Information processing device, information processing method, and information processing program

Abstract

We propose an information processing device, an information processing method, and an information processing program that can respond quickly to inquiries. [Solution] The information processing device according to this disclosure is characterized by comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires inquiry information relating to an inquiry about outsourced work and answer information relating to the answer to said inquiry; a determination unit that determines whether or not a setting has been made to generalize the acquired inquiry information and answer information; and a registration unit that, if the setting has been made, registers the inquiry information and answer information to which the setting has been made as generalized information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and an information processing program.

Background Art

[0002] Currently, BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) is being carried out, in which a part of a company's business process is outsourced to an external party in a lump sum. As an inquiry regarding an outsourced task such as the examination of application documents outsourced by BPO, for example, a technique for making an inquiry for eliminating deficiencies in application documents is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The prior art can manage application documents safely and correctly by issuing a code corresponding to each application document with deficiencies. On the other hand, there is room for improvement in the speed of response to inquiries in such a technique. For example, when an inquiry for eliminating deficiencies is made for each application document, even for the same inquiry, the inquiry is made each time, so when making an inquiry for a large number of application documents, it may take time from the inquiry to the receipt of a reply.

[0005] Therefore, the present disclosure proposes an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and an information processing program capable of quickly responding to inquiries.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, the information processing device relating to this disclosure is characterized by comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires inquiry information relating to inquiries about outsourced work and answer information relating to answers to said inquiries; a determination unit that determines whether or not the acquired inquiry information and answer information have been set to be generalized; and a registration unit that, if the said setting has been made, registers the inquiry information and answer information to which the setting has been made as generalized information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one embodiment, inquiries can be responded to quickly. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a diagram illustrating the overview of the information processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a diagram illustrating the overview of the information processing according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] This diagram illustrates the relationship between company information, project information, and business information. [Figure 4] This is a diagram illustrating the details of the information processing according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a diagram illustrating the registration of inquiry information. [Figure 6] This is a diagram illustrating the approval process for inquiry information. [Figure 7] This is a diagram illustrating the submission of inquiry information. [Figure 8] This is a diagram to explain how inquiry information is displayed. [Figure 9] This is a diagram illustrating completed registration and general registration. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example configuration of the management server according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a flowchart showing the information processing procedure according to the embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a hardware configuration diagram showing an example of a computer that implements the functions of a management server.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail based on the drawings. In the following embodiments, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0010] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in the following order. 1. Embodiment 1-1. Outline of the information processing system according to the embodiment 1-2. Details of the information processing according to the embodiment 1-3. Configuration of the management server according to the embodiment 1-4. Procedure of the information processing according to the embodiment 2. Modification example 3. Other embodiments 4. Effects of the information processing apparatus according to the present disclosure 5. Hardware configuration

[0011] (1. Embodiment) (1-1. Outline of the information processing system according to the embodiment) Using FIG. 1, the outline of the information processing system 1 according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the information processing system according to the embodiment.

[0012] (Information processing system) The information processing system 1 is a system for making inquiries from the BPO escalation system 2 to the client terminal 3 regarding commissioned services such as the scrutiny of application documents commissioned from the client terminal 3 to the BPO escalation system 2. For example, the information processing system 1 makes inquiries to eliminate deficiencies in the application documents.

[0013] (BPO escalation system) The BPO Escalation System 2 is a system for exchanging inquiries regarding outsourced tasks between the BPO Escalation System 2 and the client terminal 3. For example, regarding outsourced tasks such as scrutinizing original documents like application forms and application documents, the BPO Escalation System 2 will contact the client terminal 3 for any issues that cannot be resolved by the BPO Escalation System 2, thus performing what is known as escalation.

[0014] BPO Escalation System 2 includes a management server 100, a system administrator terminal 200, a business administrator terminal 300, a staff terminal 400, and a DB (Data Base) 500.

[0015] (Management Server) The management server 100 is an example of an information processing device. The management server 100 relays inquiry information regarding inquiries about outsourced work, and answer information regarding answers to said inquiries, between the employee terminal 400, which is the terminal device of the outsourced company, and the client terminal 3.

[0016] For example, the management server 100 transmits the inquiry information received from the employee terminal 400 via the communication network N to one of the client's terminal devices, terminal 3A of company A, via the communication network N. Specifically, the management server 100 transmits the inquiry information to the user terminal 700, which is a terminal device of a user utilizing the BPO escalation system 2, among the terminals of company A 3A.

[0017] Furthermore, if the management server 100 consists of a DB server and a Web server, redundancy can be achieved by functioning as a cluster and a virtual server for data preservation purposes. This allows for business continuity through failover in the event of a failure.

[0018] Furthermore, the DB server can perform a full backup daily, enabling two weeks of version control. This allows for restoration to the previous day's state even in the event of an unexpected DB500 data crash. Note that the web server does not store data and therefore does not undergo backups.

