SERVICE EXCEPTION ANALYSIS SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20130066669A1
• Filed: 09/12/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stevens, Marc Daniel, Cole, Allan Brady
• Application Number:
  US13/612,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20130066669A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/60 Business processes related to postal services shipping G06Q10/083; franking apparatus G07B17/00

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a service exception analysis system for identifying the existence of one or more service exceptions incurred during actual transport of one or more of a plurality of packages. The system comprises one or more computer processors configured to receive actual data related to one or more observed parameters associated with transport of at least one of the plurality of packages; retrieve at least a portion of forecast data contained in one or more memory storage areas, the forecast data being related to one or more expected parameters associated with transport; compare the actual and forecast data to identify one or more discrepancies; analyze the one or more discrepancies to verify whether one or more service exceptions exist; and in response to one or more service exceptions being identified, generate one or more service exception reports. Associated computer program products and computer-implemented methods are also provided.

Claims

1. A service exception analysis system comprising:

one or more memory storage areas containing forecast data related to one or more expected parameters associated with transport of a plurality of packages; and

one or more computer processors configured to;

(A) receive actual data related to one or more observed parameters associated with transport of at least one of the plurality of packages;

(B) retrieve at least a portion of the forecast data contained in the one or more memory storage areas;

(C) compare the actual data and the portion of the forecast data to identify one or more discrepancies;

(D) analyze the one or more discrepancies to verify whether one or more service exceptions exist; and

(E) in response to one or more service exceptions being identified, generate one or more service exception reports.

2. The service exception analysis system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer processors are further configured to transmit the one or more service exception reports to at least one user of the system.

3. The service exception analysis system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer processors are further configured to, in response to verifying the existence of one or more service exceptions, assign responsibility for the service exception to at least one user of the system.

4. The service exception analysis system of claim 3, wherein the one or more computer processors are further configured to, in response to assigning responsibility for the service exception, transmit the one or more service exception reports to the at least one assigned user.

5. The service exception analysis system of claim 3, wherein the user is a particular personnel manager assigned responsibility for mitigating the creation of service exceptions by managed personnel.

6. The service exception analysis system of claim 3, wherein the user is a facility manager assigned responsibility for minimizing the occurrence of service exceptions at the facility.

7. The service exception analysis system of claim 1, wherein the one or more observed parameters are selected from the group consisting of:

early departure, early arrival, late departure, late arrival, early delivery, late delivery, misflow, misload, missed scan, small package error, load volume error, and errant upload.

8. The service exception analysis system of claim 1, wherein the one or more expected parameters are selected from the group consisting of:

predicted departure, predicted arrival, predicted delivery, predicted flow, predicted load, predicted scan, predicted small package handling, predicted load volume, and predicted upload.

9. The service exception analysis system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer processors are configured to:

identify the one or more discrepancies based at least in part upon a first threshold; and

verify the existence of the one or more service exceptions based at least in part upon a second threshold, the second threshold being higher relative to the first threshold.

10. The service exception analysis system of claim 9, wherein the one or more computer processors are further configured to, in response to only the first threshold being exceeded, generate one or more discrepancy reports.

11. The service exception analysis system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer processors are further configured to automatically identify the one or more discrepancies and to automatically verify the existence of one or more service exceptions.

12. The service exception analysis system of claim 11, wherein the one or more computer processors are further configured to:

automatically generate the one or more service exception reports;

automatically assign responsibility for the service exception to at least one user of the system; and

automatically transmit the one or more service exception reports to the at least one assigned user.

13. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions embodied therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion configured for receiving data associated with transport of a plurality of packages, wherein the data comprises;

forecast data related to one or more expected parameters associated with transport of a plurality of packages; and

actual data related to one or more observed parameters associated with transport of at least one of the plurality of packages;

a second executable portion configured for comparing the actual data relative to the forecast data to identify one or more discrepancies; and

a third executable portion configured for analyzing the one or more discrepancies to verify whether one or more service exceptions exist.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the third executable portion is further configured for assigning responsibility for the service exception to at least one user of the system.

15. The service exception analysis system of claim 14, wherein the user is a particular personnel manager assigned responsibility for mitigating the creation of service exceptions by managed personnel.

16. The service exception analysis system of claim 14, wherein the user is a facility manager assigned responsibility for minimizing the occurrence of service exceptions at the facility.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer program product is adapted for, in response to one or more service exceptions being identified, generating one or more service exception reports.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer program product is adapted for, in response to one or more service exceptions being identified, transmitting the one or more service exception reports to only the at least one assigned user.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer program product is adapted for:

automatically identifying the one or more discrepancies;

automatically verifying the existence of one or more service exceptions;

automatically generating the one or more service exception reports;

automatically assigning responsibility for the service exception to the at least one user; and

automatically transmitting the one or more service exception reports to the at least one assigned user.

20. A computer-implemented method for managing service exceptions related to transport of a plurality of packages, the method comprising the steps of:

(A) receiving and storing actual data within one or more memory storage areas, the actual data being related to one or more observed parameters associated with the transport of at least one of the plurality of packages;

(B) retrieving from the one or more memory storage areas at least a portion of forecast data, the forecast data being related to one or more expected parameters associated with the transport of the at least one of the plurality of packages;

(C) comparing, via at least one computer processor, the actual data and the portion of the forecast data to identify one or more discrepancies;

(D) analyzing, via the at least one computer processor, the one or more discrepancies to verify whether one or more service exceptions exist; and

(E) in response to one or more service exceptions being identified, generating one or more service exception reports.