Abstract:
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a system for collecting and disseminating customer and agent data, distributing real estate marketing literature, issuing literature vouchers, issuing commission receipts, and sending follow-up emails to solicit feedback data. The system includes a customer terminal, which is in communication with a data center, which, in turn, is in communication with a business terminal. The customer terminal includes a device for inputting customer and agent data and a device for distributing relevant marketing literature and issuing literature vouchers and commission receipts. The customer and agent data is sent to the data center, where it is stored for subsequent retrieval by a salesperson using the business terminal. The data center automatically generates and sends follow-up emails to the customer and agent to solicit feedback data. When the feedback data is received, the data center updates the relevant customer and agent data with the feedback data.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority from Ser. No. 11/408,212, filed Apr. 20, 2006, which claims priority from Ser. No. 60/728,042, filed Oct. 17, 2005, and Ser. No. 60/772,531, filed Feb. 10, 2006. Ser. Nos. 11/408,212, 60/728,042, and 60/772,531 are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the field of real estate, and in particular the new home market, there is a need to identify customers that may potentially purchase homes. Such customers—often called “leads”—typically attend an “open house” or a developer&#39;s model sales office with the goal of evaluating a property to determine if they want to purchase it. At an open house or developer&#39;s model sales office, real estate professionals such as salespeople try to meet each customer personally and, in the process, ascertain customer data such as his name, contact information, price range, and property preferences. 
     In some instances, model sales offices (or open houses) are so busy that, regardless of the sales staff&#39;s efforts, some customers visit the property but are never approached personally. In these situations, a never approached customer may become discouraged because his questions regarding the property are not answered. Moreover, because the promotional materials are expensive to produce (especially for upscale communities), marketing literature (e.g., brochures, pamphlets, flyers, and the like) is rarely left out for pickup. Accordingly, customers often leave a developer&#39;s model sales office with little or no information regarding the property and its offerings while the sales staff fails to collect leads. 
     Even when a sales person has the ability to talk directly with a customer, that customer may prefer not to interface directly with the salesperson. For example, the customer may be intimidated by overly aggressive salespeople; or, the customer may simply want to view the property, retrieve relevant marketing literature, and leave without investing much time. 
     Additionally, real estate professionals such as salespeople often value feedback from customers and their agents regarding, for example, the model sales office (or open house), the marketing literature, the properties offered, operation of the customer terminal, etc. Follow-up telephone calls, however, are time-consuming and often received as intrusive or annoying. 
     Thus, a need exists for a system that can—without little or no involvement of a salesperson—collect customer and agent data, provide customers with relevant marketing literature, disseminate the customer and agent data to the sales staff, and follow-up with customers and their agents to solicit feedback. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a system for collecting and disseminating customer and agent data, distributing marketing literature, and following-up on potential home buyer leads. The system includes a customer terminal, which is linked (by wire or wirelessly) to a data center, which, in turn, is linked (by wire or wirelessly) to a business terminal. The data center is also linked to the Internet. 
     A customer can input his customer data into the customer terminal and receive real estate marketing literature dispensed or otherwise made available by the customer terminal. The customer&#39;s agent can input his agent data into the customer terminal and receive a commission receipt, which can later be used to show entitlement to a commission should a sale be consummated. The data center receives the customer and agent data from the customer terminal and stores it. A salesperson can operate the business terminal to access the customer and agent data from the data center. 
     In use, a customer may approach a customer terminal positioned in the lobby of the sales office of a new community and filled with real estate marketing literature related to one or more of the properties being sold within that community. The customer inputs his name, contact information, price range, and purchase criteria. The customer terminal (or data center) then determines which product literature is relevant to the customer, and provides that literature to the customer. Information regarding the customer&#39;s name, contact information, price range, purchase criteria, and what literature he was provided is transmitted to the data center. Subsequently, salespeople can use the business terminals to access such information to follow up on the “leads”. 
     Optionally, the customer terminal can be configured to provide the same product literature to all customers. Thus, there would be no need for determining which product literature to provide to a customer. 
     Optionally, the customer terminal can be configured to issue a voucher for literature instead of literature itself. For example, a customer, after inputting the desired data, can receive a literature voucher from the customer terminal, which he can then present to a salesperson in exchange for literature. 
