Abstract:
A customer requests a price quote for certain goods or services. The requisite information is entered into a customer relationship management (CRM) software application, which is capable of sending a price quote to the customer. The CRM application is provisioned with a feature that creates an e-mail containing a weblink to an electronic shopping basket, along with other information pertaining to the price quote. Once finalized, the e-mail is sent to the customer who had requested the price quote. If the customer then activates the weblink, the web site application displays the electronic shopping cart to the customer, and gives the customer the opportunity to conclude the sale. This makes it easy for the customer to purchase the goods or services in the shopping cart, without further the delay. For the vendor, it increases the likelihood of converting a price quote into a sale.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention is related to a method for pre-filling an electronic shopping cart for a customer. More particularly, it is directed to e-mailing a deep link to the shopping cart to a customer who has previously expressed an interest in the contents of the shopping cart. 
         [0003]    2. Background 
         [0004]    In many commercial organizations, sales are made pursuant to direct contact between a salesperson and a customer either by phone or in person. During a sales contact, the customer may express an interest in purchasing particular goods and services, and even request a quote. To keep track of customers, sales leads, sales contacts, orders and the like, a customer relationship management (CRM) application may be employed by the salesperson. 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  shows an exemplary quote sheet  100  from a typical CRM application configured to assist a salesperson in preparing a quote. The quote sheet  100  includes a first area comprising quote identifying information, shown generally as  110 . The quote identifying information may include information about the quote name  112 , the agreement number  114 , the customer name  116 , and the contact name  118  at the customer. A comment field  120  may be provided to memorialize particulars about the customer, associated sales contact or other information for which no pre-defined field has been provided. 
         [0006]    The quote sheet  100  also includes a second area  130  for displaying and/or entering retrieving various categories of information germane to the quote, each selected by a tab  132 , such as a quote details tabs  132 A, sales team category tab  132 B, notes tab  132 C, shipping information tab  132 D, logging information tab  132 E, back-end system (SAP, in this case) tab  132 F, and so forth. 
         [0007]    The quote sheet  100  also includes a third area  140  for displaying and/or entering specific information about the products or services for which a quote was requested. In  FIG. 1 , the third area  140  includes two line items  140 A,  140 B, each corresponding to a specific product or service for which a quote was requested. The columns for each line item include such things as the product description  142 , catalog number/SKU144, the quantity  146 , the list price  148 , the quoted price  150 , the discount granted  152 , the extended price  154 , among other things. 
         [0008]    The quote sheet  100  also includes a fourth area  170  comprising a number of buttons for printing, saving and saving the quote, among other actions. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    In one aspect, the invention is directed to a vendor computer system configured to provide a customer with a price quote for goods or services in which the customer has expressed an interest in purchasing. The inventive vendor computer system includes a customer relationship management application configured to generate a price quote for designated goods or services in which a customer has expressed interest in purchasing; and initiate the creation of an electronic shopping cart containing the designated goods or services, and a weblink to the electronic shopping cart. The system also includes an e-mail application invoked from the customer relationship management application and configured to send the weblink to the customer. Lastly, the system includes a vendor website application configured to receive the weblink from a requesting computer; retrieve the electronic shopping cart in response to receiving the weblink; and provide the electronic shopping cart to the requesting computer. 
         [0010]    In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for a vendor who has been asked by a customer to quote a price for certain goods or service, to send the price quote in a manner that may increase odds of completing the sale. The vendor uses a CRM application having an e-mail option to provide the price quote to the customer. However, when the price quote is generated and the e-mail option is invoked, the web site creates a pre-filled electronic shopping cart with all the items in the quote. The method is such that when a customer receives a quote by e-mail, the customer can click on a link that will take them to the pre-filled electronic shopping cart at a web site associated with the vendor. There, the customer can simply review the shopping cart and if he or she so desires, complete the purchase. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  shows an exemplary quote sheet from a prior art CRM application. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  shows an exemplary quote sheet from a CRM application in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  shows an exemplary e-mail application window launched using the ‘create shopping cart’ button in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  shows an exemplary web page displayed to the customer, upon activating a weblink in the received e-mail. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  shows a flow chart detailing steps carried out by a salesperson to create and send a quote to a customer. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  shows message flow among various software applications and platforms involved in implementing the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    In one aspect, the present invention permits a salesperson to send an e-mail to a customer, thereby providing the customer with a link which, when activated, presents the customer with a shopping cart corresponding to the items that are the subject of a price quote. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  shows one embodiment of a quote sheet  200  from an CRM application in accordance with the present invention. An exemplary CRM application may be of the sort available from Pivotal (www.pivotal.com) for customer relationship management. The quote sheet  200  is similar most respects to the prior art quote sheet  100 , and includes such items of information as the quote tracking number  214 , the contact&#39;s name  218 , and the line items  240 A,  240 B, each corresponding to a specific product or service for which a quote was requested. One significant difference, however, is that quote sheet  200  includes a button  290  which, when activated, launches an e-mail client. In one embodiment, activating button  290  initiates the creation of an electronic shopping cart containing the goods or services that are the subject of a price quote, and also the formation of a weblink to the electronic shopping cart. 
