Accessible service provider clearinghouse

• US 7,401,025 B1
• Filed: 02/15/2000
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sheila Lokitz
• Original Assignee: Elliott Lokitz
• Inventors: Lokitz, Elliott
• Primary Examiner(s): Borissov; Igor N
• Application Number:
  US09/503,912
• Time in Patent Office: 3,073 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705 26- 28, 705/4, 705/5, 705/7, 705/8, 705/9, 705/10, 705/11, 705/12, 705/14, 705/29, 705/35, 705/36, 705/37, 705/39, 705/40, 705/44, 705/500
• US Class Current: 705/346
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting

Abstract

A service that maintains a minimum criteria level for service providers to be listed and available for public access. It can list not only the service provider'"'"'s credentials and insurance support (with monitored expiration dates), but may also provide a current up-to-date rating system by the users themselves, as to the satisfaction level of the quality and reliability of the work performed. It can also offer a double-check of the credentials by customer verification input. Furthermore, the example service can be easily accessible by the general public (for individual or business use) on the Internet, or by printed text directories sold direct or in bookstores.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating contact between consumers and service providers by providing a central clearinghouse of service provider performance information that offers insights into at least one of service provider qualifications, service provider reliability and/or service provider quality of workmanship, said central clearinghouse being easily accessible by consumers, said method being performed at least in part by a computer operated by a third party online listing service, said method comprising:

maintaining listings of service providers in a database;

imposing minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria specified by said third party online listing service for service provider listings to be qualified and acceptable for listing and available to consumers;

allowing consumers to remotely access and search said qualified service provider listings online over a data communications network; and

presenting information concerning listed service providers in response to searches said consumers perform to search for and display qualified listings; and

receiving recommendations from consumers for listing additional service providers in said database, and in response to received recommendations, automatically generating communications to said recommended service providers, said communications comprising an invitation to apply for listing, said generating including at least one of (a) generating an electronic application form on a website and sending email with an invitation to complete said electronic application form, and (b) generating at least one application form and delivering said at least one application form to said recommended service providers,

wherein said maintaining listings includes qualifying service providers for initial listing and continually re-qualifying service providers, at least in part by an automatic computer process, for continued listing.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein said maintaining listings includes compiling profile information concerning said service providers, and at least one of organizing and indexing said listings within said database by at least one of trade and location.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein said qualifying and automatically continually requalifying is further based on at least one of the following:

consumer experience references/ratings,

meeting licensing requirements,

insurance coverage, and

duration of business.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein said presenting includes conditioning display of listed service providers based on whether qualification information for said service providers exceeds said minimum predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein said presenting includes preliminarily requiring said consumers to sign on to a web site using an associated individual profile, and then presenting said information by transmitting messages containing said information over said data communication network.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein said presenting includes allowing consumers to access said information through a web site.

7. A method as in claim 6 wherein said access is on a pay per use basis.

8. A method as in claim 6 wherein said access is on a subscription basis.

9. A method as in claim 1 wherein said presenting includes allowing said consumers to search for a qualified service provider in geographical proximity to the consumer.

10. A method as in claim 1 wherein said presenting includes cross-referencing at least one consumer trade request and zip code with service provider information stored in said database.

11. A method as in claim 1 wherein said presenting includes allowing at least one consumer to search said database for a specific service provider by name or other identification.

12. A method as in claim 1 further including allowing consumers to input an individual experience rating for a service provider, storing said individual experience rating into said database, and using said individual experience rating to determine acceptability of at least one of initial and continued listing of said service provider.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said using step includes automatically delisting service providers based at least in part on said consumer input.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said using includes delaying initial listing of said service providers until after receipt of at least some favorable consumer input.

15. A method as in claim 1 wherein said presenting includes printing a directory for said consumers.

16. The method of claim 1 further including requiring at least one favorable consumer experience reference as a condition to list each service provider.

