Method and apparatus for facilitating customer service for a parking facility

• US 6,924,749 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Issued: 08/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interpark LLC
• Original Assignee: General Electric Capital Corporation (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Nelson, David, Tracy, Walt
• Primary Examiner(s): Stone, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US10/423,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20040213399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 705/9, 705/13, 379/265.01, 379/265.05
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing

Abstract

A system, method, apparatus, means, and computer program code for facilitating customer service for a parking facility. A parking facility may include one or more garage stations, such as an entry system, exit system, pay station, camera, telephone or other communication device, etc. The garage stations may be in communication directly or indirectly with a call center to report alerts, indicate malfunctions or other problems, or provide other messages. In addition, a customer at the parking facility may use a telephone or other communication device to initiate communication with the call center in order to ask a question, report a problem, etc. The call center may route information regarding an event at a parking facility to an agent station associated with an agent assigned or otherwise selected to respond to the event.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating customer service for a parking facility, comprising:

receiving data indicative of an event at a parking facility;

determining an agent to associate with said event;

assigning said event to said agent; and

providing data indicative of said event to a device associated with said agent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said data indicative of an event at a parking facility includes at least one of the following:

an identifier associated with said parking facility;

an identifier associated with a garage station at said parking facility; and

a telephone number associated with a telephone call made from said parking facility.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving data indicative of an event at a parking facility includes receiving said data from a garage station at said parking facility.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving data indicative of an event at a parking facility includes receiving said data from a device located at said parking facility.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an agent station associated with said agent.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a location of said parking facility.

7. The method of claim 1,

determining a garage station associated with said event.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

facilitating communication between said agent station and a garage station located at said parking facility.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining said agent includes determining a location associated with said event.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said data is received via a telephone call.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a telephone number associated with said telephone call.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving data indicative of an event at a parking facility includes receiving data indicative of a telephone number for a telephone located at said parking facility.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving data indicative of an event at a parking facility includes receiving data indicative of a communication device located at said parking facility.

14. A method for facilitating customer service for a parking facility, comprising:

receiving data indicative of an event at a parking facility;

determining said parking facility;

determining an agent to handle said event;

assigning said event to said agent; and

providing data indicative of said event to a device associated with said agent.

15. A system for facilitating customer service for a parking facility, comprising:

at least one agent station; and

a call center device in communication with at least one garage station at a parking facility and said at least one agent station, said call center device adapted to receive data indicative of an event at said parking facility, to determine an agent to associate with said event, to assign said event to an agent, and to provide data indicative of said event to an agent station associated with said agent.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said at least one agent station includes an application adapted to receive a video signal associated with said event.

17. The system of claim 15, where said at least one agent station includes an application adapted to request permission to control a garage station associated with said event.

18. The system of claim 15, where said at least one agent station includes an application adapted to provide data to a garage station associated with said event.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a revenue management system in communication with said at least one agent station.

20. A system for facilitating customer service for a parking facility, comprising:

a memory;

a communication port; and

a processor connected to said memory and said communication port, said processor being operative to;

receive data indicative of an event at a parking facility;

determine an agent to associate with said event;

assign said event to said agent; and

provide data indicative of said event to a device associated with said agent.

21. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for facilitating customer service for a parking facility, comprising:

instructions for obtaining data indicative of an event at a parking facility;

instructions for determining an agent to associate with said event

instructions for associating said event with said agent; and

instructions for sending data indicative of said event to a device associated with said agent.