[0019] (System administrator terminal) System administrator terminal 200 is an example of a terminal device for the administrator of BPO escalation system 2. System administrator terminal 200 is, for example, a personal computer.

[0020] The system administrator terminal 200 registers various types of information in DB500. For example, the system administrator terminal 200 registers company information about the client company, the group to which the person in charge terminal 400 belongs, the group to which the users of user terminals 700 and 900 belong, and user information about the person in charge and the users in DB500. In this case, the system administrator terminal 200 can also set permissions for using this personal information and whether or not personal information can be viewed.

[0021] Furthermore, the system administrator terminal 200 sets the password policy, which is the rules and conditions regarding passwords that the company uses to maintain security. For example, the system administrator terminal 200 sets the following password policy on a company-by-company basis: • Setting a user ID and password for registration page authentication that are different from your email address. • Password expiration date • Number of times an account has been locked and the time it takes to unlock it. • Password specifications (whether to include letters, numbers, and symbols, character length, etc.) • Setting whether or not to enable IP (Internet Protocol) filtering at the company level. • Number of failed login attempts on the registration page, and the period during which the account lock is automatically released due to failed login attempts.

[0022] Furthermore, the system administrator terminal 200 will implement the following security measures. Only authorized users' terminals (700) can access the registration page, a webpage for registering inquiry information, and view personal information, by setting up an ID, password, and global IP (Internet Protocol). To enable a website to authenticate its site, SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is implemented as a mechanism to encrypt communication between the website and the user browsing that website. • SSL encryption is used to enable encrypted communication from BPO Escalation System 2 to the user terminal 700 of the BPO Escalation System 2. • To prevent unauthorized external access between the internet and the BPO escalation system 2, the network is blocked from the outside using firmware. To protect the PDF (Portable Document Format) files of the original documents received from Company A, we set an OS (Operating System) ID and password, and monitor for unauthorized access in real time. To protect files, encrypt the DB500, including controlling the DB500 ID and password. • To protect against viruses, use antivirus software, such as keeping it constantly updated. • To encourage third-party vulnerability assessments, configure vulnerability assessment tools for web systems that utilize the web, such as BPO Escalation System 2.

[0023] (Administrator terminal) The business administrator terminal 300 registers business information related to outsourced work, custom fields which are editable personal attribute items used when making inquiries, information about the type of escalation, and information about the relationship between the business and the user in DB500.

[0024] As an example, the business administrator terminal 300 registers the following information as business information in DB500. The business administrator terminal 300 can also be configured to link business information with company information. • The case number is the number of the project to which the work belongs. ·Project name • Task ID: An ID used to identify individual tasks (such as projects or campaigns) within outsourced work. ·Business name

[0025] As another example, the business administrator terminal 300 registers barcode numbers, examination numbers, names in katakana, and telephone numbers as custom fields in DB500. As yet another example, the business administrator terminal 300 registers information related to the relationship between business and users in DB500, such as the linking of business and users registered in DB500, and settings information regarding whether or not to send emails on a per-user basis.

[0026] (Contact person terminal) The employee terminal 400 is an example of a terminal device used by an employee responsible for tasks outsourced by companies such as Company A and Company B. For example, the employee terminal 400 transmits image information such as PDFs of original documents received from Company A, as well as inquiry information including the target of the inquiry and the content of the inquiry, to the user terminal 700 via the management server 100 and the communication network N.

[0027] (DB) DB500 is implemented using semiconductor memory elements such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and flash memory, or storage devices such as hard disks and optical discs. For example, DB500 stores various types of information, such as query information / answer information, generalized IDs (which are IDs for generalized information), user IDs, business IDs, and notification destination information related to the recipients of query notifications.

[0028] (Client terminal) Client Terminal 3 is an example of a terminal device of a client company that outsources its operations to the BPO Escalation System 2 through BPO. Client Terminal 3 is, for example, a personal computer. In Figure 1, Client Terminal 3 includes terminal devices of two or more client companies. For example, Client Terminal 3 includes Terminal A 3A and Terminal B 3B. For example, Client Terminal 3 comprises Terminal A 3A and Terminal B 3B. Note that Terminal B 3B has the same configuration as Terminal A 3A, so its explanation will be omitted below.

[0029] (Company A terminal) Terminal 3A of Company A is an example of a terminal device belonging to Company A, one of the client companies. Terminal 3A of Company A includes an administrator terminal 600 and a user terminal 700.

[0030] (Administrator terminal) Administrator terminal 600 is an example of an administrator terminal device at Company A. For example, administrator terminal 600 can view inquiry information received by user terminal 700 from staff terminal 400, and response information sent by user terminal 700 to staff terminal 400.

[0031] (User terminal) User terminal 700 is an example of a terminal device used by a user of the BPO escalation system, belonging to Company A. For example, user terminal 700 transmits response information, such as response content information, to the person in charge terminal 400 via the management server 100 and the communication network N.

