Methods for managing yields of engaged services created from reservable services available in a database-driven transaction system

• US 20020002478A1
• Filed: 12/14/2000
• Published: 01/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Celia Francis, Gabiel Manjarrez, Garret Swart, John Lee, Laurent Demailly, Mike Rauta, Nathan Boyd, Nino Walker, Pete Duimstra
• Original Assignee: Celia Francis, Gabiel Manjarrez, Garret Swart, John Lee, Laurent Demailly, Mike Rauta, Nathan Boyd, Nino Walker, Pete Duimstra
• Inventors: Lee, John, Boyd, Nathan, Walker, Nino, Demailly, Laurent, Duimstra, Pete, Francis, Celia, Manjarrez, Gabiel, Rauta, Mike, Swart, Garret
• Application Number:
  US09/737,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20020002478A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A Method for managing a yield of engagements created from available resources (reservables) within a database-driven transaction system is provided. The method enables yield management related to client utilization of available resources. The method, according to a preferred embodiment includes the steps of (a) compiling history records relative to engagement-disposition parameters associated with suppliers of resources contracting with the transaction system; (b) determining, through ongoing study of the history records, average utilization percentages of the actual resources by engaged clients at the locations of the resources and (c) adjusting the volume of actual supplier resources represented within the transaction system, which may be converted to engagements, the adjustment based on mathematical factors created from the average resource-utilization percentages experienced at the supplier locations. In one embodiment, the method is expanded to include yield management based on geographic location and clients are given price incentives for engaging resources which are not local to them in order to balance utilization states of individual regions where resources are available.

Claims

1. A method for managing a yield of engagements created from available resources (reservables) within a database-driven transaction system comprising the steps of:

(a) compiling history records relative to engagement-disposition parameters associated with suppliers of resources contracting with the transaction system;

(b) determining, through ongoing study of the history records, average utilization percentages of the actual resources by engaged clients at the locations of the resources; and

(c) adjusting the volume of actual supplier resources represented within the transaction system, which may be converted to engagements, the adjustment based on mathematical factors created from the average resource-utilization percentages experienced at the supplier locations.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein in step (a), the engagement-disposition parameters include average percentage statistics related to abandoned engagements.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein in step (a), the engagement-disposition parameters include average percentage statistics related to rescheduled engagements.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein in step (a), the engagement-disposition parameters include average percentage statistics related to number of clients simultaneously utilizing one engagement period.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein in step (a), history records are individual to individual suppliers of resources.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein step (a), a single history record encompasses a plurality of like resources available from a plurality of suppliers.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein in step (c), the volume of actual supplier resources is multiplied by the mathematical factor to determine additional engagement opportunities.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein in step (c), the claim of actual supplier resources is multiplied by the mathematical factor to determine a restriction of engagement opportunities.

9. A method for managing a yield of engagements created from available resources (reservables) within a database-driven transaction system comprising the steps of:

(a) categorizing like resources available from suppliers according to geographic region;

(b) compiling historical records related to engagement-disposition parameters associated with all of the like resources in each defined geographic region;

(c) studying the historical records to determine and define percentage statistics of resource utilization associated with each region;

(d) identifying immediate geographic preferences of clients engaging the resources available within the transaction system; and

(e) load balancing engagement utilization states of available resources in each region by offering incentives to clients willing to engage resources available in a non-local region.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein in step (a), the resources include human resources.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein in step (a), the resources include service-bay resources.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein in step (b), the historical records include parameters related to multitasking capabilities of human and inanimate resources.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein in step (d), geographic preferences include regions local to client residences.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein in step (d), geographic preferences include real-time locations of clients engaging in travel.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein in step (e), the identification of suppliers is not known to the client until the time of engagement of available resources.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein in step (e), the incentive to clients is a price-based incentive.