Online installation scheduling system and method for cable services

• US 7,620,562 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Inc. (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Henry, Jeffrey L., Monteyne, Donald G., Coughlin, Robert W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett; Scott L
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, ALAN S
• Application Number:
  US11/020,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20050172325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,791 Days
• Field of Search: 705/5, 705/8, 705/9
• US Class Current: 705/7.21
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06314 Calendaring for a resource
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment

Abstract

A system and method for creating, scheduling, and managing time slots for installation appointments. Embodiments of the present invention permit a trading partner to offer a customer the ability to schedule installation of cable services on-line. A cable operator maintains an inventory of time slots. One or more time slots from the time slot inventor are offered to a customer based on ordering information received from the customer. A customer selects a time slot from the one or more offered time slots. A cable operator then assigns an installation appointment to the customer within the time slot selected by the customer. A cable operator may also determine the status of the inventory of time slots (e.g., time slots allocated, time slots consumed, and time slots available) for a system, a location, or a trading partner.

Claims

1. A method for scheduling installation of services offered by a service provider comprising:

establishing a time slot inventory, wherein the time slot inventory comprises a plurality of time slots each comprising a plurality of available installation appointments for installation of a service;

establishing an alert trigger for, each of the plurality of time slots by a time slot management system, wherein the alert trigger is selected from the group consisting of a condition indicative of an under utilization of the plurality of available installation appointments and a condition indicative of an over utilization of the available installation appointments;

receiving via an order interface ordering information and order qualifying information from a prospective customer, wherein the ordering information comprises a request for installation of the service and wherein the order qualifying information comprises information relating to the state of the installation location;

qualifying the request for installation of the service for scheduling by the time slot management system;

when the requested service qualifies for scheduling, using the time slot management system for;

selecting from the time slot inventory at least one available time slot for installation of the service, wherein the at least one available time slot is selected based on the ordering information;

displaying to the prospective customer an offer comprising the at least one available time slot via the order interface; and

receiving from the prospective customer via the order interface a confirmation, wherein the confirmation comprises selection of a particular time slot of the at least one available time slot by the prospective customer;

scheduling the installation within the selected time slot;

displaying the selected time slot to the prospective customer;

determining whether the condition of the alert trigger established for each of the plurality of time slots is satisfied by the time slot management system; and

issuing an alert message when the utilization of the plurality of available installation appointments satisfies the condition of the alert trigger for any one of the plurality of time slots.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the condition is satisfied by the time slot management system comprises determining by the time slot management system that a number of available installation appointments is less than or equal to a threshold determined over a time period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of installation appointments is associated with a time and date, and wherein determining whether the condition is satisfied by the time slot management system comprises determining by the time slot management system that a next available installation appointment is more than a threshold time period after a current date and time.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising acquiring a number of appointments scheduled for each of the plurality of time slots and determining by the time slot management system a percentage utilization for each of the plurality of time slots, wherein the percentage utilization equals the number of scheduled installation appointments for a particular one of the plurality of time slots divided by a maximum number of installation appointments available for that time slot, and wherein determining whether the condition is satisfied by the time slot management system comprises determining by the time slot management system whether the percentage utilization for each of the plurality of time slots exceeds a maximum percentage utilization threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising acquiring a number of appointments scheduled for each of the plurality of time slots and determining by the time slot management system a minimum percentage utilization in a time period for each of the plurality of time slots, wherein the percentage utilization equals the number of scheduled installation appointments for a particular one of the plurality of time slots divided by a maximum number of installation appointments available for that time slot and wherein determining whether the condition is satisfied by the time slot management system comprises determining by the time slot management system whether the percentage utilization for each of the plurality of time slots is less than a minimum percentage utilization threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert message is an e-mail message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the service is selected from the group consisting of high-speed data service, voice over IP service, and video service.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

when the requested service does not qualify for scheduling by the time slot management system, sending to the prospective customer a notice via the order interface that the requested service does not qualify for scheduling by the time slot management system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the order interface is an online interface.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the ordering information comprises customer'"'"'s name, address, contact number, and payment information.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving service availability information;

determining from the service availability information by the time slot management system whether the service is available to the prospective customer; and

when the service is not available to the prospective customer, then sending to the prospective customer a notice via the order interface that the requested service is not available.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein service availability information is selected from the group consisting of a zip code and a street address.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the service is a cable service, wherein the order qualifying information comprises affirmative responses to questions directed to whether the prospective customer lives in a house, whether the house is wired for the cable service, and whether a cable outlet is within a threshold distance of a computer.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the time slot inventory comprises a common slot pool and a reserved slot pool, and wherein selecting the offered time slot from the time slot inventory based on the ordering information comprises:

determining from the ordering information by the time slot management system whether the prospective customer is entitled to a time slot held in the reserved slot pool; and

selecting the time slot from the reserve slot pool by the time slot management system when the prospective customer is entitled to the time slot held in the reserve slot pool.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the service provider comprises organizational units and the reserved slot pool is associated with an organizational unit, and wherein the ordering information associates the prospective customer with the organizational unit.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the service provider offers services of trading partners and the reserved slot pool is associated with a trading partner unit, and wherein the ordering information associates the prospective customer with the trading partner.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the reserved slot pool comprises time slots grouped by time periods.