Method and system of intelligent matching for meetings

• US 8,620,712 B1
• Filed: 01/26/2007
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Mori, Kenichi, Goode, Cathy C., Cheng, Vincent, Saik, Barrett D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Alan S
• Application Number:
  US11/698,595
• Time in Patent Office: 2,531 Days
• Field of Search: 705 711- 742
• US Class Current: 705/7.19
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method of scheduling at least one meeting for a consumer involves matching the consumer to a first professional of a plurality of professionals based on information associated with the consumer and the plurality of professionals, where the first professional is qualified to provide service to the consumer, scheduling a first meeting between the consumer and the first professional, and notifying the consumer and the first professional about the first meeting using information associated with the first meeting.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for tax preparation assistance, comprising:

identifying a tax form of a consumer within a tax preparation application;

receiving, from the consumer, a request for help in completing a plurality of fields on the tax form directed towards a tax topic, wherein the request for help comprises a plurality of priorities comprising an experience priority, a current workload priority, and a fee schedule priority;

calculating, based on the tax topic, an estimated meeting duration;

identifying a plurality of tax preparation professionals specializing in the tax topic;

identifying, for a first tax preparation professional of the plurality of tax preparation professionals, a plurality of professional information comprising an experience level, a current workload, and a fee schedule;

generating, for the first tax preparation professional, a matching value based on a mathematical function of the plurality of priorities and the plurality of professional information;

matching, by a hardware processor, the first tax preparation professional to the consumer based on the matching value;

scheduling, after matching the first tax preparation professional to the consumer and based on the estimated meeting duration and an availability of the first tax preparation professional, a first meeting between the consumer and the first tax preparation professional using the hardware processor; and

notifying the consumer and the first tax preparation professional of the first meeting.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, based upon a review of the plurality of fields, instructions from the first tax preparation professional to increase the estimated meeting duration.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein matching the first tax preparation professional to the consumer is further based upon a type of tax return comprising the tax form and a level of complexity associated with the tax form.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein matching the first tax preparation professional to the consumer is further based upon at least one selected from a group consisting of an occupation associated with the consumer, a number of dependants associated with the consumer, an income associated with the consumer, an itemized deduction associated with the consumer, and availability of the consumer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein matching the first tax preparation professional to the consumer is further based upon at least one selected from a group consisting of a skill level of the first tax preparation professional and a history of the first tax preparation professional with the consumer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first meeting is facilitated as at least one selected from a group consisting of a phone meeting, an in person meeting, and a web-based meeting.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tax preparation professional is certified by a regulating agency.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the consumer, feedback regarding the first tax preparation professional based on a service provided during the first meeting.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a list of scheduled meetings for the first tax preparation professional to a manager of the first tax preparation professional.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the matching value comprises:

calculating an experience attribute value based on the experience priority and the experience level;

calculating a current workload attribute value based on the current workload priority and the current workload; and

calculating an fee schedule attribute value based on the fee schedule priority and the fee schedule, wherein the matching value is generated based on a summation of the experience attribute value, the current workload attribute value, and the fee schedule attribute value.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an update to the plurality of professional information;

matching, in response to the update, a second tax preparation professional of the plurality of tax preparation professionals to the consumer;

cancelling the first meeting in response to matching the second tax preparation professional; and

scheduling, based on the estimated meeting duration and an availability of the second tax preparation professional, a second meeting between the consumer and the second tax preparation professional.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein matching the first tax preparation professional to the consumer is further based upon a preference for the first tax preparation professional.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

completing the plurality of fields during the first meeting.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating information associated with the consumer and the first tax preparation professional based on a service provided during the first meeting.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the first tax preparation professional, feedback regarding the consumer following the first meeting.

16. A system for tax preparation assistance, comprising:

a hardware processor;

a scheduler executing on the hardware processor and comprising functionality to;

identify a tax form of a consumer within a tax preparation application,

receive, from the consumer, a request for help in completing a plurality of fields on the tax form directed towards a tax topic, wherein the request for help comprises a plurality of priorities comprising an experience priority, a current workload priority, and a fee schedule priority,

calculate, based on the tax topic, an estimated meeting duration,

identify a plurality of tax preparation professionals specializing in the tax topic,

identify, for a first tax preparation professional of the plurality of tax preparation professionals, a plurality of professional information comprising an experience level, a current workload, and a fee schedule,

generate, for the first tax preparation professional, a matching value based on a mathematical function of the plurality of priorities and the plurality of professional information,

schedule, after matching the first tax preparation professional to the consumer and based on the estimated meeting duration and an availability of the first tax preparation professional, a first meeting between the consumer and the first tax preparation professional, and