[0032] (Overview of information processing according to the embodiment) Regarding the aforementioned outsourced work, the technology for making inquiries raises concerns that, for example, inquiries may be made to resolve deficiencies in each application document, and that it may take a considerable amount of time from the time of inquiry to the time of receiving a response. Therefore, such technology is required to respond to inquiries quickly.

[0033] To address the challenge of responding quickly to inquiries, the management server 100 determines whether a generalization flag has been set to generalize the inquiry information 10 and response information 20. Subsequently, if the generalization flag has been set, the management server 100 registers the inquiry information 10 and response information 20 with the generalization flag set as generalized information.

[0034] As a result, the management server 100 can promptly provide similar answers to similar inquiries if, for example, a generalization flag is set for similar inquiry information 10 and answer information 20, thereby enabling a rapid response to inquiries.

[0035] The following outline of the information processing performed by the information processing system 1 will be explained using Figure 2. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the outline of the information processing according to the embodiment.

[0036] The employee terminal 400 registers the inquiry information 10 (step S1). For example, the employee terminal 400 registers the inquiry information 10, which includes image information such as a PDF of the original document received from Company A, the information of the subject of the inquiry, and the content of the inquiry, on the registration page. Note that registering on the registration page may include, for example, registering in DB500.

[0037] Next, the management server 100 transmits the inquiry information 10 registered on the registration page by the person in charge terminal 400 to the user's terminal device, which is set in advance, via the communication network N. For example, the management server 100 transmits the inquiry information 10 to the user terminal 700 and the business administrator terminal 300, which are user terminal devices associated with the business related to the inquiry information 10. The management server 100 can arbitrarily set whether or not to transmit the inquiry information 10 to the user terminal 700 to ON (transmit) or OFF (do not transmit).

[0038] The user terminal 700 receives the inquiry information 10 from the management server 100 via the communication network N (step S2). The user of the user terminal 700 confirms the contents of the registered inquiry information 10.

[0039] The user terminal 700 transmits the response information 20 registered by the user to the management server 100 via the communication network N (step S3). For example, the user terminal 700 transmits the response information 20, which includes modified image information included in the inquiry information 10 and response content information regarding the content of the response to the inquiry in the inquiry information 10, to the management server 100 via the communication network N.

[0040] The management server 100 transmits the response information 20 received from the user terminal 700 to the user's terminal device, which is set in advance (step S4). For example, the management server 100 notifies the user's terminal device, such as the person in charge terminal 400 and the business administrator terminal 300, which are associated with the business related to the inquiry information 10, of the response information 20.

[0041] Furthermore, the management server 100 can arbitrarily set whether or not to notify the employee terminal 400 and the business administrator terminal 300 of the response information 20, either ON (send) or OFF (do not send).

[0042] Furthermore, the management server 100 can also mask the personal information in the response information 20 to be transmitted, even if it is a staff member terminal 400, for example, staff member terminals 400 of users other than those of users belonging to a pre-configured group.

[0043] For example, the management server 100 can mask the personal information in the response information 20 to be transmitted for user terminals 400 belonging to groups other than the operations group or contact group to which the tasks related to the inquiry information 10 have been outsourced. Specifically, the management server 100 can mask the personal information in the response information 20 to be transmitted for the terminal devices of the assigned sales promotion staff, the assigned system engineer (SE), and the assigned sales staff.

[0044] The user on the assigned terminal 400 who receives the response information 20 confirms the contents of the response information 20. If the questions raised are resolved by the response information 20, the user proceeds with processing the outsourced work according to the contents of the response information 20 and changes the status of the registered inquiry information 10 to "closed," indicating completion. If the questions raised are not resolved, the user registers the inquiry information 10 again.

[0045] After step S4, the management server 100 determines whether the generalization flag has been set. For example, the management server 100 determines that the generalization flag has been set if both (1) and (2) below are met. (1) In step S3, if the management server 100 receives response information 20 from the user terminal 700 that includes instruction information regarding the instruction to generalize: (2) In step S4, if the user terminal 400 sets the generalization flag based on the instruction information and the management server 100 receives the generalization flag setting from the user terminal 400

[0046] Next, if the generalization flag is set, the management server 100 registers the generalized inquiry information 10 and response information 20, which do not contain personal information, as generalized information in DB 500.

[0047] In this way, when the generalization flag is set, the management server 100 registers the inquiry information 10 and response information 20 for which the generalization flag has been set as generalized information. As a result, the management server 100 can prompt the system to quickly provide similar responses to similar inquiries when the generalization flag is set for similar inquiry information 10 and response information 20, thereby enabling a rapid response to inquiries.

[0048] Furthermore, by sending the inquiry information 10 and response information 20 to the user's terminal device, the management server 100 can ensure high security while reducing the effort required for sending and receiving information via email, etc., thereby enabling faster responses to inquiries.

