Abstract:
A system and method are provided for monitoring the preferences of web site visitors. The system and method can be computer-based and can be embodied as an application program or module connected to or incorporated into any communications network including: the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, and/or a wide area network. The system and method can voluntarily collect statistically relevant data regarding customers wants, needs and practices through a non-intrusive pop-up window.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This present invention relates to a system for administering a survey or questionnaire to a sample of users of a computer network and, more particularly, a system for administering a survey for Internet web site visitors.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The popularity of personal computers has increased dramatically in the past decade. Each year an increasing number of people start using personal computers in increasingly diverse ways. This expansion of computer use has resulted in the formation of on-line market places, called web sites, which advertise products and services over communications networks such as the Internet. Web sites allow users to view content stored on computers linked to the communications network. Web sites not only have pictures and text, but may also have audio or video information available for the user. Many types of products and services are marketed, promoted and sometimes sold through these web sites. Products offered by web sites include everything from digital music and books to automobiles.  
           [0003]    Each site on the Internet is a construction of many different “pages,” each written in a computer language that is interpreted by web browsers such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft&#39;s Internet Explorer. Each page contains text information, formatting information, and link information for the page. The link information provides both references to the location of graphic images and references to other web pages. One of the most common image formats used on the web is known as graphics image format or GIF. When browsing a Web page or site, the user&#39;s Web browser requests and fetches web page content from a computer linked to the Web. The browser recognizes text information, formatting information, and link information. The browser then paints the screen according to directives contained in this information. Images, text, video and sometimes sound are then presented to the viewer of the web site.  
           [0004]    Web sites are built for many different objectives, including advertising products and services, selling products and services and distributing corporate and government information. In order to maximize the effectiveness of these sites, web site owners and developers try to make web sites interactive, interesting, educational, and entertaining. One of the methods to gauge the effectiveness of different aspects of the web sites is to survey visitors of the sites.  
           [0005]    The owners of web sites are very interested in maintaining and increasing the consumer base that visits their Web sites. Some sites use a survey mechanism to gauge the satisfaction of visitors to their web site. To participate in the survey, visitors are directed to a separate web page containing a questionnaire. The visitors may choose to provide the requested information or continue browsing the Web. There is no way to tell what percentage of visitors to the web site are responding to the surveys.  
           [0006]    In the prior art there have been developed different systems to conduct a survey of users of a web site on a computer network. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,145 is directed to a system which utilizes computer program instructions embedded into a web page located at the web site. The computer program instructions invoke a survey program when a visitor accesses the web site. In particular, the program activates a survey request to selected users according to offering criteria based upon either a random or systematic participant selection. The method purportedly sends the user to a different web site if the user chooses to complete the survey. This, of course slows the process and the user&#39;s eventual access to the web site information document. The method further purports to withhold sending the information document and the actual survey until the participant has been afforded an opportunity to access the survey (i.e., asked whether he or she wants to participate). In other words, the survey itself is only presented to the participant who accepts the opportunity, and the information document itself is sent to a selected user only after he or she declines the survey or completes it. Lastly, the offering criteria used to determine which users may become survey participants does not seem to take into consideration how many surveys are needed to formulate a statistically relevant sample.  
           [0007]    In all such survey systems, a primary concern is the generation of statistically relevant data. Prior art surveys are not statistically representative of the visitors to the site. Therefore, this method of surveying is not practical for serious information gathering. Achieving a statistically significant sample is a problem in surveying a Web population. A secondary concern is retention of visitors to web sites. Directing visitors to a separate web page to complete a survey delays viewing of the web site and may cause the visitor to go to other sites.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The object of the present invention is to provide a survey system where the data is centrally maintained and the data collected is statistically relevant.  
           [0009]    Thus, a system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is provided to achieve this object. The system includes a survey server, a web site server, a network, and a plurality of visitors. The survey server, the web site server and the plurality of visitors are connected to each other through the network. A web site is stored on the web site server. One of the plurality of visitors connects to the web site server through the network and views the web site. The survey server receives a request from the web site server to conduct a survey of a selected visitor. The survey server transmits a pop-up window to the visitor and transmits the survey to the pop-up window.  
