System and method for facilitating sales utilizing customer relationship management technology

• US 7,708,202 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Reflexis Systems, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Hawkins, Stan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Seung H
• Application Number:
  US11/324,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20070152041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,586 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/385, 235/472.01, 235/472.02
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0271 Personalized advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting

Abstract

A system and method of providing relevant sales context information that would enable vendors to reduce cost of operations, increase productivity of their mobile sales forces, and drive improved efficiencies throughout. Mobile sales force representatives can utilize a handheld computing device for reviewing relevant customer sales information prior to a sales visit; for training and other purposes during a sales visit; and inputting new customer sales information during or after a sales visit, which can then be uploaded to a server over a wireless network for future use. The handheld device can communicate with a server to download the customer information onto the handheld device and to upload from the handheld device current customer information data obtained from a customers sales visit to a server. The server can transmit the current customer information data to multiple sales force representatives who can utilize that information in the sales environment.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating sales comprising the steps of:

preparing a plurality of files with a middleware server that have not been previously received by a handheld device in advance of receiving a synchronization request from the handheld device;

receiving at the middleware server a synchronization request from the handheld device containing a unique identifier for customer information on the handheld device;

receiving a file index from the handheld device at the middleware server;

comparing the file index to a file list at the middleware server;

transmitting a plurality of files from the handheld device that have not been previously received by the middleware server via a wireless network; and

transmitting a plurality of files associated with the unique identifier from the middleware server to the handheld device via a wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the matching records on the handheld device; and

receiving current customer information with the handheld device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a synchronization request further comprises associating the unique identifier with at least one database.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of displaying the matching records on the handheld device further comprises:

formatting the records into predetermined categories;

receiving a selection of a category by a user of the handheld device; and

displaying a next level of information associated with the category.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of receiving current customer information with the handheld device further comprises:

formatting the current customer information with the handheld; and

storing the current customer information with the handheld.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether a wireless connection with the network is available.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting a plurality of files from the handheld device that have not been previously received by the middleware server further comprises:

formatting the plurality of files into a readable format at the middleware server;

sending the plurality of files to a database via a file transfer protocol server; and

updating the file list maintained by the middleware server.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the current customer information to a plurality of handheld devices via a wireless network.

9. A system for facilitating sales comprising:

a wireless network;

a handheld device operable for transmitting a synchronization request containing a unique identifier for customer information, operable for receiving a plurality of first files associated with the unique identifier for customer information via a wireless network, and operable for a transmitting a plurality of second files that have not been previously received by a middleware server from the handheld device to the middleware server via a wireless network;

the middleware server coupled to the wireless network and operable for preparing the first files in advance of receiving the synchronization request from the handheld device, receiving the second files from the handheld device that have not been previously received by the middleware server via a wireless network, and transmitting to the handheld device the first files associated with the unique identifier for customer information via a wireless network; and

a file transfer protocol server coupled to the wireless network and operable for receiving current customer information from the server, and for storing current customer information in a database.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the handheld device is further operable for displaying the matching records, and operable for receiving current customer information from a user.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the handheld device is further operable for formatting the records into predetermined categories, receiving a selection of a category by a user of the handheld device, and displaying a next level of information associated with the category.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the handheld device is further operable for determining whether a wireless connection with the network is available.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the handheld device is further operable for formatting the current customer information with the handheld, and storing the current customer information with the handheld.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the middleware server is further operable for formatting the second files into a readable format at the middleware server, sending the second files to a database via the file transfer protocol server, and updating the file list maintained by the middleware server.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the middleware server is further operable for transmitting the current customer information to a plurality of handheld devices via a wireless network.

16. A method for facilitating sales with a handheld device comprising the steps of:

pre-staging a set of files with a middleware server that have not been previously received by a handheld device in advance of receiving a synchronization request from the handheld device, the pre-staging comprising reviewing unique identifiers associated with the handheld device based on at least one of geography and a classification of a user of the handheld device;

receiving at the middleware server a synchronization request from the handheld device containing a unique identifier for customer information on the handheld device;

receiving a file index from the handheld device at the middleware server;

comparing the file index to a file list at the middleware server; and

transmitting the set of files associated with the unique identifier from the middleware server to the handheld device via a wireless network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the set of files is a first set of files, the method further comprising transmitting a second set of files from the handheld device that have not been previously received by the middleware server via a wireless network.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising formatting the second set of files into a readable format with the middleware server, sending the second set of files to a database via the file transfer protocol server, and updating a file list with the middleware server.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising transmitting current customer information to a plurality of handheld devices with the middleware server via a wireless network.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising formatting the current customer information with the handheld, and storing the current customer information with the handheld.