[0049] (1-2. Details of information processing according to the embodiment) Next, the details of the information processing according to the embodiment will be explained. First, as a prerequisite for the details of the information processing, the relationship between company information 30 concerning the client company, case information 40 concerning the case to which the commissioned work belongs, and business information 50 concerning the commissioned work will be explained using Figure 3. Figure 3 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between company information, case information, and business information. The company information 30, case information 40, and business information 50 are registered in DB 500 by the system administrator terminal 200.

[0050] Each company information entry 30 is linked to n project information entries 40. Each project information entry 40 is linked to n business information entries 50. Note that n is a natural number.

[0051] Company information 30 includes XX company information 31. XX company information 31 is linked to XX business_office information 41, XX business_contact information 42, XX business_XX card campaign information 43, and YY business_YY card campaign information 44 from project information 40.

[0052] XX Business_Secretariat Information 41 is linked to XX Secretariat Business Information 51 among Business Information 50. XX Business_Contact Information 42 is linked to XX Contact Business Information 52 among Business Information 50. XX Business_XX Card Campaign Information 43 is linked to XX Card Campaign Information 53 among Business Information 50. YY Business_YY Card Campaign Information 44 is linked to XX Card Campaign Information 54 among Business Information 50.

[0053] Company XX information 31 includes group information 60. Group information 60 includes Company XX Department information 61 and Company YY Department information 62. Group information 60 includes user information 70. For example, of the group information 60, Company XX Department information 61 includes the first user information 71 and the second user information 72. Of the group information 60, Company YY Department information 62 includes the third user information 73.

[0054] The settings for linking the above-mentioned information are performed by the business administrator terminal 300, etc. For example, the business administrator terminal 300 sets up the linking of user information 70 and business information 50 on a business unit basis. Specifically, the business administrator terminal 300 sets up the linking of the first user information 71 with XX Secretariat business information 51 and XX contact business information 52, and sets up the linking of the third user information 73 with XX card campaign information 54.

[0055] Furthermore, the business administrator terminal 300 configures the registration page on a per-business-business basis. For example, the business administrator terminal 300 configures the registration page so that only the business information 50 linked to user information 70 is displayed as the registration page, using a single URL (Uniform Resource Locator) without separating by company.

[0056] Next, the details of the information processing according to the embodiment will be explained using Figure 4. Figure 4 is a diagram for explaining the details of the information processing according to the embodiment. First, the employee terminal 400 registers the inquiry information on the registration page (step S11). For example, the employee terminal 400 registers the inquiry information on the registration page by uploading comments related to the inquiry content, image files such as PDF files, etc. (multiple files are possible) to the registration page.

[0057] The following example of registering inquiry information on the registration page will be explained using Figure 5. Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the registration of inquiry information. The staff terminal 400 displays the inquiry registration screen 11 for generating inquiry information. The inquiry registration screen 11 includes a custom field 111, a comment field 112, a personal information input field 113, a response deadline specification field 114, and an image file specification field 115.

[0058] Custom field 111 is an item related to the query target. Multiple items can be set for each business process in custom field 111. For example, in the case of application processing, multiple items such as escalation type, applicant number, and name can be set. It is desirable that one of the multiple items for each business process be a business-specific item. For example, in the case of application processing, the applicant number would be set as the business-specific item.

[0059] Comment field 112 is the UI (User Interface) for inputting inquiry details. Note that no personal information is entered in comment field 112. Personal information input field 113 is the UI for inputting personal information. Note that for users whose personal information cannot be viewed (viewing-restricted users), the personal information input field 113 will be displayed in a masked state.

[0060] The response deadline field 114 is for specifying the desired response date from the client company, or for checking "urgent." The image file specification field 115 is for specifying image information such as PDF files.

[0061] The supported file formats include, for example, TIFF (Tagged Image File Format), PDF, PNG (Portable Network Graphics), and JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group). The number of supported files is, for example, 10. The maximum data size for each supported file is, for example, 500KB (kilobytes).

[0062] The staff terminal 400 registers the inquiry information on the inquiry page by receiving input from the user of the staff terminal 400 into each of the fields on the inquiry registration screen 11. After receiving the input, the staff terminal 400 may also have an approval function to approve the registration of the inquiry information if the inquiry information is approved by the user of the business administrator terminal 300 or the system administrator terminal 200. An example of inquiry information approval will be explained below using Figure 6. Figure 6 is a diagram to explain inquiry information approval.

[0063] When the staff terminal 400 receives input in each field of the inquiry registration screen 11, it displays the inquiry list screen 12. If there are inquiry items awaiting approval, the staff terminal 400 displays a button 121 on the inquiry list screen 12 as a UI indicating the number of inquiry items awaiting approval, for example, a button labeled "List of Inquiries Awaiting Approval (1 item)".

[0064] The business administrator terminal 300 displays the inquiry approval screen 13 for approving the registration of inquiry information. The business administrator terminal 300 approves the registration of inquiry information when the approving user, who is a user of the business administrator terminal 300, presses the button 131 for approving the registration of inquiry information. In this case, the staff terminal 400 registers the inquiry information on the registration page.

