CONSUMER-ORIENTED ANONYMOUS REQUEST SYSTEM AND METHODS OF INITIATING CONTACT WITH BUSINESS PROVIDERS
First Claim
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1. A method of finding at least one suitable provider of a service requested by a user, said method comprising:
- (i) receiving, at a network-connected computer server, a service request submitted by a user;
(ii) generating, in said network-connected computer server, an initial list of a plurality of service providers, wherein at least one of said plurality of service providers is open-listed and each open listing is associated with a method of contact selected from the group consisting of telephone number, fax number, e-mail address, web address, instant message, and text message;
(iii) producing, in said network-connected computer server, a message, comprising said service request, from data supplied by said user;
(iv) providing an automated system capable of contacting said service providers, wherein said system is integrated with said network-connected computer server;
(v) contacting at least some of said plurality of service providers and communicating said message provided according to step (iii); and
(vi) allowing for at least one suitable service provider to contact said user.
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Abstract
According to the invention disclosed herein, methods and systems are disclosed that proactively and anonymously reach out to potential service providers, through a virtual calling agent, to screen and select one or more service providers for the consumer. Such methods would be time-consuming to conduct manually but are automated efficiently and flexibly as described herein. These methods and systems are not limited to service providers who have pre-registered at any particular web site or directory.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of finding at least one suitable provider of a service requested by a user, said method comprising:
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(i) receiving, at a network-connected computer server, a service request submitted by a user; (ii) generating, in said network-connected computer server, an initial list of a plurality of service providers, wherein at least one of said plurality of service providers is open-listed and each open listing is associated with a method of contact selected from the group consisting of telephone number, fax number, e-mail address, web address, instant message, and text message; (iii) producing, in said network-connected computer server, a message, comprising said service request, from data supplied by said user; (iv) providing an automated system capable of contacting said service providers, wherein said system is integrated with said network-connected computer server; (v) contacting at least some of said plurality of service providers and communicating said message provided according to step (iii); and (vi) allowing for at least one suitable service provider to contact said user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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8. A method of finding at least one suitable provider of a service requested by a user, said method comprising:
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(i) receiving, at a network-connected computer server, a service request submitted by a user; (ii) generating, in said network-connected computer server, an initial list of a plurality of service providers; (iii) producing, in said network-connected computer server, a message, comprising said service request, from data supplied by said user; (iv) providing an automated system capable of contacting said service providers, wherein said system is integrated with said network-connected computer server; (v) contacting at least two of said plurality of service providers and communicating said message provided according to step (iii), wherein said contacting is achieved by a conference call and wherein contact information of said user is not communicated to said providers; and (vi) at least one suitable service provider contacting said user, wherein said user remains anonymous until step (vi).
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14. A method of finding at least one suitable provider of a service requested by a user, said method comprising:
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(i) receiving, at a network-connected computer server, a service request submitted by a user; (ii) generating an initial list of a plurality of service providers, wherein at least some of said service providers are registered providers who were initially open-listed until registering with said network-connected computer server; (iii) producing a message, comprising said service request, from data supplied by said user; (iv) providing an automated system capable of contacting said service providers; (v) contacting at least some of said plurality of service providers and communicating said message provided according to step (iii); and (vi) allowing for at least one suitable service provider to contact said user.
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15. An e-commerce system for assisting a user to find at least one suitable service provider, said system comprising a server computer configured to exchange data with a network, said server computer having a processor, an area of main memory for executing program code under the direction of said processor, a storage device for storing data and program code and a bus connecting said processor, main memory and said storage device;
- the code being stored in said storage device and executing in said main memory under the direction of said processor, to perform the steps of;
(i) receiving, at a network-connected computer server, a service request submitted by a user; (ii) generating an initial list of a plurality of service providers; (iii) producing a message, comprising said service request, from data supplied by said user; (iv) providing an automated system capable of contacting said service providers; (v) contacting at least two of said plurality of service providers and communicating said message provided according to step (iii), wherein said contacting is achieved by a conference call and wherein contact information of said user is not communicated to said providers; and (vi) allowing for at least one suitable service provider to contact said user. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- the code being stored in said storage device and executing in said main memory under the direction of said processor, to perform the steps of;
Specification