     Optionally, a terminal can function as both a customer terminal and a business terminal for use by both customers and salespeople (at different times). Such a terminal can send customer data to the data center and access customer data from the data center. 
     Optionally, a terminal can function as a customer terminal, business terminal, and data center. Such a terminal can collect customer data from customers and store it locally for later retrieval by salespeople. 
     Optionally, the customer terminal, data center, or business terminal can send a follow-up email to the customer soliciting feedback regarding, for example, the model sales office (or open house), the marketing literature, the properties offered, operation of the customer terminal, etc. 
     Optionally, a customer&#39;s agent can input data regarding who (which customer) he represents and on what terms and his business contact information into the customer terminal. In such an embodiment, the customer terminal may be configured to issue a commission receipt, documenting which customer the agent purports to represent and documenting the purported commission agreement he has with the customer in case of later dispute. Additionally, the customer terminal, data center, or business terminal can send a follow-up email to the agent soliciting feedback regarding, for example, the model sales office (or open house), the marketing literature, the properties offered, operation of the customer terminal, etc. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a customer terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of a system for collecting and disseminating customer and agent data, for distributing marketing literature, and for following-up on potential home buyer leads according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a flowchart of a method of operation of a customer terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of an alternative customer terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart of a method of operation of a customer terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a customer terminal  100  that may be used to collect data from real estate customers (e.g., potential buyers) and distribute to them real estate marketing literature (e.g., brochures, pamphlets, flyers, and the like). The customer terminal  100  includes a chassis  102  that houses a display  104 , keyboard  106 , and trough  108  along a front surface  110  of the chassis  102 . While the chassis  102  is depicted as substantially rectangular, it is to be appreciated that the shape is merely exemplary of a preferred embodiment. The chassis  102  is configured to support the remaining components of the customer terminal  100 . 
     The chassis  102  also houses a controller, memory, and a literature bin that are located fully within the chassis  102  and not illustrated. The literature bin is loaded by an operator (e.g., a developer or salesperson) with marketing literature. 
     The display  104  may be any known display device capable of displaying information for a customer to view. For example, the display  104  could comprise a video screen employing CRT, LCD, DLP, or LCOS technology; or, also for example, the display  104  could comprise a LED. The display  104  is controlled by the controller in accordance with program software stored in the memory and input received by the keyboard  106 . 
     The trough  108  is configured to receive marketing literature dispensed from the literature bin in response to a customer&#39;s input at the keyboard  106 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of a system  200  for collecting and disseminating customer data and for distributing marketing literature. The system  200  includes a plurality of customer terminals  100  connected to a data center  202  via communication links  212 . The communication links  212  may be wired or wireless. A wired communication link  212 , for example, could be established through a modem, cable internet connection, direct wired electrical connection, or any other known wired connection. A wireless communication link  212 , for example, could be established through a wireless LAN, wireless WAN, cellular communication channel, or any other known wireless connection. 
     The system  200  also includes a plurality of business terminals  204 ,  206 ,  208 , and  210  connected to the data center  202  via communication links  214 . Like the communication links  212 , the communication links  214  may be wired or wireless. Optionally, the business terminals  204 ,  206 ,  208 , and  210  may be personal computers with Internet access. 
     The data center  202  is also linked to the Internet via communication link  216 , which, like the communication links  212  and  214 , may be wired or wireless. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a flowchart of a preferred method of operation  300  of the customer terminal  100 . The method  300  comprises a number of steps  302 - 326  (odd numbers excluded). The method  300  begins and proceeds in response to customer input using the keyboard  106 . For example, at step  302 , the customer may hit the “enter” button on the keyboard  106  in response to an instruction on a “welcome screen” on the display  104 . At step  304 , a customer may hit the “y” button in response to whether or not he wishes to initiate a transaction. 
     Once initiated, the display  104  on the customer terminal  100  prompts the customer to input a customer profile in step  306 . The customer profile is then recorded in step  308  to the memory located within the customer terminal  100 . Optionally, the customer profile may be immediately transmitted to the data center  202 . 
     The customer profile solicited from, and input by, customers may vary. However, a typical customer profile template (e.g., a questionnaire) and answers thereto may include the following, and may be displayed in a table on the display  104  as follows: 
     