17. The method of claim 1 further including automatically delisting service providers who fail to continue to meet the imposed minimum mandatory predetermined criteria.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein said requalifying includes continually rescoring the qualifications and listing eligibility of said service providers.

19. The method of claim 1 further including actively addressing any service provider that has failed to continue to meet the imposed minimum mandatory predetermined criteria.

20. The method of claim 1 further including automatically and continually monitoring and addressing time dependent qualification criteria, licensing and insurance criteria, including expiration dates, related to said service providers.

21. The method of claim 1 further including displaying listing rules for service providers and said imposed minimum mandatory predetermined criteria to consumers.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein said maintaining listings step includes qualifying service providers based on at least two of the following imposed minimum mandatory predetermined criteria:

consumer experience references, meeting licensing requirements, insurance coverage, and duration of business.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein said maintaining listings comprises receiving a listing application from a service provider and sending a responsive communication.

24. The method of claim 23 further including initiating a reference request and evaluating a response thereto.

25. The method of claim 23 further including monitoring, scoring and addressing responses to service providers and references.

26. The method of claim 1 further including sending an invitation to apply for listing and complete an application.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein said listing includes automatically processing a listing application;

automatically initiating a reference request; and

automatically monitoring, scoring and addressing responses.

28. A method as in claim 1 further comprising using consumer-provided input to determine whether service providers have met said minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria so as to make them qualified and acceptable for initial and/or continued listing.

29. The method of claim 1 further including automatically recognizing and providing notice to a service provider when qualification criteria for said service provider falls below said minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria.

30. A method of facilitating contact between consumers and service providers by providing a central clearinghouse of service provider performance information that offers insights into at least one of service provider qualifications, service provider reliability and service provider quality of workmanship, said central clearinghouse being easily accessible by consumers, said method being performed at least in part by a computer operated by a third party online listing service, said method comprising:

maintaining listings of service providers in a database;

imposing minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria specified by said third party online listing service for service provider listings to be made available to consumers, including using consumer-provided input to determine automatically and on a continual basis whether service providers have met said minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria so as to make them qualified and acceptable for at least one of initial and continued listing;

allowing consumers to remotely access and search said qualified service provider listings online over a data communications network;

presenting information concerning listed service providers in response to searches said consumers perform to search for and display qualified listings,

storing, in said database, a profile associated with each of said service providers,

maintaining qualification information pertaining to said service providers, including updates and consumer experience ratings, as part of each individual service provider'"'"'s profile, and

receiving recommendations from consumers for listing additional service providers in said database, and in response to received recommendations, automatically generating communications to said recommended service providers, said communications comprising invitations to apply for listing, said generating including at least one of (a) generating an electronic application form on a website and sending email with an invitation to complete said electronic application form, and (b) generating at least one application form and delivering said at least one form to said recommended service providers.

31. The method of claim 30 further including automatically recognizing and providing notice to a service provider when qualification criteria for said service provider falls below said minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria.

32. A method of facilitating contact between consumers and service providers by providing a central clearinghouse of service provider performance information that offers insights into at least one of service provider qualifications, service provide reliability and service provider quality of workmanship, said central clearinghouse being easily accessible by consumers, said method being performed at least in part by a computer operated by a third party online listing service, said method comprising:

maintaining listings of service providers in a database;

imposing minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria specified by said online listing service for service provider listings so as to make them qualified and acceptable for at least one of initial listing and continued listing and to be made available to consumers;

allowing consumers to remotely access and search said qualified service provider listings online over a data communications network;

presenting information concerning listed service providers in response to searches said consumers perform to search for and display qualified listings,

automatically continually monitoring service provider qualification information and continually determining whether said service providers are qualified for continued listing, and

further including receiving recommendations from consumers for listing additional service providers in said database, and in response to received recommendations, automatically generating communications to said recommended service providers, said communications comprising invitations to apply for listing, said generating including at least one of (a) generating an electronic application form on a website and sending email with an invitation to complete said electronic application form, and (b) generating at least one application form and delivering said at least one form to said recommended service providers.

