Technique for processing customer service transactions at customer site using mobile computing device

• US 6,975,937 B1
• Filed: 05/10/2000
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: JUNE RAY LIMITED
• Original Assignee: Kaiser Foundation Hospitals (Kaiser Permanente Inc.)
• Inventors: Unni, Shankar, Borders, Louis H., Kantarjiev, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): JASMIN, LYNDA C
• Application Number:
  US09/568,572
• Time in Patent Office: 2,043 Days
• Field of Search: 705/22, 705/28, 705/30, 705/26, 701/117, 701/208, 701/211, 701/207, 701/213, 340990-993
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

A technique is described for facilitating delivery and adjustments of customer orders at a customer delivery site. A delivery courier is assigned a mobile field computing device for facilitating delivery and order adjustments of customer orders associated with that courier'"'"'s delivery route. The mobile field computing device includes memory for storing customer order history data and delivery route data downloaded from a server system. The delivery route data stored in the mobile field computing device may be used by the delivery courier to facilitate delivery of the customer orders. Further, the delivery courier may use the mobile field computing device to process a variety of different order adjustment transactions at a customer delivery site.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating delivery of at least one customer order via a delivery courier, the at least one customer order including a first customer order for at least one ordered item, the method comprising:

establishing a connection between a first server and a mobile computing device associated with the delivery courier;

downloading customer delivery data from the first server to the mobile computing device, wherein said downloaded customer delivery data is associated with a delivery route;

facilitating delivery of at least one customer order to at least one customer using the downloaded customer delivery data;

executing an adjustment transaction using the mobile computing device at a customer delivery stop corresponding to the at least one customer order, the adjustment transaction changing the at least one customer order;

downloading customer account information from the first server to the mobile computing device; and

displaying updated customer billing data at the customer delivery stop based on the customer account information and the adjustment transaction.

2. The method of claim 1 further including:

providing the mobile computing device to the delivery courier, wherein the mobile computing device includes the downloaded customer delivery data; and

dispatching the delivery courier to deliver customer orders for said delivery route.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said connection between the first server and the mobile computing device is implemented using a wireless communication protocol.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said customer delivery data includes customer order history data for customers associated with the delivery route and further includes delivery route information corresponding to the delivery route.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said customer order history includes information relating to all items ordered by said customers within a specified time period.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising displaying, using the mobile computing device, said delivery route information to the delivery courier to facilitate delivery of orders to customers on said delivery route.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising recording, at the mobile computing device, an arrival time at the customer delivery stop.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising recording, at the mobile computing device, a departure time from the customer delivery stop.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising recording, at the mobile computing device, a time related to the delivery courier delivering an order to a customer.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting in real-time to the first server, via a wireless interface, delivery status information corresponding to a status of the delivery courier on the delivery route, wherein said delivery status information is generated by the mobile computing device.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising tracking the status of delivery resources using the transmitted delivery status information, wherein said delivery resources include the delivery courier and a delivery vehicle.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting to the first server, via a batched process, delivery status information corresponding to a status of the delivery courier on the delivery route, wherein said delivery status information is generated by the mobile computing device.

13. A method for facilitating adjustments of at least one customer order via a delivery courier, the at least one customer order including a first customer order for at least one ordered item, the method comprising:

providing a mobile computing device to the delivery courier, the mobile computing device including customer order history data corresponding to customers associated with a delivery route;

dispatching the delivery courier to deliver ordered items to customers on the delivery route;

processing, using the mobile computing device, at least one order adjustment transaction at a customer delivery stop, said at least one order adjustment transaction relating to a customer account;

updating customer account information based on the adjustment transaction; and

displaying at least a portion of the updated customer account information on the mobile computing device at the customer delivery stop.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said processing includes using the customer order history data to process said customer order adjustment.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said processing is remotely performed by the mobile computing device.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes processing a customer return for an ordered item.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes processing a customer return for a previously delivered item.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes processing at least one item in a customer order that is not available.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes processing at least one customer credit transaction.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes processing at least one customer fee transaction.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes processing at least one tote deposit transaction.

22. The method of claim 13 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes processing at least one tote return transaction.

23. The method of claim 13 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes processing an ID check transaction.

24. The method of claim 13 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes processing at least one promotional offer.

25. The method of claim 13 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes capturing a customer signature.

26. The method of claim 13 wherein said processing includes:

receiving, at a customer delivery site, at least one returned item from a customer, and

processing at the customer delivery site, using the mobile computing device, an order adjustment transaction relating to the at least one returned item.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising generating, using the mobile computing device, a return merchandise authorization (RMA) slip associated with the at least one returned item.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the at least one returned item is received by the delivery courier.

29. The method of claim 13 further comprising calculating, using the mobile computing device, updated customer billing data for the customer account using information relating to the at least one processed order adjustment transactions, the updated customer billing data including a total amount to be billed.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising generating, using the mobile computing device, a modified billing receipt relating to the customer account, the modified billing receipt including said total amount to be billed which takes into account said at least one order adjustment transaction processed at the customer delivery stop.

31. The method of claim 13 further comprising confirming, using the mobile computing device, ordered items which are delivered to a customer.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising billing a customer only for ordered items which have been confirmed as having been delivered to the customer.

33. The method of claim 30 further comprising uploading said modified billing data from the mobile compute device to the first server.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising billing a customer for an order using the uploaded customer billing data, wherein an amount billed to the customer corresponds to said total amount to be billed.

