Abstract:
An online lawn care service quoting method and system are disclosed. The method and system are initiated by an estimate inquiry from a customer, preferably via the Web. Data from a lawn care service administration database is retrieved. The data includes customer demographic information and GPS satellite imaging photographs of various lot size dimensions. The lot size information and customer demographic information are combined to provide at least one quote for the customer estimate inquiry. The data in the database is upgraded and amended as needed by any change in industry standards and customer change requests. At least one quote is displayed to the customer online in response to the estimate inquiry.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is related to and claims priority to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/727,634, filed Dec. 5, 2003, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is generally related to lawn care services and, more particularly, is related to methods and systems for providing an online quoting process for lawn care services. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Current online lawn care services quoting provides customers with a very broad estimate for desired treatment. Generally, the customer will either telephone or request an online quote for a treatment process for their lawn care service. The treatment process may include a lawn treatment, aeration and spot seeding, pest control, and so forth. The services available are provided by the lawn care service provider and the customer will then pick the treatments desired and request a price for those treatments. 
     Normally, the customer will provide their lot size dimensions, any previous treatment provided by the lawn care service provider, and the desired treatment service. The lawn care service provider will retrieve any information that he has on the customer, couple that information with the lot size information supplied by the customer, and provide an estimate. If the customer is new to the lawn care provider, then the process for getting an estimate can be very extensive and time consuming. Errors can be made in the lot dimensions given by the customer which could be compounded by the lawn care service provider providing an estimate that is inaccurate as based on inaccurate information supplied by the customer. 
     Very often, in order to prevent the occurrence of errors that can arise due to inaccurate lot dimensions and demographic information provided to the lawn care service provider, the provider may delay an estimate for a few days. The reason for that delay for a few days is to allow a service representative to view the property, and make his own surveillance and data recordation for an accurate quote. Still, errors can arise in the estimate due to incorrect lot dimension measurement by the representative as well as a delay that is caused by the time spent in visiting the property and then having to provide an estimate from memory after reviewing the property and the surrounding circumstances, sometime earlier. Therefore, there is a need in the art for an online lawn care service quoting method that would provide a real time accurate estimate for lawn care services. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide an online estimating process for quoting lawn care services that may be requested by a customer. Specifically, such methods and systems enable a lawn care services provider to receive an estimating inquiry from a customer via the telephone or online from the Web. Customers post the estimating inquiry on a website which is accessible by the lawn care service administrator. Using current GPS satellite imaging aerial photographs of area lot sizes and customer demographic data stored in the lawn care service provider&#39;s database, a real time estimate can be provided for the estimate inquiry. 
     The estimate will be made available to the customer via the telephone and/or online with the option to accept or modify the estimate request. The treatment request may be confirmed or modified and a new quote can be obtained if desired by the customer. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide methods and systems for presenting an online lawn care service quote for lawn care services for a normal business cycle in as little as 15 minutes, depending upon the situation and circumstances surrounding the quote. The GPS satellite imaging photographs are periodically updated to ensure that the most current lot size information is provided. It is another object of the present invention to provide a means for new customers to easily implement their demographic information and lot sizes into the lawn care service provider&#39;s system and obtain an estimate for the lawn care services on a timely basis. Still further, it is another object of the present invention to provide the lawn care service provider administrator with a spreadsheet of e-mail addresses, phone numbers, and estimates for the service orders requested for a particular time period. 
     With these and other objects, advantages and features of the invention that may become hereinafter apparent, the nature of the invention may be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description of the invention, the appended claims and to the several drawings attached herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The preferred embodiment of this invention will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a drawing of a flow chart of a preferred method of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 2  is a drawing of a flow chart of the remote administrator&#39;s access to further privileges. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A preferred embodiment of the invention and modifications thereof will now be described with reference to the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  shows a method  100  for providing online lawn care service estimates. An estimate is requested by the customer in step  101 . At step  102 , the estimate inquiry is downloaded into a lawn care services provider&#39;s database (not shown). The estimate inquiry includes: the services that the customer is interested in, such as lawn treatment, aeration and spot seeding, aeration and fall seeding, and pest control; customer demographic information; and the customer&#39;s email address. Step  102  concludes with a request to look up the customer&#39;s address in the lawn care service provider&#39;s database. 