33. A method as in claim 32 further including using consumer-provided input to determine whether service providers have met said minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria so as to make them qualified and acceptable for initial and/or continued listing is carried out continually at least in part by an automatic computer process.

34. A method as in claim 32 further including making available to consumers said minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria specified by said online listing service for service provider listings and using consumer-provided input to determine whether service providers have met said minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria.

35. The method of claim 32 further including automatically recognizing and providing notice to a service provider when qualification criteria for said service provider falls below said minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria.

36. An online computer system operated by an online listing service providing a central clearinghouse of service provider performance information that offers insights into at least one of service provider qualifications, service provider reliability and service provider quality of workmanship, said central clearinghouse being easily accessible by consumers, said online computer system comprising:

a service provider database storing profile information for service providers;

a consumer database storing profile information for consumers having rights to access information stored within said service provider database;

a server and associated communication facility coupled to said service provider database and said consumer database;

said server and associated communication facility configured for consumers to access over a digital network and retrieve via a web browser, information concerning said service providers within said service provider database that meet non-fee based predetermined minimum qualification criteria specified by said online listing service;

said computer system further including;

means for requiring and automatically using on a continual basis, said non-fee based predetermined minimum qualification criteria specified by said online listing service for service providers to become listed and remain listed and displayable to consumers,

means for receiving recommendations from consumers for listing additional service providers in said database, and

means responsive to a received recommendations for automatically generating communications to said recommended service provider, said communications comprising an invitation to apply for listing, said means for automatically generating including at least one of (a) means for generating an electronic application form on a website and sending email with an invitation to complete said electronic application form, and (b) means for generating at least one application form for delivery to said recommended service providers.

37. A computer system as in claim 36 wherein said service provider database lists service provider information including license credentials and insurance support with monitored expiration dates.

38. A computer system as in claim 36 wherein said service provider database includes current up-to-date experience ratings and references by consumers.

39. A computer system as in claim 36 wherein said service provider database includes consumer ratings as to at least one of satisfaction, dependability and quality of work performed.

40. A computer system as in claim 36 wherein said service provider database organizes service provider information by trade.

41. A computer system as in claim 36 wherein said service provider database stores service provider information organized by geographical location.

42. A computer system as in claim 36 wherein said service provider database stores service provider information organized by qualification categories including at least one of consumer experience ratings and consumer references.

43. The system of claim 36 further including means for automatic rescoring, monitoring and continually rescoring each service provider'"'"'s eligibility to remain listed.

44. The system of claim 36 further including means for automatically actively addressing any service provider that has failed to continue to meet said minimum criteria.

45. The system of claim 36, further including means for automatically computing rating scores for said service providers.

46. The system of claim 36 wherein said means for automatically using consumer input includes means for automatically delisting service providers at least in part based on said consumer input.

47. The system of claim 36 wherein said requiring means includes:

means for requiring favorable consumer input to qualify service providers for listing,

means for monitoring listed service provider qualifications on an ongoing basis,

means for rating listed service providers based at least in part on consumer input; and

means for selectively delisting at least some service providers at least in part in response to qualification information and/or said ratings.

48. A computer system as in claim 36 wherein said minimum qualification criteria includes a minimum required ratio of positive to negative consumer ratings, and wherein said means for requiring automatically provides notice to the service provider when said ratio falls below said minimum required ratio.

49. A computer system as in claim 36 wherein said service provider database stores service provider information organized by qualification categories including at least one of duration of business, meeting licensing requirements, and insurance coverage.

