METHOD, APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR PROVIDING MOBILE LOCATION BASED SALES LEAD IDENTIFICATION

• US 20150019287A1
• Filed: 06/26/2013
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Inventors: Shariff, Shafiq, Kahn, Jadam, Aparicio, Mike, Sacco, Marcus, Banks, Joe, Jennings, Logan Tyler, Varaksin, Sergey, Abramov, Dmitrii, Ignatyev, Artem, Koshy, Tanya, Koch, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US13/927,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20150019287A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.31
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for mobile location based sales lead identification. Sales lead information may be provided based on a reference location, such as a sales resource real time location. Additional location information, demand information, competitive information, activity history, follow-up tasks, sales resource ownership information and past promotions relating to a particular sales lead may be additionally provided. The mobile location based sales lead information may allow a sales resource to efficiently manage their time during and in between sales visits, and prepare effective sales pitches to sales leads.

Claims

1. A method for mobile location based sales lead identification, the method comprising:

receiving a reference location indication based on at least one of a current location or an anticipated future location, wherein a geographical area is defined based on the reference location indication;

calculating, with a processor, a forecasted demand for one or more promotions in the geographical area, the forecasted demand comprising at least one or more promotions and a demanded quantity of at least a portion of the one or more promotions;

identifying one or more providers in the geographical area that are identified as able to supply at least a portion of the forecasted demand for the one or more promotions; and

causing display of provider information for each of the one or more providers, the provider information comprising a provider location indication, a promotion indication of a good or service and a promotion quantity suggested for each of the providers based on the forecasted demand.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the provider information further comprises at least one of a) an ownership indicator identifying a sales resource associated with the provider, b) contact information associated with the provider, c) activity history regarding the provider, d) a follow-up task to be performed regarding the provider, or e) demand information associated with the provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the provider information further comprises past promotion information associated with the provider, the past promotion information including at least one of a) a promotion date, b) a promotion cost and value, or c) units sold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the provider information further comprises competitive promotion information associated with the provider, the competitive promotion information including at least one of a) a promotion provider, b) a promotion cost and value, or c) units sold of the competitive promotion.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving provider information relating to a new sales lead;

saving the provider information as a new sales lead in the promotional system; and

causing the displayed provider information to be updated to include the new sales lead.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving follow-up information regarding a particular provider, the follow-up information provided by a sales resource and including at least one of a) a follow-up communication type, b) a follow-up date;

saving the follow-up information in association with the particular provider; and

causing the displayed provider information to be updated to include the follow-up information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a sale indication regarding a sale to a particular provider;

updating demand information and provider information in a promotional system; and

causing the displayed provider information to be updated to reflect the sale.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to sort the displayed provider information by at least a) distance of each respective provider from the reference location or b) a sales value associated with a provider; and

causing the displayed provider information to be sorted based on the request.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sales value is calculated based on at least one of:

expected bookings, a supply source score, a probability to close, or a time to close.

10. A method for mobile location based sales lead identification, the method comprising:

receiving a reference location indication based on at least one of a current location or an anticipated future location, wherein a geographical area is defined based on the reference location indication;

identifying, with a processor, one or more providers in the geographical area that are identified as having a current sales lead, and

causing display of provider information for each of the one or more providers, the provider information comprising a provider location indication, a promotion indication of a good or service and a promotion quantity suggested for each of the providers.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

calculating a forecasted demand for one or more promotions in the geographical area, the forecasted demand comprising at least one or more promotions and a demanded quantity of at least a portion of the one or more promotions;

identifying one or more providers in the geographical area that are identified as able to supply at least a portion of the forecasted demand for the one or more promotions; and

generating one or more current sales leads, wherein the current sales lead is indicative of a service or good offered by a provider of the one or more providers that is related to a demand service or a demanded good.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the provider information further comprises at least one of a) an ownership indicator identifying a sales resource associated with the provider, b) contact information associated with the provider, c) activity history regarding the provider, d) a follow-up task to be performed regarding the provider, or e) demand information associated with the provider.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the provider information further comprises past promotion information associated with the provider, the past promotion information including at least one of a) a promotion date, b) a promotion cost and value, or c) units sold.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the provider information further comprises competitive promotion information associated with the provider, the competitive promotion information including at least one of a) a promotion provider, b) a promotion cost and value, or c) units sold of the competitive promotion.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving provider information relating to a new sales lead;

saving the provider information as a new sales lead in the promotional system; and

causing the displayed provider information to be updated to include the new sales lead.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving follow-up information regarding a particular provider, the follow-up information provided by a sales resource and including at least one of a) a follow-up communication type, b) a follow-up date;

saving the follow-up information in association with the particular provider; and

causing the displayed provider information to be updated to include the follow-up information.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a sale indication regarding a sale to a particular provider;

updating demand information and provider information in a promotional system; and

causing the displayed provider information to be updated to reflect the sale.

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. A method for mobile sales trip planning, the method comprising:

receiving a reference location indication based on at least one of a current location or an anticipated future location, wherein a geographical area is defined based on the reference location indication;

identifying, with a processor, one or more providers in the geographical area that are identified as having a current sales lead,

generating a next provider indication, wherein the next provider indication provides a sales resource with a suggested next provided or the one or more providers to visit next based at least in part on proximity in the geographical area; and

causing display of provider information for a provider based on the next provider indication, the provider information comprising a provider location indication, a promotion indication of a good or service and a promotion quantity suggested for the provider.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

calculating a forecasted demand for one or more promotions in the geographical area, the forecasted demand comprising at least one or more promotions and a demanded quantity of at least a portion of the one or more promotions;

identifying one or more providers in the geographical area that are identified as able to supply at least a portion of the forecasted demand for the one or more promotions; and

generating one or more current sales leads, wherein the current sales lead is indicative of a service or good offered by a provider of the one or more providers that is related to a demand service or a demanded good.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the provider information further comprises at least one of a) an ownership indicator identifying a sales resource associated with the provider, b) contact information associated with the provider, c) activity history regarding the provider, d) a follow-up task to be performed regarding the provider, or e) demand information associated with the provider.

23-87. -87. (canceled)