           [0010]    Preferably, the pop-up window does not interfere with the web page.  
           [0011]    Preferably, the pop-up window is fully branded and can be closed at any time ending the survey. If the pop-up window is closed prematurely the data collected by the survey is invalidated. The survey server controls the entire surveying process and data collection process.  
           [0012]    Preferably, the survey presents the visitor with a set of profiling questions. The set of profiling questions preferably number more than four and less than eight.  
           [0013]    Preferably, the survey presents the visitor with a set of critical attributes and the visitor ranks the importance of each critical attribute. Each critical attribute is ranked on a scale from 1 to 9. The visitor is presented with a subset of the total number of critical attributes being tested by the web site.  
           [0014]    Preferably, the survey presents the visitor with the set of critical attributes to rank the visitor&#39;s satisfaction with each of the critical attributes. The visitor ranks the visitor&#39;s satisfaction on a scale of 1 to 9.  
           [0015]    Preferably, the survey presents the visitor with an appeasement screen which contains a brief automatic response customized based on the rankings of the critical attributes. The appeasement screen is preferably presented to the visitor only when the critical attribute rankings show the visitor is displeased.  
           [0016]    Preferably, the first server transmits the pop-up window to the visitor on every n th  request. The first server recalculates n on a daily basis. N is calculated in order to maintain a statistically relevant sample. N is calculated based on the number of surveys already collected and the daily traffic to the web site.  
           [0017]    Preferably, the survey request is generated by a trip-wire in the web site.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures showing illustrative embodiments of the invention, in which:  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram illustrating an overview of the present system.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 is a simplified flow chart illustrating how a client server responds according to the present system.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3 is a simplified flow chart illustrating how a central server responds according to the present system.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4 is a simplified flow chart illustrating how a survey is launched from the central server according to the present system.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 5 is a simplified flow chart illustrating how a survey is administered from the central server according to the present system.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 6 is a simplified flow chart illustrating how a reward is administered from the central server according to the present system.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a survey database record according to the present system. 
     
    
       [0026]    Throughout the figures, the same reference numerals and characters, unless otherwise stated, are used to denote like features, elements, components or portions of the illustrated embodiments. Moreover, while the subject invention will now be described in detail with reference to the figures, it is done so in connection with the illustrative embodiments. It is intended that changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the true scope and spirit of the subject invention as defined by the appended claims.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0027]    The invention is herein described with respect to online surveying of traffic to a web site, but it will be recognized that the system and the configuration of the system can be likewise arranged for traditional surveys.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 1 is a simplified depiction of a system  100  according to the current invention. A central server  102  is provided, which houses a CPU  104 , a data storage unit  106 , and a database  108 . The central server  102  is connected to a communications network  110 , preferably the Internet though the communications network can be the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, and/or a wide area network. A first client server  112  is provided, which houses a CPU  114 , a data storage unit  116 , and a database  118 . The first client server  112  is connected to the communications network  110 . A second client server  122  is provided, which houses a CPU  124 , a data storage unit  126 , and a database  128 . The second client server  122  is connected to the communications network  110 . A plurality of visitors  130  are also connected to the communications network  110 . It should be understood that the central server  102 , the first client server  112 , the second client server  122 , and the plurality of visitors  130  can communicate data messages to each other over the communications network  110 .  
         [0029]    A web site is stored in the data storage unit  116  of the first client server  112 , and runs on the CPU  114  of the first client server  112 . The web site may be adapted to provide any type of information to the visitor. The web site computer code, which is used to instruct the first client server  112  which information to provide a visitor and how to present that information, has at least one execution call to the central server  102  disposed within itself.  
