Customer service supporting device, self-service terminal, and method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Self-service terminals require on-site employee assistance for customer inquiries, hindering true labor savings and limiting the effectiveness of remote customer service due to the need for separate monitors and the inability to recognize customer operation difficulties.
Innovation Solution
A customer service supporting device that communicates with self-service terminals and operator terminals via a network, allowing screen data transmission from the self-service terminal to the operator terminal for remote customer service support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If self-service terminals are introduced to achieve automatic operation and labor saving, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to the need for on-site employee assistance
Solution Approach 1:
A remote customer service system is introduced as an intermediary between customers and self-service terminals. The system includes a remote service terminal that receives customer service requests from self-service terminals and provides assistance through communication means, enabling remote support without requiring on-site employees.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of on-site employee assistance with an electronic/telecommunication-based remote service system. Customer service requests are transmitted electronically between terminals, and assistance is provided through communication networks, eliminating the need for physical presence of service staff.
2Productivity
If a remote customer service system is introduced to provide service from a remote location, then the need for on-site staff is reduced, but device complexity increases due to the requirement of a separate monitor
Solution Approach 1:
The remote service terminal is designed to perform multiple functions: it receives customer service requests from self-service terminals, displays screen data from those terminals, and provides communication capabilities for assistance. This multi-functional design consolidates what would otherwise require separate devices into a single integrated terminal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of customer service monitoring and communication into a single remote service terminal. Instead of requiring a separate monitor device and communication system, the terminal integrates both capabilities, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining remote service functionality.
3Reliability
If employees are stationed in stores to respond to customer inquiries, then customer service quality is maintained, but productivity deteriorates due to the inability to achieve true self-service operation
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service operation with remote support by allowing customers to independently interact with self-service terminals while having access to remote assistance when needed. The automated terminal handles routine operations, and remote service is only activated when customers encounter difficulties, maintaining both automation and service quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where self-service terminals automatically send service requests to remote service terminals when customers need assistance. This feedback loop ensures that help is provided only when necessary, maintaining customer service quality while preserving the efficiency of self-service operations for the majority of transactions.
Data Source
AI summary
A customer service supporting device includes a communication interface configured to communicate with a self-service terminal in a store and an operator terminal in a location different from the store, and a processor configured to, upon receipt of a customer service request from the self-service terminal, acquire screen data corresponding to a screen that is displayed by the self-service terminal when the customer service request is issued, and control the communication interface to transmit the screen data to the operator terminal and cause the operator terminal to display the screen.