Alert distribution and management system and returns module

• US 20080262948A1
• Filed: 02/15/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Med-Turn Inc. (Inmar Investment Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Noblis, Inc.
• Inventors: Grady, Patrick Charles, Patt-Corner, Robert Irwin, Fiddleman, Richard Hardy
• Granted Patent: US 8,190,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• 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 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades

Abstract

A method for managing a returns process in response to product alerts is provided. The method includes receiving an alert related to a product. The method also includes processing the alert into an alert repository. The method further includes retrieving product data based on the alert. The method further includes associating the product data with the alert. The method further includes facilitating a return of the product to a vendor using the product data. The method further includes receiving data in response to the return of the product. The method further includes providing an actionable display including the product data, the data in response to the return, and data related to a return action.

Claims

1. A method for managing a returns process in response to product alerts, the method comprising:

receiving an alert related to a product;

processing the alert into an alert repository;

retrieving product data based on the alert;

associating the product data with the alert;

facilitating a return of the product to a vendor using the product data;

receiving data in response to the return of the product; and

providing an actionable display including the product data, the data in response to the return, and data related to a return action.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving product data from a product repository further comprises:

retrieving purchase history and inventory data of the product from a product repository.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the purchase history and inventory data consists of one of a vendor name, a vendor ID, a purchase order number, a number of products in stock, a location of the products, and a stock identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein facilitating the return of the product further comprises:

notifying the vendor of a return of the product;

decrementing an inventory by a number of the product returned;

determining whether the inventory falls below a predetermined level;

reordering the inventory upon a determination that the inventory falls below the level; and

preparing an invoice for the vendor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein notifying the vendor of a return of the product further comprises:

reporting the product to indicate a forthcoming return of the product.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein facilitating the return of the product further comprises:

requesting a return of the product from the vendor; and

requesting a credit from the vendor for the return.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein requesting a return further comprises:

requesting a return authorization number from the vendor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data in response to the return comprises return disposition information and shipment information, the return disposition information comprising what is to be done with the product, and the shipment information comprising a return authorization number from the vendor.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the return action is one of a refund, a reimbursement, and a replacement.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the data related to the return action includes financial activity type, credit taken, and credit number.

11. A system for managing a returns process in response to product alerts, the system comprising:

an alert component that

receives an alert related to a product; and

processes the alert into an alert repository; and

a return component that

retrieves product data based on the alert;

associates the product data with the alert;

facilitates a return of the product to a vendor using the product data;

receives data in response to the return of the product; and

provides an actionable display including the product data, the data in response to the return, and data related to a return action.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the product data consists of one of a vendor name, a vendor ID, a purchase order number, a number of products in stock, a location of the products, and a stock identifier.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the system further comprises an inventory component, and

wherein the return component facilitates the return of the product by enabling the inventory component to:

notify the vendor of a return of the product;

decrement an inventory by a number of the product returned;

determine whether the inventory falls below a predetermined level;

reorder the inventory upon a determination that the inventory falls below the level; and

prepare an invoice for the vendor.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the return component facilitates the return of the product by:

requesting a return of the product from the vendor; and

requesting a credit from the vendor for the return.

15. The system of claim 11,

wherein the data in response to the returns comprises return disposition information and shipment information, the return disposition information comprising what is to be done with the product, and the shipment information comprising a return authorization number from the vendor, and

wherein the return action is one of a refund, a reimbursement, and a replacement.

16. The system of claim 15, the data related the return action includes data related to financial activity type, credit taken, and credit number.

17. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in computer-readable medium, the computer program product being operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving an alert related to a product;

processing the alert into an alert repository;

retrieving product data based on the alert;

associating the product data with the alert;

facilitating a return of the product to a vendor using the product data;

receiving data in response to the return of the product; and

providing an actionable display including the product data, the data in response to the return, and data related to a return action.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the product data consists of one of:

a vendor name, a vendor ID, a purchase order number, a number of products in stock, a location of the products, and a stock identifier.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein facilitating the return of the product further comprises:

notifying the vendor of a return of the product;

decrementing an inventory by a number of the product returned;

determining whether the inventory falls below a predetermined level;

reordering the inventory upon a determination that the inventory falls below the level; and

preparing an invoice for the vendor.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein facilitating the return of the product further comprises:

requesting a return of the product from the vendor; and

requesting a credit from the vendor for the return.