[0065] Furthermore, the approving user can also modify the content of the inquiry information and then press button 131. In this case, the staff terminal 400 registers the modified inquiry information on the registration page.

[0066] Furthermore, the business administrator terminal 300, etc., will reject the registration of the inquiry information if the button 132 for rejecting the registration of the inquiry information is pressed by the approving user. In this case, the person in charge terminal 400 will not register the inquiry information on the registration page.

[0067] Returning to the explanation of Figure 4, when inquiry information is registered on the registration page by the person in charge terminal 400, the management server 100 sends the registered inquiry information via email to the terminal device of the user that has been set in advance (step S12).

[0068] For example, the management server 100 sends registered inquiry information via email to the staff terminal 400, the user terminal 700, and the administrator terminal 600, which are pre-configured user terminal devices. An example of sending inquiry information will be explained below using Figure 7. Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the sending of inquiry information.

[0069] When inquiry information is registered, the management server 100 sends an email 14 to the user's terminal device, which has been set in advance, to notify them that the inquiry information has been registered. For example, the management server 100 sends an email 14 containing the basic information of the inquiry, the information of the person who updated it, and the URL 141 of the web page related to the details of the inquiry to the person in charge terminal 400, the user terminal 700, and the administrator terminal 600.

[0070] Note that URL141 is used to access a web page where environment-dependent characters are displayed correctly, as they may be replaced with other characters if they are included in email 14.

[0071] Returning to the explanation of Figure 4, the staff terminal 400, the user terminal 700, and the administrator terminal 600 receive email 14 from the management server 100 (step S13).

[0072] Next, the staff terminal 400 and the user terminal 700 display the inquiry information (step S14). For example, the staff terminal 400 and the user terminal 700 display the inquiry information so that users of these terminals can view comments related to the inquiry or download image files from the registration page.

[0073] Furthermore, the administrator terminal 600 displays the inquiry information (step S15). For example, the administrator terminal 600 displays the inquiry information so that the user of the administrator terminal 600 can view the content of comments related to the inquiry.

[0074] However, the administrator terminal 600 displays the inquiry information in a way that restricts viewing, such as by masking personal information within the comments, making it impossible to view personal information. In addition, the administrator terminal 600 displays the inquiry information in a way that prevents users from uploading or downloading image files from the registration page.

[0075] Below, using Figure 8, we will explain an example of how to display the query information corresponding to steps S14 and S15. Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the display of query information.

[0076] The staff terminal 400 and the user terminal 700 display the inquiry details screen 15. For example, the staff terminal 400 and the user terminal 700 display the personal information corresponding to the personal information entered in the personal information input field 113 as personal information 152 on the inquiry details screen 15, in a state where the users of these terminals can view it. In addition, the staff terminal 400 and the user terminal 700 display file 151 on the inquiry details screen 15 in a state where attached files such as entry sheets can be viewed.

[0077] Furthermore, the administrator terminal 600 displays the inquiry details screen 16. For example, the administrator terminal 600 displays the personal information corresponding to the personal information entered in the personal information input field 113 as personal information 162 on the inquiry details screen 16 in a masked state that makes it inaccessible to the user of the administrator terminal 600. In addition, the administrator terminal 600 displays file 161 on the inquiry details screen 16 in a state that makes it inaccessible to the user of attached files such as entry sheets.

[0078] Returning to the explanation of Figure 4, the user terminal 700 registers the response information on the registration page (step S16). For example, the user terminal 700 registers the response information on the registration page by accepting comments added to the inquiry information or file uploads from the user of the user terminal 700.

[0079] Next, the management server 100 transmits the response information registered on the registration page by the user terminal 700 to the user's terminal device, which has been set in advance (step S17). For example, the management server 100 transmits the response information to the person in charge terminal 400, the user terminal 700, and the administrator terminal 600.

[0080] Next, the staff terminal 400, the user terminal 700, and the administrator terminal 600 receive response information from the management server 100 (step S18).

[0081] Next, the staff terminal 400 and the user terminal 700 display the response information (step S19). For example, the staff terminal 400 and the user terminal 700 display the response information so that users of these terminals can view the content of comments as answers to the inquiry, or download image files from the registration page.

[0082] Furthermore, the administrator terminal 600 displays the response information (step S20). For example, the administrator terminal 600 displays the inquiry information so that the user of the administrator terminal 600 can view the content of the comment that is the response to the inquiry.

[0083] However, the administrator terminal 600 displays the response information in a way that restricts viewing, such as by masking personal information, so that personal information in the comments as responses cannot be viewed. In addition, the administrator terminal 600 displays the response information in a way that prevents users from uploading or downloading image files from the registration page. Steps S16 to S20 can be repeated any number of times.

