Systems and methods of maintaining client relationships

• US 6,477,533 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2000
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Leisure Group Incorporated (World Travel Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Travel Services International, Inc. (Thomas Cook Group PLC)
• Inventors: Carpenter, Michael A., Bastnagel, Maryann, Ferguson, Bradley, Helms, Kevin, Elliott, Todd, Reynolds, Karen J., Loiselle, Vance M., Leslie, Keith J., Cox, Mitch, Burkard, Anne D., Forman, David A., Moorhead, Timothy M., Ewart, Vivian D., Locicero, Fred, DelPino, George, DeLand, Joanell U., Delva, Joelle S., Codd, Tracey Lee, Sussman-Wiles, Kathleen M., Judy, Elizabeth K., Tolle, Dot, Porter, Nancy, Fitton, Paul, Berk, Byron J., Levy, Sandi B., Luna, Charlotte A., Christen, Holley S., Fessenden, Timothy, Elenberger, Maureen J., Schiff, Martin R., Klotz, Irwin D., Nickerson, Jeffrey A., Colangelo, Paul, Scanlon, Monica, Sherota, Michael T., Quintana, Adolf, Huff, Wallace C., Hintz, Samuel L., Everhart-Brooks, Sharon, Rodriquez, Elena M., Kurk, Courtney W. T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US09/728,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20020022977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 705/14, 705/5, 705/26, 395/205, 701/201, 364/401
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0607 Regulated
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/14 Travel agencies

Abstract

In one embodiment, systems and methods are used to maintain client relationships by tracking and managing customers and agents involved in booking a cruise. Furthermore, various activities which take place between an agent and active customers are monitored, whereby the type and quantity of activities performed by the agent is evaluated to assign a period of time of ownership of the customer. During the period of time while the customer is owned, other agents are prevented from acquiring the customer and subsequent booking commission. A series of rules which determine the duration of ownership of the customer are maintained and applied to enable the ownership to be changed as needed.

Claims

1. A method for managing agent ownership of customers utilizing a cruise web server environment to electronically communicate via a data communications network with a plurality of remote users using web browser programs, the method comprising:

receiving and agent identifier that represents an agent from a remote user'"'"'s web browser program;

receiving a customer identifier that represents a customer from the remote user'"'"'s web browser program;

verifying that the customer is available for interaction with the agent by querying an electronic database of agent and customer information;

receiving an agent activity from the remote user'"'"'s web browser program;

determining a time window for agent activity based at least upon at least one agent ownership rule, wherein the at least one agent ownership rule is stored in the electronic database;

creating an agent of record association between the agent and the customer wherein the agent is designated as the customer'"'"'s agent of record for the allotted amount of time; and

storing the agent of record association in the electronic database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent activity includes activity related to selling and booking cruise packages.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent activity includes at least one of creating a customer profile, sending the customer a brochure, calling the customer, calculating a quote, creating a lead, creating an option, and booking a cruise package.

4. A method for changing an agent of record association between an agent and a customer utilizing a cruise web server environment to electronically communicate via a data communications network with a plurality of remote users using web browser programs, the method comprising:

receiving an agent identifier representing an agent from a remote user'"'"'s web browser;

receiving a customer identifier representing a customer from the remote user'"'"'s web browser;

receiving an activity that represents a communication between the agent and the customer from the remote user'"'"'s web browser;

retrieving a customer record from an electronic database, wherein the customer record corresponds to the customer and the customer record includes an agent of record association;

setting the agent of record association to correspond to the agent represented by the agent identifier; and

storing the agent of record association in the electronic database.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the activity that represents a communication between the agent and the customer includes activity related to selling and booking cruise packages.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the activity that represents a communication between the agent and the customer includes at least one of creating a customer profile, sending the customer a brochure, calling the customer, calculating a quote, creating a lead, creating an option, and booking a cruise package.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the customer record includes an agent of record expiration date.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising determining the agent of record expiration date for the agent of record association.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the agent of record expiration date includes searching a rules database configured to store rules that define lengths of time associated with agent activities and using the rules to calculate the agent of record expiration date.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the electronic database is a customer database.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein the electronic database is an agent database.

12. The method of claim 4, wherein the electronic database is an activity database.

13. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

receiving a user identifier from the remote user'"'"'s web browser program; and

verifying that the user identifier corresponds to a user who has agent of record override privileges by querying the electronic database for agent of record override privileges.

14. A method of creating an agent of record association between an agent and a customer utilizing a cruise web server environment to electronically communicate via a data communications network with a plurality of remote users using web browser programs, the method comprising:

receiving an agent identifier representing an agent from a remote user'"'"'s web browser program;

receiving customer information about a customer from the remote user'"'"'s web browser program;

creating a customer record;

creating an agent of record association between the customer and the agent; and

storing the customer record in an electronic database.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the customer record includes an agent of record field.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein creating an agent of record association includes setting the agent of record field to the agent identifier.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising setting an agent of record expiration date based at least upon a customer profile creation activity.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein storing the customer record in a electronic database includes storing the agent identifier in the agent of record field of the customer record.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the electronic database includes an agent database.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the electronic database includes a customer database.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the electronic database includes an agent database and a customer database.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the customer information includes at least one of, name, address contact information, desired cruise destination, household membership, and cruise dates.

23. A method for managing agent ownership of customers utilizing a cruise web server environment to electronically communicate via a data communications network with a plurality of remote users using web browser programs, the method comprising:

means for receiving and agent identifier that represents an agent from a remote user'"'"'s web browser program;

means for receiving a customer identifier that represents a customer from the remote user'"'"'s web browser program;

means for verifying that the customer is available for interaction with the agent by querying an electronic database of agent and customer information;

means for receiving an agent activity from the remote user'"'"'s web browser program;

means for determining a time window for agent activity based at least upon at least one agent ownership rule, wherein the at least one agent ownership rule is stored in the electronic database;

means for creating an agent of record association between the agent and the customer wherein the agent is designated as the customer'"'"'s agent of record for the allotted amount of time; and

means for storing the agent of record association in the electronic database.