notify the consumer and the first tax preparation professional of the first meeting; and

a matcher executing on the hardware processor and comprising functionality to;

match the first tax preparation professional to the consumer based on the matching value.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first meeting is facilitated as at least one selected from a group consisting of a phone meeting, an in person meeting, and a web based meeting.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein generating the matching value comprises:

calculating an experience attribute value based on the experience priority and the experience level;

calculating a current workload attribute value based on the current workload priority and the current workload; and

calculating an fee schedule attribute value based on the fee schedule priority and the fee schedule, wherein the matching value is generated based on a summation of the experience attribute value, the current workload attribute value, and the fee schedule attribute value.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a meeting repository comprising functionality to store information associated with the first meeting.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein matching the first tax preparation professional to the consumer is further based upon a rating associated with the first tax preparation professional.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the scheduler further comprises functionality to:

receive an update to the plurality of professional information;

cancel the first meeting in response to matching a second tax preparation professional of the plurality of tax preparation professionals to the consumer; and

schedule, based on the estimated meeting duration and an availability of the second tax preparation professional, a second meeting between the consumer and the second tax preparation professional; and

wherein the matcher further comprises functionality to match, in response to the update, the second tax preparation professional to the consumer.

22. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a plurality of instructions for tax preparation assistance, the plurality of instructions comprising functionality to:

identify a tax form of a consumer within a tax preparation application;

receive, from the consumer, a request for help in completing a plurality of fields on the tax form directed towards a tax topic, wherein the request for help comprises a plurality of priorities comprising an experience priority a current workload priority, and a fee schedule priority;

calculate, based on the tax topic, an estimated meeting duration;

identify a plurality of tax preparation professionals specializing in the tax topic;

identify, for a first tax preparation professional of the plurality of tax preparation professionals, a plurality of professional information comprising an experience level, a current workload, and a fee schedule;

generate, for the first tax preparation professional, a matching value based on a mathematical function of the plurality of priorities and the plurality of professional information;

match the first tax preparation professional to the consumer tax form based on the matching value;

schedule, after matching the first tax preparation professional to the consumer and based on the estimated meeting duration and an availability of the first tax preparation professional, a first meeting between the consumer and the first tax preparation professional; and

notify the consumer and the first tax preparation professional of the first meeting.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the plurality of instructions further comprise functionality to:

receive, from the consumer, feedback regarding the first tax preparation professional based on a service provided during the first meeting.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the plurality of instructions further comprise functionality to:

provide a list of scheduled meetings for the first tax preparation professional to a manager of the first tax preparation professional.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the first tax preparation professional is certified by a regulating agency.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein matching the first tax preparation professional to the consumer is further based upon a type of tax return and a level of complexity associated with the tax form.

27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein matching the first tax preparation professional to the consumer is further based upon at least one selected from a group consisting of an occupation associated with the consumer, a number of dependants associated with the consumer, an income associated with the consumer, an itemized deduction associated with the consumer, and availability of the consumer.

28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein matching the first tax preparation professional to the consumer is further based upon at least one selected from a group consisting of a skill level of the first tax preparation professional and a history of the first tax preparation professional with the consumer.

29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the first meeting is facilitated as at least one selected from a group consisting of a phone meeting, an in person meeting, and a web-based meeting.

30. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the plurality of instructions further comprise functionality to:

receive, based upon a review of the plurality of fields, instructions from the first tax preparation professional to increase the estimated meeting duration.

31. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein generating the matching value comprises:

calculating an experience attribute value based on the experience priority and the experience level;

calculating a current workload attribute value based on the current workload priority and the current workload; and

calculating an fee schedule attribute value based on the fee schedule priority and the fee schedule, wherein the matching value is generated based on a summation of the experience attribute value, the current workload attribute value, and the fee schedule attribute value.

32. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the plurality of instructions further comprise functionality to:

receive an update to the plurality of professional information;

match, in response to the update, a second tax preparation professional of the plurality of tax preparation professionals to the consumer;

cancel the first meeting in response to matching the second tax preparation professional; and

schedule, based on the estimated meeting duration and an availability of the second tax preparation professional, a second meeting between the consumer and the second tax preparation professional.

33. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the plurality of instructions further comprise functionality to:

update information associated with the consumer and the first tax preparation professional based on a service provided during the first meeting.

34. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein matching the first tax preparation professional to the consumer is further based upon a preference of the consumer for the first tax preparation professional.

35. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the plurality of instructions further comprise functionality to:

receive, from the first tax preparation professional, feedback regarding the consumer following the first meeting.