Computer system and stored program for certifying contractors

• US 10,552,895 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2017
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ISRD Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Service Trading Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Banhidy, Todd, Brunmeier, Matt
• Primary Examiner(s): Casey, Alexis M
• Application Number:
  US16/324,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20190180212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2681
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

A certification computer system electronically receives contractor data from contractor devices. The certification computer system electronically stores at least a portion of the contractor data as certification data in a storage device(s). The certification computer system automatically certifies third-party contractors as certified contractors based, at least in part, on the certification data. The certification computer system electronically receives an electronic service request communicated from an e-commerce computer system. The electronic service request is based, at least in part, on a purchase(s) of a product(s) with a contractor service(s) made in electronic communication with a purchaser computer system. The certification computer system automatically creates an electronic service work order based, at least in part, on the electronic service request. The certification computer system automatically selects a certified contractor from the certified contractors. The certification computer system electronically communicates the electronic service work order to the certified contractor.

Claims

1. A certification computer system coupled to a global computer network with access to at least one data storage device and programmed to perform a method of automatically certifying at least two of a plurality of third-party contractors to provide at least one contractor service with at least one product, the method performed by the certification computer system comprising:

a) electronically receiving contractor data at the certification computer system from a plurality of contractor devices;

b) electronically storing at least a portion of the contractor data as certification data in at least one of the at least one data storage device;

c) automatically certifying at least two of the plurality of third-party contractors as at least two certified contractors based, at least in part, on the certification data;

d) electronically receiving an electronic service request communicated from an e-commerce computer system to the certification computer system, the electronic service request based, at least in part, on at least one purchase of at least one product with at least one contractor service made in electronic communication with a purchaser computer system;

e) automatically creating an electronic service work order based, at least in part, on the electronic service request;

f) automatically selecting a certified contractor from the at least two certified contractors; and

g) electronically communicating the electronic service work order to the certified contractor.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of third-party contractors are licensed contractors.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the contractor data comprises at least one contractor request for consideration for selection of at least one contractor service.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic service request comprises:

a) purchaser data;

b) product data; and

c) service data.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic service request comprises service data on at least one of the following contractor services:

a) at least one measurement;

b) an installation;

c) an assembly;

d) a delivery;

e) an inspection;

f) a warranty certification;

g) a repair under warranty; and

h) a replacement under warranty.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic service work order comprises task data.

7. The system according to claim 1, the method performed by the certification computer system further comprising automatically certifying at least a portion of the plurality of third-party contractors based at least in part on:

a) the certification data; and

b) at least one contractor requirement.

8. The system according claim 1, the method performed by the certification computer system further comprising electronically updating the certification data with at least one certification.

9. The system according to claim 1, the method performed by the certification computer system further comprising:

a) electronically testing at least one of the plurality of third-party contractors through employment of at least one examination, the at least one examination accessible via the certification computer system; and

b) automatically certifying at least one of the at least one of the plurality of third-party contractors as at least one certified contractor based, at least in part, on at least one result from the at least one examination.

10. The system according to claim 1, the method performed by the certification computer system further comprising automatically selecting the certified contractor based, at least in part, on the certification data.

11. The system according to claim 1, the method performed by the certification computer system further comprising electronically communicating a service order confirmation to a purchaser.

12. The system according claim 1, the method performed by the certification computer system further comprising electronically receiving from the e-commerce computer system:

shipping data and at least one shipping update, one of the at least one shipping update comprising delivery data of the at least one product.

13. The system according to claim 1, the method performed by the certification computer system further comprising electronically receiving service progress data from at least one of the plurality of contractor devices.

14. The system according to claim 1, the method performed by the certification computer system further comprising:

a) automatically generating a contractor network report; and

b) electronically communicating the contractor network report to a manager of the e-commerce computer system.

15. The system according to claim 1, the method performed by the certification computer system further comprising electronically communicating a consumer feedback survey to a purchaser.

16. The system according to claim 1, the method performed by the certification computer system further comprising electronically receiving consumer feedback survey data from the purchaser computer system.

