EP1272910A2 - Systeme de commercialisation de biens et de services a l'aide d'installations informatisees centrales et situees a distance - Google Patents

Systeme de commercialisation de biens et de services a l'aide d'installations informatisees centrales et situees a distance

Info

Publication number
EP1272910A2
EP1272910A2 EP00911775A EP00911775A EP1272910A2 EP 1272910 A2 EP1272910 A2 EP 1272910A2 EP 00911775 A EP00911775 A EP 00911775A EP 00911775 A EP00911775 A EP 00911775A EP 1272910 A2 EP1272910 A2 EP 1272910A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
customer
facility
services
remote
goods
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP00911775A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1272910A4 (fr
Inventor
Stephen Corey Wren
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP1272910A2 publication Critical patent/EP1272910A2/fr
Publication of EP1272910A4 publication Critical patent/EP1272910A4/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q30/00—Commerce
    • G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Definitions

  • the present invention generally relates to a system and means for establishing a communicating link between remote facilities. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a system and means for facilitating transactions between central and remote facilities utilizing electronic communications devices and computing equipment for concurrently or nonconcurrently transmitting voice, music, audio, data, images, video, and optic information on goods and services, and/or signals. Such systems will be used to market, sell, finance, and insure goods and/or services.
  • the D'Agostino method requires that the information to be displayed the customer be stored in the computer at the remote facility unlike the preferred embodiment of the present invention where the information is centralized or stored centrally and thereafter transmitted to the customer at the remote location, making it difficult to correct or modify the information thus shown to customers. Also in storing the information to be displayed to each customer remotely each representative will be required to be licensed to sell such products in each state he might assist a customer and therefore significantly increase the number of required representatives otherwise necessary. In this manner tne preferred embodiment of the present invention where such information about goods and services is stored at the central facility can reduce the licensing requirements of the representatives and thus the number of representatives required.
  • D'Agostino relies upon static or still motion images of the representative as displayed to the customer and stored remotely causing a constant need for changes of that information created by turnover of representative staff, unlike the present invention which can store such information central .y or as in another embodiment permit 2way full motion co .or video images or video conferencing thus eliminating the need of storing any such image, remotely or centrally .
  • still motion images of his representatives he has most of all greatly limited the effectiveness of his system as a selling tool as recently 2way full motion video has been proven to greatly and unexpectedly increase product sales offered through such systems or methods such as described in the March 1993 issue of The Banker on page 61.
  • the first is that in permitting remote locations to communicate with multiple central facilities, providers are able to share the costs of the remote facility equipment. Previously the cost of the equipment at the remote location was prohibitive so that the system' s use was impractical for all but a few select applications.
  • the second advantage is the greater number and selection of goods and services available to customers. Since providers will be able to share the cost of the remote equipment more providers will be encouraged to participate and an even greater variety of products will be offered. The difference between the present invention and the prior art therefore is comparable to a grocery store with only one brand of soft drink as opposed to an aisle with an assortment of beverages. The reduction of expense for each provider will thereby encourage providers to use these systems as a low cost means of providing for the marketing and sales of their products to the public. These savings can in turn be passed along to their customers. Multiple companies can then share the expense of the equipment at the remote location. This method also as above improves the competition for the products offered at the remote location, breaking the monopolistic model of the previous art. Another remote transaction system disclosed in U.S.
  • Patent No. 4,845,636 to Walker provides a transaction booth located remotely from an operations center for facilitating a transaction such as the renting of an automobile.
  • the booth and center were connected by audio and video equipment used for transmitting audio and video signals from the customer in the booth to the agent at the operations center in order to negotiate a transaction.
  • the customer in this instance knew what he wanted. He was not shopping, but merely seeking to effect a predetermined transaction.
  • the Walker remote transaction system has no means for producing a financial services document or contract at the booth tailored to the specific needs of the customer, nor does it utilize 2way full motion video thereby severely limiting its applications and efficacy by not providing the remote user full motion images such as of the agent or of what might be described as full motion commercials.
  • the present invention furthermore represents a new use as Walker did not anticipate the sale of financing and insurance by any such system nor could he have used his for such.
  • Walker as well fails to provide the user at the remote facility a means of input and as a result as with D'Agostino chains the customer to the representative. Neither does Walker permit each remote facility to communicate with a variety of central facilities thus restricting the variety and competition for goods and services there offered and has therefor himself created a monopoly.
  • the Walker system leads to less than an optimum solution to the problems noted heretofore with the traditional approach to marketing financial service products.
  • An object of this invention is to provide a system and method for facilitating transactions utilizing central and remote facilities or locations which satisfies the aforementioned needs.
  • Another object of the invention is to facilitate transactions by customers at remote locations, for instance, car, truck, boat and motorcycle dealerships, department stores, public locations such as shopping malls, auction houses, airports, grocery stores, and real estate offices .
  • Another object of the present invention is to further centralize and simplify the responsibilities over these products.
  • a further object of the present invention is to shorten the time required to create and implement new products in the financial services arena and all others.
  • An additional object is to provide a wider variety of products to offer customers.
