Method of managing customer information
View Patent ↗A multi-function customer satisfaction survey device, system, and method. A restaurant management system includes a plurality of electronic tip trays and a base unit. Each of the tip trays electronically obtains and stores customer contact information, customer payment information, and responses to a customer satisfaction survey. A data transceiver wirelessly transmits the information to the base unit. The base unit collects the information and sends the contact information to a correspondence server such as an e-mail server. The payment information is sent to an external authorization network and/or the restaurant's POS system. The survey responses are sent to an analysis unit. Particularly adverse or positive responses may be matched through the POS system to a food server and a food order.
1. A computer implemented method of managing customer information in a restaurant, said method comprising the steps of:
presenting customer satisfaction survey questions to a customer utilizing a portable electronic survey device;
electronically obtaining and storing the customers responses in a memory in the survey device;
receiving in the survey device, a command from a base unit to download the responses;
wirelessly transmitting the responses from the survey device to the base unit in response to receiving the command; and
analyzing the responses to derive management information.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
electronically obtaining and storing in the memory in the survey device, contact information for the customer;
sending the contact information to a server; and
generating by the server, customer correspondence from the restaurant.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining customer payment information with the survey device;
wirelessly transmitting the payment information to the base unit;
connecting the base unit to an external financial authorization network; and
obtaining authorization for the customer's payment from the external financial authorization network.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
connecting the base unit to a point-of-sale (POS) system having a database for associating a survey device number with a food-server, a food-order number, and food items included in the associated food-order; and
wherein the step of analyzing the responses to derive management information includes matching particularly adverse or particularly positive responses with associated food-servers and food-orders.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
posting the customer responses and management information on a website; and
providing selected managers with access to the website.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of sending the contact information to the server includes:
wirelessly transmitting the contact information from the survey device to the base unit; and
sending the contact information from the base unit to the server.