[0084] Next, the staff terminal 400 sets a completion flag and a generalization flag, which are flags indicating the completion of the inquiry and response (step S21). For example, the staff terminal 400 sets the completion flag only if it receives a request to set the completion flag from a user belonging to the same group as the user who made the inquiry.

[0085] Furthermore, if the 담당자 (person in charge) terminal 400 receives a request from a user other than a user who only views the response information (for example, the user who made the inquiry) to set a generalization flag for generalizing the inquiry information and response information, it will set the generalization flag.

[0086] The management server 100 determines whether the completion flag and the generalization flag have been set (step S22). Subsequently, if the completion flag and the generalization flag have been set, the management server 100 registers the query information and answer information for which the generalization flag has been set as generalized information, and then completes the query and answer (step S23). The completion registration for completing the query and the generalized registration for registering the generalized information will be explained below using Figure 9. Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating completion registration and generalized registration.

[0087] When the user of terminal 400 clicks the check mark 171 and the registration button 173 displayed on the inquiry completion registration screen 17 on terminal 400 to set the completion flag, the management server 100 performs completion registration. Once completion registration is performed, the inquiry will no longer be displayed on the inquiry list screen 18 displayed on terminal 400.

[0088] Furthermore, if the user of the staff terminal 400 clicks the check mark 172 and the registration button 173 displayed on the inquiry completion registration screen 17 to set the generalization flag, the management server 100 performs generalization registration. For example, if the user of the staff terminal 400 clicks the check mark 172 if the current inquiry is similar to a previous inquiry, the management server 100 performs generalization registration so that if a similar inquiry occurs in the future, the same response will be taken as with the current response.

[0089] Of the generalized information registered for general purposes, the generalized inquiry information is displayed on the staff terminal 400 in a viewable state for the user when the general-purpose tab 181 of the inquiry list screen 18 displayed on the staff terminal 400 is clicked by the user of the staff terminal 400.

[0090] In this case, the generalized inquiry information is displayed for each generalized ID associated with the generalized inquiry information (for example, No. "XXX" in Figure 9). Furthermore, if the generalized ID is associated with a business ID or case ID (for example, case ID "XXX XXXX" in Figure 9), the inquiry information is displayed for each business ID or case ID. Additionally, if the generalized ID is associated with a company (for example, company name "XXXXX Corporation" in Figure 9), the inquiry information is displayed for each company.

[0091] (1-3. Configuration of the management server according to the embodiment) Next, an example of the configuration of the management server 100 according to the embodiment will be described. Figure 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the management server according to the embodiment. The management server 100 includes a communication unit 110 and a control unit 120.

[0092] (Communications Department) The communication unit 110 is implemented, for example, by a network interface controller. The communication unit 110 is connected to a communication network N (for example, a network s such as the Internet) by wire or wireless connection, and transmits and receives inquiry information and response information to and from the user terminal 700 via the communication network N. For example, the communication unit 110 uses communication standards or technologies such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), SIM (Subscriber Identity Module), or LPWA (Low Power Wide Area) to transmit and receive inquiry information and response information.

[0093] (Control Unit) The control unit 120 is implemented, for example, by executing a program stored inside the management server 100 using RAM or the like as a working area, via a CPU (Central Processing Unit), MPU (Micro Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), etc. The control unit 120 also functions as a controller. The control unit 120 is implemented, for example, by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0094] The control unit 120 includes an acquisition unit 1201, a determination unit 1202, a registration unit 1203, a notification unit 1204, and a display control unit 1205.

[0095] (Acquisition Department) The acquisition unit 1201 acquires inquiry information regarding inquiries about outsourced work, and response information regarding the answers to those inquiries. For example, the acquisition unit 1201 acquires image information as inquiry information, and acquires image information and newly added text information to such image information as response information. Specifically, the acquisition unit 1201 acquires text information detected from the image information using OCR (Optical Character Recognition / Reader), an example of character recognition technology, for characters newly added to the image information (for example, handwritten additions or modifications made to a PDF document by the client).

[0096] (Judgment Department) The determination unit 1202 determines whether or not the generalization flag has been set. For example, the determination unit 1202 determines that the generalization flag has been set if both (1) and (2) below are met. (1) When the management server 100 receives response information from the user terminal 700 that includes instruction information regarding the instruction to generalize. (2) When the user terminal 400 sets the generalization flag based on the instruction information, and the management server 100 receives the setting of the generalization flag from the user terminal 400.

[0097] (Registration Department) If the generalization flag is set, the registration unit 1203 registers the inquiry information and response information for which the generalization flag has been set as generalized information.

[0098] Furthermore, if the generalization flag is set, the registration unit 1203 associates a generalization ID, which is a different ID from the ID associated with the inquiry information and response information, with the generalization information. The registration unit 1203 also associates a business ID with the generalization ID. When a generalization ID is associated with a business ID, the generalized registered information may be managed as information that is displayed at the top when viewed by a user corresponding to that business ID, or information that can only be viewed by a user corresponding to that business ID.

