service interaction may be different than a priority factor for User A to utilize a telephone service interaction. In such a case, the provider system may be accessible via a particular type of interface that is monitored by the service management system in association with providing a particular type of service and/or facilitating a particular type of service interaction.
As indicated above,
As shown in
The request may include information that identifies User A (e.g., a name of User A and/or an account identifier of User Account A). Additionally, or alternatively, the request may include service information that identifies a service and/or a service type that is to be provided to the user, by the service provider, during or in association with the service interaction. For example, referring to the banking application example described above, the service may include obtaining a confirmation that a deposit or payment was processed, depositing funds to the user account, paying another account with funds from the user account, applying for a loan with the banking institution, and/or the like.
As further shown in
As further shown in
As shown in
In some implementations, to determine the priority score, the request management module can utilize a scoring system to determine the priority score based on one or more characteristics of previous service interactions (e.g., occurrences of a particular type of self-service interaction and/or usage of a provider system that is indicative of a self-service capability score or rating), characteristics of one or more event records (e.g., characteristics indicating a degree of fraud risk and/or one or more characteristics that are indicative of a degree of adverse risk to a standing of the user account), and/or one or more characteristics associated with the account information (e.g., a customer score or rating). Using such a scoring system, the request management module can apply weights (w) to parameters corresponding to the priority factors that are used to determine the priority score. Accordingly, the request management module can determine (e.g., via one or more calculations associated with the scoring system) priority scores for a set of priority factors (e.g., priority factors that have been determined or can be determined for the user account). For example, the request management module can use the following to determine the score (sij) based on three priority factors a, b, c of a user account i for a provider system j:
Sij=Wajai+Wcjbi+Wcjci (1)
where waj, wbj, wcj correspond to adjusted weights based on the relevance to the provider system j for parameters ai, bi, ci that correspond to the priority factors of the user account i. For example, parameters ai, bi, ci may include respective values (e.g., priority factor-specific scores) associated with a scale for the respective characteristics associated with parameters ai, bi, ci. Additionally, or alternatively, the adjusted weights waj, wbj, wcj may be normalized (e.g., where 0≤Waj, Wbj, Wcj≤1 and Waj, Wbj, Wcj=1). Additionally, or alternatively, a similar scoring system may be configured according to a particular type of service (e.g., the requested service) (where j in Equation 1 corresponds to a service type).
Accordingly, as described above, the priority score may be determined based on one priority factor and/or another priority factor that are indicative of an ability of User A to engage in the service interaction via a type of interface of a particular provider system, indicative of a degree of fraud risk involving the user, and/or indicative of a degree of adverse risk to a standing of the user account that is determined based on one or more characteristics of at least one of the one or more event records, among other examples (e.g., customer relationship, business value, and so on).
As further shown in
The queue location of a queue may correspond to one or more resources of a corresponding provider system associated with the queue that are to be reserved in order to facilitate the user interaction via the queue. For example, as shown, there are five provider systems. Each of the provider systems illustrated in
In some implementations, the queue location may be selected based on a particular priority factor. For example, the request management module may select a queue location of a voice call and/or a branch meeting based on a self-service capability priority factor indicating that User A is more capable of using the particular type of interface (e.g., a voice communication or conversation in the branch) than another interface that is associated with the other queues or provider systems (e.g., other self-service type provider systems, such as an application and/or a kiosk).
As another example, the request management module in example implementation 200 may select, based on a self-service capability (e.g., a first priority factor), a queue associated with a provider system that is configured to facilitate the service interaction (e.g., without a customer service representative). For example, the request management module may select the queue because the self-service capability indicates an ability of the user to utilize a particular type of interface that is configured to facilitate the service interaction involving the user. As described elsewhere herein, the self-service capability is determined based on account activity information of the User Account A indicating that User A previously utilized the particular type of interface during one or more of the previous service interactions. On the other hand, the request management module may select a queue based on another priority factor (e.g., a second priority factor, such as a degree of fraud risk associated with User Account A and/or a degree of adverse risk to a standing of one of the accounts of User Account A).
Accordingly, as described herein, the request management module may select the provider system and/or the queue location that is to be reserved to permit User A to engage in the service interaction. In this way, based on the selected provider system and/or queue location, the service management system may perform an action associated with causing the provider system to facilitate the service interaction according to the queue location. For example, the service management system may provide a message, a notification, and/or instructions to the provider system that automatically (e.g., without assistance from User A or a service representative of the service provider) cause the provider system, associated with the queue, to facilitate the service interaction according to the queue location.
