JP4147351B2 - Customer information management system and customer management center and electrical equipment used therefor - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention provides, for example, the issuance of a warranty card and the collection and management of customer information for performing services such as maintenance and failure prevention after selling, for example, an air conditioner, a refrigeration apparatus, and a home appliance as an electrical device. It relates to a customer information management system that performs product tracking management, energy saving, and security alarms.

  In general, the warranty card for electrical equipment issued by the manufacturer is entered in the distribution channel of the product by the dealer or distributor, and the customer (delivery destination) is filled in. The warranty card is handed over to the customer, and a part of the copy is given to the distributor or manufacturer. The method of returning to is taken. However, the sales route of refrigeration air conditioners, particularly air conditioners, is complex. For example, after shipment from the factory, it is sent directly to the customer (newly built or existing site) in a package, or through a distributor, dealer, equipment supplier, final customer, multiple dealers, and equipment dealers. In some cases, the warranty card with only the serial number and model at the time of shipment is delivered to the customer with the customer name, dealer name, and date of completion of the test run not filled in. .

  Therefore, in order to reduce the burden on consumers, dealers and manufacturers, and to issue a smooth and reliable warranty card, a warranty card is attached to the product, and the manufacturer is based on the network address described on the warranty card. It is known to access a server (customer management center) and issue a warranty card.

  In addition, in many cases of product warranty certificates for conventional home appliances etc., the purchaser side is left as it is, and since reliable customer information cannot be obtained at the time of product sales, a warranty certificate issuing terminal is prepared, the customer management center, Is known to be connected to a home information terminal so as to be able to communicate information, and to store a warranty and store customer information in a paperless manner, for example, described in Patent Document 2.

JP 2002-32559 A JP 11-85842 A

  In any of the above prior arts, the customer etc. must input the contents written in the warranty card. However, it does not motivate the customer to send the warranty card itself to the manufacturer. It is not something that can be immediately confirmed by the customer. In addition, even if you collect a copy of the warranty card or input customer information, you may not be able to grasp the detailed status of the electrical equipment or specify the end customer if the details are not sufficient. there were.

  The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, grasp the detailed information and customer information of the electrical equipment sold to the customer, clarify the warranty details (warranty information), and provide the customer with peace of mind and trust. , To improve customer satisfaction (CS).

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention collects customer information and guarantee information for an outdoor unit, a plurality of indoor units, and an air conditioner in which a remote controller is connected and controlled by a communication line. In the customer information management system for contacting the customer, the remote controller having at least a key and a screen capable of interactively inputting commands for instructing start / stop of the operation of the air conditioner, and provided in the air conditioner A customer management center capable of transmitting and receiving information via the communication device provided, a customer information database installed in the customer management center, display means for prompting input of customer information provided on the screen, input the customer information and the air conditioner to the stored type of air conditioner, via the communication device and the device information including the serial number sent to the customer management center And and means for recording into the customer information database, connected the at installed the test run the air conditioner in the customer site, the number of which is connected to the outdoor unit indoor unit, model, from the data such as the serial number If the status is confirmed, and if it is an incorrect connection, a screen prompting you to confirm the connection status is displayed, and if it is connected correctly, after performing the predetermined test operation, it is said that the test operation was performed itself After the information is transmitted to and recorded in the customer information database, the test run is completed and delivered to the customer, the screen prompts the customer information to be input, and the customer information is input when the customer information is input. It is recorded in the database as the customer information registration date, and the customer information registration date is displayed on the screen as the warranty start point date in the warranty information.

