AUTOMATED WORKFLOW MEANS AND METHOD FOR PENSION PRODUCTS

• US 20080059271A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Principal Financial Services Incorporated (Principal Financial Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Principal Financial Services Incorporated (Principal Financial Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: HOUGHTON, Thomas, THOMANN, Karen, JOHNSON, Richard, DOUGLAS, Paul, CHIZEK, Mary, SEILER, Carla
• Application Number:
  US11/770,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20080059271A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

The present invention discloses methods of managing workflow. One aspect of the present invention includes receiving work at a first location, determining identifying information associated with the work, building a request based on a type of the work to be completed, at least partially completing the request, and submitting the request for processing. Another aspect of the invention provides for assigning the work to workers in more than one geographical location. A further aspect of the invention provides for monitoring the location or progress of the work. Another aspect of the invention provides for monitoring of those who perform the work.

Claims

1. A new method of processing correspondence from customers having the advantage of balancing and leveraging workforces from remote locations, the method comprising:

defining a plurality of standardized processes;

providing two or more workforces of workers in different locations;

providing a computer network connecting the two or more workforces;

providing a request examiner in at least one of the locations;

defining a plurality of skill levels for the workers;

assigning each of the workers at least one of the skill levels;

receiving the customer correspondence;

routing the customer correspondence to a request examiner in one of the locations for evaluation;

selecting at least one of the standardized processes for the customer correspondence;

creating a request based upon the selected standardized process, the request being associated with one of the skill levels;

storing the request in a working queue of current requests; and

assigning to a next available worker in one or more of the locations one of the current requests based upon priority of the request and the skill level of the worker.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the one of the current requests is assigned to the worker having the lowest skill level qualified for the request.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the request is assigned to the next available worker in any of the locations.