As further shown in
In some implementations, the service management system may send a feedback request associated with a selected queue location and/or a selected provider system. For example, the feedback request may solicit User A to indicate whether a requested, suggested, and/or assigned queue location and/or provider system is accessible to the user (e.g., based on what the user indicated or provided in the service request). In some implementations, the service management system may provide multiple options for selection via the user device (or via an application of the user device) based on the user device sending the request and/or based on the self-service capability score indicating that User A is capable of providing feedback via the user device.
As shown in
As further shown in
In some implementations, the service management system may schedule the service interaction and/or reserve the queue location (e.g., one or more resources of the provider system) based on receiving the user selection. Additionally, or alternatively, the service management system may schedule the service interaction and/or reserve the queue location automatically (e.g., without receiving a user selection and/or requesting User A to select an option for receiving the service).
As further shown in
Accordingly, as described herein, the service management system enables management of one or more queues of a provider system based on one or more user specific characteristics (or capabilities) and/or based on one or more conditions of a user account of a user. In this way, the service management system may more quickly and efficiently process and/or execute service requests and/or corresponding service interactions to permit the service management system to conserve resources and/or costs while preventing waste associated with scheduling service interactions via provider systems that are not conducive to providing a service for a requesting user.
As indicated above,
The service management system 310 includes one or more devices capable of receiving, generating, storing, processing, providing, and/or routing information associated with facilitating a service and/or service interaction, as described elsewhere herein. The service management system 310 may include a communication device and/or a computing device. For example, the service management system 310 may include a server, such as an application server, a client server, a web server, a database server, a host server, a proxy server, a virtual server (e.g., executing on computing hardware), or a server in a cloud computing system. In some implementations, the service management system 310 includes computing hardware used in a cloud computing environment.
The user device 320 includes one or more devices capable of receiving, generating, storing, processing, and/or providing information associated with a service request (and/or service interaction request) and/or information associated with an application associated with the user account, as described elsewhere herein. The user device 320 may include a communication device and/or a computing device. For example, the user device 320 may include a wireless communication device, a mobile phone, a user equipment, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a desktop computer, a wearable communication device (e.g., a smart wristwatch, a pair of smart eyeglasses, a head mounted display, or a virtual reality headset), or a similar type of device.
The provider system 330 includes one or more devices capable of receiving, generating, storing, processing, providing, and/or routing information associated with hosting a service interaction and/or facilitating a service interaction, as described elsewhere herein. The provider system 330 may include a communication device and/or a computing device. For example, the provider system 330 may include a server, such as an application server, a client server, a web server, a database server, a host server, a proxy server, a virtual server (e.g., executing on computing hardware), or a server in a cloud computing system. In some implementations, the provider system 330 includes computing hardware used in a cloud computing environment.
The transaction backend system 340 includes one or more devices capable of processing, authorizing, and/or facilitating a transaction. For example, the transaction backend system 340 may include one or more servers and/or computing hardware (e.g., in a cloud computing environment or separate from a cloud computing environment) configured to receive and/or store information associated with processing an electronic transaction. The transaction backend system 340 may process a transaction, such as to approve (e.g., permit, authorize, or the like) or decline (e.g., reject, deny, or the like) the transaction and/or to complete the transaction if the transaction is approved. The transaction backend system 340 may process the transaction based on information received from a transaction terminal, such as transaction data (e.g., information that identifies a transaction amount, a merchant, a time of a transaction, a location of the transaction, or the like), account information communicated to the transaction terminal by a transaction device (e.g., a transaction card, a mobile device executing a payment application, or the like) and/or information stored by the transaction backend system 340 (e.g., for fraud detection).
The transaction backend system 340 may be associated with a financial institution (e.g., a bank, a lender, a credit card company, or a credit union) and/or may be associated with a transaction card association that authorizes a transaction and/or facilitates a transfer of funds. For example, the transaction backend system 340 may be associated with an issuing bank associated with the transaction device, an acquiring bank (or merchant bank) associated with the merchant and/or the transaction terminal, and/or a transaction card association (e.g., VISA® or MASTERCARD®) associated with the transaction device. Based on receiving information associated with the transaction device from the transaction terminal, one or more devices of the transaction backend system 340 may communicate to authorize a transaction and/or to transfer funds from an account associated with the transaction device to an account of an entity (e.g., a merchant) associated with the transaction terminal.
