System and Method for Improved Rental Vehicle Reservation Management

• US 20120197672A1
• Filed: 04/16/2012
• Published: 08/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Crawford Group Incorporated (Jack Taylor Family Voting Trust U A D 4 14 99)
• Original Assignee: The Crawford Group Incorporated (Jack Taylor Family Voting Trust U A D 4 14 99)
• Inventors: Smith, David G., DeVallance, Kimberly A., Miller, Owen R., Miller, Regina M., Jouris, Jon B., Concannon, Maribeth, Cormier, Shawn R.
• Application Number:
  US13/447,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20120197672A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for managing a rental vehicle reservation based at least in part on automated processing of vehicle repair data corresponding to a disabled vehicle that is related to the rental vehicle reservation. A preferred method and system can also automatically schedule a callback reminder for the rental vehicle reservation based at least in part on the received vehicle repair data.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for processing data relating to a rental vehicle reservation, the method comprising:

receiving an update to data corresponding to a rental vehicle reservation into a software program; and

automatically scheduling with the software program a callback reminder for the rental vehicle reservation in response to the received update; and

wherein the method steps are performed by a processor.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the reservation is for a replacement vehicle corresponding to a disabled vehicle and the receiving step comprises the processor receiving vehicle repair data for the disabled vehicle, the vehicle repair data corresponding to repairs performed by a repair facility on the disabled vehicle, and wherein the automatically scheduling step comprises the processor automatically scheduling the callback reminder for the rental vehicle reservation in response to the received vehicle repair data.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

a memory storing a plurality of business rules, each business rule defining how a callback reminder is to be scheduled in response to the received update, wherein each stored business rule is associated with a party;

the processor determining a party associated with the rental vehicle reservation; and

the processor selecting the stored business rule that is associated with the determined party; and

wherein the automatically scheduling step comprises the processor automatically scheduling the callback reminder for the reservation based at least in part on the selected stored business rule.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein each business rule comprises at least one condition under which the received update will trigger the automatically scheduling step.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein at least one of the business rules comprises (1) a plurality of conditions under which the received update will trigger the automatically scheduling step, and (2) an instruction associated with each condition as to how the callback reminder is to be automatically scheduled by the automatically scheduling step.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the parties associated with the business rules comprise a plurality of different purchasers.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the parties associated with the business rules further comprise a plurality of different repair facilities.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the parties associated with the business rules comprise a plurality of different repair facilities.

9. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

the processor providing a graphical user interface (GUI) screen for display on a computer of at least one the parties having a business rule associated therewith; and

the processor receiving input through the provided GUI screen that defines the business rule associated with the at least one party.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

a memory storing a plurality of business rules, each business rule defining how a callback reminder is to be scheduled in response to the received update, wherein each stored business rule is associated with a party;

the processor determining a party associated with the rental vehicle reservation; and

the processor selecting the stored business rule that is associated with the determined party; and

wherein the automatically scheduling step comprises the processor automatically scheduling the callback reminder for the reservation based at least in part on the selected stored business rule.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the automatically scheduling step comprises the processor automatically rescheduling a previously-scheduled callback reminder in response to the received update.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the processor automatically performing a callback in accordance with the scheduled callback reminder.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the callback reminder comprises a reminder for a repair facility callback.

14. A computer system for processing data relating to a rental vehicle reservation, the system comprising:

a processor configured to (1) receive an update to data corresponding to a rental vehicle reservation, (2) automatically schedule a callback reminder for the rental vehicle reservation in response to the received update.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the update data comprises vehicle repair data, the vehicle repair data corresponding to repairs performed by a repair facility on a disabled vehicle associated with a driver for the rental vehicle reservation, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

(1) receive the vehicle repair data from a repair facility; and

(2) automatically schedule the callback reminder for the rental vehicle reservation in response to the received vehicle repair data.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising a memory in cooperation with the processor, the memory configured to store a plurality of business rules, each business rule defining how a callback reminder is to be scheduled in response to the received update, wherein each stored business rule is associated with a party, and wherein the processor is further configured to (1) determine a party associated with the rental vehicle reservation, (2) select the stored business rule that is associated with the determined party, and (3) automatically schedule the callback reminder for the reservation based at least in part on the selected stored business rule.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein each business rule comprises at least one condition under which the received update will trigger the computer system to automatically schedule a callback reminder for the reservation.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein at least one of the business rules comprises (1) a plurality of conditions under which the received update will trigger the computer system to automatically schedule a callback reminder for the reservation, and (2) an instruction associated with each condition as to how the callback reminder is to be automatically scheduled.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the parties associated with the business rules comprise a plurality of different purchasers.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the parties associated with the business rules comprise a plurality of different repair facilities.

21. The system of claim 16 wherein the parties associated with the business rules comprise a plurality of different repair facilities.

22. The system of claim 16 wherein the processor is further configured to:

(1) provide a graphical user interface (GUI) screen for display on a computer of at least one the parties having a business rule associated therewith; and

(2) receive input through the provided GUI screen that defines the business rule associated with the at least one party.

23. The system of claim 14 further comprising a memory in cooperation with the processor, the memory configured to store a plurality of business rules, each business rule defining how a callback reminder is to be scheduled in response to the received update, wherein each stored business rule is associated with a party, and wherein the processor is further configured to (1) determine a party associated with the rental vehicle reservation, (2) select the stored business rule that is associated with the determined party, and (3) automatically schedule the callback reminder for the reservation based at least in part on the selected stored business rule.

24. The system of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured to automatically reschedule a previously-scheduled callback reminder in response to the received update.

25. The system of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured to automatically perform a callback in accordance with the scheduled callback reminder.

26. The system of claim 14 wherein the callback reminder comprises a reminder for a repair facility callback.

27. The system of claim 14 wherein the processor is resident within a rental vehicle reservation management computer system.