  • the system for marketing goods and services herein includes a customer computerized communications facility, a central computerized communications facility remote therefrom, and a data link between them.
  • This invention is an improvement in that system which includes: computer means at both the customer computerized communications facility and the central computerized communications facility, adapted to transmit and receive images and data between them; means for additionally establishing voice contact between the two coramunicanons facilities; software stored at the central computerized communications facility adapted to provide goods and services information; input means at the customer computerized communications facility adapted to enable a type of customer who is uneasy using a computer to access that software in order to view a presentation adapted to educate the customer about the goods and services; input means adapted to enable a type of customer enjoying computers to access the software in order to bypass the presentation, and, in a self-service mode, to browse in the software to view de sired information to learn about goods and services at his desired level of knowledge; means enabling both types of customers at any time they desire personal assistance to utilize the means establishing voice contact to talk to a representative at the central
  • the input means at the customer computerized facility and the application software at the central computerized facility enable customers to search for goods according to model, manufacturer, and marketer of the goods.
  • the input means at the customer computerized facility and the application software at the central computerized facility enable customers to search for a predetermined selection of goods.
  • the application software at the central computerized facility enables the customer to download instruments finalizing a transaction relative to the goods and services .
  • the application software at the central computerized facility includes a subroutine for charging customers for their use of personal assistance.
  • the application software at the central computerized facility includes a subroutine for charging customers for each instance a customer is shown product information.
  • the application software at the central computerized facility includes a subroutine requiring customers to view a specified amount of product information in return for being granted a specified amount of use of the system.
  • the application software at the central computerized facility includes a subroutine providing the customer an electronic phone book containing a directory of providers and goods available.
  • the application software at the central computerized facility includes a subroutine which builds a general customer profile based upon customer's requests for information.
  • the application software at the central computerized facility includes a subroutine permitting a plurality of customers at different computerized locations to view simultaneously the same presentation and to speak to each other during said presentation, the presentation being under the control of one of the customers. Means are provided for control of the system to alternate between the individuals so that at times a first customer can control the presentation while at another time a second or other customer can assume control.
  • the central facility is a service company representing the provider of the goods or services.
  • a representative is located at the central computerized facility and that representative is an agent for the provider of the goods and services.
  • the customer computerized communications facility includes means for communicating with a number of different central computerized communications facilities
  • one facility is a retail sales store, and the other facility is a banking institution.
  • the system also includes means enabling a customer to speak with a representative at each facility.
  • the prior art fails to recognize that some individuals love to use computers, while others are intimidated by them. This invention provides for both types of customers. Another problem is they failed to recognize that the public they were dealing with is a generation accustomed to television. Traditional computer methods typically applied towards back office accounting functions by large computer organizations such as IBM, Univac, and Honeywell where users peered blurry eyed into cathode ray tubes are not compelling when applied toward commerce. Customers were not accustomed to having to read large amounts of text and would not accept that approach. This failure on their part greatly explains their poor results and why the public refused to accept their antiquated methods. To correct those earlier failures the present invention uses the computing devices to transmit presentations of goods and services including text, graphics, voice, audio, music, images, and video. The use of computerized voice is significant. The prior art is limited generally to transmitting only text and perhaps a few graphics, requiring that the customer read a great amount of text to get the information they wanted. In contrast, the system of the present invention understands these preferences and has adjusted the system accordingly to accommodate the present generation.
  • a disadvantage of text is its limited ability to convey enthusiasm, emotion, and in general meaning. There is much contained in human speech in terms of inflection, tone, and volume which convey a significant part of the idea intended. Consider that a particular sentence can when spoken one way be a compliment, yet when spoken with different inflection it becomes an insult. As illustrated, text seldom conveys these colorful aspects of speech and can never succinctly convey a complex thought or idea entirely. Even worse results can be obtained when translating from one language to another. Text only approximates speech. It does not replace it as the forerunners of these systems assumed. For this reason this system's use of computerized voice provides surprising and superior results.
  • This invention provides a system where customers can shop for homes and obtain financing all in one place, computer stores, homes, factories, office buildings, and from all public and private locations from which a consumer or customers want to obtain product information or perform a transaction.
  • each remote location can be concurrently linked with one or more central facilities or auction houses so that groups ci customers at each remote or local auction facility can participate in the actual auction at one or more distant central facilities or houses.
  • auction customers throughout the world can participate at local auction houses in auctions taking place throughout the world so that a customer in Saint Louis can participate and bid in an auction concurrently taking place in Hong Kong or France.
  • each customer can be provided his own personal input device permitting him to personally enter his bid during the joint auction session and at the conclusion of a successful bid remit his payment. He can as veil be provided a separate monitor or can share a large screen with some or all other attendees.
  • Each customer can be provided a separate recording or printing device to provide the customer a record or receipt of any transaction he performs.
  • a number of terminals can be grouped to form an electronic shopping store permitting the customer to obtain desired information on the products of his choice while having access to highly knowledgeable representatives and can also record, print or otherwise, selected information for their later review.
  • the customer's monitor can display a tool or icon they will use to control the information to be recorded.
