Abstract: A customer service system interface development tool is disclosed for use by an interface designer in creating an interface for customer interaction. The interface created by the development tool may be incorporated into a customer service system for presenting products or services to a customer for the customer to make a product or service selection if the customer so desires from the products or services presented as a result of the customer's interaction with the interface. The interface tool includes modules for specifying global parameters relating products or services to be presented to the customer through the interface and developing a profile of the customer service system environment in which the interface is to operate. An additional module aids the interface designer in planning a presentation by associating a set of presentation data with the products or services available for presentation to the customer.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for creating and vending printed card products such as greeting cards is disclosed, whereby a customer can select a card product for a desired application and customize or personalize certain portions of the selected card product. A terminal area or kiosk is provided at which the customer selects from a monitor screen display one of a number of different selection criterion for which he/she wants to obtain a card product. There may be multiple levels of selection criteria. Upon entry of the selection via, e.g., a transparent touch-sensitive plate on the monitor screen, one or more pre-stored groups of card product design formats pertaining to the selected selection criterion are determined, and the customer is prompted to select a particular card format to customize. The card product designs may include separate graphics, text and spaces for insertion of customized user messages, and these elements may be stored in a compressed format.