Patent ID: 8600795

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of managing leads, comprising: receiving a plurality of leads from a lead provider; classifying each lead by a type of each lead; selecting a first criteria as a function of the classification of each lead, the first criteria defining one or more data fields and an acceptable value range for information in each of the one or more data fields in each lead; comparing, by a processor, each lead against the selected first criteria and assigning a lead score to each lead as a function of compliance with the first criteria, the assigning the lead score comprising incrementing the lead score for each data field in each lead that includes information that is within the acceptable value range; accepting a subset of the plurality of leads based on the assigned lead score of each lead of subset of accepted leads exceeding a first predetermined threshold; rejecting at least one lead of the plurality of leads based on the assigned lead score of the rejected lead being less than the first predetermined threshold, and transmitting a first message to the lead provider informing the lead provider that the rejected lead is rejected, the first message causing the lead provider to not bill for the rejected lead; accessing a memory device identifying available representatives; for each lead of the subset of accepted leads: selecting a second criteria as a function of a respective one of the subset of accepted leads; comparing the available representatives against the second criteria and assigning a representative score to each available representative as a function of compliance of the available representative with the second criteria; qualifying a representative if the representative score exceeds a second predetermined threshold; if one or more of the available representatives are qualified, selecting one of the one or more qualified representatives as a function of a distribution algorithm, and distributing the respective one of the subset of accepted leads to the selected representative; and if there are no available representatives that are qualified, rejecting the respective one of the subset of accepted leads and transmitting a second message to the lead provider informing the lead provider that the respective one of the subset of accepted leads is rejected, the second message causing the lead provider to not bill for the respective one of the subset of accepted leads; wherein for at least one lead of the subset of accepted leads, the method determines that one or more of the available representatives are qualified, and for at least another lead of the subset of accepted leads, the method determines that there are no available representatives that are qualified.