Customer Information System

• US 20100250451A1
• Filed: 02/02/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yardi Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Yardi Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Goldberg, Richard, McCullough, William, Maguire, Brian, Goldberg, Marla, Maguire, Karen
• Application Number:
  US12/698,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20100250451A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/304
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8066 According to the number of recipients
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/08 Indicating faults in circuits or apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5235 Dependent on call type or called number [DNIS]

Abstract

A system is provided for managing incoming communications placed in response to advertising, online content, and/or special service numbers. Information extracted from incoming communications can be received by a system server and cross-referenced with a database to obtain cross-referenced customer information pertaining to previous customer communications in the form of online communications, telephone calls, and/or in person customer meetings. The cross-referenced customer information can be passed to a client workstation and displayed to the user in the form of an industry-specific template formatted in accordance with the business needs of the user. The template can be automatically populated with the cross-referenced customer information. The user can view and update the customer information, thereby maintaining a retrievable record of the communication. With regard to the multi-housing industry in particular, customer information can be displayed in the form of a guest card template and/or a service card template.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A method for managing customer information, comprising:

viewing a list of a plurality of incoming communications from customers;

selecting one of said communications from said list of the plurality of incoming communications from customers;

viewing previously stored customer information pertaining to a customer in response to said selected incoming communication;

entering additional customer information pertaining to the customer and said selected incoming communication; and

saving said additional customer information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

at least one of said incoming communications is an electronic communication.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

said electronic communication comprises a response to online content.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

said electronic communication is an electronic communication selected from the group consisting of;

an email message; and

a response to an online form of said online content.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein:

said method is performed by a user interacting with a client workstation.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein:

said user and said client workstation are located at an office of an advertiser.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein:

at least a portion of said previously stored customer information comprises

customer information of a walk-in customer obtained by reading a magnetic card provided by said walk-in customer.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein:

at least a portion of said previously stored customer information comprises customer information of an online customer.

25-34. -34. (canceled)

35. A method for processing customer information, comprising:

receiving information extracted from an incoming communication;

cross-referencing said extracted information with customer information of a database to obtain cross-referenced customer information;

sending said cross-referenced customer information to a client workstation;

receiving updated customer information from said client workstation; and

storing said updated customer information in said database.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein:

at least one of said incoming communications is an electronic communication.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein:

said electronic communication comprises a response to online content.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein:

said electronic communication is an electronic communication selected from the group consisting of;

an email message; and

a response to an online form of said online content.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein:

said method is performed by a system server of a customer information system.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein:

at least a portion of said cross-referenced information comprises customer information of a walk-in customer obtained by reading a magnetic card provided by said walk-in customer.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein:

at least a portion of said cross-referenced information comprises customer information of an online customer.

42-51. -51. (canceled)