Client account and information management system and method

• US 20020073011A1
• Filed: 12/12/2000
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Enrique, Shore, Sandra Sue, Washington, Terry Varon, Brattain, Joseph Samuel
• Granted Patent: US 7,328,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

An information repository and management system for data regarding a client base which integrates a plurality of information types including database records, word processor files, e-mail, other hyperlinked documents, web pages and web sites. Implemented as a database application on a web-enabled database server, sales and marketing team members may access the system through an intranet or remotely through an Internet. Portions of the database may be extracted and placed on a portable computing device for traveling purposes. The extracted database can be later synchronized with the central database upon return of a sales and marketing team member from a meeting or business trip. Links and expandable subforms are provided to web sites for stock quoting and client home pages, allowing sales team members to quickly gather information regarding a company'"'"'s latest news announcements, stock performance, and financial status. Client relationship documents, such as meeting summaries, previous meeting briefing packages, and action item tracking sheets are organized and accessible through the system.

Claims

1. A method for organizing and presenting information from a client account database, and for preparing briefing packages for sales account executives, said database storing a plurality of client records each containing data or links to data relating to a different customer, said method comprising the steps of:

showing a first set of information for a selected client account on a main screen view on a user display; and

providing user-selectable expandable subforms and hyperlinks to additional information for said selected client account.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of showing a first set of information comprises showing an physical address for a selected client account.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of showing a first set of information comprises showing a stock trading symbol for a selected client account.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of showing a first set of information comprises showing a home page web address for a selected client account.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of providing user-selectable hyperlinks comprises providing at least one hyperlink to a word processor document.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of providing user-selectable hyperlinks comprises providing at least one hyperlink to a web page.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of providing user-selectable hyperlinks comprises providing at least one hyperlink to a computer-readable presentation file.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of providing user-selectable hyperlinks comprises providing at least one hyperlink to an action item list.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of providing user-selectable hyperlinks comprises providing at least one hyperlink to a biographical account of an employee for a selected client account.

10. A computer process comprising a computer program embodied in a computer-readable medium for organizing and presenting information from a client account database, and for preparing briefing packages for sales account executives, said database storing a plurality of client records each containing data or links to data relating to a different customer, said computer program being performed on or with aid of a computer and including:

(a) first code means for causing the computer to show a first set of information for a selected client account on a main screen view on a user display; and

(b) second code means for causing the computer to provide user-selectable hyperlinks and expandable subforms to additional information for said selected client account.

11. The computer process as set forth in claim 10 wherein said second code means which provides user-selectable hyperlinks comprises code means for causing the computer to show word processor files.

12. The computer process as set forth in claim 10 wherein said second code means which provides user-selectable hyperlinks comprises code means for causing the computer to show computer-readable presentation files.

13. The computer process as set forth in claim 10 wherein said second code means which provides user-selectable hyperlinks comprises code means for causing the computer to show Rich Text Format information.

14. The computer process as set forth in claim 10 wherein said second code means which provides user-selectable hyperlinks comprises code means for causing the computer to display biographical information concerning at least one employee of a selected client company.

15. The computer process as set forth in claim 10 wherein said second code means which provides user-selectable hyperlinks comprises code means for causing the computer to display a stock quote for a selected client company.

16. The computer process as set forth in claim 10 wherein said second code means which provides user-selectable hyperlinks comprises code means for causing the computer to display a web home page for a selected client company.

18. The system as set forth in claim 17 wherein said second code means comprises code means for causing the computer to show word processor files.

19. The system as set forth in claim 17 wherein said second code means comprises code means for causing the computer to show computer-readable presentation files.

20. The system as set forth in claim 17 wherein said second code means comprises code means for causing the computer to show Rich Text Format information.

21. The system as set forth in claim 17 wherein said second code means comprises code means for causing the computer to show biographical information concerning at least one employee of a selected client company.

22. The system as set forth in claim 17 further comprising a remote access communications interface for providing access to said database via a computer network, and for showing said first set of information for a selected client account on a remote computer display.

23. The system as set forth in claim 17 further comprising a remote access communications interface for providing access to said database via a computer network, and for providing user-selectable hyperlinks to additional information for said selected client account on a remote computer display.

17. A system for organizing and presenting information from a client account database, and for preparing briefing packages for sales account executives, said system comprising:

a storage device for storing a plurality of client records, said client records each containing data or links to data relating to a different customer,

a first program code means executable by a database server computer for showing a first set of information for a selected client account on a main screen view on a user display; and

a second code means executable by a database server computer for providing user-selectable expandable subforms and hyperlinks to additional information for said selected client account.