Customer information system

• US 20060029107A1
• Filed: 04/28/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yardi Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: OC Concepts, Inc.
• Inventors: Goldberg, Richard, McCullough, William, Maguire, Brian, Goldberg, Marla, Maguire, Karen
• Granted Patent: US 7,684,550 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/527
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8066 According to the number of recipients
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/08 Indicating faults in circuits or apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5235 Dependent on call type or called number [DNIS]

Abstract

A system is provided for managing incoming communications placed in response to advertising, online content, and/or special service numbers. Information extracted from incoming communications can be received by a system server and cross-referenced with a database to obtain cross-referenced customer information pertaining to previous customer communications in the form of online communications, telephone calls, and/or in person customer meetings. The cross-referenced customer information can be passed to a client workstation and displayed to the user in the form of an industry-specific template formatted in accordance with the business needs of the user. The template can be automatically populated with the cross-referenced customer information. The user can view and update the customer information, thereby maintaining a retrievable record of the communication. With regard to the multi-housing industry in particular, customer information can be displayed in the form of a guest card template and/or a service card template.

Claims

1. A system for managing customer information, comprising:

a database configured to store customer information;

a system server in communication with said database, wherein said system server is configured to;

receive information extracted from an incoming communication, and

cross-reference said extracted information with said customer information of said database to obtain cross-referenced customer information; and

a client workstation in communication with said system server, wherein said client workstation is configured to;

display a list of incoming communications,

receive said cross-referenced information from said system server,

display said cross-referenced information in response to a user'"'"'s selection of a communication in said list,

receive updated customer information input by said user, and

pass said updated customer information to said system server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said system server is further configured to store said updated customer information in said database.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said incoming communications is an electronic communication.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein:

said electronic communication comprises a response to online content.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

said electronic communication is an electronic communication selected from the group consisting of;

an email message; and

a response to an online form of said online content.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said client workstation and said user are located at an office of an advertiser.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said system is adapted for managing customer information for the multi-housing industry.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said client workstation is further configured to;

display advertising source information to said user,

receive updated advertising source information input by said user, and

pass said updated advertising source information to said system server.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said client workstation is further configured to;

display office representatives information to said user,

receive updated office representatives information input by said user, and.

pass said updated office representatives information to said system server.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said system server is further configured to;

generate a report in response to a request received from said client workstation, wherein said report comprises customer information, and

pass said report to said client workstation.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said system server is further configured to;

retrieve a record in response to a request received from said client workstation, wherein said record comprises customer information, and

pass said record to said client workstation.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a computing device for monitoring performance of said system, wherein said computing device is in communication with said system server, wherein said computing device is configured to;

request transaction information from said system server,

receive said transaction information from said system server, and

display said transaction information to a developer.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of client workstations in communication with said system server.

14. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a computing device for monitoring whether each of said client workstations is online, wherein said computing device is in communication with said system server, wherein said computing device is configured to;

request client workstation information from said system server,

receive said client workstation information from said system server, and

display said client workstation information to a developer.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein:

at least a portion of said customer information of said database comprises customer information of a walk-in customer obtained by reading a magnetic card provided by said walk-in customer.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein:

at least a portion of said customer information of said database comprises customer information of an online customer.

17. A method for managing customer information, comprising:

viewing a list of incoming communications;

selecting one of said communications from said list;

viewing previously stored customer information pertaining to said selected communication;

entering additional customer information pertaining to said selected communication; and

saving said additional customer information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

at least one of said incoming communications is an electronic communication.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

said electronic communication comprises a response to online content.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

said electronic communication is an electronic communication selected from the group consisting of;

an email message; and

a response to an online form of said online content.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein:

said method is performed by a user interacting with a client workstation.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein:

said user and said client workstation are located at an office of an advertiser.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein:

at least a portion of said previously stored customer information comprises customer information of a walk-in customer obtained by reading a magnetic card provided by said walk-in customer.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein:

at least a portion of said previously stored customer information comprises customer information of an online customer.

25. A method for processing customer information, comprising:

receiving cross-referenced customer information from a system server;

displaying a list of incoming communications;

displaying said cross-referenced information in response to a user'"'"'s selection of a communication in said list;

receiving updated customer information input by said user; and

passing said updated customer information to said system server.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein:

at least one of said incoming communications is an electronic communication.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein:

said electronic communication comprises a response to online content.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein:

said electronic communication is an electronic communication selected from the group consisting of;

an email message; and

a response to an online form of said online content.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein:

said method is performed by a client workstation of a customer information system.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein said second displaying step further comprises:

automatically populating a template with said cross-referenced information.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein:

said cross-referenced information is displayed to said user in a guest card format.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein:

said cross-referenced information is displayed to said user in a service card format.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein:

at least a portion of said cross-referenced information comprises customer information of a walk-in customer obtained by reading a magnetic card provided by said walk-in customer.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein:

at least a portion of said cross-referenced information comprises customer information of an online customer.

35. A method for processing customer information, comprising:

receiving information extracted from an incoming communication;

cross-referencing said extracted information with customer information of a database to obtain cross-referenced customer information;

sending said cross-referenced customer information to a client workstation;

receiving updated customer information from said client workstation; and

storing said updated customer information in said database.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein:

at least one of said incoming communications is an electronic communication.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein:

said electronic communication comprises a response to online content.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein:

said electronic communication is an electronic communication selected from the group consisting of;

an email message; and

a response to an online form of said online content.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein:

said method is performed by a system server of a customer information system.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein:

at least a portion of said cross-referenced information comprises customer information of a walk-in customer obtained by reading a magnetic card provided by said walk-in customer.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein:

at least a portion of said cross-referenced information comprises customer information of an online customer.

42. A method for displaying customer information, comprising:

receiving customer information input by a user;

receiving cross-referenced information;

automatically populating a template with said cross-referenced information;

displaying said template to said user.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein:

at least a portion of said cross-referenced information comprises customer information of a walk-in customer obtained by reading a magnetic card provided by said walk-in customer.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein:

at least a portion of said cross-referenced information comprises customer information of an online customer.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein:

said method is performed by a client workstation of a customer information system.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein:

said template is a guest card template.

47. The method of claim 42, wherein:

said template is a service card template.

48. A method for managing customer information, comprising:

receiving customer information;

passing said customer information to a system server;

receiving cross-referenced information from said system server;

automatically populating a template with said cross-referenced information;

displaying said template to a user;

receiving updated customer information input by said user; and

passing said updated customer information to said system server.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein:

said customer information is customer information of an online customer.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein:

said customer information is customer information of a walk-in customer obtained by reading a magnetic card provided by said walk-in customer.

51. The method of claim 48, wherein:

said method is performed by a client workstation of a customer information system.