The network 350 includes one or more wired and/or wireless networks. For example, the network 350 may include a wireless wide area network (e.g., a cellular network or a public land mobile network), a local area network (e.g., a wired local area network or a wireless local area network (WLAN), such as a Wi-Fi network), a personal area network (e.g., a Bluetooth network), a near-field communication network, a telephone network, a private network, the Internet, and/or a combination of these or other types of networks. The network 350 enables communication among the devices of environment 300.
The number and arrangement of devices and networks shown in
Bus 410 includes a component that enables wired and/or wireless communication among the components of device 400. Processor 420 includes a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor, a field-programmable gate array, an application-specific integrated circuit, and/or another type of processing component. Processor 420 is implemented in hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. In some implementations, processor 420 includes one or more processors capable of being programmed to perform a function. Memory 430 includes a random access memory, a read only memory, and/or another type of memory (e.g., a flash memory, a magnetic memory, and/or an optical memory).
Storage component 440 stores information and/or software related to the operation of device 400. For example, storage component 440 may include a hard disk drive, a magnetic disk drive, an optical disk drive, a solid state disk drive, a compact disc, a digital versatile disc, and/or another type of non-transitory computer-readable medium. Input component 450 enables device 400 to receive input, such as user input and/or sensed inputs. For example, input component 450 may include a touch screen, a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a button, a microphone, a switch, a sensor, a global positioning system component, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and/or an actuator. Output component 460 enables device 400 to provide output, such as via a display, a speaker, and/or one or more light-emitting diodes. Communication component 470 enables device 400 to communicate with other devices, such as via a wired connection and/or a wireless connection. For example, communication component 470 may include a receiver, a transmitter, a transceiver, a modem, a network interface card, and/or an antenna.
Device 400 may perform one or more processes described herein. For example, a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory 430 and/or storage component 440) may store a set of instructions (e.g., one or more instructions, code, software code, and/or program code) for execution by processor 420. Processor 420 may execute the set of instructions to perform one or more processes described herein. In some implementations, execution of the set of instructions, by one or more processors 420, causes the one or more processors 420 and/or the device 400 to perform one or more processes described herein. In some implementations, hardwired circuitry may be used instead of or in combination with the instructions to perform one or more processes described herein. Thus, implementations described herein are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software.
The number and arrangement of components shown in
As shown in
As further shown in
Although
The foregoing disclosure provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations to the precise forms disclosed. Modifications may be made in light of the above disclosure or may be acquired from practice of the implementations.
As used herein, the term “component” is intended to be broadly construed as hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. It will be apparent that systems and/or methods described herein may be implemented in different forms of hardware, firmware, and/or a combination of hardware and software. The actual specialized control hardware or software code used to implement these systems and/or methods is not limiting of the implementations. Thus, the operation and behavior of the systems and/or methods are described herein without reference to specific software code—it being understood that software and hardware can be used to implement the systems and/or methods based on the description herein.
Although particular combinations of features are recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are not intended to limit the disclosure of various implementations. In fact, many of these features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification. Although each dependent claim listed below may directly depend on only one claim, the disclosure of various implementations includes each dependent claim in combination with every other claim in the claim set. As used herein, a phrase referring to “at least one of” a list of items refers to any combination of those items, including single members. As an example, “at least one of: a, b, or c” is intended to cover a, b, c, a-b, a-c, b-c, and a-b-c, as well as any combination with multiple of the same item.
No element, act, or instruction used herein should be construed as critical or essential unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the articles “a” and “an” are intended to include one or more items, and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Further, as used herein, the article “the” is intended to include one or more items referenced in connection with the article “the” and may be used interchangeably with “the one or more.” Furthermore, as used herein, the term “set” is intended to include one or more items (e.g., related items, unrelated items, or a combination of related and unrelated items), and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Where only one item is intended, the phrase “only one” or similar language is used. Also, as used herein, the terms “has,” “have,” “having,” or the like are intended to be open-ended terms. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise. Also, as used herein, the term “or” is intended to be inclusive when used in a series and may be used interchangeably with “and/or,” unless explicitly stated otherwise (e.g., if used in combination with “either” or “only one of”).
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