Systems and methods for providing leads and appointments

• US 9,471,949 B1
• Filed: 01/27/2016
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Educationdynamics LLC (Bank of Montreal)
• Original Assignee: Educationdynamics LLC (Bank of Montreal)
• Inventors: Milian, Roberto, Capezzali, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Perveen, Rehana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khong, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US15/008,198
• Time in Patent Office: 265 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/2053 Education institution selection, admissions, or financial aid
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/12 different stations being capable of presenting different information simultaneously G09B5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

Methods disclosed for lead generation relate to matching prospective applicants with educational institutions. Prospective applicants provide personal information and educational background information which are used to find matching educational institutions. Methods include enhancing connections between education institutions and prospective applicants by setting up mutually agree appointments. Systems and apparatuses are also disclosed to implement the disclosed methods.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) receiving, at one or more computers from a requestor device, a request for one or more educational institution matches;

(b) obtaining, at the one or more computers via an interface, user information associated with a user of the requestor device, the user information comprising;

(1) user identification data including information identifying the user;

(2) demographic data including information identifying demographic data related to the user;

(3) location data including information indicating one or more addresses associated with the user;

(4) education data including information indicating educational background of the user;

(5) education preference data including information indicating educational preferences for the user; and

(6) contact data including information indicating contact information for the user;

(c) accessing, by the one or more computers, one or more electronic databases stored on one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media and operatively connected to the one or more computers, the one or more databases comprising information for a plurality of educational institutions, including for the respective institutions;

(1) user educational identification data including information identifying the user;

(2) education location data including information identifying one or more locations associated with the respective educational institution;

(3) education program data including information related to education programs associated with the respective educational institution;

(4) education requirements data including information indicating admission requirements and admission preferences for respective educational institution;

(5) representative data including information indicating representatives for the respective educational institution; and

(6) appointment data including information indicating scheduled and available times;

(d) determining, by the one or more computers, based at least in part on the obtained user information, one or more educational institutions as matches;

(e) providing, by the one or more computers, the one or more education institution matches as selectable options to the requestor device via the interface;

(f) transmitting, by the one or more computers to one or more computers associated with each of the matched educational institutions, a notification to each of the educational institution matches, the notification including a message indicating that the educational institution matches a prospect;

(g) obtaining, at the one or more computers from the requestor device via the interface, a selection of an educational institution;

(h) determining, by the one or more computers, one or more available appointment times for the selected educational institution;

(i) determining, at the one or more computers, whether an appointment time has been selected from the one or more available appointment times for the selected educational institution;

(j) upon the condition that an appointment time has not been selected;

(1) obtaining, at the one or more computers from the requestor device via the interface, a request to communicate with the selected educational institution;

(2) determining, by the one or more computers, a contact of the selected educational institution;

(3) providing, by the one or more computers, connection between the requestor device and the contact of the selected educational institution;

(k) upon the condition that an appointment time has been selected;

(1) transmitting, by the one or more computers to one or more computers associated with the selected educational institution, a confirmation-seeking message requesting confirmation of the selected appointment time with a designated representative of the selected educational institution;

(2) obtaining, at the one or more computers, a message indicating confirmation of the appointment time by selected educational institution with a designated representative;

(3) transmitting, by the one or more computers, a confirmation message to the requestor device confirming the date, time, location;

(4) transmitting, by the one or more computers to the requestor device via the interface, directions to the selected educational institution; and

(5) transmitting, by the one or more computers, a request to a third party service to cause a map illustrating the directions to be displayed on the interface on the requestor device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing connection comprises connecting the requestor device with the contact of the selected educational institution via at least one of the following:

text message, instant message, phone call and video chat.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(l) transmitting, by the one or more computer'"'"'s to the requestor device, a reminder notification regarding the confirmed appointment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtained user'"'"'s education data comprises at least one of a high school, college, or postgraduate school attendance dates.

5. The method of claim 1, the education data further comprises one or more degrees completed by the user to the extent they exist.