  • Remote facilities can even be portable so that for example they can be used at trade shows such as car shows permitting attendees to obtain more specific information about the products they desire and to execute their purchase and obtain financing.
  • the customer is to communicate with central facilities or locations comprising banks, credit unions and finance companies, a service company representing such companies, manufacturer's offices, or in general any location from which a customer might wish assistance in facilitating a transaction.
  • the method by which the transactions are facilitated reduces the costs associated with creating, marketing, administering, and selling these products and services, thereby making them more cost effective and affordable.
  • the central facility can be a service company the present invention has departed from the previous art.
  • a company will use the assistance of a service company rather than directly sell or market their own products.
  • the difficulty with the previous art is that they did not allow for a complement to the traditional marketing approach.
  • specific corporate capabilities will be required. If companies have not felt comfortable in marketing their own products using long established methods and channels, they most certainly will not feel comfortable in using this system on their own. It is anticipated that many will instead demand the assistance of a third party who is more acquainted with the technologies involved and has developed expertise with them.
  • the foregoing objects are accomplished by a transaction system and method where having earlier established communication between the remote and central locations the customer can use the electronic communications devices and computing equipment at the remote location to contact a financial services company or some other central facility to facilitate a transaction, such as negotiate the purchase, lease, and contracting of financial services and/or other goods and services.
  • a financial services company and its agents who will now be responsible for selling these products to the customers are located centrally and all or substantially all activities of the financial services companies or central facility and its agents are centralized in its state making those products subject at most to the laws of that state or sovereign and thereby drastically reduce or simplify regulatory constraints and streamline related compliance and business costs such as by having only one computer system used tosupport the selling and administrative process thus eliminating the need to provide this support including applications software at each distributed remote location and in having to train only a single centrally located group of individuals who will act as the agents or representatives .
  • Previously these financial services companies sold their products through agents located at the site of the customer. The difficulty is that many of the products required that the agents be licensed to sell certain products such as investments and insurance.
  • the customer speaks with only one representative at a time it is further anticipated that the customer can speak with multiple representatives from either the remote or central locations at the same time as in a team sales approach.
  • customers will speak a variety of languages it will be necessary for presentations and representatives thus provided to be based in the language of the customer; whether it be English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, or any other desired language.
  • This approach might include utilization of personnel at the remote facility to collectively assist the customer.
  • the financial services company or central facility will have no physical presence at the remote facility meaning they can not advertise in any fashion such as on radio, television, or in magazines in the state of the remote facility or by placing or storing product information such as sales materials or literature at the remote facility itself.
  • the present invention in utilizing an electronic version of a Yellow Pages has deviated from the prior art in modifying these types of systems to fit with existing shopping patterns of the public. Rather than requiring the public to change their method of shopping for goods and services as the prior art requires, the present invention has adapted to existing modes of shopping.
  • the present invention has anticipated that the public's learned behavior is difficult to break and so has provided that the customer can shop according to existing patterns permitting them to shop by man jfacturer, product, or marketer as one might if they were previously shopping for say a tire. In that event a customer can locate that specific tire either by its model name, ii s manufacturer, or the marketer through which he intends to purchase it. This approach is akin to a customer shopping through the White or Yellow Pages or by store or in a mall.
  • the customer can then reestablish contact with the previous or a new representative and central facility when he is ready.
  • the remote or central location can record the stopping point of the customer's last on-line presentation so that when contact is resumed an appropriate presentation continuing point can be ascertained.
  • An alternative is to allow the customer to enter any phone number he might wish to dial while accepting a credit card, debit card, or calling card where the customer is to pay or be charged for any phone, connection, or use charges that will be incurred.
  • the customer is to be charged for the use of the equipment or transmitting and receiving means.
  • the customer could be charged for any system use or only for their use of an attendant at the central or remote locations should they need assistance.
  • it can be necessary or beneficial to not charge new customers for use of live attendants for a select period of time. Thereafter they will be treated as other customers. Otherwise, charging new customers for their use of attendants can discourage them from attempting the system's use. Once we get them accustomed to the system it will be easier to convince them to help themselves.
  • the customer could be charged for any use, but more when they need human assistance.
  • the benefit of this approach is that in offering live assistance customers are encouraged to use the system. This is sometimes necessary as not all customers will feel comfortable in using what they can perceive as a computer perhaps for fear of feeling or appearing inadequate. Having human assistance available will make these customers feel more secure and therefore willing to try the system. Yet in charging customers for the use of human assistance they are encouraged to help themselves thus permitting greater utilization of the representatives. This is perhaps an adaptation of animal or human behavior enticing the customer to first use the system and thereafter encourage them to help themselves.
  • the system could thus provide a means to read credit cards and such as by card swipe reader or any other approximate equivalent means and can as well be used to later tender payment for goods and services purchased.
  • the system could be used as a sort of public telephone to transmit and obtain information about any goods and/or services the customer might desire from any central location anywhere in the world.
