Systems and methods for assignment of sales leads

• US 10,423,969 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2013
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genworth Holdings, Inc. (Genworth Financial Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Genworth Holdings, Inc. (Genworth Financial Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tivey, Steven E., Leahy, Mathew F., Haider, Muhammad, Owings, Gary A., Rice, Donald C., Demello, Deborah K.
• Primary Examiner(s): McCormick, Gabrielle A
• Application Number:
  US14/015,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20140067465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,216 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data

Abstract

The invention provides systems and methods for processing sales leads. Illustratively, the invention provides a method of assigning sales leads in a network environment, the sales leads relating to persons interested in effecting a purchase, the method comprising: obtaining a lead, the lead including lead information relating to a person interested in effecting a purchase; loading the lead into a lead processing portion; determining if the lead is auto-assignable; assigning the lead to a sales agent; and outputting the lead information over the network environment to a lead distribution portion, so as to be accessible to the sales agent.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method that assigns sales leads using an Internet based tool in a network environment based on an agent score and a leads credit balance, the sales leads relating to persons interested in effecting a purchase, the computer implemented method comprising:

obtaining, via a data entry input, a lead, the lead including lead information relating to a person interested in effecting a purchase;

storing, in a memory component, lead information, operating parameters and agent data;

loading the lead into a lead processing portion comprising a computer processor and coupled to the data entry input and memory;

comparing, via the lead processing portion, the lead with a set of existing leads stored in the memory component;

assigning, via the lead processing, a designation to the lead based on the comparison with the set of existing leads, wherein the lead is assigned an “

A”

designation if it does not match an existing lead in the memory component and a “

B”

designation if it matches an existing lead in the memory component;

automatically updating lead information stored in the memory component for a B designated lead based on the matching lead information, wherein the matching lead information includes at least a sales agent that previously worked the lead and a reason why the lead did not result in a sale;

executing, via the lead processing portion, a set of rules to generate an agent score for each agent that is a candidate for assignment of the lead, wherein if the lead is B designated, the score is based at least in part on the sales agent that previously worked the lead, and to assign the lead to a sales agent in conjunction with determining that the sales agent has a leads credit balance above a minimum value, the leads credit balance calculated as a value representing an agent'"'"'s ability to convert a lead to sales and being automatically generated and adjusted by the lead processing portion based on lead information associated with the agent and a running balance of leads that an agent has in inventory; and

distributing, by the lead processing portion, the lead information over the network environment to a lead distribution processor, so as to be accessible to a plurality of sales agents; and

the lead information associated with the agent including both (1) leads that an agent has converted to sales, and (2) a number of new leads that the agent has obtained, and

the lead processing portion executing processing such that converted leads are added, by the processing portion, to the lead credit balance and new leads are detracted, by the processing portion, from the lead credit balance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein an amount that a particular converted lead adds to the lead credit balance is based on a premium associated with the particular converted lead, and wherein the premium associated with the leads varies between different leads.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the lead distribution processor is a web based lead system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the lead to a sales agent includes:

generating an agent score for each agent that is a candidate for assignment of the lead; and

assigning the lead to the agent with the highest agent score, wherein the agent score being based on past performance of a respective agent.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the agent score of a particular agent is based on conversion of leads to sales by the particular agent, the percentage of the agent'"'"'s business that is generated by that particular agent, and position rank of the particular agent.

6. The method of claim 4, further including, wherein two agents have the same agent score, randomly assigning the lead between such two agents.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the network environment includes the Internet.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning the lead to a sales agent includes:

generating a pool of candidate agents, which are selected from a collection of possible agents, that are eligible to work the lead based on the lead information; and

selecting a selected agent from the pool of candidate agents, the selected agent designated to work on the lead.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the lead information includes information regarding endorsements associated with the lead and the territory to which the lead is associated.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the assigning the lead to a sales agent further includes obtaining agent assignment criteria of each agent that is a candidate for assignment of the lead, the agent assignment criteria being compared to the information regarding endorsements associated with the lead and the territory to which the lead is associated.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes determining whether telemarketing possesses a priority over the lead, telemarketing being a call center;

and

determining that telemarketing does not possesses a priority over the lead so as subsequently perform the assigning the lead to the sales agent.

12. The method of claim 11, further including:

determining that telemarketing has priority over a second lead; and

assigning the second lead to a particular telemarketing facility, the assigning determining whether candidate call centers are below a lead cap.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the lead processing portion, subsequent to loading the lead, outputs leads for assignment in waves, the waves including at least a first wave of leads that is assigned prior to subsequent waves of leads, wherein the lead processing portion determines in which wave a lead is assigned based on the lead information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the lead processing portion assigns all endorsed A-leads in the first wave and assigns non-endorsed A-leads in subsequent waves.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the lead processing portion assigns B-leads to the subsequent waves.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the lead processing portion assigns B-leads to a plurality of the subsequent waves, the lead processing portion assigning the B-leads to different waves in the plurality of waves based on age of the B-lead.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the assigning the leads to waves includes associating a wave code with each lead to be included in an assignment wave, the wave code indicating which wave the particular lead is to be included.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the lead processing portion assigns A-leads to respective waves based on the age of the A-lead.

19. The method of claim 1, the lead processing portion performing processing including both:

(a) processing converted leads by adding to the lead credit balance, based on the converted leads, and thereby increasing the lead credit balance,

the amount added based on a respective premium associated with each particular converted lead; and

(b) processing new leads by detracting from the lead credit balance, based on the new leads, and thereby decreasing the lead credit balance,

the amount detracted based on a respective premium associated with each particular new lead.

20. A system that assigns sales leads using an Internet based tool in a network environment based on an agent score and a leads credit balance, the sales leads relating to persons interested in effecting a purchase, the system comprising:

a database that stores data regarding agent data and lead data inventory, the agent data including current lead inventory, past performance, expertise and skills;

a computer server comprising a lead processing portion that comprises a computer processor, the computer server coupled to the database and programmed to;

obtain a lead, the lead including lead information relating to a person interested in effecting a purchase;

store the lead in the database;

load the lead into the lead processing portion;

compare, by the lead processing portion, the lead with a set of existing leads stored in the database;

assign, by the lead processing, a designation to the lead based on the comparison with the set of existing leads, wherein the lead is assigned an “

A”

designation if it does not match an existing lead in the database and a “

B”

designation if it matches an existing lead in the database;

automatically update the lead in the database for a B designated lead based on the matching lead information, wherein the matching lead information includes at least a sales agent that previously worked the lead and a reason why the lead did not result in a sale;

execute, by the lead processing portion, a set of rules to generate an agent score for each agent that is a candidate for assignment of the lead, wherein if the lead is B designated, the score is based at least in part on the sales agent that previously worked the lead;

assign, by the lead processing portion, the lead to a sales agent in conjunction with determining that the sales agent has a leads credit balance above a minimum value, the leads credit balance calculated as a value representing an agent'"'"'s ability to convert a lead to sales and being automatically generated and adjusted by the lead processing portion based on lead information associated with the agent and a running balance of leads that an agent has in inventory; and

distribute, by the lead processing portion, the lead information over the network environment to a lead distribution processor, so as to be accessible to the sales agent; and

the lead information associated with the agent including both (1) leads that an agent has converted to sales, and (2) a number of new leads that the agent has obtained, and

the lead processing portion executing processing such that converted leads are added, by the processing portion, to the lead credit balance and new leads are detracted, by the processing portion, from the lead credit balance.