Dynamically configurable electronic survey response alert system

• US 6,380,928 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2000
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Long Range Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Kenneth J. Todd
• Inventors: Todd, Kenneth J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chanh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alphonse, Fritz
• Application Number:
  US09/577,189
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 345/169, 345/25, 345/172, 434/262, 395/609, 705/10, 705/11, 705/15, 361/600, 364/710.1, 235/375
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

An improved portable, electronic survey and satisfaction questionnaire device adapted for use in the hospitality industry, and more particularly restaurants, which incorporates a transceiver to signal restaurant personnel upon the achievement of certain threshold, pre-programed, criteria allowing contact with the customer prior to exiting the hospitality establishment. The device electronically presents a series of questions, records the answers, and stores and/or transmits all or a portion of the survey response. Preferably, the transceiver communicates with a silent pager, worn by a restaurant manager, if certain threshold responses are registered.

Claims

1. An electronic survey device having an alphanumeric display, an input keypad, a non-volatile data storage, a microprocessor, a self-contained power supply, a communications link, and a control program executing on said microprocessor;

wherein said control program executing on said microprocessor includes a pre-determined set of criteria which triggers a transfer of at least one pre-determined data message from said survey device to at least one remote unit upon the happening of the triggering event via said communications link, and said predetermined set of criteria comprises a preprogrammed condition or set of conditions to be satisfied by a survey respondent and a preprogrammed threshold cumulative survey score or sub-set of scores to be achieved by a survey respondent.

2. The electronic survey device of claim 1 wherein the remote unit comprises at least one pager or at least one personal computer.

3. The electronic survey device of claim 1 wherein said transfer of at least one predetermined data message is accomplished in real time or near real time.

4. The electronic survey device of claim 1 wherein the message transferred includes a signal beep on a pager to alert a person that a survey respondent has satisfied said predetermined set of criteria a text message on a pager to alert a person that a survey respondent has satisfied a particular component of said predetermined set of criteria, or a text message on a computer to alert a person that a survey respondent has satisfied a particular component of said predetermined set of criteria.

5. The electronic survey device of claim 1 wherein said control program executing on said microprocessor includes a predetermined set of criteria which triggers a near real time upload of survey responses via a transceiver.

6. The electronic survey device of claim 1 wherein said control program executing on said microprocessor includes a pre-determined set of criteria which triggers a real time upload of survey responses and a near-real time download of additional, targeted survey questions via a transceiver.

7. The electronic survey device of claim 1 wherein said communications link includes a transceiver.

8. A method of surveying a service establishment customer in near real time comprising the steps of:

(a) programming an electronic survey device, having a communication link and a preprogrammed customer survey questions, with a set of criteria for triggering the transmission of a message to a remote unit upon said customer achieving said criteria in responding to said questions;

(b) reaching said criteria thereby triggering said transmission;

(c) receiving said transmission; and

,

(d) responding to said message by contacting said customer prior to said customer'"'"'s departure from the service establishment.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the remote unit is selected from the group consisting of at least one pager, at least one personal computer, or both.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of programming with a set of criteria is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) selecting certain survey responses, sets of responses, conditions, sets of conditions, threshold cumulative survey scores, or threshold survey sub-scores which would alert customer service personnel that a customer was particularly dissatisfied with their service experience;

(b) selecting certain survey responses, sets of responses, conditions, sets of conditions, threshold cumulative survey scores, or threshold survey sub-scores which would alert customer service personnel that a customer was particularly satisfied with their service experience; and

, combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of responding further comprises the step of:

(a) determining which set of criteria triggered the transmission; and

(b) contacting said customer prior to said customer'"'"'s departure from the service establishment with interaction appropriate for said message.