  • a further variation in this theme is to instead charge the providers of goods for listing their products on the system. This could be in the form of a periodic flat fee or the providers could instead be charged for each incidence a customer requests their product information or is shown it involuntarily based on a customer's profile. Different rates can apply depending on whether a customer requests the information or is shown it involuntarily.
  • the system might instead at the predetermined time offer a choice of commercials to the customer prompting them to choose which one they have most interest in and wish to see. One choice could even be a random selection if the customer wishes to be surprised.
  • This response serves two purposes. The first is that in voluntarily choosing which product the customer is to learn about, they are more apt to assume a positive attitude toward that product since they willingly chose it. Second, this selection by the customer could be used to build or update their customer profile. In a similar fashion as the customer's profile can be used to determine which products they will view in commercials, this profile can also be used to determine which version of a provider's commercial a customer will see. It is a common practice in advertising to alter a commercial according to the demographics of the anticipated viewer. A commercial appearing on a country and western radio station will differ from that appearing on a classical music station. Having a profile for each user will permit advertisers to provide a message custom tailored to each specific customer profile.
  • each provider of goods can use the system. Profiles of those customers who specifically request product information can be used by those providers to build general profiles of those customers who might have an interest or need in their goods. Thereafter those provider profiles can be used to help the system guide commercials to system users most likely to be interested in those goods. Commercials can then be shown to customers intermittently throughout the customer's session or at predetermined points such as when the customer is waiting for live assistance or in between queries .
  • One approach is to require that each customer watch a specified number of minutes of commercials for a given number of minutes of entertainment programming.
  • Another approach to commercials is to credit a customer's account for each minute of commercials or product information he views or according to the amount of goods they purchase. In return the customer could be granted so many min ⁇ tes of entertainment programming.
  • One approach to this is similar to a traditional broadcast strategy where the customer passively sits back and watches assorted programming Yet at anytime the customer can use an input device to request information on sponsors' products. A list is then presented to the customer of the various sponsors and the customer could then choose which ones he wants to see a presentation on.
  • a list of sponsors and their products could be collected from each program watched so that after the program has completed the customer could then review the list of sponsors and choose which commercials they will view.
  • the products and sponsors can be tied into the programming but need not be related.
  • the system could also build a list of chosen sponsors for each customer allowing them to at a later date go back and review the same or additional information on those products.
  • a customer is only permitted so many minutes of entertainment programming for each minute of commercials. The result is quite different from present day television as customers are required to actually participate in the selection of the commercials they are to watch and can immediately obtain more specific information on those products they choose. Having made the decision for themselves, it is expected that customers will have more interest in the products of sponsors.
  • FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an array of electronics communications components employed in a system and method for facilitating transactions in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
  • the transactions facilitating system 10 includes at least one central facility 12, such as a financial services company, marketer, or manufacturer and at least one remote facility 14, such as a retail sales facility, or any other public or private location from which a potential customer of the central facility 12 wants assistance in facilitating a transaction.
  • the remote facility 14 can be retail sales facility, such as car, truck, boat and/or motorcycle dealerships.
  • the central facility 12 can be a financial services facility, such as a bank, credit union or a finance company or any other central facility from which a customer wants assistance in facilitating a transaction.
  • the system 10 facilitates the carrying out of activities such as financial business transactions in accordance with the principles of the present invention by employing an array of means for transmitting and/or receiving information comprising visual, audio, and/or data between the financial services facility or location 12 and a customer at one of the respective remote facilities or locations 14.
  • the financial services facility 12 offering the goods and/or services or assistance in facilitating such a transaction is established at a central location.
  • Each retail sales or remote facility 14 is sited at a given remote location where potential customers are located whether stationary or portable.
  • the system can be used to execute a transaction between the customer and the central facility or it can only provide assistance to the customer in his selection of goods and services which a local or remote facility are to thereafter provide.
  • an array of electronic communications equipment is provided in accordance with the present invention for transmitting and/or receiving information comprising visual, audio, and data about financial services or other goods and services between the central financial services facility 12 and the customer at the remote facility 14.
  • such array of electronic communications devices and computing equipment includes a modem 16, a digital computer 18, a speaker phone 20 or other means of conveying sounds, a monitor 22 or other means of conveying images, a printer 24 or other means for recording signals or information conveyed from the company 12, and a keyboard or input device 26. It is anticipated that a handset rather than a speaker phone or external speaker can be used in instances where a customer wishes to speak privately with a representative.
  • the input device could be a television remote control device perhaps with alterations comprising cursor movement keys, a joystick, or a microphone for voice input.
  • the customer can then save or take the desired information with him for his later review which might comprise instructions for use, operation, or assembly and can include a list of suggested products or services as advised by the live representative or by the central facility computer.
  • Such information might be recorded on paper, magnetically such as upon a cassette, video tape, computer disc, CD, or a chip embedded or smart card, or by some other means.
  • the central facility can record the transaction for later retrieval so the customer can continue where he left off at a later date should his interest renew or for identification purposes or for possible assistance in resolving disputes.
  • Other means to verify identification of the customer can be used comprising magnetically encoded badges or cards, or the use of eye or finger scanning devices.
  • a mail bag 28 or other means for remitting payment or documents is provided at the remote facility 14.
