Communication interface for a financial modeling and counseling system

• US 7,315,837 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2001
• Issued: 01/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture LLP (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Sloan, Ronald E., Slutsky, Stephen B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garg; Yogesh C.
• Application Number:
  US09/929,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20020091607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,332 Days
• Field of Search: 705/36.R, 705/26, 705/8, 705/35, 705/36, 345/854, 434/350, 706/45, 707/2, 709/246, 704/235, 713/166
• US Class Current: 705/36.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and a computer system for providing a communication medium over a network for financial modeling and counseling. The system includes financial modeling using a profile of a user and provides automated customized financial coaching directly to the user in a web-based environment. The financial coaching is based on the financial modeling and the profile and includes suggestions for changes to the user'"'"'s current financial portfolio. The suggestions are presented in a natural language format and include financial products and recommended securities for the user to purchase. The financial advisor may provide live financial coaching such that the user is assisted in achieving financial goals and optimizing long-term goals.

Claims

1. A method for providing a communication medium over a wide area network, including the Internet, for the primary purpose of providing a financial modeling and counseling system comprising:

providing financial modeling, wherein the financial modeling includes a profile of a user;

directly providing to the user automated customized financial coaching in a web-based environment based on the financial modeling and reflecting the profile, wherein the customized financial coaching includes suggestions for changes to a current financial portfolio of the user, wherein the suggestions are presented in a natural language format, and wherein the suggestions include financial products and recommended securities for the user to purchase;

displaying to the user a plurality of communication options with a live financial advisor in said web-based environment;

enabling a communication medium between said user and the live financial advisor based on the user selected communication option whereby said live financial advisor provides live financial coaching such that said user is assisted in achieving financial goals and optimizing long-term goals;

establishing a communication between said user and said live financial advisor transmitting streaming live video or still video clips upon the user'"'"'s selection;

establishing a plurality of service levels such that each of the service levels includes a unique combination of type of financial modeling, type of financial coaching, and amount of communication between the user and the live financial advisor; and

selecting one of the plurality of service levels to determine the type of financial modeling, type of financial coaching, and amount of communication between the user and the live financial advisor available to the user in the financial modeling and counseling system.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

establishing an electronic mail communication between said user and said live financial advisor utilizing the Internet upon said user'"'"'s selection of the electronic mail option.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

establishing an online chat communication between said user and said live financial advisor utilizing the Internet upon the user'"'"'s selection of the online chat option.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

establishing a voice communication between said user and said live financial advisor transmitting streaming live audio using said Internet upon the user'"'"'s selection of the voice option.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

establishing a voice communication between said user and said live financial advisor using the telephone and utilizing the Internet upon the user'"'"'s selection of the talk option.

6. A communication system over a wide area network, including the Internet, for the primary purpose of providing a financial modeling and counseling system comprising:

an automated coaching engine providing financial coaching and financial modeling directly to a user in a web-based environment coupled to the Internet, wherein the financial coaching is based on the financial modeling, wherein the financial coaching includes suggestions for changes to a current financial portfolio of the user, wherein the suggestions are presented in a natural language format, and wherein the suggestions include financial products and recommended securities for the user to purchase;

a web server providing a variety of communication options the user, coupled to the Internet;

a communication center coupled to the Internet, enabling said user to communicate with a live financial advisor using a communication medium selected by the user whereby said live financial advisor provides financial coaching such that said user is assisted in achieving financial goals and optimizing long-term goals;

a communication means between said user and said live financial advisor transmitting streaming live video or still video clips upon the users selection; and

a service level agreement establishing a plurality of service levels such that each of the service levels includes a unique combination of type of financial modeling, type of financial coaching, and amount of communication between the user and the live financial advisor selecting one of the plurality of service levels to determine the type of financial modeling, type of financial coaching, and amount of communication between the user and the live financial advisor available to the user in the financial modeling and counseling system.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising an electronic mail server coupled to the Internet providing electronic mail communication between the user and the live financial advisor, upon the user'"'"'s selection of said electronic mail option.

8. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

an electronic chat server coupled to the Internet providing live electronic chat between said user and said live financial advisor upon the user'"'"'s selection of said chat option.

9. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

a communication center coupled to said wide area network providing live voice communication over the Internet between the user and the live financial advisor upon the user'"'"'s selection of said voice option.

10. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

a communication center coupled to the Internet providing live voice communication between said user and said live financial advisor upon the user using a stand alone telephone.

11. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

a user interface coupled to the Internet providing a collaborative medium for sharing data between said user and said live financial advisor upon the selection of a communication option.

12. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for providing a communication medium over a wide area network, including the Internet, for the primary purpose of providing a financial modeling and counseling system comprising:

code segment providing financial modeling, wherein the financial modeling includes a profile of a user;

code segment providing directly to the user customized automated financial coaching in a web-based environment based on the financial modeling and reflecting the profile, wherein the customized financial coaching includes suggestions for changes to a current financial portfolio of the user, wherein the suggestions are presented in a natural language format, and wherein the suggestions include financial products and recommended securities for the user to purchase;

code segment displaying to the user a plurality of communication options with a live financial advisor in the web-based environment;

code segment enabling a communication medium between said user and the live financial advisor based on the user selected communication option whereby said live financial advisor provides live financial coaching whereby said user is assisted in achieving financial goals and optimizing long-term goals;

code segment establishing communication between said user and said live financial advisor transmitting streaming live video or still video clips upon the user'"'"'s selection;

code segment establishing a plurality of service levels such that each of the service levels includes a unique combination of type of financial modeling, type of financial coaching, and amount of communication between the user and the live financial advisor; and

code segment selecting on of the plurality of service levels to determine the type of financial modeling, type of financial coaching, and amount of communication between the user and the live financial advisor available to the user in the financial modeling and counseling system.

13. The computer program embodied on a computer readable medium of claim 12 further comprising code segment establishing a voice communication between said user and said live financial advisor transmitting streaming live audio using the Internet upon the user'"'"'s selection of the voice option.

14. The computer program embodied on a computer readable medium of claim 12 further comprising code segment establishing a voice communication between said user and said live financial advisor using the telephone an utilizing the network upon the user'"'"'s selection of the talk option.

15. The computer program embodied on a computer readable medium of claim 12 further comprising code segment providing a collaborative medium for sharing data between said user and said live financial advisor upon the selection of a communication option.