Portable sales presentation system with selective scripted seller prompts
First Claim
1. A sales support computer comprising:
- (a) means operable by a seller for recording prospect data about a prospect, including information about at least one particular interest of the prospect; and
(b) means for displaying a series of prompts to the seller, as a function of the prospect data, to prompt the seller to perform steps in a desired sales communication process during an encounter with the prospect in response to the at least one particular interest of the prospect, including one or more prompts to the seller to describe orally to the prospect one or more specific features and benefits of a product or service.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A handheld computer unit for use by, e.g., a car sales person (seller) prompts the seller with a standard script to be followed at each step in the process after a prospect enters a dealership. The prospect'"'"'s response to the scripted questions is used to identify the prospect'"'"'s particular interests of a general nature, e.g., safety, and of a specific nature, e.g., trailer towing capacity. When either a general or specific interest is identified, the seller is prompted to tailor the conversation to address the prospect'"'"'s interests. Among other things, the handheld unit can perform functions such as (i) permitting the seller to retrieve useful information such as inventory availability from a sales information data store; (ii) displaying option-sensitive prompts to aid the seller in discussing specific vehicles under consideration; (iii) accessing remote communications links to external data sources to obtain information on credit-worthiness of the prospect, financing terms, and availability; (iv) displaying motivational information such as the percentage likelihood of consummating the sale successfully; (v) providing a communications link with management personnel.
408 Citations
47 Claims
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1. A sales support computer comprising:
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(a) means operable by a seller for recording prospect data about a prospect, including information about at least one particular interest of the prospect; and (b) means for displaying a series of prompts to the seller, as a function of the prospect data, to prompt the seller to perform steps in a desired sales communication process during an encounter with the prospect in response to the at least one particular interest of the prospect, including one or more prompts to the seller to describe orally to the prospect one or more specific features and benefits of a product or service. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A sales support computer comprising:
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a) means operable by a seller for recording prospect data about a prospect, including information about at least one particular interest of the prospect; b) means for prompting the seller to perform a specified sequence of operations in a desired sales communication process during a meeting with the prospect, said operations including (1) recording prospect data, and (2) telling the prospect about a product option correlated with the prospect'"'"'s particular interest; and c) means for restricting the seller'"'"'s ability to use the sales support computer if the seller does not perform the specified sequence of operations. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A sales support computer comprising:
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a) means operable by a seller for recording prospect data about a prospect, including information about at least one particular interest of the prospect; b) means for querying a sales information data store to determine the availability of specific products having one or more features correlated with the prospect'"'"'s particular interest; c) means for prompting the seller to perform a specified sequence of operations in a desired sales communication process during a meeting with the prospect, said operations including; (1) recording prospect data, and (2) telling the prospect about one or more features that are correlated with the prospect'"'"'s particular interest; and d) means for restricting the seller'"'"'s ability to use the sales support computer if the seller does not perform the specified sequence of operations. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A sales support computer comprising:
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a) means operable by a seller for recording prospect data about a prospect, including information about at least one particular interest of the prospect; b) means for querying a sales information data store to determine the availability of specific products having one or more features correlated with the prospect'"'"'s particular interest; c) means for prompting the seller to perform a specified sequence of operations in a desired sales communication process during a meeting with the prospect, said operations including recording prospect data; d) means for recording the duration of performance of respective operations in the desired sales communication process; and e) means for restricting the seller'"'"'s ability to use the sales support computer if the seller does not perform the specified sequence of operations. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. A sales support computer comprising:
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a) means operable by a seller for recording prospect data about a prospect, including information about at least one particular interest of the prospect; b) means for querying a credit information data store to get an indication of the prospect'"'"'s creditworthiness; c) means for prompting the seller to perform a specified sequence of operations in a desired sales communication process during a meeting with the prospect, said operations including (1) recording prospect data and (2) telling the prospect about one or more product features suggested by one or more particular interests of the prospect; and d) means for restricting the seller'"'"'s ability to use the sales support computer if the seller does not perform the specified sequence of operations. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A sales support computer comprising:
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a) means operable by a seller for recording prospect data about a prospect, including information about at least one particular interest of the prospect; b) means for querying a credit information data store to get an indication of the prospect'"'"'s creditworthiness; c) means for querying a sales information data store to determine the availability of specific products having one or more features correlated with one or more particular interests of the prospect; d) means for prompting the seller to perform a specified sequence of operations in a desired sales communication process during a meeting with the prospect, said operations including (1) recording prospect data and (2) telling the prospect about at least one of said one or more features; and e) means for restricting the seller'"'"'s ability to use the sales support computer if the seller does not perform the specified sequence of operations. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41. A sales support computer comprising:
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a) means operable by a seller for recording prospect data about a prospect, including information about at least one particular interest of the prospect; b) means for querying a credit information data store to get an indication of the prospect'"'"'s creditworthiness; c) means for querying a sales information data store to determine the availability of specific products having one or more features correlated with one or more particular interests of the prospect; d) means for prompting the seller to perform a specified sequence of operations in a desired sales communication process during a meeting with the prospect, said operations including recording prospect data; e) means for restricting the seller'"'"'s ability to use the sales support computer if the seller does not perform the specified sequence of operations; and f) means for summoning assistance for the seller. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. A sales support computer comprising:
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a) means for locally storing a copy of at least a portion of a sales information data store external to the sales support computer; b) means operable by a seller for recording prospect data about a prospect, including information about at least one particular interest of the prospect; c) means for querying a credit information data store to get an indication of the prospect'"'"'s creditworthiness; d) means for querying said sales information data store to determine the availability of specific products having one or more features correlated with one or more particular interests of the prospect, including determining whether a communications link exists with the sales information data store, and if so, querying the sales information data store, otherwise querying said locally-stored copy; e) means for prompting the seller to perform a specified sequence of operations in a desired sales communication process during a meeting with the prospect, said operations including (1) recording prospect data and (2) telling the prospect about at least one of said one or more features; f) means for recording the duration of performance of respective operations in the desired sales communication process; g) means for restricting the seller'"'"'s ability to use the sales support computer if the seller does not perform the specified sequence of operations; and h) means for summoning assistance for the seller.
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45. A sales support computer comprising:
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a) means for locally storing a copy of at least a portion of a sales information data store external to the sales support computer; b) means for periodically updating said locally-stored copy; c) means operable by a seller for recording prospect data about a prospect, including information about at least one particular interest of the prospect; d) means for querying a credit information data store to get an indication of the prospect'"'"'s creditworthiness; e) means for determining the availability of specific products having one or more features correlated with one or more particular interests of the prospect, including determining whether a communications link exists with the sales information data store, and if so, querying the sales information data store, otherwise querying said locally-stored copy; f) means for prompting the seller to perform a specified sequence of operations in a desired sales communication process during a meeting with the prospect, said operations including (1) recording prospect data and (2) telling the prospect about at least one of said one or more features; g) means for recording the duration of performance of respective operations in the desired sales communication process; h) means for restricting the seller'"'"'s ability to use the sales support computer if the seller does not perform the specified sequence of operations; and i) means for summoning assistance for the seller.
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46. A sales support computer comprising:
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a) a processor; b) a pen-based user interface; c) a wireless communications interface; d) a data store; e) a program store containing programming executable by the processor for carrying out operations including; 1) downloading, via the wireless communications interface into the data store, a copy of at least a portion of a sales information data store external to the sales support computer; 2) receiving, via the pen-based user interface, data inputted by a seller about a prospect, referred to as prospect data, including information about at least one particular interest of the prospect; 3) querying said sales information data store to determine the availability of specific products having one or more features correlated with one or more particular interests of the prospect, including determining whether a communications link exists with the sales information data store, and if so, querying the sales information data store via the wireless communications interface, otherwise querying said locally-stored copy; 4) prompting the seller to perform a specified sequence of operations in a desired sales communication process during a meeting with the prospect; and 5) restricting the seller'"'"'s ability to use the sales support computer if the seller does not perform the specified sequence of operations.
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47. A portable sales support computer comprising:
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a) a processor; b) a pen-based user interface; c) a wireless communications interface; d) a data store; e) a program store containing programming executable by the processor for carrying out operations including; 1) downloading, via the wireless communications interface into the data store, a copy of at least a portion of a sales information data store external to the sales support computer; 2) receiving, via the pen-based user interface, data inputted by a seller about a prospect, referred to as prospect data, including information about at least one particular interest of the prospect; 3) querying a credit information data store via the wireless communications interface to get an indication of the prospect'"'"'s creditworthiness; 4) querying said sales information data store to determine the availability of specific products having one or more features correlated with one or more particular interests of the prospect, including determining whether a communications link exists with the sales information data store, and if so, querying the sales information data store via the wireless communications interface, otherwise querying said locally-stored copy; 5) prompting the seller to perform a specified sequence of operations in a desired sales communication process during a meeting with the prospect, said operations including (1) inputting prospect data and (2) telling the prospect about at least one of said one or more features; 6) recording the duration of performance of respective operations in the desired sales communication process; 7) restricting the seller'"'"'s ability to use the sales support computer if the seller does not perform the specified sequence of operations; and 8) in response to a command inputted by the seller, transmitting via the wireless communications interface a signal summoning assistance for the seller.
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Specification