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 DATA TYPE 
                 DATA INPUT 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 NAME 
                 John Customer 
               
               
                 ADDRESS 
                 2346 Fake St. 
               
               
                 CITY 
                 SAN DIEGO 
               
               
                 STATE 
                 CA 
               
               
                 ZIP CODE 
                 92118 
               
               
                 EMAIL 
                 JOHNCUSTOMER@EMAIL.COM 
               
               
                 PHONE NO. 
                 (619) 555-9923 
               
               
                 HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT 
                 Internet 
               
               
                 US? 
                   
               
               
                 PROPERTY CRITERIA 
                 2 BR/2 BA 
               
               
                 TIME TO PURCHASE 
                 6 Months 
               
               
                 PRICE RANGE 
                 $450,000-$600,000 
               
               
                 WORKING WITH AN AGENT? 
                 Yes 
               
               
                 IF SO, WHO? 
                 Joe Broker 
               
               
                 AGENCY 
                 Roe &amp; Doe Real Estate 
               
               
                 AGENT PHONE NO. 
                 (858) 555-3456 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     It is to be appreciated that the customer profile template and answers thereto outlined in the table above are merely exemplary. A template for soliciting customer profiles may be custom configured by the operator. For example, the operator can download a custom template from the data center  202  that he previously created and stored to the data center  202 . The operator also can modify any template whether using a custom template or a default template. 
     The software in the customer terminal  100  is preferably synched with the software in the data center  202  so that when a template is modified on the data center  202 , the modification(s) will be effective at the customer terminal  100 . 
     After the customer profile is input, the method  300  proceeds to step  310 , which prompts the customer to input data regarding properties in which he is interested in order to create a property profile. The property profile may include specific properties, architectural styles, floor plans, models, etc. of which the customer is interested. The property profile is then recorded in step  312  to the memory located within the customer terminal  100 . 
     In step  314 , the customer terminal  100  transmits the customer profile and property profile (both of which are generally referred to herein as customer data) to the data center  202 . The data center  202  stores the customer data on an internally-located memory (not shown). Additionally, in step  316 , the data center  202 , through use of an internally-located controller (not shown), analyzes the customer data to determine which pieces of marketing literature the customer terminal  100  should potentially disseminate to the customer. 
     In step  318 , the display  104  asks the customer whether he wants to receive marketing literature. If the customer declines the offer by, for example, pressing button “n” on the keyboard  106 , the method  300  proceeds to step  326  and ends. 
     If the customer accepts the offer by, for example, pressing button “y” on the keyboard  106 , the method  300  proceeds to step  322 , and the applicable marketing literature is dispensed into the trough  108 . The customer can then retrieve the marketing literature from the trough  108 . 
     Optionally, the customer terminal  100  can be configured to dispense the applicable marketing literature only after verifying a portion of the customer profile. For example, the customer terminal  100  (or the data center  202 ) could send an email to the email address provided to verify that it is a valid email address. If the email address is invalid, the customer terminal  100  (or the data center  202 ) should receive a “bounced back” email or error message. Thus, the system  200  can be configured to provide for the dispensing of marketing materials only if a “bounced back” email or error message is not received within a certain period of time, such as 5 seconds. 
     In step  324 , the customer terminal  100  informs the data center  202  that the applicable literature was dispensed. The method  300  then ends at step  326 . 
     A short lag time after the method  300  ends, step  302  is automatically activated and the “welcome screen” returns to the display  104 . 
