Door to door sales management tool

• US 8,812,345 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2011
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cragun, Jason, Kyser, Lonnie
• Primary Examiner(s): DIXON, THOMAS A
• Application Number:
  US13/026,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20110246258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.31
• US Class Current: 705/7.31
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3811 Point data, e.g. Point of Interest [POI]
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3867 Geometry of map features, e.g. shape points, polygons or for simplified maps
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A door to door sales management tool utilizes a mobile device configured to request data from a database regarding a neighborhood within proximity of that sale. The mobile device sends results back to the database, wherein the results are flagged as verified. A simplified prequalification system is shown where a salesperson may select a house on a map to run a prequalification on the expected occupants of the selected house.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for performing sales management processes at a computerized mobile device, comprising:

the mobile device displaying a map with at least one house;

the mobile device receiving a selection of a house on the displayed map;

the mobile device displaying at least one current occupant name associated with the selected house, the current occupant name retrieved from a database based on at least an address of the house;

the mobile device receiving a selection of the at least one current occupant name associated with the selected house, wherein selection of the at least one current occupant name initiates a pre-qualification on a potential customer that has the current occupant name, the pre-qualification being performed to verify qualification for the potential customer to purchase a product or service that is for sale and that is distinguished from the selected house of the occupant; and

receiving and displaying a result of the pre-qualification at the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes:

in response to a sale being made for the product or service with the potential customer, the device receiving sales information used to complete the sale; and

transmitting the sales information to a remote server system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further includes:

receiving a response from the remote server system in response to transmitting the sales information, the response including an offer for the potential customer to purchase one or more additional product or service.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes:

in response to a sale not being made for the product or service with the potential customer, the device receiving sales information used to indicate whether the potential customer already owns or uses the product or service; and

transmitting the sales information to a remote server system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one current occupant name is displayed with and selected from a plurality of names associated with the selected house.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes:

displaying the map with a plurality of houses, wherein the plurality of houses are displayed with a particular type of highlighting that is applied to one or more of the plurality of houses to distinguish the one or more of the plurality of houses where previous sales have occurred.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes:

displaying the map with a plurality of houses, wherein the plurality of houses are displayed with a particular type of highlighting that is applied to one or more of the plurality of houses to distinguish the one or more of the plurality of houses where occupants have indicated they are not interested in the product or service.

8. A computing system, comprising:

computer hardware; and

one or more storage device having stored computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the mobile computer device, implement a method for performing sales management processes at the computing system, wherein the method includes;

the computing system displaying a map with at least one house;

the computing system receiving a selection of a house on the displayed map;

the computing system displaying at least one current occupant name associated with the selected house, the current occupant name retrieved from a database based on at least an address of the house;

the computing system receiving a selection of the at least one current occupant name associated with the selected house, wherein selection of the at least one current occupant name initiates a pre-qualification on a potential customer that has the current occupant name, the pre-qualification being performed to verify qualification for the potential customer to purchase a product or service that is for sale and that is distinguished from the selected house; and

receiving and displaying a result of the pre-qualification with the computing system.

9. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the method further includes:

in response to a sale being made for the product or service with the potential customer, the device receiving sales information used to complete the sale; and

transmitting the sales information to a remote server system.

10. The computing system of claim 9, wherein the method further includes:

receiving a response from the remote server system in response to transmitting the sales information, the response including an offer for the potential customer to purchase one or more additional product or service.

11. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the method further includes:

in response to a sale not being made for the product or service with the potential customer, the device receiving sales information used to indicate whether the potential customer already owns or uses the product or service; and

transmitting the sales information to a remote server system.

12. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the at least one current occupant name is displayed with and selected from a plurality of names associated with the selected house.

13. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the method further includes:

displaying the map with a plurality of houses, wherein the plurality of houses are displayed with a particular type of highlighting that is applied to one or more of the plurality of houses to distinguish the one or more of the plurality of houses where previous sales have occurred.

14. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the method further includes:

displaying the map with a plurality of houses, wherein the plurality of houses are displayed with a particular type of highlighting that is applied to one or more of the plurality of houses to distinguish the one or more of the plurality of houses where occupants have indicated they are not interested in the product or service.