[0099] (Notification Department) When an operation related to an ID is performed, the notification unit 1204 notifies a pre-configured notification recipient that the operation has been performed. For example, if the operation involves registering inquiry information or response information on the registration page, the notification unit 1204 sends the inquiry information or response information via email to the notification recipient associated with the ID.

[0100] Furthermore, when generalized information is registered or updated, the notification unit 1204 notifies the notification destinations associated with the generalized ID of the generalized information. For example, the notification unit 1204 notifies the generalized information to the person in charge terminal 400, the user terminal 700, and the administrator terminal 800, which are notification destinations associated with the generalized ID, via the communication unit 110 and the communication network N.

[0101] (Display Control Unit) When a UI for displaying generalized information is selected, the display control unit 1205 extracts and displays generalized information from among multiple inquiry and answer information. For example, when the generalized tab 181, which is an example of the UI on the inquiry list screen 18 displayed by the employee terminal 400, is clicked by the user of the employee terminal 400, the display control unit 1205 displays only the generalized information from among multiple inquiry and answer information on the inquiry list screen 18.

[0102] (1-4. Procedure for information processing according to the embodiment) The procedure for information processing by the management server 100 according to this embodiment will be explained using Figure 11. Figure 11 is a flowchart of the information processing procedure according to this embodiment.

[0103] First, the acquisition unit 1201 acquires the inquiry information and response information (step S101). Next, the determination unit 1202 determines whether or not the generalization flag has been set (step S102). If the generalization flag has been set (step S102; Yes), the registration unit 1203 registers the inquiry information and response information for which the generalization flag has been set as generalized information (step S103). If the generalization flag has not been set (step S102; No), the management server 100 returns to the process of step S101.

[0104] (2. Variant) In the example above, the system administrator terminal 200 sets the password policy and implements security measures. However, the management server 100 can also set the password policy and implement security measures instead of the system administrator terminal 200. In this case, the management server 100 performs the above-mentioned settings, for example, using a configuration unit (not shown).

[0105] (3. Other Embodiments) The processing according to the above-described embodiment may be carried out in various other forms besides those described above.

[0106] For example, among the processes described in the embodiments described above, all or part of the processes described as being performed automatically can be performed manually, or all or part of the processes described as being performed manually can be performed automatically by known methods. In addition, the processing procedures, specific names, and information including various data and parameters shown in the above documents and drawings can be changed at will unless otherwise specified. For example, the various information shown in each figure is not limited to the information shown.

[0107] Furthermore, the components of each illustrated device are functionally conceptual and do not necessarily need to be physically configured as shown. In other words, the specific forms of distribution and integration of each device are not limited to those shown, and all or part of them can be functionally or physically distributed and integrated in any unit according to various loads, usage conditions, etc.

[0108] Furthermore, the embodiments and modifications described above can be combined as appropriate, provided that the processing content is not inconsistent.

[0109] Furthermore, the effects described herein are merely illustrative and not limiting; other effects may also occur.

[0110] (4. Effects of the information processing device related to this disclosure) As described above, the information processing device (management server 100 in the embodiment) according to this disclosure comprises an acquisition unit (acquisition unit 1201 in the embodiment), a determination unit (determination unit 1202 in the embodiment), and a registration unit (registration unit 1203 in the embodiment).

[0111] The acquisition unit acquires inquiry information regarding inquiries about outsourced work, and response information regarding responses to those inquiries. The determination unit determines whether or not the acquired inquiry information and response information have been configured to be generalized. If the configuration has been configured, the registration unit registers the configured inquiry information and response information as generalized information.

[0112] Thus, when the information processing device relating to this disclosure is configured to generalize inquiry information and response information, it registers the configured inquiry information and response information as generalized information. As a result, the information processing device can promptly provide similar responses to similar inquiries when the same configuration is applied to similar inquiry information and response information, thereby enabling a rapid response to inquiries.

[0113] Furthermore, when this setting is made, the registration unit links a generalized ID, which is a different ID from the ID associated with the inquiry information and response information, to the generalized information. As a result, the information processing device can register and display the generalized information separately from the inquiry information and response information, enabling faster responses to inquiries.

[0114] Furthermore, the registration unit links the general-purpose ID with a business ID, which is an ID used to display general-purpose information for each outsourced task. As a result, the information processing device can display general-purpose information for each outsourced task, enabling even faster responses to inquiries.

[0115] Furthermore, the information processing device is further equipped with a notification unit (notification unit 1204 in this embodiment) that notifies the generalized information to the notification destination associated with the generalized ID when the generalized information is registered. As a result, the information processing device can notify the generalized information only to the pre-configured notification destinations, thus enabling security measures.

[0116] Furthermore, the information processing device includes a display control unit (in this embodiment, a display control unit 1205) that, when a UI for displaying generalized information is selected, displays only the generalized information from among multiple inquiry and answer information. As a result, the information processing device can display only the generalized information separately from other inquiry and answer information, enabling faster responses to inquiries.

