U.S. patent application number 13/327994 was filed with the patent office on 2012-05-03 for system and method for internet-based customer check-in.
Invention is credited to PETER KAISER.
Application Number | 20120109696 13/327994 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40383016 |
Filed Date | 2012-05-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120109696 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KAISER; PETER |
May 3, 2012 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERNET-BASED CUSTOMER CHECK-IN
Abstract
An internet-based system and method allows customers to remotely
check-in to a wait list for a no-appointment first listed-first
served business. A location associated with a customer is received
and an interactive map displays multiple icons with each icon
corresponding to a location of the business. A dynamically updated
estimated wait time for the wait list at each business location is
displayed. A customer selection of a location at which to receive a
service from the business is received by a selection of the icon
representing the business and the customer is added to the wait
list at the location.
Inventors: |
KAISER; PETER; (EDINA,
MN) |
Family ID: |
40383016 |
Appl. No.: |
13/327994 |
Filed: |
December 16, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11974074 |
Oct 11, 2007 |
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13327994 |
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60965358 |
Aug 20, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0603 20130101;
G06Q 30/0613 20130101; G06Q 10/063 20130101; G06Q 30/0641 20130101;
G06Q 10/0631 20130101; G06Q 10/06311 20130101; G06Q 10/02
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/5 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 10/02 20120101
G06Q010/02 |
Claims
1. A method of providing internet-based customer check-in for
customers desiring a service from a no appointment, first
listed-first served business having a plurality of business
locations, comprising: providing an internet-based interface
associated with a business having a plurality of business
locations; receiving a location associated with a customer by way
of the interne-based interface; displaying an interactive map
including the location to the customer on the internet-based
interface, the interactive map including multiple icons with each
icon corresponding to one of the business locations and positioned
at a position on the map of the corresponding business location;
displaying a dynamically updated estimated wait time for each of
the business locations, each displayed wait time based on an actual
wait time of a no appointment, first listed-first served waiting
list at the business location; receiving a customer selection of a
selected business location at which to receive the service, the
customer selection being received as a result of the customer
selecting the icon on the map representing the selected business
location; and automatically transmitting information regarding the
customer to the selected business location corresponding to the
selected icon to allow the customer to be placed on the waiting
list inside the selected business location following the customer
selection of the selected icon.
2. The method of claim, 1, wherein displaying a dynamically updated
estimated wait time for each of the business locations includes
displaying the wait time on the icon corresponding to each
respective business location on the map.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying a dynamically updated
estimated wait time includes using a computer processor to
calculate the wait time at each location using historical data
related to the performance of the service at the location.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the historical data includes a
separate amount of service time that each of a plurality of
specific employees at the location have taken to perform the
service in the past.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the service time for the service
results primarily from the skill and experience of the specific
employee.
6. An internet-based customer check-in system for customers
desiring a service from a business, comprising: an internet-based
interface configured to identify a location associated with a
customer, display an interactive map including multiple icons with
each icon corresponding to one of a plurality of business locations
of the business and positioned at a position on the map of the
corresponding business location, and receive a customer selection
of a selected business location at which to receive the service,
the customer selection being made by the customer selecting the
icon on the map corresponding to the selected business location; a
computer processor configured to calculate a dynamically updated
estimated wait time for the service at each business location based
on an actual wait time of a no appointment, first listed-first
served waiting list at each business location; and wherein the
internet-based interface is configured to communicate with a
computer at each business location, the computer including the
waiting list for the business location, and customers who enter the
waiting list via the internet-based interface are automatically
placed on the waiting list at the business location in response to
the customer selection of the selected icon.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the dynamically updated estimated
wait time for each business location is displayed on the icon on
the map corresponding to the business location.
8. The system of claim 6, wherein the estimated wait time at each
location is calculated using historical data related to the
performance of the service at the location.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the historical data includes a
separate amount of service time that each of a plurality of
specific employees at the location have taken to perform the
service in the past.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the service time for the service
results primarily from the skill and experience of the specific
employee.
