Web enabled business to business computer system for rental car services

Abstract

An Internet enabled, business-to-business computerized transaction system is disclosed in its preferred embodiment for use in providing rental car services for high volume users and comprises an Internet web portal through which the high volume user may access an integrated business computer network for the rental vehicle service provider. The rental vehicle services provider computer network is configured to interconnect a geographically diverse plurality of branch offices, cataloguing their available rental vehicles and schedules for same as well as handling all transactional data relating to its business. The Internet web portal provides ubiquitous connectivity and portability for a multi-level business organization who regularly places high volumes of rental purchases with its business partner. Utilizing the method and apparatus of the present invention large volumes of rental transactions may be placed, monitored, altered during performance, and closed out with financial accounting and payment being made virtually without human intervention.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE AND PRIORITY CLAIM TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 641,820 entitled “Web Enabled Business to Business Operating System for Rental Car Services” filed Aug. 18, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. ______, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates generally to the field of an Internet enabled business-to-business intelligent communication link allowing a first business organization to have intelligent interaction with a second fully integrated business organization to facilitate the placing of orders or reservations for business services or goods, with the services or goods provider having a computer network linking multiple levels of its organization to provide for the smooth conduct of business between the two organizations. More particularly, this field relates to an Internet enabled automatic rental vehicle transact...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] A second major advantage of the present invention is its graphical user interface. The inventors have taken full advantage of this browser based GUI to streamline and organize the presentation of information to a user to actually guide him as he interacts in doing his business. One such example is customized design of the menus such that the user is guided and directed to answer only those questions required to be answered in order to conduct the particular transaction being addressed, and further to present choices to the user for his selection to minimize the need for the user to rely on his own memory or to be familiar with complicated and specialized codes to enter data or request transaction activity. With the recent and continuing explosion of the Internet, more people are becoming familiar with browser programs and their operation through their own daily activities in their personal lives. This familiarity paves the way for easier training and quicker orientation of a new user to the present invention. For large business organizations communicating at multiple levels, this significant advantage cannot be minimized as there are large numbers of people who must be continuously trained due to the growth of the organizations, as well as the inevitable attrition. Thus, the present invention provides an immediate increase in worker productivity, and makes that improved efficiency available to many more workers who are not particularly skilled otherwise in computer usage.

[0008] Still another advantage provided by the present invention is through the implementation of additional functionalities which are engendered by the browser / GUI interface. As the system is continuously used, and feedback is continuously monitored and analyzed, additional features that add value through providing management information as well as by speeding transaction activity over the system may be implemented. For example, several of these features include the ability of a user to create an on demand report for transaction activity including summaries of transactions handled by a particular user or group of users which might either be open or closed. Another example of additional functionality which improves the efficiency of a user is the ability to create a repair facility call back list which allows a user to sort existing open vehicle rental reservations by repair facility (body shop) and date such that a user is presented with the list of open reservations at a particular repair facility which can be readily handled in a single telephone call while at the same time having the system on line to implement any needed changes such as extensions of reservations, etc. Additional functionality has also been provided to speed the processing of invoicing which of course also speeds their payment and cash receipts. For example, it was found that even despite the built-in error checking and correction facilities provided to the users of the system, a repetitive pattern of mistakes involving incorrect claim numbers was discovered. To speed the processing of these, an additional functionality was provided as an “electronic audit” known as invoice return which returns an invoice to a particular adjuster upon detection of an incorrect claim number for his human intervention and correction of the claim number. In this manner, problem invoices exhibiting one of the most common problems encountered may be readily handled within the system and in an efficient manner, instead of manually as before.

[0009] The present invention also has as a significant advantage the ability to be further customized to meet the individual business partners' needs and desires as well as to provide additional functionality by offering additional features which become desirable upon accumulation of user data based on user experience. Furthermore, once implemented, they are immediately available system wide.

[0010] Still another advantage of the present invention is that the graphical user interface incorporates point and click interaction, using buttons and tabs to present or conceal data for the user's attention or inattention as the case may be, and provide a much more robust interaction capability through the creation of menu designs that allow for access to the most commonly needed features from any point in the menu architecture. This is to be contrasted with the prior system which consisted of a main frame character based interface while the present invention with its GUI interface allows a user to point and click to navigate and to make selections by pull down selection, thereby reducing errors. As users become more experienced with the system, and their confidence level grows, they are much more likely to become bored and aggravated with the rigid structure of the prior system requiring them to follow along a certain menu architecture in order to complete certain tasks. On the other hand, the present invention generally increases the interest of the user in using the system. These advantages of the present invention over the prior interface promote employee productivity by allowing a user more control over his work which is critical in achieving savings in human resources to operate the system which is one of its main goals.

[0011] While the principal advantages and features of the invention have been discussed above, a greater understanding of the invention including a fuller description of its other advantages and features may be attained by referring to the drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment which follow.

Problems solved by technology

For large business organizations communicating at multiple levels, this significant advantage cannot be minimized as there are large numbers of people who must be continuously trained due to the growth of the organizations, as well as the inevitable attrition.

For example, it was found that even despite the built-in error checking and correction facilities provided to the users of the system, a repetitive pattern of mistakes involving incorrect claim numbers was discovered.

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