Connecting Providers of Financial Services
In general, in one aspect, a real-time communication between a consumer of services and a provider of financial services is brokered using a brokerage system on a computer by: receiving a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of financial services; identifying an available provider of financial services; and activating a communication channel between the consumer of services and the available provider of financial services. Providers of financial services include, but are not limited to, an account, a tax professional, or a financial advisor.
1 . A computer-implemented method comprises:
brokering a real-time communication between a consumer of services and a provider of financial services using a brokerage system on a computer by:
receiving a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of financial services;
identifying an available provider of financial services; and
activating a communication channel between the consumer of services and the available provider of financial services.
2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprises:
providing a first graphical user interface that when rendered on a display displays for the consumer types of available providers of financial services.
3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 further comprises:
receiving a request from the consumer of services to consult with a selected type of provider of financial services; and
providing a second graphical user interface that when rendered on the display displays for the consumer areas of specialization for the selected type of provider of financial services.
4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein identifying an available provider of financial services further comprises:
monitoring availability of the providers of financial services.
5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein receiving a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of financial services further comprises:
receiving a request from a consumer of services to consult with a provider of financial services having a provider profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes that define a suitable provider of financial services.
6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein receiving a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of financial services further comprises:
receiving a message from a consumer of services;
parsing the contents of the message; and
identifying a type of provider of professional services to consult with the consumer based on the results of the parsing.
7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the provider of financial services includes an account, a tax professional, or a financial advisor.
8 . A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium for providing broker services to consumers and providers of financial services, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing a computer to:
receive a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of financial services;
identify an available provider of financial services;
activate a communication channel between the consumer of services and the provider of financial services; and
broker a real-time communication between a consumer of services and a provider of financial services using a brokerage system included on a computer.
9 . The computer program product of claim 8 further comprising instructions for causing a computer to:
provide a first graphical user interface that when rendered on a display displays for the consumer types of available providers of financial services.
10 . The computer program product of claim 9 further comprising instructions for causing a computer to:
receive a request from the consumer of services to consult with a selected type of provider of financial services; and
provide a second graphical user interface that when rendered on the display displays for the consumer areas of specialization for the selected type of provider of financial services.
11 . The computer program product of claim 8 wherein instructions for causing a computer to identify an available provider of financial services further comprises instructions for causing a computer to:
monitor availability of the providers of financial services.
12 . The computer program product of claim 8 wherein instructions for causing a computer to receive a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of financial services further comprises instructions for causing a computer to:
receive a request from a consumer of services to consult with a provider of financial services having a provider profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes that define a suitable provider of financial services.
13 . The computer program product of claim 8 wherein instructions for causing a computer to receive a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of financial services further comprises instructions for causing a computer to
receive a message from a consumer of services;
parse the contents of the message; and
identify a type of provider of professional services to consult with the consumer based on the results of the parsing.
14 . The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the provider of financial services includes an account, a tax professional, or a financial advisor.
15 . An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a computer program product residing on a computer readable medium for providing broker services to consumers and service providers, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing the processor to:
receive a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of financial services;
identify an available provider of financial services;
activate a communication channel between the consumer of services and the provider of financial services; and
broker a real-time communication between a consumer of services and a provider of financial services using a brokerage system included on a computer.
16 . The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising instructions for causing a processor to:
provide a first graphical user interface that when rendered on a display displays for the consumer types of available providers of financial services.
17 . The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising instructions for causing a processor to:
receive a request from the consumer of services to consult with a selected type of provider of financial services; and
provide a second graphical user interface that when rendered on the display displays for the consumer areas of specialization for the selected type of provider of financial services.
18 . The apparatus of claim 15 wherein instructions for causing a processor to identify an available provider of financial services further comprises instructions for causing a processor to:
monitor availability of the providers of financial services.
19 . The apparatus of claim 15 wherein instructions for causing a processor to receive a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of financial services further comprises instructions for causing a processor to:
receive a request from a consumer of services to consult with a provider of financial services having a provider profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes that define a suitable provider of financial services.
20 . The apparatus of claim 15 wherein instructions for causing a processor to receive a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of financial services further comprises instructions for causing a processor to:
receive a message from a consumer of services;
parse the contents of the message; and
identify a type of provider of professional services to consult with the consumer based on the results of the parsing.
21 . The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the provider of financial services includes an account, a tax professional, or a financial advisor.