Systems and Methods for Providing Personalized Delivery Services

• US 20070005452A1
• Filed: 06/20/2006
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rizzo, Joe, Klingenberg, Robert, Shroff, Sumeet
• Granted Patent: US 7,657,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0834 Choice of carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0835 Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/60 Business processes related to postal services shipping G06Q10/083; franking apparatus G07B17/00

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing personalized delivery services by a carrier providing a package delivery service. Typically, the consignee indicates a delivery preference to be applied to delivery of a package, such as indicating a specific location where the package is to be left upon delivery, if the consignee is not present to accept the package. In one embodiment, the consignee may be notified by the carrier of the scheduled delivery of the package, and may be linked to the carrier'"'"'s web site to indicate a delivery preference. Alternatively, the delivery preference may be indicated by the consignee proactively accessing the web site. After conveying a delivery preference, the carrier'"'"'s systems communicate the delivery preference at the appropriate time to a portable computing device which informs the delivery personnel of the consignee'"'"'s delivery preference. Other embodiments allow the consignor to indicate delivery preferences.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a package by a package carrier to a consignee originating from a consignor comprising the steps of:

receiving a package by the package carrier from the consignor;

establishing a package level detail record in a package level detail database operated by the package carrier wherein the package level detail record comprises a package tracking number associated with the package;

determining that the consignee is to receive a message indicating anticipated delivery of the package;

transmitting a message from the package carrier to the consignee, wherein the message comprises an estimated delivery date of said package and said package tracking number;

providing a plurality of delivery preference options to said consignee;

receiving an indication from the consignee indicating a delivery preference selected from the plurality of delivery preference options for the package;

storing the delivery preference in association with the package tracking number;

communicating the delivery preference to a portable computing device carried by a delivery person delivering the package, wherein the communication of the delivery preference to the portable computing device occurs on the same day as, and prior to, the delivery of the package; and

delivering the package by the delivery person to the consignee in accordance with the delivery preference.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting the message from the package carrier to the consignee comprises transmitting an email message from the package carrier to the consignee using an email address associated with the consignee, said email message comprising a web-site address for providing package status information for the package identified by said package tracking number.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from the consignee requesting said package status information for the package at a web-site identified by said web-site address; and

providing said plurality of delivery preference options at said web-site.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting a message from the package carrier to the consignee comprises originating a telephone call and conveying an audio message from the package carrier to the consignee using a telephone number associated with the consignee.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:

receiving a touch-tone response from the consignee indicating the delivery preference.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the delivery preference indicates a specific location at a consignee'"'"'s delivery address where the package is to be placed by the delivery person.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the delivery preference indicates a time after which the package is to be delivered by the delivery person to the consignee.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the indication from the consignee indicating the delivery preference for the package is received prior to a delivery attempt of the package by the delivery person.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the storing of the delivery preference in association with the package tracking number involves storing the delivery preference in a consignee profile database and setting a flag in the package level detail database associated with the package tracking number.

10. A method for delivering a package originating from a consignor by a package carrier to a consignee comprising the steps of:

receiving a selection of a delivery preference at a web site from a user, the selection including one of a plurality of delivery preference options via a graphical user interface, the user also providing a delivery address of the user;

storing the delivery preference and the delivery address in a consignee delivery preference record in a consignee profile database;

receiving the package by the package carrier from the consignor wherein the package indicates a tracking number;

the package carrier retrieving a package level detail record using the tracking number to ascertain the consignee of the package;

retrieving the consignee delivery preference record;

determining that the delivery preference indicated by the consignee delivery preference record applies to the delivery of the package;

communicating the delivery preference to a portable computing device carried by a delivery person delivering the package wherein the communication of the delivery preference to the portable computing device occurs on the same day as, and prior to, the delivery of the package; and

delivering the package by the delivery person in accordance with the delivery preference.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of retrieving the consignee delivery preference record occurs by matching a consignee address of the package level detail record with the delivery address of the user.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the carrier transmits an email message to the consignee indicating an estimated delivery date of the delivery of the package, the tracking number, and the delivery preference.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the portable computing device displays a text-based indication of the delivery preference to the delivery person.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the delivery preference indicates a location at the consignee'"'"'s delivery address where the package is to be placed by the delivery person.