  • a complementary array of electronic communications devices and computing equipment is located at the financial services facility 12 or central location.
  • this equipment includes a modem 30, a digital computer 32 or other means for processing information, instructions or data, a phone 34 or other means for voice exchange or audio transmission, a monitor 36 and a keyboard or other input device 38.
  • Only a complementary printer is not needed at the financial services facility 12 for the purpose of facilitating transactions in accordance with the present invention.
  • two separate phone lines 40, 42 are available to interconnect the respective phones 20, 34 of the facilities 14, 12 simultaneously with, but separately from, the interconnection of the respective modems 16, 30 of the facilities 14, 12 so that voice or audio, visual, ano.
  • data communication can be ongoing concurrently between the customer at the remote facility 14 and an agent at the financial services facility 12.
  • contact can be established by coaxial cable such as through a cable company or some other means of establishing contact or by means of some wireless technology such as radio.
  • coaxial cable such as through a cable company or some other means of establishing contact or by means of some wireless technology such as radio.
  • One embociment could use a combination of wired and wireless technologies.
  • the information being transmitted to the customer could be on a wireless basis whereas the signals transmitted to the central facility could be on a wired basis.
  • the advantage of this approach is that standard telephone lines can be insufficient at transmitting extensive amounts of video and audio information.
  • the bulk of this type of transmitting will in certain cases be going from the central facility to the customer.
  • the demand for transmitting from the customer to the central will be significantly less and will in most cases be adequately handled by normal telephone lines. This approach can then reduce the expense of deploying these systems by reducing or eliminating the need to install a more advanced wired communications network.
  • the customer of the retail sales facility 14 and/or of the financial services facility 12 is escorted to the area where the above-described array of electronics communications equipment of the retail sales facility 14 is provided.
  • the customer presses an auto dial button 44 on the speaker phone 20 or uses his input device such as a touch screen to select a central facility to contact from a list displayed on his monitor and in doing so establishes contact with the financial services company 12 and perhaps its agent by way of some means of transmitting data, audio, and/or visual information comprising telephone or videophone thus permitting the simultaneous or concurrent transmitting of audio, video, and data as the customer and representative speak with one another or establish voice contact and while the representative provides the customer with information about goods and/or services.
  • the customer can automatically review established presentations to better prepare him for a session with a representative and to educate the customer on the goods and services he is about to consider or at the customer's wish he can bypass these introductory presentations and immediately direct the session or request personal assistance from a representative.
  • the customer can establish contact with the central facility's equipment without the assistance of a representative and merely help himself in a self-service mode where he can browse through databases of goods and services.
  • the speaker phone 20 as contemplated herein is intended to encompass other comparable devices, such as a videophone or the like, where in addition to 2-way verbal contact the customer can establish 2-way or 1-way visual contact with the agent.
  • the remote terminal can transmit its phone number, serial number, or identification code to the central facility so as to identify itself and thus satisfy any future administrative needs of the central facility should for example a break in communications occur and the need arise to reestablish contact with the specific remote facility and its customer. In this respect it will be necessary for each remote location to store this serial, phone, or station identification number for future transmittal.
  • An example is a public or private location where the central system contacts the remote facility to apprise potential customers of goods and services offered.
  • a remote terminal can perform for customers who pass and prompt them to press the screen to obtain specific information.
  • the agent by using his or her digital computer 32, monitor 36, keyboard 38 or other input device and modem 30 establishes electronic contact with the customer's modem 16, digital computer 18, monitor 22 and printer 24 if such contact has not already been established by the customer by means of a single telephone or communications line, or wireless means to transmit and provide helpful audio, video, and data information to the customer about the transaction being proposed for the customer by the financial services facility 12.
  • Such information can take the form of charts and the like displayed on the monitor 22 or printed on a sheet of paper by the printer 24.
  • It can comprise audio and visual information related to those goods and services of interest to the customer and can contain any desired sales or product information such as product specifications, service data, published articles, product demonstrations, orchestrated presentations, sales literature such as you might find in a brochure or catalogue, possible uses, compatibility, styles, selection, availability, comparisons to other products or services, published articles on products or services; product features, compatibility, or requirements.
  • sales or product information such as product specifications, service data, published articles, product demonstrations, orchestrated presentations, sales literature such as you might find in a brochure or catalogue, possible uses, compatibility, styles, selection, availability, comparisons to other products or services, published articles on products or services; product features, compatibility, or requirements.
  • information might comprise expected profit or margins, past performance of like products, maturity dates, terms, conditions, exclusions, limitations, and exceptions.
  • information might comprise models, styles, expected life, efficiencies, colors, capacities, maintenance requirements, options, comparisons between models, published articles on products or excerpts of, pictures of products (still and full motion of product as in its various uses), testimonials of products, commercials, or infomercials .
  • Information for home users when purchasing or renting movies, music, or other forms of entertainment might comprise: ratings, titles, product descriptions, artists or actors, articles written by critics or excerpts of, short segments of music or movie (samples or previews), lists of products available and in general any audio or visual information a customer might wish to know including quote, price, or any information about goods or services other than quote, binder, or price.