     Step  104  applies a query to the information output from step  102  requesting whether the requested service address is in the service area or out of the service area. If the service address is out of the service area, then the information is forwarded to step  106  where the information is added to the lawn care service provider&#39;s database (not shown) and a further notification will be sent to the customer by e-mail when service is available in their area, step  108 . 
     If the service address is in the service area, then step  110  is initiated which further requests whether the lot address has a lot size in the lawn care service provider&#39;s database (not shown), and, if the address is not in the lot size database (not shown), whether it is in a serviceable zip code. If the address is not in the lot size database (not shown) of the lawn care service provider but it is in a serviceable zip code, then using step  126  the customer will be so notified and requested to provide an estimate for their yard size. Using that information, the system  100  will provide an estimate for the type of lawn service that is requested, step  130 . 
     Where step  110  has determined that the address has a lot size in the lawn care service provider&#39;s database (not shown), then a succeeding step  112  will query whether the stored GPS satellite photographs have 10 ‘earth viewer hits’ or whether the GPS satellite photographs show more than 10 ‘earth viewer hits.’ An ‘earth viewer hit’ is defined as the number of occurrences that are revealed for a particular lot size that has been retrieved in the lawn care service provider&#39;s database as based on the customer&#39;s supplied information. 
     In a situation where step  112  shows that the earth viewer hits are less than 10, then step  114  queries whether the lot size from the GPS satellite photographs is under 1 acre or over 1 acre. In a situation where the lot size is under 1 acre, step  116  further requests confirmation as to whether the correct address has been found, displays to the customer an aerial GPS photograph found in the lawn care service provider&#39;s database of the lot address, and indicates the costs involved for the requested lawn care services. 
     Step  116  also provides for correction of the information if the lot size is inaccurate and allows a new quote to be obtained, if so desired. 
     Step  116  then allows the customer to select the service and forwards the information to order processing in the system  100 . Where the lot size is over 1 acre, step  118  displays the lot address corresponding to the lot size found in the database (not shown) and requests confirmation of that address from the customer. The system  100  then indicates that the lawn care service provider has to evaluate the lawn or lot size to provide an accurate estimate. Step  118  also provides for an amendment to the lot address and size by the customer with a request for a new quote, if so desired. Step  118  further provides for the customer to request for a free evaluation for the estimate inquiry when the lawn care service provider comes to the premises to provide an accurate estimate. 
     In the circumstances where the GPS satellite photographs show more than 10 earth view hits from the query of the step  112 , then a further step  122  queries whether the lot size is again is under 1 acre or over 1 acre. Where the lot size is under 1 acre, step  120  indicates that an address has been found and also indicates the cost for the requested services. Step  120  also allows for the information to be amended and a new quote to be obtained. Step  120  further allows for the lawn care service requested to be selected and for the service to be ordered. 
     For a lot size over 1 acre as determined by step  122 , step  124  indicates to the customer that the address has been found but the lot size is over or greater than 1 acre. A message is provided to the customer that the lawn care service provider has to evaluate the lawn to provide an accurate estimate. Step  124  further allows for the information to be corrected or amended, and a new quote to be obtained. Step  124  still further permits the customer to request for a free evaluation based on the supplied information. 
     The results of steps  116 ,  118 ,  120 ,  124 , and  130  are further queried in step  128  to determine whether the lot size found is 1 acre or less than an acre, or greater than 1 acre, and the results are forwarded on into the system  100  for further disposition and processing. 
     Where the information from the query in step  128  indicates a lot size greater than 1 acre, step  132  prompts the implementation of a request for a free evaluation. Step  132  verifies the demographic information of the customer, verifies the services that have been requested for the estimate and designates that the evaluation will be free of charge. The information from step  132  is then forwarded to step  142  where a ‘thank-you’ for the evaluation request is implemented and the customer is notified that they will be contacted shortly to schedule a treatment for their lawn care service. 