         [0030]    A web site is stored in the data storage unit  126  of the second client server  122 , and runs on the CPU  124  of the second client server  122 . The web site may be adapted to provide any type of information to the visitor. The web site computer code, which is used to instruct the second client server  122  which information to provide a visitor and how to present that information, has at least one execution call to the central server  102  disposed within itself.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 2 is a simplified flow chart  200  showing how the first client server  112  responds to a visitor of the plurality of visitors  130 . It should be understood that the second server  122  responds in the same manner. A process block  202  shows the first client server  112  waiting for a visitor to request a web page. Once a visitor requests a web page stored on the first client server  112 , the first client server  112  executes process block  204 . The first client server  112  provides the visitor with content described by the requested web page. The visitor is free to explore the web site provided by the first client server  112  or leave the web site and continue to browse other sites on the Internet. While the visitor is browsing the web site, the visitor may trigger one of the at least one execution calls to the central server  102  disposed within the web site computer code. The execution calls can be placed anywhere throughout the web site. The execution call is called a trip-wire. For example, the trip-wire can be a line of text in the web site which causes the web site to formulate a request for a survey which is sent to the central server  102 . This freedom of placement allows the survey launched by the central server  102  the freedom to monitor different functional areas of the web site. Further, the execution calls remain in place at all times, so the survey software is constantly running. Each execution call passes an argument to the central server  102  which identifies the web site and the particular execution call within the web site. If the one of the at least one execution calls to the central server  102  is not triggered, the visitor leaves process block  204  only when the visitor chooses to leaves the web pages provided by the first client server  112 . If the one of the at least one execution calls to the central server  102  is triggered the first client server  112  executes a process block  302  which sends a survey request to the central server  102 . The first client server  112  continues to download the requested web pages to the visitor&#39;s computer.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 3 is a simplified flow chart  300  showing how the central server  102  responds to a request for a survey. The central server  102  waits in process block  302  until it receives a survey request from another server. Once the central server  102  receives the survey request it executes process block  304 .  
         [0033]    Executing process block  304  causes the central server  102  to make a survey database record  700  in the database  108  of the central server  102 . The fields of the survey database record  700  are initialized, and a web site field  704  and a execution call field  706  of the survey database record identifier  700  are populated with the name of the web site and the execution call where the survey request initiated from respectively. After the survey database record  700  is updated the central server  102  executes decision block  306 .  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 7 shows the survey database record  700  according to the present invention. The survey database record  700  shown in FIG. 7 contains  10  fields. The first field of the survey database record  700  is a visitor identification field  702 . The visitor identification field  702  is meant to store the visitor identification number which can be found in a cookie on the visitor&#39;s computer. The cookie is created by the central server  102 . The second field is a web site field  704 . This field contains the name of the web site that sent the survey request. The third field is an execution call field  706 . The execution field  706  contains an identifier which tells the central server  102  which execution call launched the survey. Knowing which execution call initiated the survey allows the central server  102  to break down data gathered from a web site by the central server  102  into data gathered from particular portions of the web site. The fourth field is a n th  person field  710 . This field tells whether the visitor was the n th  visitor to trip the launch code and thus receive the survey. The fifth field is a critical period field  712 . This field tells whether the visitor was present with a survey in the recent past, and thus was not present with a survey at this point. The sixth field is a profiling question responses field  714 . This field contains the visitor&#39;s responses to the profiling questions. The seventh field is the critical attribute responses field  716 . This field contains the visitor&#39;s responses to the critical attribute questions. The eighth field is the satisfaction ratings field  718 . This field contains the visitor&#39;s responses to the satisfaction ratings questions. The ninth field is the free form comment field  720 . This field contains the visitor&#39;s free form comment. The tenth field is the email address field  722 . This field is meant to contain the visitor&#39;s email address. All fields are initialized to be blank.  
