Online lawn care estimate process

• US 8,126,819 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2008
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Happy Lawn Of America, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Happy Lawn Of America, Inc.
• Inventors: Ersek, Barrett A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kira
• Application Number:
  US12/048,605
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 705/313, 705/314, 705/306
• US Class Current: 705/313
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0278 Product appraisal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/163 Real estate management

Abstract

An online lawn care service quoting method and system are disclosed. The method and system are initiated by an estimate inquiry from a customer, preferably via the Web. Data from a lawn care service administration database is retrieved. The data includes customer demographic information and GPS satellite imaging photographs of various lot size dimensions. The lot size information and customer demographic information are combined to provide at least one quote for the customer estimate inquiry. The data in the database is upgraded and amended as needed by any change in industry standards and customer change requests. At least one quote is displayed to the customer online in response to the estimate inquiry.

Claims

1. An online computer-implemented lawn care service quoting method using a computer, comprising:

providing a lawn care service provider database associated with the computer;

receiving at the computer a request for lawn care services as an estimate inquiry;

posting said estimate inquiry in a web site accessible to a lawn care service provider;

identifying a number of times information about at least one lot has been retrieved from the lawn care service provider database by a user;

retrieving data from the lawn care service provider database, the data including a lot size;

comparing the lot size to determine whether the lot size is greater or less than one acre in size;

if the number of times is less than 10 and the lot size is less than one acre, providing a first web page from the web site to the user to input a type of service desired from the lawn care service provider, wherein the first web page includes a GPS photograph showing the lot;

if the number of times is less than 10 and the lot size is greater than one acre, providing a second web page from the web site to the user to input a request for an evaluation of the customer'"'"'s lot, wherein the second web page includes the GPS photograph;

if the number of times is greater than 10 and the lot size is less than one acre, providing a third web page from the web site to the user to input a type of service desired from the lawn care service provider, wherein the third web page does not include the GPS photograph;

if the number of times is greater than 10 and the lot size is greater than one acre, providing a fourth web page from the web site to the user to input a request for an evaluation of the lot, wherein the fourth web page does not include the GPS photograph; and

if the lot is not included in the lot size database but is within the pre-determined geographical area, providing a fifth web page from the web site to the user to input a type of service desired from the lawn care service provider or to request an evaluation of the user'"'"'s lot.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the estimate inquiry comprises receiving a telephone inquiry from a customer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the estimate inquiry comprises receiving an online inquiry on the web from a customer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimate inquiry comprises a request for services selected from at least one of the group consisting of lawn treatment, aeration and spot seeding, aeration and fall seeding, and pest control;

and customer demographic information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein posting said estimate inquiry in a website accessible to lawn care services administration further comprises:

querying whether a customer address is located in a service area;

querying whether a lot size is located in the lawn care service administration database; and

querying whether a predetermined number of the lot size is available.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving data from the lawn care service administration database comprises:

retrieving a plurality of GPS photographs of a lot size in a lawn care service area;

comparing the lot size GPS photographs to locate the customer'"'"'s lot; and

providing a cost for the lawn care service for the customer'"'"'s lot.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

querying the customer to confirm the lot size if correct or amend the lot size, if incorrect.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing to the customer at least one quote for said estimate inquiry comprises:

displaying the quote to the customer via the web site.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing to the customer at least one quote for said estimate inquiry comprises:

providing said estimate on a telephone.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein providing to the customer at least one quote for said estimate inquiring further comprises:

allowing the customer to amend said estimate inquiry.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein confirming the treatment order received for one of the quotes comprises:

confirming customer demographic information;

confirming lawn care services selected in the treatment order; and

confirming costs of the selected lawn care services in the treatment order.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein confirming the treatment order received for one of the quotes further comprises:

amending the treatment order.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein confirming the treatment order received for one of the quotes comprises:

requesting for a free evaluation.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein confirming the treatment order received for one of the quotes comprises:

ordering the treatment order.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of times information about at least one lot has been retrieved from the lawn care service provider database by a user is stored in a cookie file.

15. An online computer-implemented lawn care service quoting method using a computer, comprising:

providing a lawn care service provider database associated with the computer;

receiving at the computer an online estimate inquiry on the web from a customer;

identifying a number of times information about at least one lot has been retrieved from the lawn care service provider database by a user;

retrieving GPS satellite imaging photographs based on the estimate inquiry from which a lot size may be computed and prior lawn treatment data from the lawn care service provider database depending on whether the number of times is more or less than a predetermined numerical value;

comparing the lot size to a pre-determined threshold size determine whether the lot size is greater or less than one acre in size;

if the number of times is less than 10 and the lot size is less than one acre, providing a first web page from the web site to the user to input a type of service desired from the lawn care service provider, wherein the first web page includes a GPS photograph showing the lot;

if the number of times is less than 10 and the lot size is greater than one acre, providing a second web page from the web site to the user to input a request for an evaluation of the customer'"'"'s lot, wherein the second web page includes the GPS photograph;

if the number of times is greater than 10 and the lot size is less than one acre, providing a third web page from the web site to the user to input a type of service desired from the lawn care service provider, wherein the third web page does not include the GPS photograph;

if the number of times is greater than 10 and the lot size is greater than one acre, providing a fourth web page from the web site to the user to input a request for an evaluation of the lot, wherein the fourth web page does not include the GPS photograph; and

if the lot is not included in the lot size database but is within the pre-determined geographical area, providing a fifth web page from the web site to the user to input a type of service desired from the lawn care service provider or to request an evaluation of the user'"'"'s lot.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein retrieving GPS satellite imaging photographs of lot size and prior lawn treatment data from the lawn care service provider database further comprises:

upgrading and amending the GPS photographs and prior lawn treatment data, respectively.

21. The system according to claim 15, wherein the number of times information about at least one lot has been retrieved from the lawn care service provider database by a user is stored in a cookie file.

17. A system for conducting an online lawn care service quote, comprising:

an input device for receiving an estimate inquiry from a customer;

a database for obtaining lot size and prior lawn care service treatment data;

a computer for identifying a number of times information about at least one lot has been retrieved from a lawn care service provider database by a user and comparing the lot size to a pre-determined threshold size, wherein the computer is programmed to;

compare the lot size to a pre-determined threshold size determine whether the lot size is greater or less than one acre in size,

if the number of times is less than 10 and the lot size is less than one acre, providing a first web page from the web site to the user to input a type of service desired from the lawn care service provider, wherein the first web page includes a GPS photograph showing the lot,

if the number of times is less than 10 and the lot size is greater than one acre, providing a second web page from the web site to the user to input a request for an evaluation of the customer'"'"'s lot, wherein the second web page includes the GPS photograph,

if the number of times is greater than 10 and the lot size is less than one acre, providing a third web page from the web site to the user to input a type of service desired from the lawn care service provider, wherein the third web page does not include the GPS photograph,

if the number of times is greater than 10 and the lot size is greater than one acre, providing a fourth web page from the web site to the user to input a request for an evaluation of the lot, wherein the fourth web page does not include the GPS photograph; and

if the lot is not included in the lot size database but is within the predetermined geographical area, providing a fifth web page from the web site to the user to input a type of service desired from the lawn care service provider or to request an evaluation of the user'"'"'s lot; and

an output device for providing at least one quote for said estimate inquiry based on the lot size and the number of times, the at least one quote including all or some of the data associated with a customer address information depending on whether the number of times is more or less than a pre-determined numerical value.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein:

said database for obtaining lot size and prior lawn care service treatment data includes a lawn care service provider database and including data from GPS satellite imaging photographs.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein:

said input device for receiving an estimate inquiry from a customer uses the web.