Apparatus and method for online advice customer relationship management

• US 7,580,850 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2001
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: UTBK, Inc.
• Inventors: Lurie, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanty; Romain
• Application Number:
  US10/021,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20030115089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,811 Days
• Field of Search: 705/8, 705/9
• US Class Current: 705/7.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation

Abstract

An apparatus and method for online advice customer relationship management are described. The method includes the determination of a service provider ID code from a requesting service provider. Once a service provider ID code is determined, a list of service seekers that have received advice regarding a field of service from a service provider corresponding to the service provider ID code is generated. Once generated, the listing of service seekers is displayed via a customer management screen. As such, system administrators, as well as the service providers themselves, may view listings of service seekers in order to provide relationship management of the service seekers, such as for example, providing incentives to service seekers for follow-up advice, as well as blocking undesired service seekers from further contact with the service provider.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining a service provider ID code of a service provider based on a request received from the service provider;

based on the determined service provider ID code, generating a list of service seekers having received advice from the service provider;

displaying the list of service seekers;

receiving a service provider selection for one or more of the listed service seekers and a selected customer management processing command; and

processing, using a computer, the selected service seekers according to the selected customer management processing command;

wherein in response to receiving a contact command, providing the service provider a process for contacting the selected service seekers; and

in response to receiving a block command, blocking the selected service seekers from receiving further advice from the service provider.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein prior to determining a service provider ID code, the method further comprises:

receiving a login request from a service provider, including a service provider ID code and a service provider password;

verifying the service provider password as corresponding to the service provider ID code from the login request;

once verified, presenting the service provider with a service provider system home page; and

once the service provider selects a customer-management link, presenting the service provider with a customer-management interface screen.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein prior to determining the service provider ID code, the method further comprises:

selecting a service provider available from a service provider system;

determining one or more service seekers having received advice communication regarding a field of service from the selected service provider;

generating a transaction record within a service seeker transaction database for each determined service seeker; and

repeating the selecting, determining and generating for each service provider available from the service provider system.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the service provider ID code further comprises:

receiving a selection from a service provider for a customer-management link;

once the request is received, detecting a service provider ID code of the service provider; and

providing the determined service provider ID code to a service seeker list generation procedure.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating the list of service seekers further comprises:

querying a service seeker transaction database to determine the list of service seekers having received advice communication from a service provider matching the service provider ID code, wherein the advice is one of live advice via a communication medium, recorded advice and written advice via electronic mail.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying the list of service seekers further comprises:

sorting the list of service seekers according to a date of most recent contact with the corresponding service provider;

providing the service provider with one or more links for selecting customer management processing commands, the customer management processing commands for processing one or more selected service seekers being contained in the listing; and

when a sort request is received from the service provider, sorting the listing according to criteria provided by the service provider.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying the list of service seekers further comprises:

identifying one or more of the service seekers which are designated as potential repeat customers according to pre-determined criteria; and

providing an alert to the service provider for each of the identified service seekers.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying the list of service seekers further comprises:

listing the service seekers according to a method of receiving advice communication, wherein the method of receiving advice communication includes one of a telephone advice conversation, a recorded advice communication and an e-mail advice communication.

9. A computer readable storage medium including program instructions that direct a computer to perform a method when executed by a processor, the method comprising:

determining a service provider ID code of a service provider based on a request received from the service provider;

based on the determined service provider ID code, generating a list of service seekers having received advice from the service provider;

displaying the list of service seekers;

receiving a service provider selection for one or more of the listed service seekers and a selected customer management processing command; and

processing the selected service seekers according to the selected customer management processing command;

wherein in response to receiving a contact command, providing the service provider a process for contacting the selected service seekers; and

in response to receiving a block command, blocking the selected service seekers from receiving further advice from the service provider.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein prior to determining a service provider ID code, the method further comprises:

receiving a login request from a service provider, including a service provider ID code and a service provider password;

verifying the service provider password as corresponding to the service provider ID code from the login request;

once verified, presenting the service provider with a service provider system home page; and

once the service provider selects a customer-management link, presenting the service provider with a customer-management interface screen.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein prior to determining the service provider ID code, the method further comprises:

selecting a service provider available from a service provider system;

determining one or more service seekers having received advice regarding a field of service from the selected service provider;

generating a transaction record within a service seeker transaction database for each determined service seeker; and

repeating the selecting, determining and generating for each service provider available from the service provider system.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein determining the service provider ID code further comprises:

receiving a selection from a service provider for a customer-management link;

once the request is received, detecting a service provider ID code of the service provider; and

providing the determined service provider ID code to a service seeker list generation procedure.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein generating the list of service seekers further comprises:

querying a service seeker transaction database to determine the list of service seekers having received advice from a service provider matching the service provider ID code;

wherein the advice is one of live advice via a communication medium, recorded advice and written advice via electronic mail.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein displaying the list of service seekers further comprises:

