METHOD, SYSTEM, AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING A REGISTRY

• US 20080313002A1
• Filed: 06/12/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pittsburgh Glass Works LLC (LKQ Corporation)
• Original Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio Incorporated (Nouryon BV)
• Inventors: Miller, Bruce, McFarland, Paul, Langford, Lisa, Shaw, Stephen J., Umble, Christopher W.
• Application Number:
  US12/137,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20080313002A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for operating a registry of service providers in a given service sector, an apparatus for operating a registry of service providers in a given service sector, and a system for operating a registry of service providers in a given service sector. In one embodiment, a method of operating a registry of service providers in a given service sector comprises providing a plurality of service providers in the given sector with input access to an electronic database to which each participating service supplies information, and validating the supplied information.

Claims

1. A method of operating a registry of service providers in a given service sector, comprising:

providing a plurality of service providers in the given sector with input access to an electronic database to which each participating service provider supplies information; and

validating the supplied information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the supplied information comprises the geographic area in which the participating service provider is capable of providing service.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the electronic database is provided with cumulative population data for the geographic area.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the geographic area has a corresponding pricing rate structure.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the corresponding pricing rate structure is displayed to the participating service provider.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the participating service provider accepts the pricing rate structure.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the participating service provider accepts the pricing rate structure electronically.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplied information comprises identifying information regarding each individual associated with the participating service provider.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the individual associated with the participating service provider is available for providing services.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the supplied information comprises the number of individuals associated with the participating service provider.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the supplied information comprises unique identifying information associated with each individual associated with the participating service provider.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the supplied information comprises the level of third party training attained by the individuals associated with the participating service provider.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the supplied information comprises third party certifications of service performance standards awarded to individuals associated with the participating service provider.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the supplied information comprises professional licenses of service performance standards earned by the individuals associated with the participating service provider.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplied information comprises third party certifications of service performance standards awarded to the service provider.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplied information comprises the physical assets of the service provider.

17. The method claim 16, wherein the physical assets influence the capacity of the service provider to provide a service.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the physical assets comprise mobile service vehicles.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the supplied information includes unique identifying information associated with each mobile service vehicles.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the unique identifying information is a Vehicle Identification Number.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplied information comprises services that are offered by the service provider.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the services can be specified for at least one geographical area.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the services are unique to a geographical area.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplied information comprises data.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the data supplied by the participating service provider is compared to a known set of data.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein when a supplied datum is the same as the corresponding datum in the known set, the supplied datum is validated.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein when a supplied datum is substantially the same as the corresponding datum in the known set, the supplied datum is validated.

28. The method of claim 2, wherein validating the supplied geographical area information comprises

validating supplied information regarding individuals associated with the participating service provider;

validating supplied information regarding mobile services vehicles;

correlating the validated supplied information regarding the individuals associated with the participating service provider and the supplied information regarding the mobile service vehicles to a maximum geographic area of service; and

validating the geographical area with the maximum geographic area of service.

29. The method of claim 11, wherein validating the unique identifying information comprises detecting duplicate entries of information.

30. The method of claim 11, wherein validating the unique identifying information comprises detecting patterns within the supplied information.

31. The method of claim 12, wherein validating the level of training comprises obtaining confirmation from a third party training organization.

32. The method of claim 13, wherein validating the third party certifications comprises obtaining confirmation from the third party.

33. The method of claim 14, wherein validating the professional licenses comprises obtaining confirmation from a licensing body that issued the professional license.

34. The method of claim 15, wherein validating the third party certifications comprises obtaining confirmation from the third party.

35. The method of claim 20, wherein validating the Vehicle Identification Number comprises detecting duplicate entries of Vehicle Identification Numbers.

36. The method of claim 20, wherein validating the Vehicle Identification Number comprises detecting patterns of characters within Vehicle Identification Numbers.

37. The method of claim 20, wherein validating the Vehicle Identification Number comprises detecting entries inconsistent with specifications of Vehicle Identification Numbers.

38. The method of claim 1, further comprising employing the electronic database to schedule service for a plurality of customers at the participating service providers.

39. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining satisfaction data from at least a portion of a plurality of customers.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein obtaining satisfaction data comprises customer surveys.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising correlating the satisfaction data with validated supplied information.

42. An apparatus for operating a registry of service providers in a given service sector comprising:

a data storage device; and

a processor connected to the data storage device, the storage device storing a program and a database of service providers, wherein the processor is operative with the program to receive service need information from a customer and supplied information from a service provider, and wherein the processor is operative with the program to validate the supplied information.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the processor is further operative to schedule at least a portion of service providers in the database based on the service need information and validated supplied information.

44. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the processor is further operative to receive customer satisfaction data information.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the processor is further operative to correlate the satisfaction data information with the supplied information from the service provider.

46. A system for operating a registry of service providers in a given service sector comprising:

an electronic database accessible by a plurality of service providers, the database comprising supplied information relating to at least one of the plurality of service providers; and

a validation engine for validating the supplied information.