50. An online service provider recommender system that allows consumers to access digital information pertaining to a pool of service providers via web browsers and an electronic communications network, said online service provider recommender system comprising:

at least one database; and

at least one computer coupled to said database and configured to provide a sequence of displayable pages linked to one another said displayable pages including;

a search page, said computer being configured to receive service provider search requests consumers input via said search page based on at least one of trade category, geographical location, and service provider name;

a listing display page that displays information about a selected service provider including at least one of trade, contact information, time in business, licensing information, insurance information, reported number of jobs, and consumer satisfaction rating, current suspension status and current de-listed status; and

an experience rating page that displays categorized consumer satisfaction ratings,

said at least one computer being further configured to receive consumer input including complaints and to report when listed service provider information is inaccurate, said at least one computer being further configured to determine, automatically and on a continual basis in response to said received consumer input, whether service providers are acceptable for at least one of listing and continued listing, based on meeting predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria,

said at least one computer being further configured to receive recommendations from consumers for listing additional service providers in said database, and in response to a received recommendations, automatically generating communications to said recommended service providers, said communications comprising invitations to apply for listing, said at least one computer being configured to at least one of (a) generate an electronic application form on a website and sending email with an invitation to complete said electronic application form, and (b) generate at least one application form and delivering said at least one form to said recommended service provider.

51. The recommender system of claim 50 wherein said at least one computer comprises means for automatically processing a listing application, means for automatically initiating a reference request, and means for automatically monitoring scoring and addressing responses.

52. The recommender system of claim 50 further including automatic means for addressing said complaints and information inaccuracies with service providers, for automatically monitoring responses and for taking action including delisting selected service providers.

53. The recommender system of claim 50 wherein said at least one computer is configured to invite consumers to submit consumer satisfaction ratings.

54. The recommender system of claim 50 wherein said at least one computer is further configured to automatically de-list service providers at least in part based on consumer input.

55. The recommender system of claim 50 wherein said at least one computer is further configured to use said consumer input to determine whether to initially list service providers.

56. The recommender system of claim 50 further including a storage device storing instructions for execution by said computer, said instructions including:

instructions for requiring favorable consumer input to qualify service providers for listing;

instructions for monitoring listed service provider qualifications on an ongoing basis,

instructions for rating listed service providers based at least in part on consumer input, and

instructions for selectively delisting at least some service providers at least in part in response to qualification information and/or said ratings.

57. The recommender system of claim 50 further including means for automatically recognizing and providing notice to a service provider when qualification criteria for said service provider falls below said minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria.

58. A service provider clearinghouse computer operated by a service provider clearinghouse, said clearinghouse computer being coupled to consumer computing appliances via a computer network, said clearinghouse computer including:

a service provider database that stores information pertaining to plural service providers;

at least one processor coupled to said database, said processor being configured to electronically search said service provider database, and to receive consumer input ratings pertaining to said service providers represented within said database, said processor being configured to determine service provider acceptability for continued listing based at least in part on said received consumer input, said processor being further configured to receive recommendations from consumers for listing additional service providers in said database, and in response to received recommendations, automatically generate communications to said recommended service providers, said communications comprising invitations to apply for listing, said processor being configured to at least one of (a) generate an electronic application form on a website and sending email with an invitation to complete said electronic application form, and (b) generate at least one application form and delivering said at least one form to said recommended service providers;

processor being further configured to automatically and continually reviews consumer provided ratings and references, and condition maintenance of service providers listing for display within said database in response to consumer ratings and references, said processor being configured to thereby determine continually whether said service providers meet minimum non-fee based predetermined qualification criteria specified by said clearinghouse for at least one of service provider listing and service provider continued listing.

59. The computer of claim 58 wherein said at least one processor is configured to automatically de-list service providers based at least in part on said consumer input.

60. The computer of claim 58 wherein said at least one processor is configured to determine, at least in part in response to consumer input, whether to initially list service providers.

61. The clearinghouse computer of claim 58 further including a storage device storing instructions for execution by said processor, said instructions including:

instructions for requiring favorable consumer input to qualify service providers for listing;

instructions for monitoring listed service provider qualifications on an ongoing basis,

instructions for rating listed service providers based at least in part on consumer input, and

instructions for selectively delisting at least some service providers at least in part in response to qualification information and/or said ratings.

