MANAGEMENT OF SERVICING OF VEHICLE FLEETS

• US 20200134700A1
• Filed: 10/26/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2018
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Original Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Inventors: Wofford-Redmond, Jamie Lynn, McIntosh, Johnny Lee, Root, Michele Lee, Wright, Joshua Kenneth, Marr, Cary Duane
• Application Number:
  US16/171,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20200134700A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5141 Details of processing calls and other types of contacts in an unified manner unified messaging in packet-switching networks H04L51/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A method for managing the servicing of vehicles in a fleet includes using a mobile device associated with a vehicle to be serviced to contact a fleet call center. The contact is received and a service request is opened in the fleet call center. A local servicer is identified, and information in the service request is sent to a data device of a service technician of the local servicer. Upon completion of servicing of the vehicle, a notification of completion of the service request is sent to a service administrator. The notification is validated to generate a completed service request, and information in the completed service request is sent from the service administrator to an approver of a fleet operations unit. The completed service request is approved at the fleet operations unit, and a purchase order is generated and transmitted from the fleet operations unit to the service administrator.

Claims

1. A method for managing the servicing of vehicles in a fleet, the method including the steps of:

using a mobile device associated with a vehicle to be serviced to contact a fleet call center by wireless transmission;

receiving the contact in the fleet call center;

opening a service request using a fleet call center computer;

identifying a local servicer in close proximity to a geographic location of the vehicle to be serviced;

sending information in the service request from the fleet call center to a data device of a service technician of the identified local servicer;

upon completion of servicing of the vehicle by the service technician, sending by wireless transmission a notification of completion of the service request to a service administrator;

validating the notification of completion to generate a completed service request;

sending information in the completed service request by wireless transmission from the service administrator to an approver of a fleet operations unit;

approving the completed service request at the fleet operations unit and generating a purchase order based on the completed service request; and

wirelessly transmitting the purchase order from the fleet operations unit to the service administrator.

2. The method for managing the servicing of vehicles in a fleet of claim 1, further comprising, upon receipt of the purchase order by the service administrator, the step of creating an authorized bill for payment by the fleet operations unit.

3. The method for managing the servicing of vehicles in a fleet of claim 1, wherein the step of using a mobile device to contact a fleet call center is performed by an operator of the vehicle in need of service.

4. The method for managing the servicing of vehicles in a fleet of claim 1, wherein the contact includes at least one of a phone call and an electronic message.

5. The method for managing the servicing of vehicles in a fleet of claim 1, wherein the information sent from the fleet call center to the data device of the service technician includes the geographic location of the vehicle to be serviced and an issue being experienced by the vehicle to be serviced.

6. The method for managing the servicing of vehicles in a fleet of claim 1, further comprising electronically transmitting a copy of the service request from the fleet call center to the service administrator.

7. The method for managing the servicing of vehicles in a fleet of claim 1, wherein the step of validating the notification of completion to generate a completed service request includes adjusting the information in the service request.

8. The method for managing the servicing of vehicles in a fleet of claim 1, wherein the step of approving the completed service request at the fleet operations unit includes responding to the service administrator by wireless transmission to request changes to the completed service request.

9. The method for managing the servicing of vehicles in a fleet of claim 8, wherein the step of approving the completed service request at the fleet operations unit includes communications between the fleet approver and the service administrator to revise the completed service request.

10. The method for managing the servicing of vehicles in a fleet of claim 1, wherein the service request includes input from a work order from the service administrator.

11. The method for managing the servicing of vehicles in a fleet of claim 1, further comprising the step of updating service ticket information as servicing of the vehicle is being executed.