[0117] Furthermore, the acquisition unit acquires image information as inquiry information and acquires text information attached to the image information as response information. As a result, even if text or other characters are attached to the image information used as inquiry information, the information processing device can acquire those characters as response information.

[0118] (5. Hardware Configuration) The information processing device, such as the management server 100 according to the above embodiment, is implemented by a computer 1000 having a configuration as shown in Figure 12. The following explanation will use the management server 100 as an example. Figure 12 is a hardware configuration diagram showing an example of a computer that implements the functions of the management server. The computer 1000 includes a CPU 1100, RAM 1200, ROM (Read Only Memory) 1300, HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 1400, a communication interface 1500, and an input / output interface 1600. The various parts of the computer 1000 are connected by a bus 1050.

[0119] The CPU 1100 operates based on programs stored in the ROM 1300 or HDD 1400, and controls various parts. For example, the CPU 1100 loads the programs stored in the ROM 1300 or HDD 1400 into the RAM 1200 and executes processing corresponding to various programs.

[0120] ROM1300 stores boot programs such as the BIOS (Basic Input Output System) executed by CPU1100 when computer 1000 starts up, as well as programs that depend on the computer 1000's hardware.

[0121] HDD1400 is a computer-readable recording medium that non-temporarily records programs executed by CPU1100 and data used by such programs. Specifically, HDD1400 is a recording medium that records an information processing program related to this disclosure, which is an example of program data 1450.

[0122] The communication interface 1500 is an interface for the computer 1000 to connect to an external network 1550 (e.g., the Internet). For example, the CPU 1100 can receive data from other devices or transmit data it generates to other devices via the communication interface 1500.

[0123] The input / output interface 1600 is an interface for connecting the input / output device 1650 and the computer 1000. For example, the CPU 1100 receives data from input devices such as a keyboard or mouse via the input / output interface 1600. The CPU 1100 also transmits data to output devices such as a display, speaker, or printer via the input / output interface 1600. The input / output interface 1600 may also function as a media interface for reading programs recorded on a predetermined recording medium (media). Examples of media include optical recording media such as DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs) and PDs (Phase Change Rewritable Disks), magneto-optical recording media such as MOs (Magneto-Optical Disks), tape media, magnetic recording media, or semiconductor memory.

[0124] For example, when computer 1000 functions as a management server 100 according to the embodiment, the CPU 1100 of computer 1000 realizes functions such as the control unit 120 by executing an information processing program loaded on RAM 1200. The HDD 1400 stores the information processing program according to this disclosure and data in DB 500. The CPU 1100 reads and executes program data 1450 from HDD 1400, but as another example, these programs may be obtained from other devices via an external network 1550.

[0125] The embodiments of this application have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings. However, these are illustrative examples, and the present invention can be implemented in various other forms, including those described in the disclosure section of the invention, based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0126] 100 Management Servers 110 Communications Department 120 Control Unit 500 DB 1201 Acquisition Department 1202 Judgment section 1203 Registration Department 1204 Notification Department 1205 Display Control Unit

Claims

1. An acquisition unit that acquires inquiry information regarding inquiries about outsourced work, and response information regarding the answers to said inquiries, A determination unit that determines whether or not the settings for generalizing the acquired inquiry information and response information have been made, When the above setting is made, the registration unit registers the inquiry information and response information to which the setting is made as generalized information, An information processing device characterized by comprising:

2. The aforementioned registration unit is When the above setting is made, a generic ID, which is a different ID from the ID (Identification) associated with the inquiry information and the response information, is associated with the generic information. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

3. The aforementioned registration unit is The aforementioned general-purpose ID is associated with a business ID that identifies each individual task in the outsourced work. The information processing apparatus according to feature 2.

4. When the aforementioned generalized information is registered or updated, the system further includes a notification unit that notifies the notification recipient associated with the generalized ID of the aforementioned generalized information. The information processing apparatus according to feature 2.

5. When a UI (User Interface) for displaying the generalized information is selected, the system further includes a display control unit that extracts and displays the generalized information from among multiple inquiry and answer information. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

6. The acquisition unit is, The system acquires image information as the inquiry information, and acquires the said image information and any newly added text information to the said image information as the response information. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

7. Computers We obtain inquiry information regarding inquiries about outsourced work, and response information regarding the answers to those inquiries. Determine whether the settings for generalizing the acquired inquiry information and response information have been made. If the above settings are made, the inquiry information and response information to which the settings were made will be registered as general-purpose information. An information processing method characterized by including

8. Computers, An acquisition unit that acquires inquiry information regarding inquiries about outsourced work, and response information regarding the answers to said inquiries, A determination unit that determines whether or not the settings for generalizing the acquired inquiry information and response information have been made, When the above setting is made, the registration unit registers the inquiry information and response information to which the setting is made as generalized information, An information processing program characterized by functioning as an information processing device equipped with the necessary components.

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