sorting the list of service seekers according to a date of most recent contact with the corresponding service provider;

providing the user with one or more links for selecting customer relationship processing commands, the customer relationship processing commands for processing one or more of the service seekers being contained in the listing; and

when a sort request is received from the service provider, sorting the listing according to criteria provided by the service provider.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein displaying the list of service seekers further comprises:

identifying one or more of the service seekers which are designated as desirable customers according to pre-determined criteria; and

providing an alert to the service provider for each of the identified service seekers.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein displaying the list of service seekers further comprises:

listing the service seekers according to a method of receiving advice communication, wherein the method of receiving advice communication includes one of a live telephone advice conversation, a recorded advice communication and an e-mail advice communication.

17. A computer-implemented method comprising:

accessing, by a service provider, a customer management interface of a service provider system;

receiving a customer management screen listing one or more service seekers having previously received advice communication from the service provider based on an identity of the service provider; and

viewing, using a computer, a list of service seekers processed according to one or more customer management processing commands, provided via the customer management screen and selected by the service provider;

wherein in response to receiving a contact command, providing the service provider a process for contacting the selected service seekers; and

in response to receiving a block command, blocking the selected service seekers from receiving further advice from the service provider.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising:

selecting one or more listed service seekers;

selecting a service seeker list assignment command;

generating one or more service seeker lists; and

assigning each selected service seeker to the one or more generated service seeker lists.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein viewing the list of service seekers further comprises:

receiving a service seeker alert for one or more service seekers determined by the system as potential repeat customers according to predetermined criteria; and

contacting the designated service seekers to provide incentives for repeat engagement in advice communication with the service provider.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising:

selecting one or more listed service seekers;

selecting an electronic mail command to generate an e-mail to each of the selected service providers, including compensation incentives for repeat advice communication between the service provider and one or more service seekers;

when desired by a service seeker, engaging in an advice communication between the service seeker and the service provider; and

following completion of the advice communication, receiving, by the service seeker, the compensation incentives.

21. A computer readable storage medium including program instructions that direct a computer to perform a method when executed by a processor, the method comprising:

accessing, by a service provider, a customer management interface of a service provider system;

receiving a customer management screen listing one or more service seekers having previously received advice communication from the service provider based on an identity of the service provider; and

viewing a list of service seekers processed according to one or more customer relationship processing commands, provided via a display screen and selected by the service provider;

wherein in response to receiving a contact command, providing the service provider a process for contacting the selected service seekers; and

in response to receiving a block command, blocking the selected service seekers from receiving further advice from the service provider.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, the method further comprising:

selecting one or more service seekers listed in the service seeker display screen;

selecting a service seeker list assignment command;

generating one or more service seeker lists; and

assigning each selected service seeker to the one or more generated service seeker lists.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, the method further comprising:

receiving a service seeker alert for one or more service seekers determined by the system as potential repeat customers according to predetermined criteria; and

contacting the designated service seekers to provide incentives for repeat engagement in advice communication with the service provider.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, the method further comprising:

selecting one or more service seekers listed in the customer management screen;

selecting an electronic mail command to generate an e-mail to each of the selected service providers, including compensation incentives for repeat advice communication between the service provider and one or more service seekers;

when desired by a service seeker, engaging in an advice communication between the service seeker and the service provider; and

following completion of the advice communication, receiving, by the service seeker, the compensation incentives.

25. An online advice customer relationship management system, comprising:

a processor having circuitry to execute instructions;

a customer management interface coupled to the processor, the customer management interface to receive an access request from one or more service providers of the system, and to display one or more customer management screens in response to one or more service providers;

a service seeker transaction database including a transaction record for each service seeker having received advice regarding a field of service from a service provider of the system; and

a storage device coupled to the processor, having sequences of instructions stored therein, which when executed by the processor cause the processor to;

determine a service provider ID code;

based on the determined service provider ID code, generate a list of service seekers having received advice from a service provider, and display the list of service seekers;

receive a service provider selection for one or more of the listed service seekers and a selected customer management processing command; and

process the selected service seekers according to the selected customer management processing command;

wherein in response to receiving a contact command, the processor provides the service provider a process for contacting the selected service seekers; and

in response to receiving a block command, the processor blocks the selected service seekers from receiving further advice from the service provider.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

a service provider database including each service provider available from the system;

a system interface to provide a service seeker with a list of available fields of service, accept a field of service desired by the service seeker, provide the service seeker with a list of one or more service providers stored in the service provider database that match the field of service desired by the user, and receive a selection from the user for a selected service provider; and

a communication interface, coupled to the processor, to connect the service seeker with the selected service provider to receive advice communication regarding the selected field of service from the service provider.

27. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

a provider interface for receiving a request from a service provider of a field of service for inclusion in the service provider database, and generating a record in the service provider database, the record including provider information contained in the request.