     Where the information from the query in step  128  indicates that the lot size is equal to or less than 1 acre, a further step  134  queries whether the address has a lot size in the lawn care service provider&#39;s database (not shown) or whether the address of the lot size is not in the lawn care service provider&#39;s database (not shown). Where the query from step  134  indicates that both the address and the lot size are in the database (not shown) of the lawn care service provider, a further step  136  queries whether the GPS satellite photos show less than 10 earth viewer hits or whether the GPS satellite photographs show more than 10 earth viewer hits. 
     Where step  136  indicates that the GPS satellite photographs show less than 10 earth viewer hits, step  138  displays the GPS photograph to the customer, requests confirmation from the customer on the lot size, and provides a check list for the customer to pick the lawn care service treatment that he desires with agreement to a provided list of terms and conditions. 
     Step  138  also provides for pre-payment for a year of the lawn care service for a 10% discount as well as various payment options. The information from step  138  is then entered for further processing to place an order. 
     Where the information from the step  134  query indicates that an address was not found for the lot size from the lawn care service provider&#39;s database (not shown) and, where the GPS satellite photographs show more than 10 earth viewer hits from the query of step  136 , the information from both steps  134  and  136  is entered into step  140  for an ordering of services. 
     In step  140 , no GPS photographs are displayed, but the information presented to the customer indicates that a specific yard or a lot size has prompted the prices for the requested lawn care services that are provided by this step. Step  140  also allows for the prepayment option for a 10% discount as well as various payment methods for the selected lawn care service. The information from step  140  is forwarded to order placement processing. 
     Step  144  receives the information from steps  138  and  140  and queries whether the customer is interested in a 10% pre-pay discount, whether confirmation is requested, and whether the selected treatment should be applied. If the customer has expressed an interest in a 10% pre-payment based on the query from step  144 , then step  146  thanks the customer for his order and prints the page for the customer&#39;s records. An email confirmation is also sent. The email confirmation includes the demographic information of the customer, the lawn care service requested, and the price and method of payment for the selected services. 
     If the data and information from the step  144  query indicates a desired confirmation before selection, then step  148  indicates that the selected treatment has been ordered and a ‘thank-you’ is implemented. Step  148  prints the ‘thank-you’ and confirmation, and also generates an email confirmation. The email information shows the customer&#39;s demographic information, lawn care service provided, the price for the services, and the payment method. Step  148  also indicates that the customer will be contacted by the end of the next business day to confirm the order. 
     Finally, if the information from step  144  indicates that a selected treatment is desired, then step  150  prompts a ‘thank-you’ for the order and also prints the confirmation for the order. An email confirmation is also sent to the customer indicating the demographic information, the lawn care service requested, and the price for the first treatment. Step  150  further shows that the first treatment will be applied within a certain amount of days. The information from step  144  is added to the database (not shown) to update for future lawn care treatment services and to keep track of email notifications and confirmations for services that are requested by the customer. 
       FIG. 2  shows privileges that are available for the lawn care service provider&#39;s administrator. The lawn care service provider administrator can log in at step  202  and export email addresses, requests for estimates and service orders via step  204 . Upon request, a spreadsheet of email addresses, step  206 , and a spreadsheet of names, phone numbers and addresses, step  208 , of the customers can be selected. Also, upon request by the lawn care service provider&#39;s administrator, a list of the estimate requests by order number, including the request received date, and the customer&#39;s demographic information are available and can be printed in step  210 . A list of service orders sorted by order number, date received, and date the order was printed is available in step  214 . 
     A service order, including order number, order type, services of interest, lot address, customer contact information, and customer billing information, can be printed by the lawn care service provider administrator in step  216 . 
     The aforementioned services can be provided on a real time basis with estimates given while a customer is on the phone waiting as well as when the customer has accessed the Web. The GPS satellite imaging photographs are periodically upgraded to ensure that the most up-to-date geographic information is provided for the lot sizes and the customer address matching. Estimates can be given in as little as 15 minutes. 
     It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present invention, particularly, any preferred embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding on the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present invention and protected by the following claims.