         [0035]    The central server  102  performs a calculation while executing decision block  306  to see if the visitor should be present with a survey. Every visitor is not present with a visitor survey. The survey launched by the central server  102  employs a sampling strategy where only every n th  visitor is present with a survey, where n is any whole positive integer. Preferably, a calculation is performed on a daily basis which statistically calculates n in order to get the needed sample to ensure statistically relevant data. This calculation is based on site traffic and the number of surveys collected. It should be understood that alternate sampling strategies can be used. If the current visitor is not the n th  visitor, the central server  102  executes process block  316 . If the visitor is the n th  visitor, the central server  102  stores a true value in the n th  person field  708 , and the central server  102  executes decision block  308 .  
         [0036]    While executing the decision block  308  the central server  102  searches the visitor&#39;s computer for the cookie. The cookie is a computer file written by the central server  102 , which specifically identifies the visitor&#39;s computer to the central server  102 . If there is no cookie on the visitor&#39;s computer which has been written by the central server  102 , the central server  102  executes process block  310  which writes a new cookie to the visitor&#39;s computer, The central server  102  records the present time and date in the cookie, writes the identification number and executes process block  314  which is stored in the cookie to the visitor identification field  702 , launches a visitor survey. If there is a cookie on the visitor&#39;s computer, the central server  102  records the identification number stored in the cookie in the identification number field  702 , and executes decision block  312 .  
         [0037]    While executing decision block  312 , the central server  102  scans the cookie on the visitor&#39;s computer to ascertain how long it has been since the visitor last completed a survey. If the visitor has not completed a survey within the critical period, which can be set at any period of time but is preferably 180 days, the central server  102  executes process block  314  and marks the critical period field  710  as true. If the visitor has completed a survey within the critical period the central server  102  executes the process block  316 . Process block  316  records all the information collected during the survey&#39;s execution in the database record created on the central server  102 .  
         [0038]    The central server  102  executes process block  314  which launches a visitor survey. Launching the visitor survey does not prevent the visitor from receiving the page the visitor originally requested. The visitor survey collects data from individual visitors about the web site they were are visiting. FIG. 4 is a flow chart  400  showing the process by which a server administers a visitor survey according to the present invention. Once the central server  102  launches the visitor survey the central server  102  executes decision block  402  which asks the visitor if the visitor would be willing to complete the visitor survey. The visitor survey is conducted entirely within a pop-up window. The entire survey is downloaded to the visitor&#39;s computer at the same time whether the visitor elects to take the survey or not. The pop-up window is fully branded with the web site owner&#39;s look and feel to the window. The pop-up window does not prevent the visitor from receiving or viewing the page the visitor originally requested. The pop-up window is smaller than the size of the screen, preferably 20% of the size of the screen, and the pop-up window can be closed by the visitor at any time. The visitor is informed that the visitor survey will take a small amount of time, preferably 60 seconds, and that by completing the visitor survey the visitor can earn credit in a reward program if the web site owner sponsors a reward program. If the visitor elects against completing the visitor survey the central server  102  executes process block  316 . If the visitor elects to complete the visitor survey the central server  102  executes process block  404 .  
         [0039]    In an alternate embodiment, decision block  402  is optimized out of the process. After the central server  102  exits process block  314 , the central server  102  executes process block  404 , bypassing decision block  402 . This execution path is illustrated by dotted arrow  403 .  
         [0040]    The process block  404  is executed by the central server  102  and a survey is administered to the visitor. The process block  404  is described in further detail in FIG. 5. After the visitor is finished completing the survey the central server  102  executes the decision block  405 .  
         [0041]    Executing decision block  405  causes the central server  102  to consult the database  108  and ascertain whether the web site that launched the survey sponsors a reward program. If the web site sponsors a reward program process, block  406  is executed. If the web site does not sponsor a reward program, process block  304  is executed.  
         [0042]    Executing the process block  406  causes the central server  102  to present the visitor with the reward program. The process block  406  is described in further detail in FIG. 6. After the visitor inputs the information necessary for the central server  102  to credit the visitor with a reward, the central server  102  exits the process block  406 .  
