In-Flight Customer Service System with Session Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Providing effective customer service to airline passengers in-flight is complicated due to restricted communication modes and limited internet access, especially when dealing with flight delays or schedule changes, which require immediate interaction with contact centers.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows airline passengers to connect with contact center agents via chat or other communication methods by identifying their flight status and passenger ID, routing requests to available agents, and enabling session continuity through stored activity records, even if communication is interrupted.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If passengers use mobile devices to contact customer service during flights, then communication capability is enhanced, but communication reliability deteriorates due to restricted modes and limited internet access
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by storing activity records and flight status information before communication interruptions occur. When a passenger initiates contact, the system proactively retrieves and prepares relevant data (itinerary, flight status, previous interaction history) so that communication can resume immediately without interruption or loss of context, thus maintaining reliability while supporting versatile communication modes
Solution Approach 2:
The contact center system acts as an intermediary between passengers and airline services. It mediates the communication by receiving requests from various channels (email, web, mobile apps), automatically retrieving relevant passenger and flight data, and presenting comprehensive information to agents. This intermediary layer ensures reliable service delivery regardless of the communication channel used or interruptions that may occur
2Ease of operation
If agents access comprehensive passenger and flight information, then service quality is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple data sources (passenger profiles, itinerary information, flight status data, communication history) into a single integrated view presented to the agent. By combining these disparate information streams through automated retrieval and consolidation, the system provides comprehensive service information without requiring agents to manually access multiple complex systems, thus improving service quality while managing system complexity through integration
3Duration of action of stationary object
If communication sessions are resumed after interruptions, then service continuity is improved, but data management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system ensures continuity of useful action by continuously storing and maintaining activity records and flight status information in accessible storage. When communication sessions are interrupted and later resumed, the system automatically retrieves the stored records and presents them to agents, ensuring seamless continuation of service without requiring manual re-entry or loss of previous interaction context
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and separates the data management complexity from the communication process. By automatically retrieving and managing activity records and flight information in the background, the system extracts the burden of data management away from agents and the communication flow, allowing service continuity to be maintained without directly involving users in the complex data management operations
Data Source
AI summary
A method has acts for receiving a transaction request in a contact center at a server having a processor, retrieving from data accompanying the transaction request identifying information regarding an originating node for the transaction request and identity of a sender of the transaction request, comparing the identifying information with stored data associating identifying information with specific aircraft providing on-board Internet service, discovering an association indicating the sender of the request is currently transacting as a passenger on a specific aircraft, retrieving further information regarding the passenger if available, retrieving information about the specific aircraft, including at least current flight status, routing the transaction request to an available contact center agent, connecting the passenger in a communication session with the agent, and displaying the information regarding the passenger, if any, and the information regarding the specific aircraft for use by the agent during the communication session with the passenger.