15. A method of delivering a package by a carrier to a consignee comprising:

receiving registration information from a user at a web site, said registration information comprising user contact information and a delivery preference indication for delivery of one or more packages to be delivered to said user by said carrier;

creating a consignee profile record for said user in a consignee profile database, said consignee profile record comprising a user identifier associated with said user, said user contact information, and said delivery preference indication;

recording package level detail data of the package by the carrier, said package level detail data including a consignee identifier of said package;

identifying said package as inbound to said user by comparing said user identifier with said consignee identifier of said package;

notifying said user of delivery of said package to said user;

transmitting a message to a portable computing device carried by a delivery person delivering said package wherein the message conveys the delivery preference indication; and

delivering said package to said consignee in accordance with said delivery preference indication.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of receiving registration information comprising the delivery preference indication from said user comprises receiving delivery instructions from said user indicating how said one or more packages should be delivered by delivery personnel at a delivery address associated with said user.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of notifying said user of the delivery of said package to said user comprises:

generating an electronic message for said user, said electronic message indicating said package is to be delivered to said user and the estimated date of delivery of said package; and

transmitting said electronic message to said user via means selected by said user prior to delivery of said package.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving input from said user in response to said electronic message indicating a package-specific delivery preference to be applied to delivery of said package, wherein the package-specific delivery preference overrides said delivery preference indication.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of receiving input from said user indicating a package-specific delivery preference to be applied to said package comprises:

receiving an indication of a delivery change request, said delivery change request comprising instructions to said carrier to redirect delivery of said package;

communicating to the portable computing device said delivery change request has been indicated; and

indicating to said delivery person via said portable computing device that said package is to be redirected according to said instructions.

20. A system for processing delivery preferences from a user, comprising:

a package level detail database storing a first record for a package conveyed by a carrier, said record comprising a package identification number;

a consignee profile database storing a second record, the second record comprising contact information of the user and at least one delivery preference;

a processor in communication with said package level detail database and said consignee profile database, said processor configured to;

retrieve said first record from the package level detail database for the package in transit,

determine a consignee associated with said package from said record,

retrieve said second record from said consignee profile database,

generate a notification message to said consignee of said package, said notification message comprising the package identification number,

transmit said notification message to said consignee using said contact information of the user, wherein said notification message is transmitted prior to a first delivery attempt of said package, and

communicate a second message indicating said at least one delivery preference; and

a portable computing device associated with a delivery person delivering said package, said portable computing device receiving said second message and displaying a text message to the delivery person indicating the at least one delivery preference.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said text message indicates a delivery location where the package should be placed at a delivery address of said consignee.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein said notification message indicates an estimated date of delivery of said package.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said notification message is an email message directed to an email address associated with said user, said contact information of the user comprising said email address.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said notification message includes said package identification number and a URL to a carrier website.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the carrier website is configured to receive input from said user indicating a second delivery preference to be applied to the delivery of said package.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein said at least one of said delivery preference comprises one from the group of:

a redirect delivery preference indicating said package is to be redirected to a user specified address,

a refuse delivery preference indicating said package is not to be delivered to said user,

a reschedule delivery preference indicating said package is to be delivered after a specified time, and

a will call delivery preference indicating said package is to be held by said carrier for pickup by said user.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein said will call delivery preference comprises a first indication of a location where said package is to be held by said carrier for pickup and a second indication of a period of time during which said package is to be held for pickup.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein said notification message is a telephone message directed to a telephone number associated with said user, wherein said contact information of said user comprises said telephone number.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein said processor is further configured to receive input from said user indicating a modification of said delivery preferences.

30. A system for receiving delivery preferences from a consignee, comprising:

a package level detail database configured to store a package level detail record for a package in transit by a package carrier, said record comprising a package identification number for said package and an indication of a consignee of said package;

a consignee profile database configured to store a consignee record for said consignee;

a processor in communication with said package level detail database and said consignee profile database, wherein said processor is configured to;

receive input from said consignee in response to a notification sent to said consignee, said input comprising an indication of at least one delivery preference and said package identification number,

store said at least one delivery preference in association with said package identification number, and

communicate a second message comprising said at least one delivery preference; and

a portable computing device associated with a delivery person delivering said package, said portable computing device receiving said second message.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said notification is generated by said processor.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein said notification indication is a first message indicating an estimated date of delivery of said package and said package identification number.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein said at least one delivery preference is stored in said package level detail database by said processor

34. The system of claim 30, wherein said notification indication is an email message directed to an email address associated with said consignee, said email address stored in said consignee record.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein said delivery preference comprises an indication to said delivery person of a specific location at a consignee'"'"'s delivery address where said package is to be placed by the delivery person.