METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR THE SALE OF CONSUMER SERVICES

• US 20140136259A1
• Filed: 11/15/2013
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Impel IT! Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Edward Phillip Kensey II
• Inventors: Kinsey, Edward Phillip II, Kinsey, Grant Stephen
• Application Number:
  US14/081,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20140136259A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0282 Rating or review of business operators or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0627 using item specifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

Computer-implemented systems and methods for the sale of consumer services. Predictions are made based on the behaviors, preferences, assets, identifying characteristics, and other attributes associated with customers and merchants. In one implementation, a prediction is made as to whether a customer is likely to request a service and whether a merchant is likely to be selected by the customer to provide the service. In another implementation, the calendars of a merchant and customer are automatically updated to account for the customer'"'"'s late arrival to an appointment at the merchants location. In yet another implementation, a customer purchases an appointment for a service from another customer that has the appointment scheduled with a merchant providing the service.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying an appointment for a service scheduled on a calendar of a customer and scheduled on a calendar of a merchant;

monitoring a location of a customer device of the customer during a period of time before the appointment;

estimating an arrival time of the customer at a location of the merchant based on a current time, a current location of the customer device, and the location of the merchant;

determining that the customer will be late for the appointment based on the estimated arrival time; and

based on the determining, changing the appointment on the calendar of the merchant and on the calendar of the customer to accommodate the customer'"'"'s estimated time of arrival at the location of the merchant.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein changing the appointment comprises:

providing notification of the appointment change to the customer device and to a merchant device of the merchant; and

receiving acceptance of the appointment change from the customer device and from the merchant device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein, after changing the appointment on the calendar of the merchant and on the calendar of the customer to accommodate the customer'"'"'s estimated time of arrival at the location of the merchant, the method further comprising:

providing notification of the appointment change to the customer device or a merchant device of the merchant.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein changing the appointment comprises:

providing notification that the customer will be late to a merchant device of the merchant;

receiving a change to the appointment from the merchant device;

providing notification of the appointment change to the customer device; and

receiving acceptance of the appointment change from the customer device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein changing the appointment comprises:

providing notification to the customer device of the possibility of exchanging appointments with another customer of the merchant; and

receiving acceptance of the appointment exchange from the customer device.

6. The method of claim 5 comprising:

providing notification to the customer device of the other customer of the possibility of exchanging appointments with the customer; and

receiving acceptance of the appointment exchange from the customer device of the other customer.

7. The method of claim 5 comprising:

charging an account of the customer for the appointment change or crediting an account of the other customer for the appointment change.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein crediting the account of the other customer comprises providing a discount for a service.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein, after determining that the customer will be late, the method further comprising:

providing a notification to the customer device or a merchant device of the merchant that the customer will be late for the appointment.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the notification provides an option for canceling the appointment or rescheduling the appointment, the method further comprising:

receiving from the customer device a request to cancel or reschedule the appointment.

11. The method of claim 10 comprising debiting an account of the customer in response to receiving the request to cancel or reschedule the appointment.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein estimating the arrival time of the customer at the location of the merchant is further based on one or more of:

driving conditions and weather.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the customer device is one of:

a smart phone, a smart watch, smart glasses, a portable computer, and a tablet computer.

14. A system comprising:

one or more computers programmed to perform operations comprising;

identifying an appointment for a service scheduled on a calendar of a customer and scheduled on a calendar of a merchant;

monitoring a location of a customer device of the customer during a period of time before the appointment;

estimating an arrival time of the customer at a location of the merchant based on a current time, a current location of the customer device, and the location of the merchant;

determining that the customer will be late for the appointment based on the estimated arrival time; and

based on the determining, changing the appointment on the calendar of the merchant and on the calendar of the customer to accommodate the customer'"'"'s estimated time of arrival at the location of the merchant.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein changing the appointment comprises:

providing notification of the appointment change to the customer device and to a merchant device of the merchant; and

receiving acceptance of the appointment change from the customer device and from the merchant device.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein, after changing the appointment on the calendar of the merchant and on the calendar of the customer to accommodate the customer'"'"'s estimated time of arrival at the location of the merchant, the operations further comprise:

providing notification of the appointment change to the customer device or a merchant device of the merchant.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein changing the appointment comprises:

providing notification that the customer will be late to a merchant device of the merchant;

receiving a change to the appointment from the merchant device;

providing notification of the appointment change to the customer device; and

receiving acceptance of the appointment change from the customer device.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein changing the appointment comprises:

providing notification to the customer device of the possibility of exchanging appointments with another customer of the merchant; and

receiving acceptance of the appointment exchange from the customer device.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the operations further comprise:

providing notification to the customer device of the other customer of the possibility of exchanging appointments with the customer; and

receiving acceptance of the appointment exchange from the customer device of the other customer.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the operations further comprise:

charging an account of the customer for the appointment change or crediting an account of the other customer for the appointment change.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein crediting the account of the other customer comprises providing a discount for a service.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein, after determining that the customer will be late, the operations further comprise:

providing a notification to the customer device or a merchant device of the merchant that the customer will be late for the appointment.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the notification provides an option for canceling the appointment or rescheduling the appointment, and wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving from the customer device a request to cancel or reschedule the appointment.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the operations further comprise debiting an account of the customer in response to receiving the request to cancel or reschedule the appointment.

25. The system of claim 14 wherein estimating the arrival time of the customer at the location of the merchant is further based on one or more of:

driving conditions and weather.

26. The system of claim 14 wherein the customer device is one of:

a smart phone, a smart watch, smart glasses, a portable computer, and a tablet computer.

27. An article of manufacture, comprising a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, configure one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

identifying an appointment for a service scheduled on a calendar of a customer and scheduled on a calendar of a merchant;

monitoring a location of a customer device of the customer during a period of time before the appointment;

estimating an arrival time of the customer at a location of the merchant based on a current time, a current location of the customer device, and the location of the merchant;

determining that the customer will be late for the appointment based on the estimated arrival time; and

based on the determining, changing the appointment on the calendar of the merchant and on the calendar of the customer to accommodate the customer'"'"'s estimated time of arrival at the location of the merchant.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 27 wherein changing the appointment comprises:

providing notification of the appointment change to the customer device and to a merchant device of the merchant; and

receiving acceptance of the appointment change from the customer device and from the merchant device.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 27 wherein, after changing the appointment on the calendar of the merchant and on the calendar of the customer to accommodate the customer'"'"'s estimated time of arrival at the location of the merchant, the operations further comprise:

providing notification of the appointment change to the customer device or a merchant device of the merchant.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 27 wherein changing the appointment comprises:

providing notification to the customer device of the possibility of exchanging appointments with another customer of the merchant; and

receiving acceptance of the appointment exchange from the customer device.