Qualified and targeted lead selection and delivery system

• US 7,035,699 B1
• Filed: 01/20/1998
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chou, Paul Bao-Luo, Chzaszcz, David Edward, Anderson, Gary Floyd, Kamesam, Pasumarti Venkata
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Application Number:
  US09/009,083
• Time in Patent Office: 3,017 Days
• Field of Search: 700/90, 705/10, 705/35
• US Class Current: 700/90
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

The present invention comprises a system dedicated to computerized information management. In particular, the system is efficiently targeted for employment by industries such as insurance and financial services where it is of interest to effect integrated prospect selection and management. To this end, the present invention can prevent multiple agents from pursuing the same lead at the same time, while collecting data on effectiveness of leads from agents to thereby enhance the quality of prospect information, as well as providing a capability so that an individual agent can tailor particular lead selection preferences.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

at least one input user interface module connected to the CPU, at least one said module comprising means for inputting lead management data for operation upon by the CPU, and means for inputting lead selection parameters for operation upon by the CPU;

a set of functional modules to be executed by the CPU, wherein a first functional module comprises a system security capability, a second functional module comprises a lead management capability, and a third functional module comprises a lead selection capability;

CPU means responsive to an input user request comprising at least one of lead management data and lead selection parameters, the CPU means responding to said request by executing at least of one of the first, second, and third functional modules for generating information comprising at least one of a set of candidate leads and signification of a request; and

means connected to the CPU for outputting the information to an output user interface.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the CPU comprises a microprocessor.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one user interface module comprises a remote access terminal.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth functional module comprising a user profile management capability.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the CPU means responds to said request by executing at least one of first, second, third, and fourth functional modules.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means connected to the CPU for outputting the information comprises means for outputting to a facsimile.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein an input customer profile is selectively entered by an individual sales agent, and wherein said lead management capability supplies a best match output of said customer profile.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said lead selection capability is for supporting a sales agent and to provide leads on an as-needed basis such that when said agent looks for new customers, said agent inputs through said means for inputting lead selection parameters for requesting leads that best fit what said agent desires.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said means for inputting lead selection parameters allow said user to input the user'"'"'s individual preferences for traits to be associated with the leads said user requires for a type of products to be marketed.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said lead selection capability supplies the leads which best match a profile input by a user and based on said user'"'"'s request.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said lead management capability includes a quota mechanism for providing use of the leads by the user, and an exclusivity rule for prevent leads being pursued by multiple users at a same time.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein a user enters its own criteria to said at least one input user interface module to select leads.

13. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

means, based on user input through said at least one input user interface module, for providing feedback to said CPU means, on the leads processed by said user, thereby to refine a scoring mechanism to improve quality of leads received by said user in the future.

14. A lead management system, comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

means connected to the CPU for inputting lead management data;

means for inputting lead selection parameters for searching said lead management data,

wherein said CPU responds to a request for leads tailored to inputted selection parameters by searching said lead management data and outputting selected information to an output user interface; and

means for enforcing predetermined business rule parameters,

wherein said business rule parameters comprise a time interval for a selected lead in which no client contact is initiated.

15. A lead management system comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

means connected to the CPU for inputting lead management data; and

means for inputting lead selection parameters for searching said lead management data,

wherein said CPU responds to a request for leads tailored to inputted selection parameters by searching said lead management data and outputting selected information to an output user interface,

wherein an input customer profile is selectively entered by an individual sales agent, and said lead management capability supplies a best match output of a customer profile.

16. A lead management system comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

means connected to the CPU for inputting lead management data; and

means for inputting lead selection parameters for searching said lead management data,

wherein said CPU responds to a request for leads tailored to inputted selection parameters by searching said lead management data and outputting selected information to an output user interface, and

wherein said lead selection capability is for supporting a sales agent and to provide leads on an as-needed basis such that when said agent looks for new customers, said agent inputs through said means for inputting lead selection parameters for requesting leads that best fit what said agent desires.