Abstract:
A system for interacting with onsite customers at an automotive facility when operating personnel normally present at the facility are not present, such as after hours. The system may comprise a free-standing kiosk having a data input interface device and data processing capabilities. The data processing capabilities may enable a customer to initiate transactions such as service transactions, lease transactions, and purchase transactions. The automotive facility may have an onsite server linked to the kiosk but located out of view therefrom. The kiosk and onsite server may be connected to the internet and may be functional to conduct transactions in whole or in part over the internet.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application is related to a copending application entitled FACILITIES MANAGEMENT FOR AN AUTOMATED INTERACTIVE CUSTOMER INTERFACE FOR AN AUTOMOTIVE FACILITY, filed of even date herewith. The copending application is hereby incorporated in its entirety herein by reference. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to an automated system for managing and expediting customer interaction in an automotive sales and service facility which may be unstaffed at times when customers are present, where a customer or potential customer seeks to prepare for sales, lease, and automotive service transactions using the unmanned facility, and for performing administrative tasks in support of sales, lease, and automotive transactions. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Automobile dealerships ordinarily maintain set business hours during which personnel are present to serve customers. Salespeople, service technicians, financial specialists, and service advisors may ordinarily be present at the facility during normal business hours but not present outside the usual hours. After hours visits of potential customers, aside from some service customers who choose to leave their automobiles and keys at such facilities, are pointless. Yet a number of potential customers of new and old automobiles and even for repair and maintenance services could be accommodated if there existed a suitable way to communicate with such potential customers. Doing this would potentially significantly increase the volume of business and profitability of an automotive facility. 
         [0004]    There exists a need in the industry to accommodate additional after hours contact with potential customers. There also exists a need for a recognizable place to initiate or conduct business after hours at an automotive facility. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention provides apparatus to enable customers and potential customers to initiate transactions at an automotive facility such as an automobile dealership at times when the usual personnel are not at the facility, such as after normal business hours. Transactions, which may pertain to purchases and leases of automobiles or to repair and maintenance services, may be initiated using an automated data processing device. The automated data processing device may be a free-standing kiosk, and may have data input thereto using a touch screen or the like. A free-standing kiosk may be visually recognizable as a contact point for after hours business and may spur additional business at a facility provided therewith. 
         [0006]    The automated data processing device may accept basic information such as identity of a customer and the nature of the customer&#39;s inquiry or transaction. Certain aspects of inquiries and transactions may be fulfilled using the automated data processing device, such as obtaining estimates of repair costs, leasing charges, and other costs relating to standard services. An offer by a customer to buy a new or old automobile may be accepted at the automated data processing device for presentation to the appropriate terminal of staff for processing when business hours resume. Certain potential activities may be scheduled, such as conducting test drives of automobiles and obtaining appraisals for automobiles which may be sold to the automotive facility. 
         [0007]    The automated data processing device may be connected to a server located on the premises of the automotive facility but remote therefrom. The server and the automated data processing device may be connected to the internet so that transactions which have been initiated at the premises may be continued or concluded remotely. 
         [0008]    It is an object of the invention to provide a way for on-premises customers and potential customers to initiate sales and service related transactions with an automotive facility. 
         [0009]    Another object of the invention is to readily retrofit an existing automotive facility with apparatus to enable automated contact and data transfer in support of after hours sales and service related transactions. 
         [0010]    A further object is to facilitate remote communications in support of sales and service transactions which have been initiated onsite at an automotive facility. 
         [0011]    It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof by apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
         [0012]    These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a representative automotive facility which may comprise a customer interface system according to at least one aspect of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a perspective detail view, drawn to enlarged scale, of an interface device seen generally at the center of  FIG. 1 , together with a portable enablement device which is typically carried on the person of a customer, according to at least one aspect of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a functional diagram of components of the novel customer interface system, according to at least one aspect of the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram of steps of a method according to at least one aspect of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Referring first to  FIG. 1 , according to at least one aspect of the invention, there is shown an automotive facility  10  which is representative of automobile dealerships and service facilities. The automotive facility  10  may have a building  12  where business is conducted, a lot  14  on which vehicles  16  are stored and displayed for sale and lease or for repair and maintenance services, and interior space (not separately shown) within the building  12  for performing maintenance and repair services. The automotive facility  10  may have a paved parking lot and driveway  18  which potential customers may use to park their automobiles while browsing for a new or old automobile to buy or lease, or while arranging for service or to buy replacement parts. The building  12 , the lot  14 , and the parking lot and driveway  18  may be illuminated at night by overhead lighting fixtures  20 . 
         [0019]    The automotive facility  10  may have one or more speakers  22  and one or more sensors such as motion detectors  24  for detecting the presence of people entering onto the premises. 