         [0043]    After the central server  102  exits the process block  406 , the process block  204  is executed. The pop-up window closes and the visitor is free to browse the web pages offered by the first client server  112  or any other web pages offered over the communications network  110 .  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 5 is a flow chart depicting the processes which take place within process block  404 . The first process executed by the central server  102  within process block  404  is process block  502 . The central server  102  presents the visitor with profiling questions while executing process block  502 . The profiling questions seek to measure characteristics of the visitor&#39;s Internet usage including: stated frequency of visitation, share of market, overall site interest, likelihood to return, average purchase amount, frequency of support use, and intensity of support issues. There can be as few as four and as many as eight profiling questions. If the decision block  402  was not executed, and the bypass path  403  was used, the process block  502  also presents the visitor with a question asking if the visitor wants to opt out of answering the survey. The visitor answers the profiling questions or opts out of answering the profiling questions, and clicks on the next button. The central server  102  records the collected data in the profiling questions field of the survey database record  700  and executes process block  504 .  
         [0045]    While executing process block  504 , the central server  102  requests that the visitor score the importance of certain critical attributes to the visitor. Critical attributes as formulated by the survey allow the survey to adhere to the strict methodological practices needed to efficiently measure customer satisfaction in the online world. The visitor is presented with a random subset of the total number of critical attributes to score, preferably the visitor is presented with four critical attributes. The web site can monitor any number of critical attributes, preferably twenty. The visitor may be presented with four critical attributes to score during a survey though the web site owner is attempting to measure 20 or more critical attributes. This is done to keep the survey time low. The visitor scores the importance of the critical attributes on a scale from 1 to 9. Should the site visitor not have enough knowledge to comment on an attribute, the visitor may “SKIP” that particular attribute. The critical attributes are broken down into the categories including: Internet norms, industry norms, and customized attributes. Internet norms include overall appearance of an Internet site, ease of navigation through the site, web site speed, customer service, and freshness of content. Industry norms are based on the client&#39;s business industry and allow the central server  102  to provide comparative benchmarks to web sites. The customized attributes are customized to the client&#39;s unique business needs. After the questions are answered the visitor clicks on the Next button, the central server  102  records the collected data in the critical attribute responses field  714  of the survey database record  700  and executes the process block  506 .  
         [0046]    The process block  506  presents the visitor with a screen which asks the visitor to rank his or her satisfaction with the certain critical attributes scored above. The visitor ranks his or her satisfaction with the critical attributes on a scale from 1 to 9. Should the site visitor not have enough knowledge to comment on an attribute, the visitor may “SKIP” that particular attribute. After the critical attributes are scored according to the visitor&#39;s satisfaction, the visitor clicks on the Next button. Clicking on the Next button causes the central server  102  to store the collected data in the satisfaction ratings field  716  of the survey database record  700  and to execute the decision block  508 .  
         [0047]    In an alternate embodiment, the critical attributes may be ranked according to the visitor&#39;s input. When organizing the window, the central server  102  may organize the critical attributes in the window according to how important each critical attribute is to the visitor. Organizing the critical attributes in the window according to how they were valued by the visitor is called active listening. This listening technology dramatically improves completion rates and makes the respondent feel like their input is valuable.  
         [0048]    The central server  102  analyzes the satisfaction rating scores the visitor awarded to the critical attributes and checks to see if the appeasement screen option is selected while executing decision block  508 . If the scores for the critical attributes show that the visitor was dissatisfied and the appeasement screen option is selected, the central server  102  executes process block  510 . The criteria that the distributed software system uses to decide whether the visitor was dissatisfied is fully customizable. If either the scores for the critical attributes show that the visitor was satisfied, or the appeasement screen option is not selected, the central server  102  executes process block  512 .  
         [0049]    Executing the process block  510  causes the visitor to be presented with an appeasement screen. The appeasement screen contains a short and informative statement apologizing for the critical attributes that dissatisfied the visitor. Each critical attribute the visitor is dissatisfied with has its own appeasement message. This appeasement further enhances the interactive experience and builds customer loyalty. The visitor clicks on a Next button when done reading the appeasement screen, and the central server  102  executes process block  512 .  
