Cross-entity sales lead rights assignment and action planning system

• US 20070239721A1
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Cobalt Group Incorporated (Automatic Data Processing Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: The Cobalt Group Incorporated (Automatic Data Processing Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ullman, Matthew, Moran, Randy
• Application Number:
  US11/391,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20070239721A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce

Abstract

A sales lead server is accessible over a network and hosts databases containing static and active content related to sales leads. The server includes a memory to store records of databases containing static and active content, a database manager to render databases with the static and the active content in memory relative to one another, the database manager to perform a method, including enabling a user to create a lead-related right for each lead, and to create rules associated with each lead that cause the database manager to assign to a selected lead-handling entity the lead-related right for the lead. The database manager includes a lead rights assignor that automatically applies the assignment rules to assign to the lead-handling entity the lead-related right for each lead. A communication module in communication with the database manager automatically communicates to the lead-handling entity the assigned lead-related right to the lead.

Claims

1. A sales lead server accessible over a network and hosting databases containing static and active content related to sales leads, the server comprising:

a network interface for communicating with the network;

a memory to store records of databases containing static content and active content;

a database manager to render databases with the static content and the active content relative to one another, the database manager to perform a method comprising;

enabling a user to create a lead-related right for each lead;

enabling a user to create rules associated with each lead that cause the database manager to assign to a selected lead-handling entity the lead-related right for each lead; and

automatically applying the rules to assign to the lead-handling entity the lead-related right for a lead; and

a communication module in communication with the database manager that automatically communicates to the lead-handling entity the assigned lead-related right to the lead.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein the database manager further comprises an active content configurator for performing the method.

3. The server of claim 1, wherein the database manager further performs:

enabling a user to create rules associated with each lead that cause the database manager to revoke from a selected lead-handling entity the lead-related right for the lead.

4. The server of claim 3, wherein the database manager automatically applies the rules to revoke from the selected lead-handling entity the lead-related right for the lead.

5. The server of claim 4, further comprising a performance monitor in communication with the database manager and with the lead-handling entity, wherein the database manager monitors a status of a selected lead-handling entity'"'"'s handling of the lead.

6. The server of claim 5, wherein the database manager periodically monitors the selected lead-handling entity'"'"'s handling of the lead.

7. The server of claim 5, wherein the performance monitor monitors a lead-handling status based on specific criteria.

8. The server of claim 7, wherein the criteria are obtained from one of the performance monitor, a database location, and a rules engine of a lead rights assignor of the database manager.

9. The server of claim 5, wherein the database manager determines whether to revoke the assigned lead-related right from the lead-handling entity based on the monitored status.

10. The server of claim 9, wherein the lead-related right is automatically revoked in response to the selected lead-handling entity'"'"'s delay in handling the lead.

11. The server of claim 9, wherein the lead-related right is automatically revoked in response to the selected lead-handling entity'"'"'s failure to enter one or more statuses regarding the selected lead-handling entity'"'"'s progress in handling the lead.

12. The server of claim 1, wherein the assigned lead-related right includes a right to work the lead.

13. The server of claim 1, wherein the assigned lead-related right includes a right to view the lead.

14. The server of claim 1, wherein the assigned lead-related right includes a right to edit the lead.

15. The server of claim 1, wherein the assigned lead-related right includes a right to close the lead.

16. The server of claim 1, wherein the assigned lead-related right includes a right to aggregate multiple leads.

17. The server of claim 1, wherein the database manager combines associated lead information with the lead-related right when assigned to the lead-handling entity.

18. The server of claim 17, wherein the database manager blocks at least a portion of the lead information from access by the lead-handling entity.

19. The server of claim 1, wherein the database manager further performs:

authorizing a user to access the database manager;

receiving a user request to modify a selected active content;

determining if the selected active content has a locked value;

preventing the assignment of a new value to the selected active content upon determining that the selected active content has a locked value;

comparing a precedence of the user request to a precedence of the locked value; and

assigning a new value to the selected active content if the precedence of the user request is greater than the precedence of the locked value.

20. The server of claim 19, wherein the selected active content is a lead right-type.

21. The server of claim 19, wherein the selected active content is a lead information type.

22. The server of claim 21, wherein the lead information type is mapped to the lead right-type.

23. The server of claim 19, wherein the database manager further performs:

receiving a user request to change the locked value of the selected active content;

comparing the precedence of the user request to the precedence of the locked value; and

assigning a new locked value to the selected active content if the precedence of the user request is greater than the precedence of the locked value.

24. A sales lead server accessible over a network and hosting databases containing static and active content related to sales leads, the server comprising:

a network interface for communicating with the network;

a memory to store records of databases containing static content and active content;

a database manager to render databases with the static content and active content in memory relative to one another, the database manager to perform a method comprising;

enabling a user to create a lead-related action for each lead; and

enabling a user to create rules for action plan creation that identify the lead-related action to be taken by a lead-handling entity having a lead-related right to an identified lead; and

automatically applying the rules to assign lead action plans to the lead-handling entity for lead-related actions associated with the identified lead; and

a communication module in communication with the database manager that automatically communicates to the lead-handling entity the assigned lead action plan associated with the identified lead.

25. The server of claim 24, wherein the database manager further comprises an active content configuration module for performing the method.

26. The server of claim 24, wherein the database manager further performs:

enabling a user to create rules associated with each lead that cause the database manager to update the lead action plan assigned the selected lead-handling entity for the identified lead.

27. The server of claim 26, wherein the database manager automatically applies the rules to update the action plan for the selected lead-handling entity for the identified lead.