According to the present invention, after the air conditioner is installed at the customer site and the trial run is completed and delivered to the customer, a display prompting the customer information to be input is displayed on the remote control screen, and the customer information is input. Is recorded in the customer information database as the customer information registration date, and the customer information registration date is displayed on the screen as the warranty start date in the warranty information. Therefore, the warranty start date is calculated from the customer information registration date, and the test run completion date After the delivery of the customer to the customer information registration date, the warranty period can be extended in a form that matches the customer's actual usage, and the customer can clearly check the warranty period. .
In addition, the present invention, after the test run is completed and delivered to the customer, a display prompting the customer information to be input is displayed on the screen of the remote controller, and the input customer information and the device information stored in the air conditioner, Is transmitted to the customer management center via the communication device and recorded in the customer information database, so that it is possible not only to reliably collect information necessary for issuing a guarantee from a customer, but also to sell air conditioning Machine maintenance / service, introduction of new products, energy saving proposals, etc. can be performed accurately.

The manufacturer collects copies of the warranty issued by the manufacturer in order to perform maintenance and failure prevention services after the air conditioner is sold to customers. In other words, ask dealers, dealers, small and medium-sized equipment suppliers, etc. related to the sales route of the product to enter the customer name, dealer name, completion date of trial operation, etc. when selling to the final customer, Manufacturers, distributors and dealers collected the records and created a customer list and managed it as customer information.
However, there are a number of dealers and small and medium-sized equipment companies on the sales route for the electrical equipment that is the product, and the product shipped from the manufacturer passes through the sales route and is the final device user. The current situation is that manufacturers have not been able to track and manage whether they have reached customers. In particular, in the case of an air conditioner, the name of a new or existing site is a temporary name, the delivery destination is an awareness of an equipment supplier, or tenants move in after all work is completed and handed over to the owner Therefore, it is difficult to specify the final customer (owner and tenant).
In addition, the warranty card that is bundled with the product instruction manual at the time of shipment contains only the serial number and format, and the customer name, dealer name, date of completion of the test run, etc. are not described. Handed over. For this reason, for example, if the date of trial operation is completed, the repair is free and paid, but it is not described in the warranty card. Therefore, manufacturers and affiliated dealers will hear the shipping information (time) and customer requests for repairs. We confirm and judge in.

  On the other hand, if the manufacturer wants to immediately notify the end customer of information about the product, the manufacturer can use the company's homepage etc. to provide information to the end customer via the Internet under the `` Important Notice to Customers '' With the cooperation of the distribution center and distributors, based on the shipping information, we contact the dealers and small and medium-sized equipment suppliers that are sales partners, and spend a lot of people, money and time to track and check the products. The customer is specified. In this way, the Personal Information Protection Law was enacted in April 2005 in the midst of difficulties in managing customer information. Correctly collecting and managing individual customer information is a corporate social responsibility. It has become to.

  In order to meet the above demands, for example, an interactive remote control (information remote control) is used for the air conditioner, and the warranty start date and the warranty period are specified by the customer entering the personal information during the test run. , The system corresponding to the blank.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a main configuration of a customer information management system. An air conditioner outdoor unit 11, an indoor unit 12, and an information remote controller 13 are installed at a customer 10 and are connected by a communication line 14. The communication line 14 further includes customer information installed in the customer management center of the manufacturer 20 via the Internet 30 by a wireless means such as specific low power radio, PHS, Bluetooth, etc., or a telephone line, an optical cable, etc. 31 from the communication device 15. Connected to a DB (database) 22. The information remote control 13 is a normal function as an air conditioner, start / stop of operation, input of numbers 0-9, hiragana and alphabet at the bottom so that interactive input is possible with kanji display etc. in addition to temperature setting With a resolution of 320 x 240, 640 x 480 or 800 x 600 dots on top of it, 5 inches, an aspect ratio of 3 to 4 or 7 inches, and an aspect ratio of 16 to 9 A color liquid crystal display (screen) is provided.

  In addition, the information remote controller 13 may be one that can perform various remote operations from the outside using a mobile phone. In this case, since electric devices can be operated more timely, wasteful operation is suppressed. be able to. Furthermore, by using the mobile phone as the information remote controller 13, by making use of the video playback function of the mobile phone and performing test run and customer information registration, more interactive two-way communication is possible. Appropriate information such as new product information and software used for electrical equipment can be downloaded from the customer management center via the Internet, etc., and upgraded, or maintenance information can be provided.