         [0050]    The process block  512  presents the visitor with a screen which offers the visitor the option to enter free form comments and an email address. The visitor is free to leave open-ended feedback which is designed to allow respondents to comment on any concerns not addressed by the surveyed critical attributes. The open-ended feedback can be written about any part of the web site from commenting on the web site&#39;s look and feel to commenting on additional services the visitor would find useful. This unstructured feedback is tabbed and sorted by topic and may lead to the creation of new critical attributes. The visitor is also afforded the option to enter his or her email address. Neither the open-ended feedback or the email address are required. After the visitor has finished commenting or inputting the visitor&#39;s email address, the visitor clicks on the Next button which causes the central server  102  to store the free form comment in the free form comment field  718  of the survey database record  700 , store the email address in the email address field  720  of the survey database record  700 , and to execute the decision block  516 .  
         [0051]    The central server  102  analyzes database record  700  to ascertain whether an email address was provided while executing decision block  516 . If no email address was provided the central server exits process block  404  and begins execution of decision block  405 . If an email address was provided, the central server executes process block  520 . Executing process block  520  causes the central server to schedule a custom email to be sent to the visitor at a later time to keep the visitor informed. The central server  102  exits process block  520  and in turn exits process block  404 . The central server  102  then begins execution of decision block  405 .  
         [0052]    [0052]FIG. 6 is a simplified flow chart  600  showing the process block  406  in more detail. Process block  406  begins by executing decision block  602 . Executing decision block  602  causes the central server  102  to ask the visitor whether the visitor would like to participate in a rewards program. Participation in the rewards program is voluntary. The rewards program gives visitors an incentive to complete the current survey and incentive to complete future surveys. The rewards programs can be offered by the web site that requested the survey or by a third party that offers a more general online rewards programs. In either case the web site that requests the survey must authorize and finance this program. If the visitor indicates he or she does not want to participate in the rewards program, the central server  102  exits process  406  and executes process block  204 . If the visitor wants to participate in the rewards program the central server  102  executes the decision block  604 .  
         [0053]    Executing decision block  604  causes the central server  102  to present a question asking if the visitor is currently a member of the rewards program. If the visitor responds that the visitor is a member of the rewards program, the central server  102  executes the process block  608 . If the visitor is not a member of the rewards program, the central server  102  executes the process block  606 .  
         [0054]    Executing the process block  608  causes the central server  102  to prompt the visitor for login information. The visitor is asked to input the visitor&#39;s user name, password, and email address. Once the information is input the visitor clicks on the submit button and the central server  102  executes the decision block  610 . The central server  102  checks to see if the information provided by the visitor is correct for a valid account on the applicable reward program. If the information is correct, the central server  102  executes process block  614 . If the information is incorrect, the central server  102  executes process block  612 . Executing process block  612  causes the central server  102  to inform the visitor that the user information is incorrect and executes decision block  604  again.  
         [0055]    If the visitor previously indicated that he or she did not have an account in the rewards program the central server  102  executes process block  606  and prompts the visitor to create a new account. The visitor is required to input a username, password and valid email address. After this information is input into the screen the visitor must click on the Submit button. Clicking on the Submit button causes the central server  102  to check to see if an identical account for the applicable rewards program has already been created. If the identical account has already been created, the central server  102  asks the visitor to provide another username. If no other account has the same username the central server  102  creates a new rewards program account and awards the visitor with the credit. After the new account is created, the central server  102  executes the process block  614 .  
         [0056]    Executing the process block  614  causes the central server  102  to record the credit earned by the visitor in the applicable reward program. After the credit is recorded the first client server exits process block  406  and executes process block  204 .  
         [0057]    In a preferred embodiment, the entire survey is prepared by the central server  102  and downloaded as an executable to the visitor&#39;s computer to be executed on the visitor&#39;s computer.  
         [0058]    Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the foregoing discussion of certain preferred embodiments is illustrative only, and does not limit the spirit and scope of the present invention, which are limited only by the claims set forth below.