         [0020]    According to at least one aspect of the invention, there is provided a customer interface system  100  for conducting automotive transactions in part or in their entirety at the automotive facility  10  when the automotive facility  10  is unstaffed, such as after ordinary business hours. The customer interface system  100 , shown functionally in  FIG. 3 , may comprise a customer operable automated transaction processor which may be in the form of the free-standing kiosk  102  having a memory device  104  (hereinafter referred as a memory for brevity) and a data processor  106 . The memory  104  and the data processor  106 , both shown in only representative capacity and not literally, will be understood to encompass all types of memory, supporting hardware and software, and connections to other components of the customer interface system  100  to be operable as described. For brevity, the data processing components of the kiosk  102  and data handling processes enacted thereby, acting individually or collectively, may be referred to as the kiosk  102 . The kiosk  102  is disposed to conduct a commercial transaction at least in part for at least one of an automobile purchase transaction and an automobile service transaction. As employed herein, the term “purchase transaction” will be understood to encompass both actual sales where legal possession passes from one party to another, and also lease transactions wherein a customer enters into an arrangement to lease an automobile through the automotive facility  10 . 
         [0021]    As depicted in  FIG. 2 , the kiosk  102  is free-standing in that it may be mounted to any suitable environmental surface and may be unattached to the building  12  or other structure. In free-standing form, the kiosk  102  may conveniently be manufactured and installed on the premises of the automotive facility  10  as a modular unit, requiring only mounting in place and connection of communication and electrical power cables (not shown) to become functional. However, it should be understood that the kiosk  102  may take other forms and be installed on the premises of the automotive facility  10  in other ways. For example, a functionally similar kiosk (not shown) may project laterally from a vertical wall of the building  12 , may depend from a soffit surface of the building  12 , or may span two or more environmental surfaces of the premises, such as any of a vertical wall, soffit, or ground or floor surface. A functionally similar kiosk may be integrated into the premises so as not to be visually discernible as a discrete object unto itself, unlike the kiosk  102 . 
         [0022]    Shown in greater detail in  FIG. 2 , the kiosk  102  may further comprise a human-machine interface device such as a touch screen  108  which is disposed to enter data into the memory device  104  and data processor  106 . The touch screen  108  may be disposed to receive data inputs from a customer responsive to the customer touching the touch screen  108  selectively at predetermined locations thereon, as is known. 
         [0023]    The touch screen  108  may be integral with a display screen which displays data pertaining details of that transaction which is being conducted by the customer. The kiosk  102  will be understood to include data processing hardware and software which are functional to enter data related to identity of a customer and to enter data related to that one of the automobile purchase transaction and the automobile service transaction being conducted by the customer. A transaction may be one transaction or plural transactions. The kiosk  102  may comprise a reader  110  capable of reading data from a portable device such as a machine readable identity card  112  bearing a unique account identifying data sequence. The machine readable identity card  112 , shown in  FIG. 2 , may be of the type commonly used as debit and credit cards or for authorized entry systems (not shown), for example. 
         [0024]    The kiosk  102 , which serves as a human-machine interface device for enabling communication between a customer and the system  100 , may comprises a manual data entry device other than the touch screen  108 . The manual data entry device may comprise a keypad or keyboard, or may communicate wirelessly with a mobile communications device such as a cellular telephone, personal digital assistant, or the like (none of these options is shown). 
         [0025]    Referring specifically to  FIG. 3 , the system  100  may comprise a database server  114  located on the premises of the automotive facility  10 , but remotely from the kiosk  102 . The database server  114  may be located at a concealed location within the building  12  for example. The automotive facility  10  may also include one or more computer terminals (shown representatively as a single personal computer  116 ). The database server  114 , the personal computer  116 , and the kiosk  102  may be communicably and functionally linked to one another and may be connected to an external communications channel such as the internet  118 . Thus the kiosk  102  and the database server  114  are each disposed in communication with and are therefore accessible through the internet  118 . The database server  114  may have memory and processing capabilities which are supplemental to the kiosk  102 , as will be described hereinafter. 
         [0026]    The automotive facility  10 , apart from the system  100 , may be generally conventional, having in addition to the physical apparatus described above, at least one service technician, at least one sales person, and other personnel, optionally including managers, service advisors, financial specialists, and others (not shown). Any of these personnel may be provided with a computer terminal such as the personal computer  116 . 
         [0027]    The kiosk  102  may be configured and enabled to conduct any and all of the following types of transactions. The kiosk  102  may be disposed to receive and store data requesting at least one repair service for a particular automobile, and to authorize a repair service to be conducted by a service technician of the automotive facility responsively to entry of an authorized request for at least one repair service. The kiosk  102  may have capability of transmitting directions to the customer pertaining to a location at the automotive facility  10  where automobiles are to be left unattended for subsequent service, and to a location at the automotive facility  10  where keys are to be left. Directions may appear on the touch screen  108 , or alternatively or in addition, may be provided in audible form using the speakers  22 . The kiosk  102  may be functional to display a list in written form of routine maintenance services and associated standard charges for the routine maintenance services. 