  The commissioner or device user uses the keys and display of the information remote control 13 to enter customer information (customer information) from the name, zip code, and zip code, search the address, enter the phone number, etc. The data is transmitted to a customer information DB (database) 22 installed in 20 customer management centers 21.

  At this time, the data exchanged via the Internet is encrypted, and the customer management center 21 serving as a Web server and the information remote controller 13 using the Web browser are incorporated with SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) -compatible functions. If the connection is correctly established, “https: // ~” is displayed in the URL address field of the Web browser. Further, if a locked key mark is displayed at the bottom of the Web browser screen, this indicates that data communication is protected by encryption, and double-clicking the key mark enables digital certification of the customer management center 21. Certificate (identity certificate) content. Information on the customer management center 21 and the information remote controller 13, particularly customer information, is encrypted with a public key method or a secret key method so that it cannot be used by a third party. Used to authenticate whether it is a product for sale.

FIG. 2 shows a specific operation for trial operation, customer information registration, and a communication method.
In general, an air conditioner (outdoor unit, indoor unit) is installed with electric equipment after or during construction work, and a test run is performed before delivery to a customer. In this case, after the power is turned on, the test operation mode 13-1 is displayed on the screen of the information remote controller 13. Therefore, when the test runner selects the test runner registration 13-1 on the screen, the screen proceeds to the input 13-2 of the test runner trade name.
When registering the name of the trial run trader, if the trader name, address, and telephone number are input 13-3, this information is registered 22-2 as the customer information DB of the customer management center 21. If the trial operator name is not entered, the repair call center 13-4 of the manufacturer recorded in the storage device of the air conditioner board is registered in the customer information DB 22 as a maintenance / service agent. The trial runner information 22-2 registered as the trial run trader is collated and registered with the shipment information 22-1 at the time of factory shipment.
By this series of operations, the trial runner information is registered in the customer information DB 22, and the trial runner registration completion 13-5 is displayed on the screen of the information remote controller 13. That is, an address, a name, a telephone number, a store, etc. are interactively performed by key input of the information remote controller 13.

FIG. 3 shows a specific example when the test run is performed. After the test runner registration completion 13-5 is displayed on the information remote controller 13 screen, the test runner selects the test run mode 13-6 on the screen and starts the test run. .
Next, the connection state confirmation 13-7 is performed from the number, model, and serial number, and if it is an incorrect connection, a screen prompting to confirm the connection state is displayed. After the completion of the operation, confirmation 13-8 that the device registration and the trial operation have been performed is performed. In other words, data such as the number, model, serial number, and the fact that the trial operation has been performed are stored in the customer information DB installed in the customer management center of the manufacturer 20 through the Internet 30 from the signal line of the air conditioner. It is automatically transmitted and recorded, and then displayed on the screen of the information remote controller 13 as a test run completion 13-9.
FIG. 4 shows the input of customer information registration 13-10 when the owner or tenant moves in after the building and equipment are delivered to the customer after the trial run is completed, and the user of the air conditioner uses the electric device for the first time. An explanation is shown.
After the power is turned on (13-9), a customer information registration mode 13-10 is displayed on the screen of the information remote controller 13. The customer selects whether or not to register in the customer information registration 13-11, and proceeds to customer information registration 13-12 (customer name input). When inputting customer information, the customer interactively inputs an address, name, and telephone number on the screen 13-12 using keys. If you are a tenant resident, enter the owner name. When the customer information is not input, the date of the trial run is set as unregistered and the warranty start date is displayed, and displayed on the screen of the information remote controller 13-13-13.

