Return and repair management system and method
A return and repair management system enables transactions between multiple end-users, customers, repair centers, and return for credit destinations. The return and repair management system may be affiliated with an administrator that facilitates processes between system entities. The transactions may involve the return and repair of telecommunications equipment, such as telephone handsets and accessories. The return and repair management system may provide an interactive user interface (UI), such as a Web page, for the end-users, customers, repair centers, and administrator. By interfacing with the UI, an end-user or customer may generate a handset request or accessory request.
1. A return and repair management system comprising:
a host system communicating with multiple client systems, the multiple client systems including at least a first client system and a plurality of second client systems, the first client system associated with one of an end-user and a customer and the second client systems associated with a plurality of repair centers, the host system comprising logic for:
providing an interactive user interface for the first client system;
receiving a product return request input via the user interface of the first client system, the product return request comprising manufacturing information, warranty information, contact and routing information and serialized information associated with a product;
validating the serialized information;
selecting one of the second client systems based on the manufacturing information included in the product return request;
providing an interactive user interface for the selected second client system; and
transmitting the product return request to the user interface of the selected second client system.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the serialized information comprises an electronic serial number.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the electronic serial number is associated with a handset.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the host system comprises logic for providing the first client system with updated status values for the product.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the host system comprises logic for processing a credit transaction.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the host system comprises a database structure configured to store serialized information values pertaining to return and repair transactions.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the host system comprises logic for providing an interactive user interface for an administrator.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein each user interface comprises a Web page.
9. The system of claim 7 , wherein each user interface comprises a search feature.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the search feature returns a search result based on at least one of an electronic serial number and an international mobile equipment manufacturer number.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the search feature returns a search result based on repair center.
12. A method of managing return and repair transactions, the method performed by a computer system and comprising the steps of:
communicating with multiple client systems, the multiple client systems including at least a first client system and a plurality of second client systems, the first client system associated with one of an end-user and a customer and the second client systems associated with a plurality of repair centers;
providing an interactive user interface for the first client system;
receiving a product return request input via the user interface of the first client system, the product return request comprising manufacturing information and serialized information associated with a product;
validating the serialized information;
selecting one of the second client systems based on the manufacturing information included in the product return request;
providing an interactive user interface for the selected second client system; and
transmitting the product return request to the user interface of the selected second client system.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the serialized information comprises an electronic serial number.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the electronic serial number is associated with a handset.
15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising providing the first client system with updated status values for the product.
16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising processing a credit transaction.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the computer system comprises a host system.
18. A tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
communicate with multiple client systems, the multiple client systems including at least a first client system and a plurality of second client systems, the first client system associated with one of an end-user and a customer and the second client systems associated with a plurality of repair centers;
provide an interactive user interface for the first client system;
receive a product return request input via the user interface of the first client system, the product return request comprising manufacturing information and serialized information associated with the product;
validate the serialized information;
select one of the second client systems based on the manufacturing information included in the product return request;
provide an interactive user interface for the selected second client system; and
transmit the product return request to the user interface of the selected second client system.
19. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the tangible computer-readable medium comprises at least one of a client device, a network device, a host device, and a disk.