     The customer data that is stored in the data center  202  can be downloaded to, or otherwise accessed by, the business terminals  204 ,  206 ,  208 , and  210 , Thus, salespeople may use the business terminals  204 ,  206 ,  208 , and  210  to access the customer profiles and property profiles of customers in order to follow up on leads, better identify potential buyers, identify customers that do not have agents, and more efficiently match customers with the properties of their interest. 
     Optionally, the customer terminal  100  can be configured to issue a literature voucher in lieu of actual literature if the operator so chooses or whenever the literature bin is empty. For example, the literature voucher can be dispensed into the trough  108 , and thereafter presented to a salesperson in exchange for actual literature. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an alternative customer terminal  400  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The customer terminal  400  includes a chassis  402  that has a convex front surface  404 . The front surface  404  includes a placard holder  406 , a display  408 , left and right audio speakers  410 , a keyboard  412 , a door  414 , a printer slot  416 , and an indicator light  420 . 
     While the chassis  402  is depicted as having a convex front surface  404 , it is to be appreciated that the shape of the chassis  402  is merely exemplary of a preferred embodiment. The chassis  402  is configured to support the other components of the customer terminal  400 . 
     The chassis  402  also houses a controller, memory, literature bin, and printer that are located fully within the chassis  402  and not illustrated. The literature bin is loaded by an operator with marketing literature and is accessible via the door  414 , which swings open along hinges (not shown) positioned along a right edge  418  of the front surface  404 . 
     The customer terminal  400  is similar to that of the customer terminal  100  but with some notable differences. The customer terminal  400  includes the placard holder  406 , which allows an operator to exhibit a placard identifying, for example, the new community, the developer, and/or the sales company. Further, unlike the customer terminal  100 , the customer terminal  400  can prompt the customer through audio output (as well as visual output) due to the addition of the speakers  410 . Also, while the customer terminal  100  dispenses marketing literature from a customer-inaccessible literature bin to a customer-accessible trough  108 , the customer terminal  400  provides customer access to the literature bin via the door  414 . The door  414  is controlled by the controller of the customer terminal  400  and only unlocks in response to appropriate input on the keyboard  412 . 
     Additionally, the customer terminal  400  can print material on demand via the printer (which is located inside the customer terminal  400  and not illustrated) and dispense the printed material through the printer slot  416 . The printed material may include literature, literature vouchers, and/or commission receipts. For example, when preprinted literature is not available, the printer may print actual literature in full or abbreviated form (such as text-only). Alternatively, when preprinted literature is not available, the printer may print literature vouchers that can be presented to a salesperson in exchange for actual literature. (Commission receipts are explained below in conjunction with  FIG. 5 .) 
     The indicator light  420  may be configured to light Up in a first color (e.g., yellow) when the level of literature falls below a certain minimum threshold and a second color (e.g., red) when the literature is completely out. Alternatively, additional indicator lights may be used to indicate low and/or zero quantities of printing paper or ink. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart of a preferred method of operation  500  of the customer terminal  400 . The method  500  comprises a number of steps  502 - 532  (odd numbers excluded). The method  500  begins and proceeds in response to customer input using the keyboard  412 . For example, at step  502 , the customer may hit the “enter” button on the keyboard  412  in response to an instruction on a “welcome screen” on the display  408 . At step  504 , a customer or agent may hit the “y” button in response to whether or not he wishes to initiate a transaction. 
     At step  506 , the customer or agent is prompted to identify himself as a customer or agent. If an agent, the method  500  proceeds through a first juncture  508  to step  510 , which prompts the agent for agent data. The agent data solicited from, and input by, agents may vary. However, a typical agent data template (e.g., questionnaire) and answers thereto may include the following, and may be displayed in a table on the display  408  as follows: 
     