28. The server of claim 27, further comprising a performance monitor in communication with the database manager and with the lead-handling entity, wherein the database manager monitors a status of a selected lead-handling entity'"'"'s handling of the lead.

29. The server of claim 28, wherein the database manager periodically monitors the selected lead-handling entity'"'"'s handling of the lead.

30. The server of claim 28, wherein the performance monitor monitors a lead-handling status based on specific criteria.

31. The server of claim 30, wherein the criteria are obtained from one of the performance monitor, a database location, and a rules engine of a lead action planner of the database manager.

32. The server of claim 28, wherein the database manager determines whether to update the lead action plan assigned to the lead-handling entity for the identified lead based on the monitored status.

33. The server of claim 32, wherein the lead action plan is automatically updated in response to the lead-handling entity failing to comply with the lead action plan assigned the lead-handling entity with the identified lead.

34. The server of claim 24, wherein the database manager further performs:

authorizing a user to access the database manager;

receiving a user request to modify a selected active content;

determining if the selected active content has a locked value;

preventing the assignment of a new value to the selected active content upon determining that the selected active content has a locked value;

comparing a precedence of the user request to a precedence of the locked value; and

assigning a new value to the selected active content if the precedence of the user request is greater than the precedence of the locked value.

35. The server of claim 34, wherein the selected active content is a lead action type.

36. The server of claim 34, wherein the database manager further performs:

receiving a user request to change the locked value of the selected active content;

comparing the precedence of the user request to the precedence of the locked value; and

assigning a new locked value to the selected active content if the precedence of the user request is greater than the precedence of the locked value.

37. A method for sales lead assignment of leads owned by a sponsor, the method comprising:

processing the leads to attach lead-related rights and corresponding lead information to the leads; and

communicating to a first selected lead-handling entity the lead-related rights and corresponding lead information associated with an identified lead.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising setting a right-assignment revocation rule that is to govern the first selected lead-handling entity'"'"'s handling of the identified lead.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

monitoring the first selected lead-handling entity'"'"'s performance in handling the identified lead;

triggering the right-assignment revocation rule based on criteria for lack of performance; and

in response to triggering the right-assignment revocation rule, automatically revoking a lead-related right from the first selected lead-handling entity.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein automatically revoking the lead-related right is executed by changing the lead-related right status from initiated to discontinued.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising in response to the lead-related right being revoked, automatically reassigning the lead-related right to a second selected lead-handling entity.

42. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

determining whether the sponsor uses lead action planning;

in response to a sponsor that uses lead action planning, automatically processing leads for lead-related actions;

formulating a first lead action plan commensurate with the lead-related actions; and

automatically communicating the first lead action plan to the first selected lead-handling entity having a lead-related right with respect to the identified lead.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising setting a lead action plan update rule to be triggered by the status of the first selected lead-handling entity'"'"'s handling of the identified lead.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

monitoring the first selected lead-handling entity'"'"'s performance related to the first lead action plan;

triggering the lead action plan update rule based on meeting established lead activity criteria; and

in response to triggering the action plan update rule, automatically updating the current action plan for the first selected lead-handling entity.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein automatically updating the current lead action plan is executed by:

processing the lead again for lead-related actions;

formulating a second lead action plan commensurate with the lead-related actions; and

communicating the second lead action plan to a second selected lead-handling entity having a right related to the identified lead.

46. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for performing a method for sales lead distribution of leads owned by a sponsor, the method comprising:

processing the leads to attach lead-related rights and corresponding lead information to the leads and storing the leads with the attached lead-related rights and lead information in computer readable memory; and

communicating to a first selected lead-handling entity the lead-related rights and corresponding lead information associated with an identified lead.

47. The computer readable medium of claim 46, the method further comprising:

setting a right-assignment revocation rule that is to govern the first selected lead-handling entity'"'"'s handling of the identified lead, and

storing the right-assignment revocation rule in computer readable medium.

48. The computer readable medium of claim 47, the method further comprising:

monitoring, electronically, the first selected lead-handling entity'"'"'s performance in handling the identified lead;

triggering the right-assignment revocation rule based on criteria for lack of performance; and

in response to triggering the right-assignment revocation rule, automatically revoking a lead-related right from the first selected lead-handling entity.

49. The computer readable medium of claim 48, the method further comprising:

in response to the lead-related right being revoked, automatically reassigning the lead-related right to a second selected lead-handling entity; and

storing the reassignment of the lead-related right to the second selected lead-handling entity in computer readable memory.

50. The computer readable medium of claim 46, the method further comprising:

electronically determining whether the sponsor uses lead action planning;

in response to a sponsor that uses lead action planning, automatically processing leads for lead-related actions;

formulating, electronically, at least a first lead action plan commensurate with the lead-related actions; and

communicating the first lead action plan to the first selected lead-handling entity having a lead-related right with respect to the identified lead.

51. The computer readable medium of claim 50, the method further comprising setting a lead action plan update rule to be triggered by the status of the first selected lead-handling entity'"'"'s handling of the identified lead.

52. The computer readable medium of claim 51, the method further comprising:

monitoring the first selected lead-handling entity'"'"'s performance related to the first lead action plan;

triggering the lead action plan update rule based on meeting established lead activity criteria; and

in response to triggering the action plan update rule, automatically updating the first lead action plan.

53. The computer readable medium of claim 52, wherein automatically updating the first lead action plan is executed by:

processing the lead again for lead-related actions;

formulating, electronically, at least a second lead action plan commensurate with the lead-related actions; and

communicating the second lead action plan to a second lead-handling entity, the second lead-handling entity having a right related to the identified lead.