System and method for web-based customer check-in

• US 20090055208A1
• Filed: 10/11/2007
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peter Kaiser
• Original Assignee: Peter Kaiser
• Inventors: Kaiser, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,214,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A web-based system and method allows customers to remotely check-in to a wait list for a service from a business. A website associated with the business is provided through which an address submitted by the customer can be received. Multiple locations of the business in the vicinity of the address and wait times for the service at each location can then be geographically displayed. A selection by the customer of a location at which to receive the service can be received and the customer can then be placed on a waiting list for the selected location. The multiple locations can be displayed on a map showing the relative proximity of the address and the locations and driving directions from the address to the selected location can be provided. The wait times can be calculated using historical data related to the performance of the service at each location, such as the amount of time that employees at the location have taken to perform the service in the past.

Claims

1. A method of providing web-based customer check-in for customers desiring a service from a business, comprising:

providing a website associated with the business;

receiving an address from the customer submitted through the website;

displaying multiple locations of the business in the vicinity of the address;

displaying estimated wait times for the service at each displayed location;

receiving a customer selection of a location at which to receive the service;

placing the customer on a waiting list for the selected location; and

transferring information about the customer to the selected location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing driving directions from the address to the selected location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple locations are displayed on a map showing the relative proximity of the address and the locations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wait times are calculated using historical data related to the performance of the service at each location.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the wait times are continuously updated.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the historical data includes the amount of service time that one or more employees at the location have taken to perform the service in the past.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wait time is calculated at each location by:

determining which employees of the business are currently available to perform services at the location;

calculating the remaining service time for each employee who is currently serving a customer by averaging historical service times for the particular employee performing the particular service and subtracting the elapsed service time from the historical service time;

placing the employees in order of soonest availability based on the remaining service time for each employee;

matching the first employee that will be available with the first customer on the waiting list and calculating the service time for that employee to provide the requested service for that customer based on average historical service times, adding the calculated service time to the employee'"'"'s remaining service time, and reordering the employees in order of soonest availability; and

matching each subsequent customer on the waiting list with the next available employee and calculating the service time based on average historical service times for each remaining customer on the waiting list, wherein the employees are reordered each time a customer is matched with an employee, wherein the wait time displayed is the smallest remaining service time after each customer on the waiting list has been matched to an employee.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the business is a no-appointment hair salon.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the wait time is calculated at each individual salon by:

determining which stylists of the salon are currently available to perform services at the salon;

calculating the remaining service time for each stylist who is currently serving a customer by averaging historical service times for the particular stylist performing the particular service and subtracting the elapsed service time from the historical service time;

placing the stylists in order of soonest availability based on the remaining service time for each stylist;

matching the first stylist that will be available with the first customer on the waiting list and calculating the service time for that stylist to provide the requested service for that customer based on average historical service times, adding the calculated service time to the stylist'"'"'s remaining service time, and reordering the stylists in order of soonest availability; and

matching each subsequent customer on the waiting list with the next available stylist and calculating the service time based on average historical service times for each remaining customer on the waiting list, wherein the stylists are reordered each time a customer is matched with a stylist, wherein the wait time displayed is the smallest remaining service time after each customer on the waiting list has been matched to a stylist.

9. A web-based customer check-in system for customers desiring a service from a business, comprising:

a website configured to receive an address from the customer, display multiple locations of the business in the vicinity of the address, and receive a customer selection of a location at which to receive the service;

software configured to calculate estimated wait times for the service at each displayed location to be displayed on the website; and

a computer at each location in communication with the website configured to display a waiting list for the location, wherein customers who enter the waiting list via the website are automatically placed on the waiting list for the location and as customers receive services they can be removed from the waiting list via the computer.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein customers can also be entered on the waiting list manually via the store'"'"'s computer.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the software calculates estimated wait times using historical data related to the performance of the service at each location.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the historical data includes the amount of service time that one or more employees at the location have taken to perform the service in the past.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the multiple locations are displayed in a map based graphical format showing the relative location of the address and the locations.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the business is a no-appointment hair salon.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing driving directions from the address to the selected salon.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the individual salons are displayed on a map showing the relative location of the address and the individual salons.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the wait times are calculated using historical data related to the performance of the service at each individual salon.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the historical data includes the amount of service time that one or more stylists at the location have taken to perform the service in the past.

15. A method of providing web-based customer check-in for customers desiring a service from a no-appointment hair salon chain, comprising:

providing a website associated with the salon chain;

receiving an address from the customer submitted through the website;

displaying multiple individual salons of the salon chain in the vicinity of the address;

displaying estimated wait times for the service at each individual salon;

receiving a customer selection of an individual salon at which to receive the service; and

placing the customer on a waiting list for the selected salon.

21. A web-based method of checking in for a service from a business, comprising:

accessing a website associated with the business;

submitting an address through the website;

selecting one location from a plurality of locations for the business at which to receive the service, wherein a wait time for the service is displayed for each of the plurality of locations;

entering identification information through the website; and

being placed on the waiting list for the location.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising receiving driving directions from the address to the selected location.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the wait times are calculated using historical data related to the performance of the service at each location.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the historical data includes the amount of service time that one or more employees at the location have taken to perform the service in the past.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the business is a no-appointment hair salon.