35. A system for facilitating delivery of at least one customer order via a delivery courier, the at least one customer order including a first customer order for at least one ordered item, the system comprising:

at least one server including a first server; and

at least one mobile computing device including a first mobile computing device, said first mobile computing device including at least one interface for communicating with the first server;

said first mobile computing device including memory configured or designed to store customer delivery data downloaded from the first server;

said first mobile computing device being configured or designed to facilitate delivery of at least one customer order to at least one customer using the downloaded customer delivery data;

said first mobile computing device being configured or designed to execute an adjustment transaction using the mobile computing device at a customer delivery stop corresponding to the at least one customer order, the adjustment transaction changing the at least one customer order;

said first mobile computing device being configured or designed to download customer account information from the first server to said first mobile computing device; and

said first mobile computing device being configured or designed to display updated customer billing data at the customer delivery stop based on the customer account information and the adjustment transaction.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein said interface includes a wireless interface for communicating with the first server.

37. The system of claim 35 wherein said customer delivery data includes customer order history data for customers associated with the delivery route and further includes delivery route information corresponding to the delivery route.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein said customer order history includes information relating to all items ordered by said customers within a specified time period.

39. The system of claim 37 wherein the first mobile computing device includes a display for displaying said delivery route information to the delivery courier to facilitate delivery of orders to customers on a delivery route.

40. The system of claim 35 wherein the first mobile computing device is further configured or designed to record an arrival time at the customer delivery site.

41. The system of claim 35 wherein the first mobile computing device is further configured or designed to record a departure time from the customer delivery site.

42. The system of claim 35 wherein the first mobile computing device is further configured or designed to record a time related to the delivery courier delivering an order to a customer.

43. The system of claim 35 wherein the first mobile computing device is further configured or designed to transmit, in real-time to the first server, via a wireless interface, delivery status information corresponding to a status of the delivery courier on the delivery route, wherein said delivery status information is generated by the first mobile computing device.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein the first mobile computing device is further configured or designed to tracking the status of delivery resources using the transmitted delivery status information, wherein said delivery resources include the delivery courier and a delivery vehicle.

45. The system of claim 35 wherein the first mobile computing device is further configured or designed to transmit to the first server, via a batched process, delivery status information corresponding to a status of the delivery courier on the delivery route, wherein said delivery status information is generated by the first mobile computing device.

46. A system for facilitating adjustments of at last one customer order via a delivery courier, the at least one customer order including a first customer order for at least one ordered item, the system comprising:

at least one server including a first server; and

at least one mobile computing device including a first mobile computing device, said first mobile computing device including at least one interface for communicating with the first server;

said first mobile computing device including memory configured or designed to store customer order history data corresponding to customers associated with a delivery route;

said first mobile computing device being configured or designed to facilitate processing of at least one order adjustment transaction at a customer delivery site, said at least one order adjustment transaction relating to a customer account.

47. The system of claim 46 wherein said first mobile computing device is further configured or designed to use the customer order history data to remotely process said customer order adjustment.

48. The system of claim 46 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes processing a customer return for an ordered item.

49. The system of claim 46 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes processing a customer return for a previously delivered item.

50. The system of claim 46 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes processing at least one item in a customer order that is not available.

51. The system of claim 46 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes processing at least one customer credit transaction.

52. The system of claim 46 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes processing at least one customer fee transaction.

53. The system of claim 46 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes processing at least one tote deposit transaction.

54. The system of claim 46 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes processing at least one tote return transaction.

55. The system of claim 46 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes processing an ID check transaction.

56. The system of claim 46 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes processing at least one promotional offer.

57. The system of claim 46 wherein said at least one order adjustment transaction includes capturing a customer signature.

58. The system of claim 46 wherein said first mobile computing device is further configured or designed to process, at the customer delivery site an order adjustment transaction relating to the at least one returned item.

59. The system of claim 58 wherein the first mobile computing device is further configured or designed to generate, using the first mobile computing device, a return merchandise authorization (RMA) slip associated with the at least one returned item.

60. The system of claim 46 wherein the first mobile computing device is further configured or designed to calculate updated customer billing data for the customer account using information relating to the at least one processed order adjustment transaction, the updated customer billing data including a total amount to be billed.

61. The system of claim 60 wherein the first mobile computing device is further configured or designed to generate a modified billing receipt relating to the customer account, the modified billing receipt including said total amount to be billed which takes into account said at least one order adjustment transaction processed at the customer delivery site.

62. The system of claim 61 wherein the first mobile computing device is further configured or designed to upload said modified billing data to the first server.

63. The system of claim 46 wherein the first mobile computing device is further configured or designed to store confirmation data relating to ordered items which have been delivered to a customer.

64. A system for facilitating adjustments of at least one customer order via a delivery courier, the at least one customer order including a first customer order for at least one ordered item, the system comprising:

at least one server including a first server;

at least one delivery courier including a first delivery courier; and

mobile computing means associated with the delivery courier for facilitating processing of at least one order adjustment transaction at a customer delivery site, said at least one order adjustment transaction relating to a customer account, said mobile computing means including means for communicating with the first server, said mobile computing means further including means for storing customer order history data corresponding to customers associated with a delivery route;

wherein said mobile computing means is configured or designed to download customer account information from the first server to said mobile computing means, and to display updated customer billing data at the customer delivery site based on the customer account information and said at least one order adjustment transaction.