62. The system of claim 58 wherein said processor is configured to automatically recognize and provides notice to a service provider when qualification criteria for said service provider falls below said minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria.

63. A computer-based system operated by an online service for referring consumers to service providers, said system comprising:

a service provider database that stores information corresponding to plural service providers; and

at least one processor coupled to said service provider database, said at least one processor being configured to present information within said service provider database to consumers and accepts consumer input for use in determining, based at least in part on predetermined minimum non-fee based qualification criteria specified by said online service, whether service providers are acceptable for at least one of listing and continued listing;

said at least one processor being further configured to determine whether service providers are acceptable for listing and continued listing, and, to condition, in response thereto, active access by said consumers to information corresponding to said plural service providers

said at least one processor being further configured to automatically de-lists on a continual basis, service providers that fail to continue to maintain satisfactory required qualification criteria;

said at least one processor being further configured to receive recommendations from consumers for listing additional service providers in said database, and in response to received recommendations, to automatically generate communications to said recommended service providers, said communications comprising invitations to apply for listing, said at least one processor being configured to at least one of (a) generate an electronic application form on a website and sending email with an invitation to complete said electronic application form, and (b) generate at least one application form and deliver said at least one form to said recommended service providers.

64. A system as in claim 63 wherein said at least one processor is responsive to favorable consumer experience ratings for each of said plural service providers.

65. A system as in claim 63 wherein said at least one processor is configured to confirm credentials for each of said service providers within said service provider database, including a valid trade/service license required in an applicable jurisdiction.

66. A system as in claim 63 wherein said least one processor is configured to determine whether each of said service providers has insurance coverage.

67. A system as in claim 63 wherein said at least one processor is configured to provide a website that distributes pages including said information over the World Wide Web.

68. A system as in claim 63 further including a printer, coupled to said at least one processor, that prints out directories containing said information.

69. The system of claim 63 wherein said at least one processor is configured to determine whether qualified service providers have a minimum duration of business.

70. The system of claim 63 wherein said at least one processor is configured to automatically de-list service providers based at least in part on consumer input.

71. The system of claim 63 wherein said at least one processor is configured to determine, in response to said consumer input, whether said service providers are to be initially listed.

72. The system of claim 63 further including a storage device storing instructions for execution by said at least one processor, said instructions including:

instructions for requiring favorable consumer input to qualify service providers for listing;

instructions for monitoring listed service provider qualifications on an ongoing basis,

instructions for rating listed service providers based at least in part on consumer input, and

instructions for selectively delisting at least some service providers at least in part in response to qualification information and said ratings.

73. The system of claim 63 wherein said at least one processor is configured to automatically recognize and provide notice to a service provider when qualification criteria for said service provider falls below said minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria.

74. A method of facilitating contact between consumers and service providers, comprising:

listing plural service providers in an online database accessible by consumers over a communication network, including requiring said service providers to provide initially and as required, qualification information, including at least one of the following, predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria in order to be qualified to be listed;

(a) confirmation that the service provider is licensed,

(b) confirmation that the service provider has insurance coverage,

(c) how much experience the service provider has, and

(d) at least one consumer reference, and

presenting information concerning said listed plural service providers, processing consumer search requests and providing information concerning a service provider'"'"'s performance;

accepting qualification input and using said qualification input for determining, automatically and on a continual basis, service provider acceptability for at least one of listing and continued listing; and

receiving recommendations from consumers for listing additional service providers in said database, and in response to received recommendations, automatically generating communications to said recommended service providers, said communications comprising invitations to apply for listing, said generating including at least one of (a) generating an electronic application form on a website and sending email with an invitation to complete said electronic application form, and (b) generating at least one application form and delivering said at least one form to said recommended service providers.

75. The method of claim 74 wherein the presenting step includes allowing consumers to report information bearing on a service provider'"'"'s alleged qualifications.

76. The method of claim 74 wherein said accepting and using step includes automatically delisting service providers based at least in part on said consumer input.

