Method and system for providing maintenance and management services for long-term capital equipment or fixtures by providing a performance warranty

• US 7,249,030 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2001
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tremco Incorporated (RPM International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Tremco Incorporated (RPM International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sopko, Victor III, Buckley, James McMeal
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss; John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FISHER, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US09/935,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20030040924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,160 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/4, 705/8, 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/012 Providing warranty services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for providing maintenance service for long-term capital equipment or fixtures includes the steps of diagnosing existing conditions of the long-term capital equipment or fixtures, providing a warranty on the long-term capital equipment or fixtures in conjunction with a purchase of an initial maintenance service, repairing the long-term capital equipment or fixtures to reach the start-up standard if any of the existing conditions are below the predetermined start-up standard, developing a maintenance schedule according to the predetermined start-up standard and any of existing conditions which are beyond the predetermined start-up standard, and maintaining the long-term capital equipment or fixtures according to the maintenance schedule so as to fulfill the warranty. The providing of the warranty includes transferring from owner to a provider the risk of maintaining performance of the long-term capital equipment or fixtures during a specified time and within a predetermined start-up standard.

Claims

1. A method for a third party provider to guarantee the performance of long-term capital equipment or fixtures of an owner by managing and maintaining all components of the long-term capital equipment or fixtures for a specified period of time so as to allow the owner to better plan and prioritize limited budget resources, comprising the steps of:

(1) diagnosing existing conditions of the long-term capital equipment or fixtures by the provider to determine if any repairs are required to bring the long-term capital equipment or fixtures to a predetermined start-up standard of performance, said predetermined start-up standard of performance being negotiated between the owner and the provider;

(2) repairing the long-term capital equipment or fixtures by the provider to reach the start-up standard if any of the existing conditions are below the predetermined start-up standard;

(3) developing a maintenance schedule by the provider to perform recurrent inspections, preventive maintenance, and housekeeping on the long-term capital equipment or fixtures so as to maintain the long-term capital equipment or fixtures at a standard of performance for a specified period of time, said standard of performance being negotiated between the owner and the provider and set to within industry acceptable parameters; and

(4) providing a warranty by the provider on the long-term capital equipment or fixtures in conjunction with the purchase by the owner of performance of the (1)–

(3) steps, said providing of the warranty including transferring from the owner to the provider the technical and financial risk including costs associated with managing and maintaining all components of the long-term capital equipment or fixtures within the standard of performance during the specified period of time.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the diagnosing step further comprising a step of inspecting at least one site where the long-term capital equipment or fixtures are located.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the diagnosing step further comprising a step of interviewing at least one owner or manager of the long-term capital equipment or fixtures.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of generating a report on results of the diagnosing step.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of inputting and analyzing results of the diagnosing step.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising a step of providing recommendations for any necessary repairs and cost estimates.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the maintaining step further comprising a step of inspecting the long-term capital equipment or fixtures according to the maintenance schedule so as to adjust the maintenance schedule.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the maintaining step further comprises a step of inputting results of the inspection step executed according to the maintenance schedule.

9. A computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the risk includes transferring 100% of the risk from the owner to the provider.

10. A computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the risk includes transferring 100% of the risk, except for unauthorized changes, abuse to the structure and acts of God from the owner to the provider.