         [0019]      FIG. 3  shows one embodiment of an e-mail window  300  of an e-mail client application that may be launched from activating the button  290  from the quote sheet  200 . When the e-mail client is launched, a number of items are populated. For instance, the ‘To’ field is pre-filled with the e-mail address  318  of the contact  218  from the quote sheet  200 . In addition, a draft message  310  is also automatically pre-filled with a number of items. One such item is the quote tracking number  214 . Another item is at least one weblink which, when invoked, presents the customer/recipient with an electronic shopping cart. The weblink to the electronic shopping cart may be in the form of clickable icon  334  shaped as a shopping cart or a weblink  344  constituting an uniform resource locator (URL). Yet another item is one or more instructions  346 ,  328  explaining that one may either click on the icon  334 , clink on the weblink  344 , or cut and paste the URL to view the contents of the shopping cart comprising the item for which a quote was requested. Other items, such as a greeting  362  to the e-mail addressee and a signature block  364  may also be pre-filled. 
         [0020]    After the e-mail window  300  has been launched and the various items pre-filled, the user/sender may then create (or modify, if a draft is provided) a personalized message  370 , perhaps reminding the customer/recipient of their prior contact and subjects discussed during their prior contact. The user/sender may also modify any of the pre-filled items as well, and/or utilize any of the other features provided by the e-mail client, before sending the message. Thus, the e-mail application is invoked from the customer relationship management application, is configured to send a weblink to said customer, along with a personalized message and other information. 
         [0021]    At some later time, the customer/recipient receives the e-mailed message via his or her own e-mail client. Upon opening the e-mail, the customer/recipient reads the message. If the customer/recipient so inclined, he or she may invoke that weblink by: (a) clicking on the icon  324 , (b) clicking on the link  344 , or (c) cutting and pasting the URL corresponding to the weblink into their browser. If customer/recipient performs any of these actions, an http call is made to the vendor&#39;s web site. The vendor&#39;s web site then retrieves a record associated with the quote tracking number  214 , and provides it to the customer/recipient&#39;s browser. 
         [0022]      FIG. 4  presents one embodiment of the web page  400  that the customer/recipient&#39;s browser might display, if any of the three aforementioned actions are taken. The web page  400  displays an electronic shopping cart  402  comprising a number of items. Included among these items are the quote identifier  214 , and line items  440 A,  440 B, each corresponding to one of the line items  240 A,  240 B from the quote sheet  200  (see  FIG. 2 ). The columns for each line item  440 A,  440 B again include such things as the catalog number/SKU  444 , product name  442 , quantity  446 , list price  448 , and the quoted price (“your price”). In addition to these, each line item may also include the product&#39;s detailed description  466  and a subtotal  468 , among other things. A total price  480  for the items subject to the quote may also be provided. 
         [0023]    If the customer/recipient is satisfied with the selections as initially displayed, the customer may simply click on the check out button  480  to complete the transaction. 
         [0024]    If, on the other hand, the customer/recipient would like to modify the order, he or she may do so. In particular, the customer/recipient may edit the quoted items by either checking remove boxes  492 A,  492 B, or adjusting the value in the quantity windows  446 A,  446 B. Once satisfied, the customer/recipient may then click on the checkout button  480  to complete the transaction. 
         [0025]    The checkout window (not shown) will be pre-filled with information taken from the CRM application or the customers already stored information on the website, such as shipping information, billing information and the like. Provisions may be made for the customer/recipient to pay by credit card, or have the costs billed to some other account. 
         [0026]    It can thus be seen from the foregoing, that the present invention contemplates allowing a salesperson to convert a price quote into an electronic shopping cart to facilitate a customer purchase. 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  shows a flowchart  500  summarizing the steps carried out by a salesperson using a CRM application in accordance with the present invention. In step  502 , the salesperson receives information from the customer about goods or services of interest to customer. In step  504 , the information identifying quantity of goods or services of interest is entered into a CRM application. In step  506 , the salesperson/sender, from within the CRM application, invokes an e-mail client or website that sends e-mail, to thereby open an e-mail window pre-filled with one or more weblinks to an electronic shopping cart of those identified goods or services of interest. In step  508 , the salesperson/sender may optionally edit the e-mail, and in step  510 , sends the e-mail to the customer/recipient. 
         [0028]    Thus, from the CRM application, the salesperson creates both a quote and a pre-filled shopping cart for the client, after which a link is emailed to the client from the e-mail client invoked by the CRM application. When the client clicks on the link in the email, they are taken to their pre-filled shopping cart with all the items from the quote. In one sense, then, the sales representative has shopped for the customer, filled the shopping cart with those items that the customer is predisposed to purchase, and walked the customer to the check out register. 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  illustrates a system  600  in accordance with the present invention, showing the interaction between various software applications. When the sales representative creates a new quote and clicks, the ‘Create Shopping Cart’ button  290  on the screen of the CRM application  610 , a number of things are initiated. 