77. The method of claim 74 wherein said accepting and using includes using said consumer input to determine whether to initially list service providers.

78. The method of claim 74 wherein said accepting step includes:

requiring favorable consumer input to qualify service providers for listing;

monitoring listed service provider qualifications on an ongoing basis, rating listed service providers based at least in part on consumer input,

and

selectively delisting at least some service providers at least in part in response to qualification information and said ratings.

79. The method of claim 74 further including automatically recognizing and providing notice to a service provider when qualification criteria for said service provider falls below said minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria.

80. A computer-assisted method of facilitating contact between consumers and service providers, comprising:

maintaining a database including information pertaining to plural service providers;

automatically requiring certain types of information including predetermined non-fee based qualification information from each of said service providers without independently verifying said received information;

presenting information stored in said database for electronic access by consumers over an electronic network;

automatically receiving consumer input;

using said consumer input for service provider acceptability for at least one of listing and continued listing; and

receiving recommendations from consumers for listing additional service providers in said database, and in response to a received recommendations, automatically generating communications to said recommended service providers, said communications comprising invitations to apply for listing, said generating including at least one of (a) generating an electronic application form on a website and sending email with an invitation to complete said electronic application form, and (b) generating at least one application form and delivering said at least one form to said recommended service providers; and

suspending selected service providers due to receipt of an adverse indication based on consumer input.

81. A method as in claim 80 further including conditioning said presenting step on the service provider suspension state.

82. The method of claim 80 wherein said automatically suspending comprises suspending selected service providers upon receipt of a subminimum consumer rating ratio.

83. The method of claim 80 wherein said automatically suspending includes automatically delisting service providers based at least in part on said consumer input.

84. The method of claim 80 further including using said consumer input to determine whether to initially list service providers.

85. The method of claim 80 wherein said using step includes:

requiring favorable consumer input to qualify service providers for listing;

monitoring listed service provider qualifications on an ongoing basis;

rating listed service providers based at least in part on consumer input, and

selectively delisting at least some service providers at least in part in response to qualification information and said ratings.

86. The method of claim 80 wherein said adverse indication includes unlawful or treacherous business acts.

87. A method as in claim 80 further comprising automatically requesting at least one of further information and verification from service providers regarding adverse indication that caused suspension.

88. The method of claim 80 further including automatically recognizing and providing notice to a service provider when qualification criteria for said service provider falls below said minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria.

89. The method of facilitating contact between consumers and service providers by providing a central clearinghouse of service provider performance information that offers insights into at least one of service provider qualifications, service provider reliability and service provider quality of workmanship, said central clearinghouse being easily accessible by consumers, said method being performed at least in part by a computer operated by a third party online listing service, said method comprising:

maintaining listings of service providers in a database;

imposing minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria specified by said online listing service for service provider listings to be made available to consumers to determine whether service providers have met said minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria so as to make them qualified and acceptable for listing;

allowing consumers to remotely access and search said qualified service provider listings online over a data communications network; and

presenting information concerning listed service providers in response to searches said consumers perform to search for and display qualified listings,

wherein;

said imposing step includes requiring consumer input to qualify service providers for at least one of listing and continued listing;

said method further includes automatically and continually monitoring listed service provider qualifications on an ongoing basis, rating listed service providers based at least in part on consumer input, and selectively delisting at least some service providers at least in part in response to at least one of qualification information and said ratings; and

said method further includes receiving recommendations from consumers for listing additional service providers in said database, and in response to received recommendations, automatically generating communications to said recommended service providers, said communication comprising invitations to apply for listing, said generating including at least one of (a) generating an electronic application form on a website and sending email with an invitation to complete said electronic application form, and (b) generating at least one application form and delivering said at least one form to said recommended service providers.

90. The method of claim 89 further including automatically recognizing and providing notice to a service provider when qualification criteria for said service provider falls below said minimum mandatory predetermined non-fee based qualification criteria.