Method and Apparatus for Tracking Repair Facility Performance for Repairs Relating to Replacement Rental Vehicle Transactions

• US 20120203580A1
• Filed: 04/16/2012
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• 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., Miller, Owen R., Tinsley, Trent
• Granted Patent: US 8,412,546 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 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

Systems and methods for tracking repair facility performance in a replacement rental vehicle context are disclosed. Various operations for adding and subtracting credits from a repair facility virtual bank account are disclosed. Adjustments to credit totals can be based on repair facility performance with regard to an individual vehicle repair or a plurality of vehicle repairs.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

calculating aggregate data that is indicative of a repair performance quality by the repair facility with respect to a plurality of disabled vehicles that are associated with a plurality of replacement rental vehicle reservations; and

determining whether a remedial action is to be taken against the repair facility based on the calculated aggregate data; and

wherein the method steps are performed by a processor.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining an account in a memory, the account being associated with the repair facility and storing a credit total for the repair facility;

the processor calculating an adjusted credit total based on the calculated aggregate data; and

wherein the determining step comprises (1) the processor comparing the adjusted credit total with a threshold, and (2) in response to the comparison of the calculated adjusted credit total with the threshold indicating that the adjusted credit total falls below the threshold, the processor identifying a remedial action to be taken against the repair facility.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the adjusted credit total calculating step comprises:

the processor comparing the calculated aggregate data with a benchmark;

in response to the comparison of the calculated aggregate data with the benchmark indicating that the calculated aggregate data satisfied the benchmark, the processor increasing the credit total in the account; and

in response to the comparison of the calculated aggregate data with the benchmark indicating that the calculated aggregate data did not satisfy the benchmark, the processor decreasing the credit total in the account.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the identifying step comprises allocating a charge to the repair facility for a portion of a cost for the replacement rental vehicle reservations.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising invoicing the repair facility in accordance with the allocated charge.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the aggregate data calculating step comprises:

the processor computing an average length of an initial authorization period for the replacement rental vehicle reservations.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the aggregate data calculating step comprises:

the processor computing an average length of a total authorization period for the replacement rental vehicle reservations.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the aggregate data calculating step comprises:

the processor computing an average rental cost for the replacement rental vehicle reservations.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the aggregate data calculating step comprises:

the processor computing an average extension length for the replacement rental vehicle reservations.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein the aggregate data calculating step comprises:

the processor computing an average extension length per extension for the replacement rental vehicle reservations.

11. The method of claim 3 wherein the aggregate data calculating step comprises:

the processor computing a percentage of the replacement rental vehicle reservations that have an authorization period beyond their initial authorization periods.

12. The method of claim 3 wherein the aggregate data calculating step comprises:

the processor computing a percentage of the replacement rental vehicle reservations that ended a predetermined number of days prior to an expiration of their authorization periods.

13. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

the processor determining whether a predetermined time period has elapsed; and

in response to a determination that the predetermined time period has elapsed, the processor performing the aggregate data calculating step, the adjusted credit total calculating step, and the step of comparing the adjusted credit total with the threshold.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the predetermined time period comprises a member of the group consisting of a yearly basis, a quarterly basis, a monthly basis, a weekly basis, and a daily basis.

15. The method of claim 3 wherein the processor and memory are resident within a rental vehicle reservation management computer system.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

the memory storing data describing the replacement rental vehicle reservations;

the processor receiving vehicle repair data relating to the disabled vehicles as an electronic data communication from a computer system of the repair facility; and

wherein the aggregate data calculating step comprises the processor calculating the aggregate data based on the stored data and received vehicle repair data.

17. The method of claim 3 wherein the aggregate data calculating step comprises the processor limiting the disabled vehicles subject to the calculation to only those disabled vehicles that are associated with replacement rental vehicle reservations being paid for by a common party.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the common party comprises an insurance company that is a purchaser for the replacement rental vehicle reservations.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to (1) calculate aggregate data that is indicative of a repair performance quality by the repair facility with respect to a plurality of disabled vehicles that are associated with a plurality of replacement rental vehicle reservations, and (2) determining whether a remedial action is to be taken against the repair facility based on the calculated aggregate data.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a memory, the memory configured to store an account, the account being associated with the repair facility, and the account comprising a credit total for the repair facility;

and

wherein the processor is further configured to (1) calculate an adjusted credit total based on the calculated aggregate data, (3) compare the adjusted credit total with a threshold, and (4) in response to the comparison of the calculated adjusted credit total with the threshold indicating that the adjusted credit total falls below the threshold, identify a remedial action to be taken against the repair facility.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the adjusted credit total by (1) comparing the calculated aggregate data with a benchmark, (2) in response to the comparison of the calculated aggregate data with the benchmark indicating that the calculated aggregate data satisfied the benchmark, increasing the credit total in the account, and (3) in response to the comparison of the calculated aggregate data with the benchmark indicating that the calculated aggregate data did not satisfy the benchmark, decreasing the credit total in the account.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processor is further configured to identify the remedial action by allocating a charge to the repair facility for a portion of a cost for the replacement rental vehicle reservations.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the processor is further configured to generate an invoice to the repair facility in accordance with the allocated charge.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the aggregate data by computing an average length of an initial authorization period for the replacement rental vehicle reservations.

25. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the aggregate data by computing an average length of a total authorization period for the replacement rental vehicle reservations.

26. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the aggregate data by computing an average rental cost for the replacement rental vehicle reservations.

27. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the aggregate data by computing an average extension length for the replacement rental vehicle reservations.

28. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the aggregate data by computing an average extension length per extension for the replacement rental vehicle reservations.

29. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the aggregate data by computing a percentage of the replacement rental vehicle reservations that have an authorization period beyond their initial authorization periods.

30. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the aggregate data by computing a percentage of the replacement rental vehicle reservations that ended a predetermined number of days prior to an expiration of their authorization periods.

31. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processor is further configured to (1) determine whether a predetermined time period has elapsed, and (2) in response to a determination that the predetermined time period has elapsed, perform the aggregate data calculation, the adjusted credit total calculation, and the adjusted credit total-to-threshold comparison.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the predetermined time period comprises a member of the group consisting of a yearly basis, a quarterly basis, a monthly basis, a weekly basis, and a daily basis.

33. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising a rental vehicle reservation management computer system, the processor and memory being resident within the rental vehicle reservation management computer system.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the memory is further configured to store data describing the replacement rental vehicle reservations, and wherein the processor is further configured to (1) receive vehicle repair data relating to the disabled vehicles as an electronic data communication from a computer system of the repair facility, and (2) calculate the aggregate data based on the stored data and received vehicle repair data.

35. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processor is further configured to limit the disabled vehicles subject to the aggregate data calculation to only those disabled vehicles that are associated with replacement rental vehicle reservations being paid for by a common party.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the common party comprises an insurance company that is a purchaser for the replacement rental vehicle reservations.

37. A method comprising:

maintaining an account in a memory, the account being associated with the repair facility and storing a credit total for the repair facility;

calculating aggregate data that is indicative of a repair performance quality by the repair facility with respect to a plurality of disabled vehicles that are associated with a plurality of replacement rental vehicle reservations being paid for by a common party;

calculating an adjusted credit total based on the calculated aggregate data;

comparing the adjusted credit total with a threshold; and

in response to the comparison of the calculated adjusted credit total with the threshold indicating that the adjusted credit total falls below the threshold, allocating a charge to the repair facility; and

wherein the method steps are performed by a processor.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the charge allocating step comprises allocating a charge to the repair facility for a portion of a cost for the replacement rental vehicle reservations.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the processor and memory are resident within a rental vehicle reservation management computer system.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

the memory storing data describing the replacement rental vehicle reservations;

the processor receiving vehicle repair data relating to the disabled vehicles from as an electronic data communication from a computer system of the repair facility; and

wherein the aggregate data calculating step comprises the processor calculating the aggregate data based on the stored data and received vehicle repair data.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the adjusted credit total calculating step comprises:

the processor comparing the calculated aggregate data with a benchmark;

in response to the comparison of the calculated aggregate data with the benchmark indicating that the calculated aggregate data satisfied the benchmark, the processor increasing the credit total in the account; and

in response to the comparison of the calculated aggregate data with the benchmark indicating that the calculated aggregate data did not satisfy the benchmark, the processor decreasing the credit total in the account.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein the aggregate data calculating step comprises the processor performing at least one member of the group consisting of (1) computing an average length of an initial authorization period for the replacement rental vehicle reservations, (2) computing an average length of a total authorization period for the replacement rental vehicle reservations, (3) computing an average rental cost for the replacement rental vehicle reservations, (4) computing an average extension length for the replacement rental vehicle reservations, (5) computing an average extension length per extension for the replacement rental vehicle reservations, (6) computing a percentage of the replacement rental vehicle reservations that have an authorization period beyond their initial authorization periods, and (7) computing a percentage of the replacement rental vehicle reservations that ended a predetermined number of days prior to an expiration of their authorization periods.

43. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, the memory configured to store an account, the account being associated with the repair facility, and the account comprising a credit total for the repair facility; and

wherein the processor is configured to (1) calculate aggregate data that is indicative of a repair performance quality by the repair facility with respect to a plurality of disabled vehicles that are associated with a plurality of replacement rental vehicle reservations being paid for by a common party, (2) calculate an adjusted credit total based on the calculated aggregate data, (3) compare the adjusted credit total with a threshold, and (4) in response to the comparison of the calculated adjusted credit total with the threshold indicating that the adjusted credit total falls below the threshold, allocate a charge to the repair facility.

44. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein the processor is further configured to allocate the charge by allocating a charge to the repair facility for a portion of a cost for the replacement rental vehicle reservations.

45. The apparatus of claim 44 further comprising a rental vehicle reservation management computer system, the processor and memory being resident within the rental vehicle reservation management computer system.

46. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein the memory is further configured to store data describing the replacement rental vehicle reservations, and wherein the processor is further configured to (1) receive vehicle repair data relating to the disabled vehicles from as an electronic data communication from a computer system of the repair facility, and (2) calculate the aggregate data based on the stored data and received vehicle repair data.

47. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the adjusted credit total by (1) comparing the calculated aggregate data with a benchmark, (2) in response to the comparison of the calculated aggregate data with the benchmark indicating that the calculated aggregate data satisfied the benchmark, increasing the credit total in the account, and (3) in response to the comparison of the calculated aggregate data with the benchmark indicating that the calculated aggregate data did not satisfy the benchmark, decreasing the credit total in the account.

48. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the aggregate data by performing at least one member of the group consisting of (1) computing an average length of an initial authorization period for the replacement rental vehicle reservations, (2) computing an average length of a total authorization period for the replacement rental vehicle reservations, (3) computing an average rental cost for the replacement rental vehicle reservations, (4) computing an average extension length for the replacement rental vehicle reservations, (5) computing an average extension length per extension for the replacement rental vehicle reservations, (6) computing a percentage of the replacement rental vehicle reservations that have an authorization period beyond their initial authorization periods, and (7) computing a percentage of the replacement rental vehicle reservations that ended a predetermined number of days prior to an expiration of their authorization periods.