17. A tangible, non-transitory data storage medium comprising indicia of instructions for a certification computer system to perform an automated method of certifying at least one third-party contractor to provide at least one contractor service with at least one product, wherein the certification computer system is coupled to a global computer network with access to at least one data storage device, the automated method performed according to the instructions comprising:

a) electronically receiving contractor data at the certification computer system from a plurality of contractor devices;

b) electronically storing the contractor data as certification data in at least one of the at least one data storage device;

c) automatically certifying at least two of a plurality of third-party contractors as at least two certified contractors based, at least in part, on the certification data;

d) electronically receiving an electronic service request communicated from an e-commerce computer system to the certification computer system, the electronic service request based, at least in part, on at least one purchase of at least one product with at least one contractor service made in electronic communication with a purchaser computer system;

e) automatically creating an electronic service work order based, at least in part, on the electronic service request;

f) automatically selecting a certified contractor from the at least two certified contractors; and

g) electronically communicating the electronic service work order to the certified contractor.

18. A certification computer system coupled to a global computer network with access to at least one data storage device and programmed to perform a method of automatically certifying at least one third-party contractor to provide at least one contractor service with at least one product, the method performed by the certification computer system comprising:

a) electronically receiving contractor data at the certification computer system from a plurality of contractor devices;

b) electronically storing at least a portion of the contractor data as certification data in at least one of the at least one data storage device;

c) partially certifying, automatically, at least one of a plurality of third-party contractors as at least one partially-certified contractor based, at least in part, on the certification data;

d) electronically receiving an electronic service request communicated from an e-commerce computer system to the certification computer system, the electronic service request based, at least in part, on at least one purchase of at least one product with at least one contractor service made in electronic communication with a purchaser computer system;

e) automatically creating an electronic service work order based, at least in part, on the electronic service request;

f) electronically communicating at least one certification request to the at least one partially-certified contractor;

g) automatically certifying at least one of the at least one partially-certified contractor as at least one certified contractor based, at least in part, on a response to at least one of the at least one certification request;

h) automatically selecting a certified contractor from the at least one certified contractor; and

i) electronically communicating the electronic service work order to the certified contractor.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the at least one certification request comprises at least one examination accessible via the certification computer system.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein the at least one certification request is based, at least in part, on the certification data and the electronic service work order.

21. The system according to claim 18, the method performed by the certification computer system further comprising partially certifying, automatically, the at least one of the plurality of third-party contractors based at least in part on:

a) the certification data; and

b) at least one contractor requirement.

22. The system according to claim 18, the method performed by the certification computer system further comprising automatically updating the certification data with at least one partial certification.

23. The system according to claim 18, the method performed by the certification computer system further comprising automatically updating the certification data with at least one certification.

24. The system according to claim 18, the method performed by the certification computer system further comprising automatically certifying the at least one of the at least one partially-certified contractor based, at least in part, on at least one response to the at least one certification request, the at least one response electronically communicated from at least one of the plurality of contractor devices to the certification computer system.

25. The system according to claim 18, the method performed by the certification computer system further comprising:

a) electronically testing at least one of the plurality of third-party contractors through employment of at least one examination, the at least one examination accessible via the certification computer system; and

b) partially certifying, automatically, at least one of the at least one of the plurality of third-party contractors based, at least in part, on at least one result from the at least one examination.

26. The system according to claim 18, the method performed by the certification computer system further comprising:

a) electronically testing at least one of the at least one partially-certified contractor through employment of at least one examination, the at least one examination accessible via the certification computer system; and

b) automatically certifying at least one of the at least one partially-certified contractor based, at least in part, on at least one result from the at least one examination.

27. The system according to claim 18, the method performed by the certification computer system further comprising automatically selecting the certified contractor based, at least in part, on the certification data.

28. A tangible, non-transitory data storage medium comprising indicia of instructions for a certification computer system to perform an automated method of certifying at least one third-party contractor to provide at least one contractor service with at least one product, wherein the certification computer system is coupled to a global computer network with access to a data storage device, the method performed according to the instructions comprising:

a) electronically receiving contractor data at the certification computer system from a plurality of contractor devices;

b) electronically storing the contractor data as certification data in the data storage device;

c) partially certifying, automatically, at least one of a plurality of third-party contractors as at least one partially-certified contractor based, at least in part, on the certification data;

electronically receiving an electronic service request communicated from an e-commerce computer system to the certification computer system, the electronic service request based, at least in part, on at least one purchase of at least one product with at least one contractor service made in electronic communication with a purchaser computer system;

d) automatically creating an electronic service work order based, at least in part, on the electronic service request;

e) electronically communicating at least one certification request to the at least one partially-certified contractor;

f) automatically certifying at least one of the at least one partially-certified contractor as at least one certified contractor based, at least in part, on a certification response to at least one of the at least one certification request;

g) automatically selecting a certified contractor from the at least one certified contractor; and

h) electronically communicating the electronic service work order to the certified contractor.