  • the digital computer 18 stores suitable well-known off-the-shelf operations, communications and perhaps graphics software programs in its memory and is operational to translate the s: gnals, electronic or otherwise, caused to be transmitted 1 rom the financial services facility 12 into such displayed, audio reproduced, recorded, or printed information.
  • An exa ⁇ iple of a suitable communications program is one commercially available under the trademark Carbon Copy thus permitting or enabling the representative to control the equipment at the remote facility and permitting the customer to retrieve and access information about goods and services stored at the central facility.
  • An example of a suitable graphics program is one commercially available under the trademark Harvard Graphics which can be used to reconstruct digitally transmitted information back into visual images.
  • the agent residing at the central financial services company 12 has the ability to control the above-described electronic communications equipment in the presence of the customer located at the remote facility 14.
  • the agent is thereby able for example to display any desired information at will on the customer's monitor 22 or to print any information at will on the customer's printer 24.
  • the customer can respond verbally to central facility prompts initiated by the representative or the central facility equipment via the speaker phone 20 or by using his or her keyboard 26 or other input device or some other means to convey customer supplied information.
  • Such an input device is anticipated to comprise a touch screen permitting the customer to press a screen displayed icon to supply his choices or input, and voice activated response or voice recognition input permitting him to speak his responses, selections, or data input.
  • Personal data to be supplied by the customer can be voice input or supplied by other appropriate means comprising retrieved from a personal data card supplied by the customer by means of a magnetic reader or other comparable device capable of retrieving information thus stored and the system can then permit the customer to update or correct any information provided.
  • the system can also utilize voice synthesis to prompt or present options to the customer and can be used in tandem with visual prompts.
  • the customer can at his leisure and without the assistance of the representative review any desired information about those goods and services he is most interested in with complete privacy yet can by way of his input device request a representative at his will should he desire personal service. He or she can then serve himself should he wish or if preferred he can sit back and let the representative fully control the presentation.
  • the transmitted presentation can utilize a well known spokesperson and give the appearance of a commercial or infomercial. On his own the customer can back up, fast forward, skip, or jump to the specific product information he wishes at his command. His access to this information is described in the computer industry as random. Information can be provided at various levels of detail through a technique known as hypertext.
  • the customer can thus review a summary of specific information and at his request or command receive a level of information of greater detail.
  • One such method of accomplishing the summoning of the representative is to provide an icon or tool on the customer's monitor which he can press or select at any time which in turn causes the system to summon or ring a centrally or alternatively remotely located representative to personally assist the customer.
  • a security feature could be installed to protect customers or the remote system from vandalism.
  • the user is required to present his credit card or other ID to obtain entry into a locked facility containing the terminal .
  • Another approach to guard against vandalism is to have a live attendant greet on screen each customer as they approach the system.
  • a camera could be placed on each system to monitor the customer's use and a notice could be posted about the use of the camera to protect the customer's availability to the system.
  • An alarm can also be used that is activated automatically under certain conditions or manually by the rep at the central facility.
  • an input means we have permitted greater utilization of the representative's time and allowed the customer to only be assisted as he wishes. However it is beneficial to monitor the customer's activity to signal when an appropriate time might be for the representative to voluntarily offer assistance should the customer become confused or lost.
  • An application of a computer technique referred to as artificial intelligence will help identify the occurrence. Such a situation is indicated by a customer's repeated review of the same information or lack of command to the system within a given period of time.
  • the agent can then command the customer's printer 24 to create or print needed contracts and documents (comprising loan application papers, a notice of proposed insurance, an insurance binder, an insurance application, receipts, etc.).
  • the agent can also display his or her own image in a corner of the customer's monitor 22 as a courtesy by using an appropriate communications program and a graphics file produced from the agent's photograph with a conventional image scanner.
  • the central facility In combination with the application for a loan or the presentment of a credit card or some other payment instrument the central facility perhaps under the direction of the representative or under control of the central facility's application software can initiate a credit check to determine the customer's credit worthiness or qualify the customer so as to approve the intended purchase.
  • the central facility can itself store credit or check approval information for each prospective customer or can communicate with a third party such as TRW and exchange appropriate and necessary information on the customer while the customer waits at the remote facility to obtain the necessary credit history in order to process and approve the customer's request. Should the result of the check be negative, the representative can converse with the customer to perhaps arrange for alternate means of payment.
  • the central facility can in the event of a loan request conduct the necessary risk evaluation, manually or electronically by means of algorithms to determine loan approval.
  • a similar approach can be taken for insurance requests.
  • the customer can respond to questions regarding his medical history and based upon a search of medical history either at the central facility or at a third party such as the Medical Information Bureau determine the insurability of the customer and insurance approval.
  • the central facility can immediately approve the customer's application or request for insurance or credit and commit itself.
  • the central facility can record and store the presentation for beneficial purposes such as to meet regulatory requirements for proof of disclosure as when selling insurance, loans, or investment instruments comprising stocks, bonds, annuities, and mutual funds.