         [0030]    First, the CRM application creates a unique URL that points to a set of quote data corresponding to the quote tracking number  214 . It then sends a first message  641  comprising this unique URL to the vendor&#39;s web site application  620 , via middleware. The vendor&#39;s web site application  620 , which is normally used by customers to place orders for good or services, retains this unique URL for future reference, in the event that a customer requests data referenced by the unique URL. The vendor&#39;s web site application  620  may send a second message  642  back to the CRM application confirming receipt. Alternately, the vendor&#39;s website may connect in real-time and retrieve data related to the quote from the CRM system, when the user uses the link he or she has received. The CRM application  610  also invokes the e-mail client (e.g., Microsoft Outlook) or a webpage that sends e-mail, or a form within the CRM application that sends e-mail, and populates the draft e-mail window or web fields with one or more weblinks  334 ,  344  comprising the unique URL, instructions and the like, as discussed above. The salesperson/sender finalizes and sends a third message  643  comprising the e-mail to the computer  630  of the customer/recipient. 
         [0031]    Upon opening the e-mail, if the customer chooses to activate one of the weblinks  334 ,  344  (or cuts and pastes the unique URL into his or browser), the customer&#39;s browser is invoked and a fourth message  644  comprising the unique URL is sent to web site application  620 . 
         [0032]    In response to the fourth message  644 , the web site application  620  receives the unique URL sent by the customer&#39;s requesting computer  630  and matches the newly received unique URL with the one that was previously stored. The web site application  620  then sends a fifth message  645  comprising the unique URL to the CRM application  610 , requesting the corresponding information. 
         [0033]    In response to the fifth message  645 , the CRM application  610  sends the web site application  620  a sixth message  646  comprising the shopping cart information. 
         [0034]    The web site application  620  then sends a seventh message  647  comprising this shopping cart information to the customer&#39;s requesting computer  630  for display in the browser. 
         [0035]    It can thus be seen that the website application is configured to receive the unique URL from a requesting computer, retrieve the electronic shopping cart in response to receiving the unique URL, and provide the electronic shopping cart back to the requesting computer  630 . 
         [0036]    If the customer wishes to purchase the items in the electronic shopping cart, an eighth message  648  is sent from the requesting computer  630  back to the web site application  620  signifying the customer&#39;s intent, and the web site application allows the customer to continue with the transaction. 
         [0037]    Finally, as the transaction is being conducted, the web site application  620  may exchange messages  647  with one or more back office applications  660  to check inventory and record the sale. Typically, however, such back office applications also can track inventory, track orders, generate invoices, create sales reports, and handle other tasks. An exemplary back office application with such capabilities may be of the sort available from SAPS (www.sap.com). 
         [0038]    To implement the present invention, a number of modifications may be needed to provide the CRM application  610 , the e-mail software, the web site application  620  and the back office application  660  with certain functionalities. Among these may be the following: 
         [0039]    (1) Change the quote form in CRM application  610  to only allow input of structured data, and provision it to have a ‘Create Shopping Cart’ button  290 ; 
         [0040]    (2) Add functionality to the CRM application  610  to generate a unique URL referring to a set of quote data; 
         [0041]    (3) Add functionality to the CRM application  610  to create an e-mail containing the unique URL and send it to one or more customer&#39;s e-mail address; 
         [0042]    (4) Change data synchronization between the CRM application  610  and the back office application  660  to ensure CRM accounts have correct back office application  660  partner role; 
         [0043]    (5) Add functionality to the CRM application  610  to transmit quote data to a middleware system or directly to the vendor&#39;s website; 
         [0044]    (6) If necessary, enable the middleware system to insert CRM-generated quote data into the web site application  620  and the back office application  660 ; 
         [0045]    (7) Enable the web site application  620  to fetch and display CRM-quote data in a shopping cart format when the unique URL is called; and 
         [0046]    (8) Enable the web application to transfer appropriate reference IDs to the back office application  660  when the electronic shopping cart is ordered. 
         [0047]    People skilled in the art of configuring and modifying such applications can make the necessary modifications using toolkits, programming and other software tools. 
         [0048]    The method in accordance with the present invention potentially provides a number of advantages. First, it may increase revenue by driving more sales to completion. Second, by presenting the customer with a shopping cart in an e-mail, it lowers sales barriers and addresses the issue of customer inertia. Third, it increases traffic to the vendor&#39;s web site via the shopping cart link, whether or not the customer completes the sale. Once at the web site, customers may browse and shop for items beyond those in the shopping cart. Fourth, time and cost savings may be realized since it is anticipated that sales persons will have to make fewer follow-up contacts concerning the shopping cart items. Finally, fewer errors may be made in the ordering process, since the customer may edit the contents of the shopping cart, and there is no transcription of the customer order by a sales representative. Additionally, people who receive the shopping cart link could pass it on to other people to actually place the order. 
         [0049]    While the present invention has been described herein above in connection with a plurality of aspects and embodiments, it is understood that these aspects and embodiments were presented by way of example with no intention of limiting the invention. Accordingly, the present invention should not be limited to any specific embodiment or aspect, but rather construed in breadth and broad scope in accordance with the recitation of the claims appended hereto.