6. The method of claim 4, the education data further comprises the user'"'"'s grade point average in at least one of high school, college, or postgraduate school.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the provided matches is a sponsored match.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(m) generating, by the one or more computers, a report that includes data associated with user information associated with one or more users that have selected the educational institution.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

(n) providing, by the one or more computers, the report to the selected educational facility.

10. A system comprising:

one or more data processing apparatus; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium coupled to the one or more data processing apparatus having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the one or more data processing apparatus, cause the one or more data processing apparatus to perform a method comprising;

(a) receiving, at one or more computers from a requestor device, a request for one or more educational institution matches;

(b) obtaining, at the one or more computers via an interface, user information associated with a user of the requestor device, the user information comprising;

(1) user identification data including information identifying the user;

(2) demographic data including information identifying demographic data related to the user;

(3) location data including information indicating one or more addresses associated with the user;

(4) education data including information indicating educational background of the user;

(5) education preference data including information indicating educational preferences for the user; and

(6) contact data including information indicating contact information for the user;

(c) accessing, by the one or more computers, one or more electronic databases stored on one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media and operatively connected to the one or more computers, the one or more databases comprising information for a plurality of educational institutions, including for the respective institutions;

(1) user educational identification data including information identifying the user;

(2) education location data including information identifying one or more locations associated with the respective educational institution;

(3) education program data including information related to education programs associated with the respective educational institution;

(4) education requirements data including information indicating admission requirements and admission preferences for respective educational institution;

(5) representative data including information indicating representatives for the respective educational institution; and

(6) appointment data including information indicating scheduled and available times;

(d) determining, by the one or more computers, based at least in part on the obtained user information, one or more educational institutions as matches;

(e) providing, by the one or more computers, the one or more education institution matches as selectable options to the requestor device via the interface;

(f) transmitting, by the one or more computers to one or more computers associated with each of the matched educational institutions, a notification to each of the educational institution matches, the notification including a message indicating that the educational institution matches a prospect;

(g) obtaining, at the one or more computers from the requestor device via the interface, a selection of an educational institution;

(h) determining, by the one or more computers, one or more available appointment times for the selected educational institution;

(i) determining, at the one or more computers, whether an appointment time has been selected from the one or more available appointment times for the selected educational institution;

(j) upon the condition that an appointment time has not been selected;

(1) obtaining, at the one or more computers from the requestor device via the interface, a request to communicate with the selected educational institution;

(2) determining, by the one or more computers, a contact of the selected educational institution;

(3) providing, by the one or more computers, connection between the requestor device and the contact of the selected educational institution;

(k) upon the condition that an appointment time has been selected;

(1) transmitting, by the one or more computers to one or more computers associated with the selected educational institution, a confirmation-seeking message requesting confirmation of the selected appointment time with a designated representative of the selected educational institution;

(2) obtaining, at the one or more computers, a message indicating confirmation of the appointment time by selected educational institution with a designated representative;

(3) transmitting, by the one or more computers, a confirmation message to the requestor device confirming the date, time, location;

(4) transmitting, by the one or more computers to the requestor device via the interface, directions to the selected educational institution; and

(5) transmitting, by the one or more computers, a request to a third party service to cause a map illustrating the directions to be displayed on the interface on the requestor device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of providing connection comprises connecting the requestor device with the contact of the selected educational institution via at least one of the following:

text message, instant message, phone call and video chat.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

(l) transmitting, by the one or more computer'"'"'s to the requestor device, a reminder notification regarding the confirmed appointment.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the obtained user'"'"'s education data comprises at least one of a high school, college, or postgraduate school attendance dates.

14. The method of claim 10, the education data further comprises one or more degrees completed by the user to the extent they exist.

15. The method of claim 13, the education data further comprises the user'"'"'s grade point average in at least one of high school, college, or postgraduate school.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the provided matches is a sponsored match.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

(m) generating, by the one or more computers, a report that includes data associated with user information associated with one or more users that have selected the educational institution.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

(n) providing, by the one or more computers, the report to the selected educational facility.