Patent ID: 8515821

Claim:
An automated method implemented by a computer system for referring a prospective customer to one or more prospective dealers of a manufacturer's automobiles and/or automobile services comprising: the computer system prompting the prospective customer to enter customer information about the prospective customer, including information about the identity and location of the customer; the computer system receiving customer information about the prospective customer, including information about the identity and location of the customer; the computer system locating a first dealer of the manufacturer's automobiles and/or automobile services that had a prior contact with the prospective customer by searching a database of contact information, the database of contact information including historical data about prior contacts between a plurality of prospective customers, including the identity of each prospective customer, and a plurality of dealers of automobiles and/or automobile services, including information about: the identity and location of each of the dealers; and prior contacts which the prospective customers had with each dealer, including a reason for each prior contact; the computer system locating the reason for the prior contact between the prospective customer and the first dealer by searching the database of contact information, the located reason having been for servicing a vehicle; the computer system locating a second dealer of the manufacturer's automobiles and/or automobile services that had a prior contact with the prospective customer by searching the database of contact information, the located second dealer being located further from the prospective customer than the first dealer; the computer system locating the reason for the prior contact between the prospective customer and the second dealer by searching the database of contact information, the located reason having been for purchasing a vehicle; the computer system determining that one of the located dealers should be given preference over the other located dealer in a communication to the prospective customer which refers the prospective customer to at least one of the located dealers based on the located reasons the person had prior contacts with the located dealers, the computer system being programmed to give preference to a prior contact for the reason of purchasing a vehicle as compared to the reason of servicing a vehicle, the determining resulting in the second dealer being given preference over the first dealer because of the programmed preference; and the computer system communicating information to the prospective customer which refers the prospective customer to at least the second dealer, the information being organized or otherwise presented in a manner that gives preference to the second dealer over the first dealer, notwithstanding that the second dealer is further from the prospective customer than the first dealer.