  • the cont "acts art printed out the customer is directed to sign them and personally place them and any required payment (check) in a mail bag 28 located at the retail sales facility 14.
  • a binder can be issued upon the customer signing applications for financial services and mailing them so he can take possession of any purchased goods or merchandise in contemplation of the financial services companies accepting the applications and performing final execution of the contracts in the home sovereign.
  • the possession can include the presentment of recorded performances or programming to the customer such as can be transmitted or in some otherwise fashion conveyed to the customer.
  • some other means of remitting payment and any completed contracts to the agent can be used such as electronically where the customer can for example endorse an electronic signature box displayed on his monitor by means of an electronic pen or other comparable device and subsequently transmit by modem the electronic contracts back to the central facility or by some other electronic means to permit the customer to legally apply for contracts perhaps comprising the faxing or transmitting of a signed contract from the remote to the central facility.
  • the system can prompt the customer for comments or take a poll.
  • the customer can respond with his input device.
  • the system can also encourage the customer to speak into a microphone to record the customer's comments on products, assistance provided by a live rep, or the system itself.
  • the advantage in recording the customer's verbal response is that the easier it is for customers to respond the more likely they will. Also, open-ended questions that can be very revealing are difficult to obtain if the customer is required to hand write or type comments. Recording the response will make the best use of the customer's time and improve the success of obtaining this information.
  • the system could list an OFF button. Once a customer has selected OFF the system can begin to execute a closing procedure which could include a customer questionnaire.
  • the system can prompt them for their address so as to forward additional or updated product information to them perhaps regarding future special offers.
  • This approach introduces a whole new method to sales promotions.
  • those products that can not be delivered on the spot can be delivered to the customer such as at their residence or place of business.
  • customers can pick up their purchases at a central order processing center.
  • Another embodiment provides for team shopping permitting a group customers at the same or different locations to view the same presentation simultaneously under the control of one of the customers as they speak with each other. In this instance a customer at the same or different remote location will assume control of the input device for one or more different customers. Control of the system can alternate between the individuals so that at times a first customer can control the presentation while at another time a second or other customer can assume control.
  • the selected information will be presented to each shopper in the party though they can be at different customer locations. In this way each person in the group can share with the others products they find interesting. At the same time they can all engage in a group conversation or perhaps video conference so each can hear the other as they review the presentations together.
  • the advantage of this approach is that historically electronic systems have failed to captivate certain segments of the population such as females. Part of the problem is that the act of using such a system has to this point been a solitary activity. While some customers can be content using the system by themselves, others are more group oriented and prefer social contact. For example, while some people (perhaps men) will be more inclined to visit a store or go shopping by themselves, others (perhaps women) are more likely to be accompanied by a friend. This embodiment of the system then recognizes these differences between customers and allows those who are more group oriented to use the system in a way they are comfortable with.
  • Another use of the system is to create electronic cities.
  • the system creates a tour to guide electronic tourists through a selected city showing important points of interest as presented by an electronic version of a tour guide with verbal narration.
  • Customers are allowed to browse and shop on their own at anytime.
  • customers are able to electronically sightsee and shop at a selection of cities within their country and internationally.
  • the ability to tie in the flavor and charm of a city or country with its products should greatly encourage customers to shop and make the customer's experience beautiful.
  • Cities and countries could introduce themselves in a positive way and encourage tourism.
  • the system's use in this fashion allows it to disseminate knowledge of a region and its people to others helping to improve relations between cities and countries.
  • Another version of the invention utilizes a full blown video conference center providing a large screen, perhaps wall sized, 2 way color video and audio device in addition to a remote printer used to generate or print documents for the prospective customer.
  • the customer is placed in a theater like environment so he can comfortably view any desired product information by means of full motion, full color, audio/visual presentations.
  • Images can be displayed by holograms or similar 3 dimensional means to give life and form to goods or services sold.
  • the video can be 1 way or nonreciprocal versus 2 way or reciprocal should the customer prefer to not be on camera. It can as well be monochrome as opposed to color where preferable such as when communication resources are not available to achieve full color video.
  • the customer's monitor can display his own image permitting him to make any grooming adjustments he wishes and in doing so better put his mind at rest.
  • the system could accept cash or any other payment means.
  • system 10 has been described with reference to financial services, the concept of the present invention is not so limited. It can be used to sell or assist in selling all goods and services comprising cars, boats, motorcycles, vacations, travel packages, investments, furniture, real estate, service contracts, product warranties, entertainment, financial services, and all other goods or services a customer might desire to remote customers whether or not financed or insured such as at a consumer goods store where customers use the system to select and transact their purchase.
  • the system serves as an expert system allowing the customer to obtain knowledgeable assistance from a central fac: lity ana its salesperson or representative. This is especially beneficial for customers of retail stores which sell large ticket items or complicated products which require or benefit from highly or moderately skilled sales people. This responds to a common complaint that few stores have knowledgeable staff. The customer can then select and pay for his purchase at the terminal and take possession of his goods upon leaving. In using the equipment in this fashion the provider of the equipment can charge the customer a fee for use of the system and its services for which it can then provide the customer with a printed coupon, rebate or voucher for free goods or services, or an equivalent or partial discount should the customer purchase his goods or services at that remote location during an unlimited or limited future period of time.