11. An internet-based method of checking in for a service from a
business, comprising: accessing an interne based interface
associated with a business having a plurality of business
locations; enabling the interface to receive a location; viewing a
dynamically updated estimated wait time for a service displayed on
the interface for each of the plurality of business locations
located in a vicinity of the location, each wait time corresponding
to an actual wait time of a no appointment, first-listed
first-served waiting list at the respective business location;
selecting one of the business locations at which to receive the
service by selecting an icon on the interactive map representing
the selected business location from a plurality of icons each
corresponding to one of the business locations and positioned at a
position on the map of the corresponding business location;
entering identification information through the interface; and
being placed on the waiting list at the selected business
location.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein viewing a dynamically updated
estimated wait time for a service for each of the plurality of
business locations includes viewing the wait time for each business
location on the icon corresponding to that business location.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the wait time is calculated by
a computer processor using historical data related to the
performance of the service at the location.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the historical data includes a
separate amount of service time that each of a plurality of
specific employees at the location have taken to perform the
service in the past.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the service time for the
service results primarily from the skill and experience of the
specific employee.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to a internet-based
customer check-in system and method and more particularly to an
internet-based customer check-in system and method that provides
customers with more accurate estimated wait times for services at a
plurality of locations shown on a map-based geographical display in
real time.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Many businesses, such as no-appointment hair salons, offer
services to customers on a first-come, first-served basis and do
not accept appointments. Because of this, customers typically do
not know how long of a wait it will be to receive a desired service
until arrival at the business location. If the wait is too long,
the customer may decide to forego the service altogether. Although
the customer can call ahead to learn an estimated wait time, many
businesses do not allow a customer to have the customer's name put
on the wait list until the customer enters the store. In addition,
some businesses have numerous locations situated relatively near
each other to which a customer has the option of going. However, a
customer cannot practically determine which location will be able
provide the desired service the soonest, as this would entail
visiting each location or making numerous phone calls to inquire
about each location's wait time. In addition, the wait times
customers receive are simply guesses by the employees typically
based solely on the number of customers currently on the waiting
list. Due to variations in the time it takes different employees to
perform different services, such guesses are usually grossly
inaccurate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A internet-based customer check-in system and method allows
customers to view estimated wait times at a plurality of service
providing locations in order to select a location to visit based on
the most convenient location and the best estimated wait time for
the customer. A map based graphical display of service locations
within the vicinity of the entered address and an estimated wait
time to have the requested service performed at each location are
presented to the customer. The customer can select a desired
location to be placed on the location's no-appointment, first
listed-first sensed waiting list by business of a location by
selecting an icon on the map representing that location.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0004] The invention may be more completely understood in
consideration of the following detailed description of various
embodiments of the invention in connection with the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0005] FIG. 1 is flowchart of steps taken by a customer to join a
waiting list using a web-based customer check-in system according
to the present disclosure.
[0006] FIG. 2 is a screenshot of a welcome page of a web-based
customer check-in system according to the present disclosure.
[0007] FIG. 3 is a screenshot of a wait time display page of a
web-based customer check-in system according to the present
disclosure.
[0008] FIG. 4 is a screenshot of a customer information page of a
web-based customer check-in system according to the present
disclosure.
[0009] FIG. 5 is a screenshot of a confirmation and directions page
of a web-based customer check-in system according to the present
disclosure.
[0010] FIG. 6 is a screenshot of a store interface of a web-based
customer check-in system according to the present disclosure.
[0011] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of steps taken according to a wait
time algorithm according to the present disclosure.
[0012] While the invention is amenable to various modifications and
alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of
example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should
be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the
invention to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary,
the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and
alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention
as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] FIG. 1 depicts the steps 100 taken by a customer to use a
web-based customer check-in system according to the present
disclosure. Initially, the customer accesses the internet and
navigates to a business's website to access its web-based customer
check-in welcome page 202, depicted in FIG. 2, at step 102. The
welcome page 202 can provide instructions 204 regarding the
operation of the web-based customer check-in system for new
customers. At step 104, the customer can enter an address into a
text box 206 on the welcome page 202 so that the system can locate
service locations of the business near the address. The address can
be the customer's home, office, or any other reference address from
which the customer wishes to find nearby service locations.
[0014] After the customer has entered an address, the system
displays the nearest locations 210 and estimated wait times 212 at
each location 210. The customer can view the results on a wait time
display page 208, depicted in FIG. 3, at step 106. Alternatively,
the wait time display page 208 can automatically be displayed when
a customer searches for the service or the business in a search
engine, such as Google.TM.. The business locations 210 displayed
can be determined based on a designated number of locations or
based on all locations within a certain distance of the entered
address, such as, for example, 10 miles. Locations can
alternatively be displayed based on wait times, such as, for
example, all locations within a certain distance whose wait times
are under 20 minutes. The locations 210 can be displayed
graphically on a map 214 showing each location 210 relative to each
other and the entered address. The graphical display can utilize,
for example, Google.TM. Maps.
[0015] Estimated wait times can be determined according to the
steps 300 of a wait time algorithm, as shown in FIG. 7. The
algorithm first determines which employees of the business are
currently available to perform services at the location at step
302. This can be done by having the employees "clock in" when they
are working and having them "clock out" when their shifts are over
or they go on break. Next, the remaining service time for each
employee who is currently serving a customer is calculated at step
304. This calculation is estimated by first averaging historical
service times for the particular employee performing the service
based on the type of service performed and other relevant factors
in the industry, such as, for example, the sex of the customer in
the hair salon industry (because services performed on females
typically take longer than similar services performed on males due
to average hair length). The remaining service time is then
calculated by subtracting the elapsed time for the service from the
total estimated service time. After estimating the remaining
service time for each employee, the employees are placed in order
of soonest availability to serve another customer at step 306.
