Patent ID: 7716077

Claim:
A computer-hardware-implemented method performed by a computer for providing maintenance and service between manufacturers and service providers in a network-based e-commerce supply chain environment, comprising: (a) receiving at an e-commerce supply chain manager, using a computer, a plurality of notices for recommended maintenance and service from a plurality of manufacturers, wherein the e-commerce supply chain manager exists within the e-commerce supply chain environment and manages demand and supply planning of maintenance and service offerings from the plurality of manufacturers, order management and fulfillment, asset management, maintenance and service scheduling, inventory management, and distribution logistics for entities within the e-commerce supply chain environment; (b) receiving at the e-commerce supply chain manager, using a computer, a plurality of requests for maintenance and service from a plurality of service providers; (c) planning demand and supply of maintenance and service offerings from the plurality of manufacturers based upon availability of the maintenance and service offerings within the e-commerce supply chain environment; (d) monitoring the availability of the plurality of manufacturers to perform maintenance and service within the e-commerce supply chain environment; (e) managing the plurality of notices for recommended maintenance and service received from the plurality of manufacturers, and the plurality of requests for maintenance and service received from the plurality of service providers, within the e-commerce supply chain environment by matching service providers with manufacturers according to the planned demand and supply of maintenance and service offerings and the monitored manufacturer availability; (f) scheduling maintenance and service at the e-commerce supply chain manager in a managed schedule based on the plurality of notices from the plurality of manufacturers matched to the plurality of requests from the plurality of service providers; (g) transmitting the managed schedule for maintenance and service to the plurality of manufacturers or service providers who requested or recommended maintenance and service from the e-commerce supply chain manager; (h) tracking the plurality of notices for recommended maintenance and service, the plurality of requests for maintenance and service, the managed schedule, and the progress of completing scheduled maintenance and service through a network tracking interface accessible within the e-commerce supply chain environment; and (i) performing maintenance and service through the e-commerce supply chain environment based on the managed schedule.