  The input customer information 22-6 is collated with the customer information 22-5 at the time of shipment registered in the customer information DB 22, and is registered after confirming the coincidence. This customer information registration date is registered in the customer management center, and the registration is transmitted to the information remote controller 13 side via the Internet 30, and the customer information registration completion date is registered on the information remote controller 13 screen as the warranty start point date. A message 13-14 is displayed. In addition, the customer information is updated so that a warranty card 13-15 describing the customer name, address, telephone number, dealer name, and warranty start date is officially issued, and mailed to the customer from the customer management center. Therefore, the warranty start date is calculated from the customer information registration date, the warranty period can be extended in accordance with the customer's actual usage after the test run completion date to the customer delivery date and the customer information registration date. It becomes.

  As described above, the owner and tenant who is the final user of the air conditioner have a screen for entering the customer's name, address, telephone number, etc., and at least one in one system of the air conditioner It communicates with the manufacturer's customer management center via the Internet. After confirming the collected customer information, the customer management center officially notifies the customer of the start date of the warranty, displays the warranty period on the customer's screen, and displays the customer name, address, and telephone number. Issue. As a communication means, for example, it is performed through a transmission medium such as a telephone line, an Internet line, or mail.

  In the information remote controller 13 connected to the air conditioner, the input screen is connected to the control device of the air conditioner, the customer information and the serial number described in the storage device of the board of the electrical equipment, the connection status of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, Read the number information and send the information to the customer management center. At the customer management center, the final customer information is confirmed from the product serial number data included in the manufacturer factory completion information and shipping information, and after confirmation the warranty start date is sent to the information remote controller of the customer's air conditioner and displayed. Let Further, the refrigerating air conditioner connected with the information remote controller 13 is provided with communication destination storage means for storing a communication destination connected from its transmission side communication means via a telephone line or the Internet, and when the operation of the air conditioner is started. It becomes possible to accurately communicate customer information. Accordingly, it is possible to accurately register customer information, a refrigeration / air-conditioner dealer, a maintenance / service destination, and issue a formal warranty card. On the other hand, the final customer who is the user of the air conditioner can receive customer service correctly based on the officially written guarantee by entering the customer's personal information. By moving the warranty start date, it becomes possible to obtain the merit of extending the warranty period and clearly check the warranty period.

  Furthermore, since customer information can be managed and is not distributed, it is guaranteed that the manufacturer will ask the manufacturer to disclose his / her own personal information without causing a leakage accident. "We can respond promptly and smoothly to requests for disclosure while strictly adhering to the law.

1 is a block diagram showing an entire system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The flowchart which shows the customer information registration by one embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the test run by one embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows issue of the guarantee by one embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Customer, 11 ... Outdoor unit, 12 ... Indoor unit, 13 ... Information remote control, 14 ... Communication line, 15 ... Communication apparatus, 20 ... Manufacturer, 21 ... Customer management center, 22 ... Customer information database, 30 ... Internet.

Claims (1)

In a customer information management system for collecting customer information and contacting warranty information to the customer for an outdoor unit, a plurality of indoor units, and an air conditioner that is controlled by a communication line connected to each of the indoor units. ,
The remote controller having a key and a screen capable of performing interactive input, instructing at least start / stop of operation of the air conditioner;
A customer management center capable of transmitting and receiving information via a communication device provided in the air conditioner;
A customer information database installed in the customer management center;
Display means for prompting input of customer information provided on the screen;
The inputted customer information and the device information including the type and serial number of the air conditioner stored in the air conditioner are transmitted to the customer management center via the communication device and recorded in the customer information database. Means, and
When the air conditioner is installed at the customer site and the trial run is performed, the connection status is confirmed from the data such as the number, model, and serial number of indoor units connected to the outdoor unit. A screen prompting you to confirm is displayed, and if it is correctly connected, after performing a predetermined test run content, information on the fact that the test run has been performed is transmitted and recorded in the customer information database, and the test run is After completion and delivery to the customer, the screen prompts the customer information to be entered. When the customer information is entered, it is recorded in the customer information database as the customer information registration date, and the customer information registration A customer information management system, wherein the date is displayed on the screen as a guarantee start date in the guarantee information.

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