Patent ID: 8326765

Claim:
An expert matching apparatus for managing communications between an expert having particular qualifications and an end user seeking a solution to an end user request, comprising: a controller; a first storage device database in communication with the controller, the first storage device database storing a database including plurality of qualifications for a plurality of experts, each expert qualification associated with an address corresponding to a particular expert, each particular expert being associated with an expert profile for determining whether an end user request is accepted or rejected, the expert profile including at least one of the following bidding protocols: an automatic bid amount, and an automatic acceptance for end user requests greater than a predetermined price; and a second storage device in communication with the controller, the second storage device comprising computer readable instructions which when executed by the controller cause the controller to perform the steps of: receiving an end user request generated by an end user; searching the database to generate a search result containing expert qualifications which correspond to the end user request; transmitting at least a portion of the end user request to the respective expert addresses based on the search result; receiving respective responses to the end user request from a plurality of experts, the responses indicating willingness to provide an expert answer; automatically submitting at least one bid on behalf of one or more of the plurality of experts responding, based on the bidding protocol of the expert profile of the respective expert; selecting at least one of the plurality of experts to provide an expert answer based on the automatically submitted at least one bid; receiving an expert answer corresponding to the end user request transmitted; and transmitting at least a portion of the expert answer to the end user.