  • Such a system is be of great benefit to an employment agency or head hunter who might then record interviews with a selection of employee candidates for presentation purposes permitting prospective employers to browse the catalogue of candidates in quickly narrowing and finalizing their recruiting search.
  • the system 10 of the present invention accomplishes its first object identified above by centralizing the administration and selling of products and thereby substantially reduces the costs associated with creating, marketing, and administering these products and services.
  • the system 10 also accomplishes its second object identified above by consolidating all management activities of the financial services products with the central office.
  • the primary or only task of the retail sales location in the preferred embodiment is to refer the customer to the equipment at the remote location. Hence, all possible responsibilities are centralized permitting better control and simplifying ongoing management. With the great reduction in costs associated with developing and administering new products it is now possible, that is affordable, to develop a greater variety of products which are then more likely to fit the needs of specific customers.
  • the third object is achieved as new product supporting materials, such as computer programs and other sales materials, are now centralized and it is no longer necessary to train an army of outside staff to sell and support the new products, giving the financial services company or other provider of goods and services more control as well on the sales process .

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
  • Development Economics (AREA)
  • Finance (AREA)
  • Economics (AREA)
  • Game Theory and Decision Science (AREA)
  • Entrepreneurship & Innovation (AREA)
  • Marketing (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
  • Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)
  • Financial Or Insurance-Related Operations Such As Payment And Settlement (AREA)
  • Cash Registers Or Receiving Machines (AREA)

Abstract

Système d'achat de biens et de services qui comporte des installations de communication centrales et des installations de communication situées à distance connectées par des liaisons de communication et des moyens permettant la communication de données entre elles. Les installations de communication centrales offrent des biens et des services en concurrence les uns avec les autres. En plus des données, chaque installation de communication possède en mémoire des graphiques sous forme de vidéo et des données audio sous forme vocale et musicale informatisée. Des dispositifs de saisie informatiques associés à chaque installation de communication située à distance permettent à ladite installation l'accès aux données, aux graphiques et aux données audio. Des ordinateurs situés sur chaque installation de communication située à distance permettent également à cette installation de recevoir et de télécharger les données, les graphiques, et les données audio. Chaque installation de communication à distance est adaptée pour permettre à un client, après avoir vu les données et les graphiques et entendu les données audio, de négocier électroniquement un prix pour l'achat desdits biens et services. Chaque installation de communication centrale peut produire et transmettre à l'installation située à distance des documents spécifiques aux transactions concernant le prix ainsi négocié.
EP00911775A 2000-02-14 2000-02-14 Systeme de commercialisation de biens et de services a l'aide d'installations informatisees centrales et situees a distance Withdrawn EP1272910A4 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2000/003579 WO2001061433A2 (fr) 2000-02-14 2000-02-14 Systeme de commercialisation de biens et de services a l'aide d'installations informatisees centrales et situees a distance

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EP1272910A2 true EP1272910A2 (fr) 2003-01-08
EP1272910A4 EP1272910A4 (fr) 2003-05-21

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EP (1) EP1272910A4 (fr)
AU (1) AU2000233614A1 (fr)
BR (1) BR0017111A (fr)
CA (1) CA2437027A1 (fr)
HK (1) HK1052764A1 (fr)
MX (1) MXPA02007873A (fr)
WO (1) WO2001061433A2 (fr)

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US7412404B1 (en) * 2001-09-27 2008-08-12 I2 Technologies Us, Inc. Generating, updating, and managing multi-taxonomy environments
US7054841B1 (en) 2001-09-27 2006-05-30 I2 Technologies Us, Inc. Document storage and classification
US10282765B2 (en) 2001-09-27 2019-05-07 Jda Software Group, Inc. Order acceleration through user document storage and reuse
US7225146B2 (en) 2001-09-27 2007-05-29 I2 Technologies Us, Inc. Method, system and article of manufacturing for dynamic database redirection using semantic taxonomy information

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CA1341310C (fr) * 1988-07-15 2001-10-23 Robert Filepp Reseau informatique interactif, ainsi que sa procedure d'utilisation
US4992940A (en) * 1989-03-13 1991-02-12 H-Renee, Incorporated System and method for automated selection of equipment for purchase through input of user desired specifications
US5231571A (en) * 1990-08-14 1993-07-27 Personal Financial Assistant, Inc. Personal financial assistant computer method
US6055514A (en) * 1992-03-20 2000-04-25 Wren; Stephen Corey System for marketing foods and services utilizing computerized centraland remote facilities

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See also references of WO0161433A2 *

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EP1272910A4 (fr) 2003-05-21
HK1052764A1 (zh) 2003-09-26
WO2001061433A3 (fr) 2002-05-10
MXPA02007873A (es) 2004-09-10
CA2437027A1 (fr) 2001-08-23
BR0017111A (pt) 2003-03-18
WO2001061433A2 (fr) 2001-08-23
AU2000233614A1 (en) 2001-08-27

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