Customer support system, an office system, a customer support center, a supply center and a customer support method

Abstract

Resupply, recycling and exchange of consumption items of office apparatuses made by two or more manufacturers can be facilitated by a customer support center, a supply center, office systems and customer support terminals connected via a communication network, wherein an apparatus management database, a cost and supply information database, an analysis database, and a supply management database are installed at appropriate locations, each associated with functional units such as a data acquisition unit, a data analysis unit, a report generating unit and the like for issuing purchase orders, recycling orders, exchange orders and office system improvement proposals.

1 . A customer support system, comprising:
 a customer support center that supports a customer, based on apparatus management information of apparatuses installed at a premises of the customer,   a plurality of office systems,   a communication network, and   a customer support terminal connected to one of the customer support center and the communication network, wherein the office system comprises:   a plurality of office apparatuses manufactured by a plurality of manufacturers,   an apparatus management information database that stores apparatus management information for managing the plurality of the office apparatuses, and   a data acquisition and distribution unit that stores the apparatus management information by gathering usage information of the office apparatuses, and the customer support center comprises:   a data collection unit that collects the apparatus management information stored in the apparatus management information database, and   a data analysis unit that analyzes the apparatus management information that the data collection unit collected for every office system, wherein the data analysis unit outputs an analysis result about the office system concerned for supporting the customer according to a request from the customer support terminal and the office system.   
   
   
       2 . The customer support system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the customer support center further comprises a supply management unit that manages consumption items for every office system, automatically performing a supply request of consumption items of the office system concerned, when resupply of consumption items is needed. 
   
   
       3 . An office system connected to a customer support center, which supports a customer, based on apparatus management information of apparatuses installed at a premises of the customer, comprising:
 a plurality of office apparatuses manufactured by a plurality of manufacturers,   an apparatus management information database that stores the apparatus management information for managing the office apparatuses, and   a data acquisition and distribution unit that acquires usage information of the office apparatuses and stores the usage information in the apparatus management information database, wherein the apparatus management information database stores the apparatus management information that comprises usage information and relative information of the office apparatuses, which the data acquisition and distribution unit collected, and the data acquisition and distribution unit transmits the apparatus management information stored in the apparatus management information database to the customer support center at a predetermined time and when the customer support center requests.   
   
   
       4 . The office system as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising a cost and supply information database that stores cost information and supply information concerning the office apparatuses, wherein the data acquisition and distribution unit transmits the cost information and the supply information stored in the cost and supply information database to the customer support center at a predetermined time and when the customer support center requests. 
   
   
       5 . The office system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the predetermined time is any time of a day, a week, a month, and a year, when the office system is introduced, and when an office apparatus is added and changed. 
   
   
       6 . The office system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the cost information and the supply information comprise information indicating date and time of a last resupply of each of consumption items, information indicating a resupply amount at the last resupply of each of the consumption items, information indicating a consumed amount of each of the consumption items and information indicating a unit price of each of the consumption items. 
   
   
       7 . In an office system as claimed in claim  3 , wherein the apparatus management information stored in the apparatus management information database comprises a number indicative of how many sets are installed, a model, user names, a usage amount, a trouble history and a latency time of each of the office apparatuses. 
   
   
       8 . A supply center connected to a communication network and performs resupply, recycling and exchange of consumption items, comprising:
 a supply management database that stores information for management of consumption items,   a supply request receiving unit that receives a request for resupply, recycling and exchange of the consumption items, and   a supply directing unit that directs resupply, recycling and exchange of consumption items, based on a request for resupply, recycling and exchange of the consumption items, received by the supply request receiving unit, referring to the supply management database.   
   
   
       9 . The supply center as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising a screen generating unit that generates a screen for receiving a request for resupply, recycling and exchange of consumption items of a plurality of manufacturers, with reference to the supply management database, and the request for resupply, recycling and exchange is performed on the screen generated by the screen generating unit. 
   
   
       10 . The customer support center as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the screen generated by the screen generating unit displays costs and delivery periods required for the resupply, recycling and exchange of the consumption items. 
   
   
       11 . A customer support method using a customer support system, comprising a customer support center that supports a customer based on apparatus management information of office apparatuses installed at a premises of the customer, a plurality of office systems, and customer support terminals connected to one of the communication network and the customer support center, wherein each of the office systems stores the apparatus management information and cost information for managing the office apparatuses manufactured by a plurality of manufacturers, and the customer support center supports the customer by collecting and analyzing the apparatus management information and the cost information of the office system, and proposes a more desirable office system. 
   
   
       12 . The customer support method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the customer support center estimates a time to resupply a consumption item of the office system by collecting and analyzing the supply information from the office system, and automatically directs resupplying the consumption item when necessary.