         [0028]    The kiosk  102  may comprise data processing hardware and software which are disposed to receive and store data pertaining to a sales inquiry to purchase an automobile. Data pertaining to a sales inquiry may include for example characteristics of automobiles maintained in inventory at the automotive facility  10 , such as images showing the appearance of any automobile in inventory, the list price of such automobile, a stock number which may be assigned to that automobile, age and mileage of that automobile, which would come into play usually for old automobiles, vehicle identification number assigned by the manufacturer, identity of any particular sales personnel who may have particular sales responsibility or authority for that automobile, if such delegation of authority is made by the automotive facility  10 , and the like. 
         [0029]    Some transactions are for standard services. For example, many routine operations such as engine oil changes, drive belt replacement, wheel balancing, state or federally mandated inspections, and the like, entail predetermined labor, parts, and materials charges, and thus may have predetermined total charges. These charges may be annunciated to customers at the kiosk  102  for example. Where total charges are predetermined, either precisely or within a predetermined range (i.e., certain maintenance and repair operations may be estimated at a particular charge within a predetermined deviation, such as plus or minus ten percent), the kiosk  102  may be disposed to accept payment for such operations. The reader  110  may, in addition to merely recognizing customer identity, comprise a payment acceptance apparatus for accepting prepayment of predetermined services. The reader  110  may for example comprise a credit or debit card processor of known type. 
         [0030]    The touch screen  108  or other manual control such as a keypad if provided (not shown) may be configured to cause a fillable form for accepting data pertaining to that one of the automobile purchase transaction and the automobile service transaction being conducted by the customer to be displayed. The fillable form may display discrete blank spaces each disposed to accept data inputs from the customer by operating the touch screen  108  or corresponding human-machine interface device. 
         [0031]    The kiosk  102  may be functional to display a screen dedicated to an application for credit based on data entered by a customer using the kiosk  102 . 
         [0032]    The kiosk  102  may be functional to accept input of an offer by a customer to purchase an automobile by entry of data by the customer at the kiosk  102 , and to transmit the input offer to the personal computer  116  or corresponding devices (not shown) which may be located in the occupied spaces of the automotive facility  10 . 
         [0033]    The kiosk  102  may be functional to authorize a lease agreement under predetermined conditions including charges which have been set by the automotive facility  10 . Authorizing a lease agreement may comprise for example, assessment of credit standing of the customer, identification of availability of an automobile for the proposed lease, placing an available automobile on a reserved or restricted status which may be signaled to other personnel of the automotive facility  10  who may be investigating other possible lease arrangements with other customers, and like internal processing, even if physical delivery of the automobile is not made at the time the customer conducts this transaction at the kiosk  102 . 
         [0034]    The kiosk  102  may be functional to calculate monthly payments which would result from particular purchase and lease charges, and to display calculated monthly payments at the display screen  108  of the kiosk  102 . 
         [0035]    The kiosk  102  may be functional to process inputs by a customer to schedule a test drive of an automobile which is in the inventory of the automotive facility  10 . 
         [0036]    The kiosk  102  may be functional to process inputs by a customer to schedule an appraisal for a prospective vehicle to be traded as part of a transaction. 
         [0037]    The kiosk  102  may be functional to process inputs by a customer to schedule completion of a transaction at a future date or time. 
         [0038]    It will be appreciated that whereas some aspects of a transaction may be initiated and completed using the kiosk  102 , other aspects thereof may require processing which cannot or may be deemed undesirable to complete at the time a customer initiates that transaction. Because the kiosk  102  and the database server  114  are connected to the internet  118 , some transactions may be completed remotely from the premises of the automotive facility  10  after having been initiated at these premises. For example, a customer may complete a transaction from home using an internet connection to his or her personal computer (not shown). 
         [0039]    The invention may be regarded a method  200  of operating a customer interface system, such as the system  100 , for conducting automotive transactions at an automotive facility which is unstaffed, such as the automotive facility  10 . Steps of the method may rely on apparatus which has been presented herein, such as the apparatus shown in  FIGS. 1-3  and described above. The method  200  may comprise a step  202  of providing at an automotive facility a free-standing kiosk which is accessible to and operable by a drive-up customer to enter data thereinto, wherein the data pertains to at least one of an automobile purchase transaction and an automobile service transaction. 
         [0040]    The method  200  may comprise a step  204  of providing as part of the free-standing kiosk a human-machine interface device disposed to receive, enter into memory, and process data entered by a person at the human-machine interface device. 
         [0041]    The method  200  may comprise a step  206  of commencing administrative processing of the at least one of an automobile purchase transaction and an automobile service transaction responsive to data entered using the human-machine interface device by the customer at the free-standing kiosk. Aspects of the selected transaction may be accomplished using the novel apparatus and method steps detailed herein, and may be supplemented by conventional apparatus and method steps. 
         [0042]    Although the invention has been described in terms of certain components being referred to in either the singular or the plural, other arrangements are possible. For example, it is to be understood that due to the conceptual description presented herein, components presented in the singular may be provided in the plural. Illustratively, 
         [0043]    The present invention is susceptible to modifications and variations which may be introduced thereto without departing from the inventive concepts. For example 
         [0044]    While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the disclosed arrangements, but is intended to cover various arrangements which are included within the spirit and scope of the broadest possible interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all modifications and equivalent arrangements which are possible.