Lead suspect management

• US 20020035504A1
• Filed: 11/07/2001
• Published: 03/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sedona Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sedona Corporation
• Inventors: Emrich, Marco A., Murphy, Jack B., Krantz, Michael, Gephart, Robert A., Dver, Alyssa
• Application Number:
  US09/985,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20020035504A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method and system for marketing products and/or services to a database of records. The system includes workflow parameters in the form of stations. Each station defines an action and a set time interval for conducting the action on a record in the station. In addition, each station provides a selection of subsequent stations for the record following the performance of the action by the selected user. In addition, the user may select to generate a report on the records of the database based upon the fields of the records. The report may also be in the form of an automatically generated report produced at a defined interval. The workflow parameters may be customized by a system administrator to meet the needs of different users. Accordingly, the workflow provides an automated and organized method of managing sales and marketing leads.

Claims

1. A method for marketing comprising:

(a) creating a plurality of records in a database;

(b) customizing a workflow parameter;

(c) managing said records in said workflow; and

(d) acting upon said records in said workflow within a station parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a subsequent station within said workflow for said record.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of customizing a workflow parameter includes assigning a duration for a record to remain in a station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of customizing a workflow parameter includes defining a subsequent station for a record.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of customizing a workflow parameters includes creating an action to be conducted by a user upon said record.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising compiling a report of said records.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said report includes parameters selected from the fields of said record.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said report is an automatically generated report.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising setting a frequency for generating said automatically generated report.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising selecting a medium for communicating said report.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said medium is selected from the group consisting of:

electronic mail, a print copy, and a hyperlink to a browser page.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating an opportunity within said workflow for marketing an item.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said opportunity includes workflow parameters for the item.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein each record is defined by an originating source.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising said source providing a selection of originating stations in said workflow.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of customizing a workflow parameter includes an administrator amending station definitions.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising resolving a duplicate record.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing said records from said database.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing a user from said database.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of removing said user includes reassigning records from said user to another user.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising importing multiple records from an external source.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of importing includes creating a file import map within the parameters of the database.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising an instruction to select a subsequent station within said workflow of said record.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein said workflow parameter defines an action to be conducted by a user upon said record during said duration.

26. The system of claim 23, further comprising an instruction to compile a report of said records.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said report includes parameters selected from the fields of said records.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein said report is an automatically generated report.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising an instruction to set a frequency to generate said report.

30. The system of claim 26, further comprising an instruction to set a medium to communicate said report.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said medium is selected from the group consisting of:

electronic mail, a print copy, and a hyperlink to a browser page.

32. The system of claim 23, further comprises an instruction to create an opportunity within said workflow to market an item.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein each record is defined by an originating source.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said source provides a selection of originating stations to said records in said workflow.

35. The system of claim 23, wherein said workflow parameter is amended by a system administrator.

36. The system of claim 23, further comprising an instruction to resolve duplicate records.

37. The system of claim 23, further comprising an instruction to remove records from said database.

38. The system of claim 23, further comprising an instruction to remove a user from said workflow.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein said instruction includes a secondary instruction to reassign records of said user to another user of said system.

40. The system of claim 23, further comprising in instruction to import multiple records form an external source.

41. The system of claim 40, further comprising an import map to facilitate said import of records.

23. A computer system for marketing comprising:

a plurality of records in a database;

a workflow parameter adapted to be customized;

a workflow to manage said records;

wherein said workflow parameter instructs a user of a required action on a record.

42. A method for marketing comprising:

(a) creating a plurality of records in a database;

(b) customizing a workflow parameter;

(c) managing said records in said workflow;

(d) acting upon said records in said workflow within a station parameter;

(e) selecting a subsequent station within said workflow for said record.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising compiling a progress report of said records;

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising selecting a medium for communicating said report.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein said report is an automatically generated report produced at a specified frequency.

46. The method of claim 42, further comprising entering new records into the database.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein said records are imported from an external source.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising compiling an import map to convert a format of external source to said database.

49. The method of claim 42, further comprising adding custom fields to the record of the database.

50. The method of claim 42, further comprising providing a personal reminder schedule for a user of the database.