Method and arrangement for exploiting user feedback during product start-up

• US 20050283398A1
• Filed: 06/06/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Targetor Oy
• Original Assignee: Targetor Oy
• Inventors: Alasaarela, Esko, Hintikka, Antti
• Application Number:
  US11/144,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20050283398A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method, an arrangement and a cellular network terminal with which it is possible to gather and analyze customer feedback received about a product or service. A user provides feedback by utilizing a two-dimensional evaluation field (31), which is presentable on a graphical display. The provided feedback is transferred via a data transmission network (20) into a product/service provider'"'"'s database (22). The information in said database (22) is analyzed in real time, so that possible corrective measures can be initiated immediately when a problem appears.

Claims

1. A method for producing real-time user feedback about a product or service, in which method a user provides feedback on an at least two-dimensional evaluation field (31), characterized in that said evaluation field (31) becomes activated in a device exploited by said user upon fulfillment of a specific criterion of use (43) and feedback on said two-dimensional evaluation field is transferred (46) via a data transmission network (20) into a database (22) of a product/service provider for completion of feedback analysis.

2. The feedback evaluation method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises:

a phase (42) in which notification of termination of the use of the product/service is given,

a phase (43) in which a decision is made whether or not to request user feedback about the product/service used,

a phase (44) in which an at least two-dimensional evaluation field is opened for evaluation on a display (35) of a device (30) in the possession of the user before the device/service is finally closed,

a phase (45) in which the user provides his evaluation on said evaluation field (31) by means of a cursor (32),

a phase (46) in which the provided evaluation (32) is transferred into the database (22) of the manufacturer/service provider,

a phase (47) in which the device/service being used (24b, 25, 26, 30) is closed and

a phase (48) in which a feedback analysis of all user evaluations stored in the database (22) is completed.

3. The feedback evaluation method according to claim 2, characterized in that said feedback analysis (48) comprises:

a phase in which the at least two-dimensional evaluation fields (31) stored in the database (22) are combined and the combined values are standardized into a summation table by means of a software application located in a server (21), after which said summation table is stored in the database (22) and

a phase in which said summation table is presented in real time in order to evaluate the functionality of the product/service.

4. The feedback evaluation method according to claim 2, characterized in that in phase (43) a decision is made to request user feedback about the product/service only when the first session of use of the product/service is being terminated.

5. The feedback evaluation method according to claim 2, characterized in that in phase (43) a decision is made to request user feedback about the product/service when at least two sessions of use of the product/service are being terminated.

6. The feedback evaluation method according to claim 2, characterized in that in phase (43) a decision is made to request user feedback about the product/service when specific sessions of use of the product/service are being terminated or when a specific period of time has elapsed since the first session of use or when the user so requests.

7. A feedback arrangement, which comprises an at least two-dimensional evaluation field (31) for providing feedback about a product/service (24a, 25, 26), means for analyzing said feedback (21, 22, 23), a data transmission network (20) and means for connecting the product/service and feedback analysis means in a data transmission network (20), characterized in that said evaluation field (31) is realized using software means contained in the product/service, which means are arranged to become activated in the device/service utilized by a user upon fulfillment of a specific criterion of use (43) and that the feedback on the at least two-dimensional evaluation field (31) is arranged to be transferred (46) via the data transmission network (20) into a product/service provider'"'"'s feedback information analysis means (21, 22, 23) for completion of feedback analysis.

8. The feedback arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that the means for analyzing the feedback information comprise

means for storing the feedback information (31) in a product/service provider'"'"'s database (22),

means for combining individual feedback information (31) with other provided feedback to produce aggregate feedback,

means for standardizing said aggregate feedback into a summation table by means of a software application contained in a server (21),

means for storing said summation table in the database (22) and

means (23) for employing the summation table to present the feedback depicting the functionality of the product/service.

9. The feedback arrangement according to claim 8, characterized in that the means for analyzing the feedback information also comprise means for processing the feedback information by customer segment.

10. The feedback arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that said feedback arrangement is arranged to become activated only when the first session of use of the product/service is being terminated.

11. The feedback arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that said feedback arrangement is arranged to become activated when at least two sessions of use of the product/service are being terminated.

12. The feedback arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that said feedback arrangement is arranged to become activated when specific sessions of use of the product/service are fulfilled or when a specific period of time has elapsed since the first session of use or when the user so requests.

13. The feedback arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that said at least two-dimensional evaluation field (31) is stored in the product/service in conjunction with its manufacture.

14. The feedback arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that said at least two-dimensional evaluation field (31) is arranged to be stored in the product/service as a software application transferred via the data transmission network (20).

15. A cellular network terminal (30, 50), which comprises transmission and reception means (51, 52, 53), a control unit (54), a memory (55) and a user interface (56), characterized in that it also comprises means for activating and completing an at least two-dimensional feedback questionnaire and for sending information into a specific database (22) upon fulfillment of a specific criterion of use (43).

16. The terminal according to claim 15, characterized in that the means for activating and completing said at least two-dimensional feedback questionnaire and sending said information are arranged to become activated only when the first session of use of the terminal (30, 50) is being terminated.

17. The terminal according to claim 15, characterized in that the means for activating and completing said at least two-dimensional feedback questionnaire and sending said information are arranged to become activated when at least the first two sessions of use of the terminal (30, 50) are being terminated.

18. The terminal according to claim 15, characterized in that the means for activating and completing said at least two-dimensional feedback questionnaire and sending said information are arranged to become activated in conjunction with closing of the terminal when specific sessions of use are fulfilled or when a specific period of time has elapsed since the first session of use of the terminal (30, 50) or when the user so requests.

19. The cellular network terminal according to claim 15, characterized in that the means for activating said at least two-dimensional feedback questionnaire comprise a software application stored in the memory (55) of the terminal (30, 50).

20. The cellular network terminal according to claim 19, characterized in that said software application is stored in the memory (55) of the terminal (30, 50) in conjunction with its manufacture.

21. The cellular network terminal according to claim 19, characterized in that said software application is stored in the memory (55) of the terminal (30, 50) during use of the terminal.

22. The cellular network terminal according to claim 15, characterized in that said means for completing the feedback questionnaire comprise:

an at least two-dimensional evaluation field (31) and a related cursor (32), which are arranged to be presented on a display of the terminal (30, 50),

means (33, 36) for changing the position of the cursor (32) on said evaluation field (31) and

means (37) for approving the evaluation.

23. The cellular network terminal according to claim 22, characterized in that the means for approving the evaluation comprise one of the following:

a software key (34) or an alphanumerical key (36).

24. The cellular network terminal according to claim 22, characterized in that the at least two-dimensional evaluation field (31) comprises one of the following alternatives:

two evaluation axes perpendicular to each other and related evaluation criteria or

graphical symbols or color codes depicting an evaluated feature in two evaluated dimensions.

25. The cellular network terminal according to claim 15, characterized in that it also comprises:

means for connecting to a local radio network (28) and

means for receiving a message from a second device (26) via said radio network (28), which message is arranged to activate an application located in the terminal (30, 50) that implements a feedback questionnaire for the purpose of providing feedback from the second device (26).