Patent ID: 7739134

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: a server computer of a service portal providing to a user, one or more offers for sale from an unpreferred vendor, of a travel-related item or service, the one or more offers matching criteria pre-determined by an employer of the user; the computer receiving a selection of at least one offer from the user to pay for the travel-related item or service of the unpreferred vendor at a particular price; the computer extracting, from a storage unit, data related to travel preferences of the user, including at least one preferred vendor of the user; in response to receipt of the selection of the at least one offer from the user to pay for the travel-related item or service of the unpreferred vendor, the computer using the extracted data to generate and transmit a request to the preferred vendor requesting acceptance of an alternate offer from the user to pay the price for the travel-related item or service, or a counter-offer for the travel-related item or service based on the price of the user-selected offer; in response to receiving a counter-offer, the computer determining whether the counter-offer meets the pre-determined criteria of the employer; and only after determining the counter-offer meets the predetermined criteria of the employer, the computer providing the counter-offer to the user, wherein the counter-offer is based on the price of the user-selected offer.