Method for matching vendors with consumers
View Patent ↗An online system is disclosed for matching vendors with consumers. Vendors pay a subscription fee to be listed with the system. Software automatically matches vendors with consumer requests based upon the category of goods and/or services described in the request and the geographical area (e.g., zip code) in which the goods and/or services are needed. The system alerts vendors of matching leads and allows the vendors to decide, at their discretion, whether to pursue the lead. The system has built in capacity to grow. If the system fails to generate a match for a consumer request, or a sufficient number of matches, the system notifies customer service personnel, who attempt to find unlisted vendors that match the consumer's needs. The unlisted vendors are then invited to be listed with the system.
1. A method of matching consumers that seek goods and/or services with vendors that supply them, comprising:
charging a plurality of vendors a regular subscription fee;
storing information indicative of the plurality of vendors and their capabilities for providing goods and/or services;
receiving from consumers criteria for desired goods and/or services;
comparing the consumers' criteria with the stored information to identify any matching vendors from among the plurality of vendors that have capabilities that substantially align with the consumers' criteria;
providing the matching vendors, if any are found, with contact information for consumers with which the matching vendors are matched;
waiting a predetermined time period after a vendor is provided with a consumer's contact information; and
after the expiration of the time period, reminding the vendor to contact the consumer or to indicate that the vendor is not interested in conducting business with the consumer,
wherein the step of reminding the vendor comprises sending an email to the vendor;
wherein the predetermined time period is a first predetermined time period, and further comprising: waiting a second predetermined time period after the step of reminding the vendor; and after the expiration of the second time period, reminding the vendor again to contact the consumer;
wherein the step of reminding the vendor again comprises placing a telephone call to the vendor.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising contacting human personnel if the comparing step fails to reveal a predetermined number of matching vendors.
3. A method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the predetermined number of matching vendors is one.
4. A method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising the human personnel searching for other vendors, not part of the plurality of vendors, which meet the consumers' criteria.
5. A method as recited in claim 4 , further comprising the human personnel providing the other vendors with contact information for consumers.
6. A method as recited in claim 4 , further comprising the human personnel soliciting subscriptions from the other vendors.
7. A method as recited in claim 4 , further comprising the human personnel storing information indicative of capabilities of the other vendors for providing goods and/or services.
8. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
storing information indicative of capabilities of a plurality of non-subscribing vendors;
comparing the consumers' criteria with the stored information to identify any matching non-subscribing vendors from among the plurality of non-subscribing vendors that have capabilities that substantially align with the consumers' criteria; and
providing the matching non-subscribing vendors, if any are found, with contact information for consumers with which the matching non-subscribing vendors are matched.