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 DATA TYPE 
                 DATA INPUT 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 AGENT NAME 
                 Joe Broker 
               
               
                 AGENCY 
                 Roe &amp; Doe Real Estate 
               
               
                 AGENT PHONE NO. 
                 (858) 555-3456 
               
               
                 AGENT&#39;S PRINCIPAL 
                 John Customer 
               
               
                 AGENT&#39;S EMAIL 
                 JOEBROKER@ROEANDDOE.COM 
               
               
                 TYPE OF REPRESENTATION 
                 Exclusive Agency 
               
               
                 COMMISSION AMOUNT 
                 2.5% Of Closing Price 
               
               
                 HOW DID YOU HEAR 
                 Internet 
               
               
                 ABOUT US? 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     It is to be appreciated that the agent data template and answers thereto outlined in the table above are merely exemplary. A template for soliciting agent data may be custom configured by the operator. For example, the operator can download a custom template from the data center  202  that he previously created and stored to the data center  202 . The operator also can modify any template whether using a custom template or a default template. 
     As mentioned above, the software in the customer terminal  100  is preferably synched with the software in the data center  202  so that when a template is modified on the data center  202 , the modification(s) will be effective at the customer terminal  100 . 
     After the agent data is input, the method  500  proceeds to step  512 , during which the agent data is recorded to the memory located in the customer terminal  400 . Thereafter, in step  514 , the agent data is transmitted to the data center  202 . In step  516 , a commission receipt (not shown) is printed and dispensed through the printer slot  416 . The commission receipt preferably includes all of the agent data as well as the date of visit. The commission receipt may be used as evidence that the agent accompanied his customer to the showing and/or of entitlement to a commission if a sale is consummated. After the commission receipt prints, the method  500  proceeds to step  532  and ends. 
     If a customer is operating the customer terminal  400 , the method  500  proceeds through somewhat different steps. At step  506 , if the user identifies himself as a customer, the method proceeds through the first juncture  508  to step  518 , which prompts the customer for customer data (described above). 
     After the customer data is input, the method  500  proceeds to step  520 , during which the customer data is recorded to the memory located in the customer terminal  400 . Thereafter, in step  522 , the customer data is transmitted to the data center  202 . In step  524 , the display  408  asks the customer whether he wants to receive marketing literature. If the customer declines the offer by, for example, pressing button “n” on the keyboard  412 , the method  500  proceeds through a second juncture  526  to step  532  and ends. 
     If the customer accepts the offer by, for example, pressing button “y” on the keyboard  412 , the method  500  proceeds through the second juncture  526  to step  528 , and the applicable marketing literature is made available through the unlocking of the door  414 . The customer can then open the door  414  and retrieve the marketing literature from inside the literature bin. 
     In step  530 , the customer terminal  400  informs the data center  202  that the applicable literature was made available. The method  500  then proceeds to step  532  and ends. 
     A short lag time after the method  500  ends, step  502  is automatically activated and the “welcome screen” returns to the display  408 . 
     Optionally, if the literature bin is empty, step  528  may entail printing literature, abbreviated literature (such as text only), or a literature voucher. For example, the printer (not shown) located inside the customer terminal  400  can print literature (whether in full or abbreviated form) or literature vouchers and dispense such printed material through the printer slot  416 . Literature vouchers may be presented to a salesperson in exchange for actual literature. 
     After the method  500  ends, the data center  202 , automatically sends follow-up emails via the communication link  216  to both the customer and agent soliciting feedback data regarding, for example, the model sales office (or open house), the marketing literature, the properties offered, and/or operation of the customer terminal. The data center  202  is configured to receive the feedback data via the communication link  216  such as through a reply email or an online survey. When the feedback data is received by the data center  202 , the data center  202  updates the relevant customer and agent data with the feedback data. 
     The feedback data, along with the customer and agent data, can be downloaded to, or otherwise accessed by, the business terminals  204 ,  206 ,  208 , and  210 , Thus, salespeople may use the business terminals  204 ,  206 ,  208 , and  210  to access the feedback data as well as the customer and agent data. 
     Alternatively, the customer terminal  400  or one of the business terminals  204 ,  206 ,  208 , and  210  can be configured to send the follow-up emails, receive the feedback data, and/or store the feedback data. 
     While certain embodiments of the present invention provide on-site access to marketing literature, other embodiments may provide for the distribution of marketing material via other delivery methods, such as by mail and email. 
     While certain embodiments of the present invention distribute marketing literature, other embodiments may provide for the distribution of marketing material in a digital form such as on a CD or other digital media. 
     While certain embodiments of the present invention describe a keyboard as an input device, other embodiments may include alternative input devices such as a keypad, touch-screen, mouse, trackball, or microphone. 
     While certain embodiments of the present invention describe a data center that determines which pieces of marketing literature the customer terminal should disseminate to a customer, other embodiments may include customer terminals that make the determination locally (without instructions from the data center). 
     While certain embodiments of the present invention describe a system comprising a data center, customer terminal, and business terminal, other embodiments may include dual use terminals that function as both a customer terminal and a business terminal. 
     While certain embodiments of the present invention describe a system comprising a data center, a customer terminal, and a business terminal, other embodiments may include a single terminal. For example, a single terminal can collect and store customer and agent data, distribute marketing literature, issue literature vouchers, issue commission receipts, and send follow-up emails (if linked to the Internet), as well as provide the stored customer and agent data to a salesperson that subsequently operates the same single terminal. 
     While certain embodiments of the present invention distribute real estate marketing literature, other embodiments may provide for the distribution of literature regarding other industries or matters. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.