Triggering and conducting an automated survey

1. A computer-implemented method for preparing and conducting an automated customer survey, comprising the steps of:

storing customer information and order information in a database in a memory device;

storing recorded voice scripts in the database;

communicating at least a portion of the customer information and order information to a servicer, including information regarding a service to be performed by the servicer for a customer at a customer location;

receiving a trigger event indicating that the servicer has completed the service to be performed by the servicer;

preparing, in response to the trigger event, a telephone survey regarding the service to be performed by the servicer for the customer, the telephone survey employing the recorded voice scripts, customer information and order information from the database in the memory device;

attempting to present the telephone survey to the customer after a pre-configured delay;

if the telephone survey is presented to the customer, receiving a survey response from the customer, storing the survey response in a survey record, and providing the survey response to a survey monitor; and

if the survey is not presented to the customer after a predetermined number of attempts, indicating in the survey record that no contact was made.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the trigger event comprises an automatic communication initiated in response to the servicer departing from the customer location.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the trigger event comprises a communication that is manually initiated by the servicer.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the survey response information is collected via a voice response unit.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the survey response information comprises numeric responses and an audio response.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

analyzing the survey response to obtain a survey score;

recommending follow-up action based on a predetermined survey score; and

creating a follow-up record in the database.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

receiving input from the survey monitor; and

storing the input from the survey monitor in the survey record.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the input from the survey monitor comprises a summary of the survey response information.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the service to be performed by the servicer is selected from the group consisting of delivering an item, installing an item, and servicing an item.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the survey response information comprises a voice message from the customer.

11. An automated survey system, comprising:

a processing device coupled to an interface device;

a memory device including a database, the database containing a plurality of recorded audio survey scripts,

wherein the processing device is configured to:

store customer information and order information in the database in the memory device;

communicate, via the interface device, at least a portion of the customer information and the order information to a servicer, including information regarding a service to be performed by the servicer for a customer at a customer location;

receive a trigger event indicating that the servicer has completed the service to be performed by the servicer for the customer at the customer location;

prepare, in response to the trigger event, a telephone survey regarding the service to be performed by the servicer for the customer, the telephone survey combining a recorded audio survey script, customer information and order information from the database in the memory device;

present, via the interface device, the telephone survey to the customer after a pre-configured delay;

receive a survey response from the customer and store the survey response in a survey record;

determine if the survey response included a voice message from the customer;

if the survey response included a voice message from the customer, provide the survey response information and the voice message to a survey monitor;

receive input from the survey monitor and store the input from the survey monitor in the survey record; and

make survey results available for reporting and tracking.

12. The automated survey system of claim 11 , wherein the trigger event comprises an automatic communication initiated in response to the servicer departing from the customer location.

13. The automated survey system of claim 11 , wherein the trigger event comprises a communication that is manually initiated by the servicer.

14. The automated survey system of claim 11 , wherein the survey response information is collected via a voice response unit.

15. The automated survey system of claim 14 , wherein the survey response information comprises numeric responses and an audio response.