Method, system and program product for managing a customer request

• US 7,945,041 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Caswell, Nathan S., Putt, Deborah M., Gilley, Jeffrey D., Kightlinger, Drew A.
• Primary Examiner(s): DEANE JR, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US11/140,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20070005536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,181 Days
• Field of Search: 37926501-26514, 37926601-2661, 379/309
• US Class Current: 379/265.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Under the present invention, a request for a composite service is received from a customer. Based on the request, a delivery task list including one or more tasks required to fulfill the request is defined. The tasks are each then assigned to a service provider for performance, and a schedule for their performance is determined. As the tasks are being performed, a tracking a status thereof is tracked. Once the tasks have been completed, the customer is notified, surveyed and/or invoiced.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing a request for a customer, comprising:

receiving the request from the customer at a computer running an application, the request comprising a request for a composite service;

defining, using the application, a delivery task list comprising one or more tasks required to fulfill the request for the composite service, wherein the composite service includes plurality of parameters, at least one of which has been customized by the customer, the parameters including;

available service providers and a quality level;

assigning, using the application, a service provider to perform each of the one or more tasks, at least one service provider having been selected by the customer;

determining, using the application, a schedule for individually performing each of the one or more tasks and sending the schedule to the customer for approval;

tracking, using the application, a status of each of the one or more tasks, wherein any failure to maintain the schedule is classified into one of a plurality of exception levels and allowing the customer to view the status of each of the one or more tasks; and

notifying, using the application, the customer upon completion of the one or more tasks.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the application is a web portal application.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a profile for the customer, wherein the profile includes at least a user identification and a password.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating an order to fulfill the request after the receiving step.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically placing each of the one or more tasks into a queue for the service provider to which the respective task is assigned.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the delivery task list comprises a sequence of tasks, wherein a performance of at least one task in the sequence is dependent upon a completion of a previous task in the sequence, and wherein the at least one task is placed in the queue for the service provider to which it is assigned only upon the completion of the previous task.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein data corresponding to the request, data corresponding to the customer and data corresponding to the service provider are maintained in separate records.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising surveying and invoicing the customer upon completion of all of the one or more tasks in the delivery task list.

9. A system comprising:

at least one computer device configured to implement a method for managing a request for a customer, the method including;

receiving the request from the customer, the request comprising a request for a composite service;

defining a delivery task list comprising one or more tasks required to fulfill the request for the composite service, wherein the composite service includes plurality of parameters, at least one of which has been customized by the customer, the parameters including;

available service providers and a quality level;

assigning a service provider to perform each of the one or more tasks, at least one service provider having been selected by the customer;

determining a schedule for individually performing each of the one or more tasks and sending the schedule to the customer for approval;

tracking a status of each of the one or more tasks, wherein any failure to maintain the schedule is classified into one of a plurality of exception levels and allowing the customer to view the status of each of the one or more tasks; and

notifying the customer upon completion of the one or more tasks.

10. The system of claim 9, the method further comprising creating a profile for the customer, wherein the profile includes at least a user identification and a password.

11. The system of claim 9, the method further comprising comprising creating an order to fulfill the request.

12. The system of claim 9, the method further comprising automatically placing each of the one or more tasks into a queue for the service provider to which the respective task is assigned.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the delivery task list comprises a sequence of tasks, wherein a performance of at least one task in the sequence is dependent upon a completion of a previous task in the sequence, and wherein the at least one task is placed in the queue for the service provider to which it is assigned only upon the completion of the previous task.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein data corresponding to the request, data corresponding to the customer and data corresponding to the service provider are maintained in separate records.

15. The system of claim 9, the method further comprising invoicing the customer upon completion of all of the one or more tasks in the delivery task list.

16. A program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium for managing a request for a customer, the non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program code for causing a computer device to perform the following functions:

receive the request from the customer, the request comprising a request for a composite service;

define a delivery task list comprising one or more tasks required to fulfill the request for the composite service, wherein the composite service includes plurality of parameters, at least one of which has been customized by the customer, the parameters including;

available service providers and a quality level;

assign a service provider to perform each of the one or more tasks, at least one service provider having been selected by the customer;

determine a schedule for individually performing each of the one or more tasks and sending the schedule to the customer for approval;

track a status of each of the one or more tasks, wherein any failure to maintain the schedule is classified into one of a plurality of exception levels and allowing the customer to view the status of each of the one or more tasks; and

notify the customer upon completion of the one or more tasks.

17. The program product of claim 16, wherein the computer usable medium further comprises program code for causing the computer to create a profile for the customer, wherein the profile includes at least a user identification and a password.

18. The program product of claim 16, wherein the computer usable medium further comprises program code for causing the computer to create an order to fulfill the request.

19. The program product of claim 16, wherein the computer usable medium further comprises program code for causing the computer to automatically place each of the one or more tasks into a queue for the service provider to which the respective task is assigned.

20. The program product of claim 19, wherein the delivery task list comprises a sequence of tasks, wherein a performance of at least one task in the sequence is dependent upon a completion of a previous task in the sequence, and wherein the at least one task is placed in the queue for the service provider to which it is assigned only upon the completion of the previous task.

21. The program product of claim 16, wherein data corresponding to the request, data corresponding to the customer and data corresponding to the service provider are maintained in separate records.

22. The program product of claim 16, wherein the computer usable medium further comprises program code for causing the computer to invoice the customer upon completion of all of the one or more tasks in the delivery task list.

23. A method for deploying an application for managing a request for a customer, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure including at least one computer being operable to;

receive the request from the customer, the request comprising a request for a composite service;

define a delivery task list comprising one or more tasks required to fulfill the request for the composite service, wherein the composite service includes plurality of parameters, at least one of which has been customized by the customer, the parameters including;

available service providers and a quality level;

assign a service provider to perform each of the one or more tasks, at least one service provider having been selected by the customer;

determine a schedule for individually performing each of the one or more tasks and sending the schedule to the customer for approval;

track a status of each of the one or more tasks, wherein any failure to maintain the schedule is classified into one of a plurality of exception levels and allowing the customer to view the status of each of the one or more tasks; and

notify the customer upon completion of the one or more tasks.

24. A web portal application embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium for managing a request for a customer, the web portal application comprising instructions to cause a computer device to perform the following functions:

receive the request from the customer, the request comprising a request for a composite service;

define a delivery task list comprising one or more tasks required to fulfill the request for the composite service, wherein the composite service includes plurality of parameters, at least one of which has been customized by the customer, the parameters including;

available service providers and a quality level;

assign a service provider to perform each of the one or more tasks, at least one service provider having been selected by the customer;

determine a schedule for individually performing each of the one or more tasks and sending the schedule to the customer for approval;

track a status of each of the one or more tasks, wherein any failure to maintain the schedule is classified into one of a plurality of exception levels and allowing the customer to view the status of each of the one or more tasks; and

notify the customer upon completion of the one or more tasks.