Employees who are not currently serving a customer are therefore at
the top of the list. Service time is then calculated for each
customer on the waiting list at step 308. This is done by pairing
the first customer on the waiting list with the first available
employee and determining the estimated service time for the
employee to perform the particular service for the particular
customer. That service time is then added to that employee's total
remaining service time and the list of available employees is
reordered. This process is repeated for each customer on the
waiting list and for each new customer who joins the waiting list.
The wait time for each customer joining the waiting list is the
shortest remaining service time for an active employee.
[0016] The above wait time calculation can be done continuously, or
performed at regular intervals, so the wait time is always
up-to-date. Changes that are taken into account in updating the
wait time include: customers getting served (moving from the wait
list to the service list), services being completed for customers,
customers' desired service getting changed, customers leaving
before being served, employees leaving and/or returning based on
shift times and breaks, and services moving closer to completion as
time elapses. If an employee is serving more than one customer at a
time, then only the longest service time is considered in the
calculation. The algorithm can also take into account customers who
appear to have left the store by removing those customers from the
calculation. If a customer should have been served (there was an
employee available and the customer was the next one in line), but
was not, the customer can be excluded from the calculation after a
predetermined period, such as, for example, ten minutes. The
calculation can also ignore employees who appear to be absent or
otherwise unavailable. If an employee is clocked in and customers
are waiting, but the employee is not serving any customers, the
employee can be excluded after a predetermined period.
[0017] The wait time at each location can therefore be calculated
in a statistically significant manner based on measured historical
data. This is in contrast to the "gut-feeling" type of wait time
typically given based solely on the number of customers ahead on
the waiting list. Calculating wait times based on historical data
allows customers to receive more accurate wait times. The
historical data can be updated each time an employee performs a
service, thereby constantly improving the accuracy of the wait time
predictions.
[0018] Upon viewing the various wait times at nearby locations, the
customer can select a location at which the customer wishes to be
placed on the waiting list at step 108 by clicking on a location on
the map. To be placed on the waiting list, the customer enters
information 218 into a customer information page 216, shown in FIG.
4, at step 110. The information 218 can include, for example, the
customer's name, phone number, service requested, and the number of
guests requesting services. Once the customer has submitted the
requested information, the customer is placed on the location's
waiting list. Thus, the customer need not physically arrive at the
location to be placed on the waiting list. Once the customer is
placed on the waiting list, the wait time algorithm automatically
adjusts the estimated wait time for the location for subsequent
customers using the system.
[0019] The customer can receive a confirmation that the customer
has been placed on the waiting list for the selected location on a
confirmation page 220 at step 112. The confirmation can also
include driving directions 222 from the entered address to the
location, as depicted in FIG. 5. Alternatively, the customer can be
provided with an option of receiving directions from the
confirmation page. The customer can now travel to the location and
receive the requested service. Web-based customer check-in system
therefore provides customers with the ability to select the
location that will minimize the customer's wait time. The wait time
is further minimized because the customer can be placed on the
waiting list before arriving at the location, allowing the
customer's travel time, which must take place anyway, to reduce the
wait time.
[0020] When a customer checks in for a service via web-based
customer check-in, the customer's entered information will appear
on the business location's store interface 224 as shown in FIG. 6.
Web check-in customers can be separately identified from walk-in
customers through text 226 and/or graphics (i.e., a differently
colored box). Web check-in customers join the waiting list 228 in
the order of check-in with walk-in customers. An estimated wait
time 230 can be displayed for each customer on the waiting list
228. A running overall estimated wait time incorporating both
walk-in customers and web customers can be displayed on the store
interface 224 to be given by employees to any walk-in customers who
enter and wish to know what the wait time is. When a web check-in
customer arrives at the store, the customer's information and
requested service received from the web-based check-in can be
confirmed by an employee. Once the customer is called to receive
the customer's requested service, the customer is transferred from
the wait list 228 to a service list 232 and each customer on the
wait list 228 moves forward in the queue. The time that each
customer has spent on the wait list 228 and on the service list 232
can also be displayed on the store interface 224. When a customer's
service has been completed, the customer is removed from the
service list 232.
[0021] Web-based customer check-in system and method can be used by
any business that provides services to customers on a first-come,
first-served basis. The system and method are designed for use with
no-appointment business; it is not a web-based appointment
scheduling system and method. It can be most advantageously
employed by businesses providing such services at numerous
locations that are situated relatively near each other from which
customers may choose to visit. One type of business for which the
disclosed system and method are particular well suited is
no-appointment hair salon chains. A customer seeking a haircut,
perm, or other service can remotely access the chain's website and
enter the wait list at whichever nearby salon can provide the
desired service at the most convenient time for the customer. This
can significantly reduce the time a customer would otherwise spend
sitting in the no-appointment salon's waiting room. The wait times
given to customers are also much more accurate because they are
based on measured historical data, which reduces the likelihood of
customers arriving undesirably early or late for their requested
services.
[0022] The embodiments above are intended to be illustrative and
not limiting. Additional embodiments are encompassed within the
scope of the claims. Although the present invention has been
described with reference to particular embodiments, those skilled
in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and
detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.
* * * * *