Abstract: Selection criteria updates are described in an asset recovery workflow. In one example, a description of a physical asset that is to be recovered for lack of payment is received. The description is applied to a pre-defined set of criteria to select a recovery agent to recover the physical asset. The candidate recovery agents have values assigned to the criteria, such as location, recovery rate, and time to recover. Recovery status information is received as to whether the asset has been recovered by the selected agent. A recovery rate value for the selected recovery agent is then updated using the recovery status information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for assigning agents using updated criteria tables. In one example, an assignment system maintains an assets table including properties of assets, a recovery agent criteria table including values for a location and a capacity of recovery agents, and a requester criteria preferences table including agent preference factors received from requesters. A requester requests a recovery agent to recover an asset. The agents are scored and weighted using the tables and the asset is assigned to a selected agent. The agent capacity criteria is adjusted in response to the assignment and the agent capacity criteria is adjusted in response to receiving recovery status information about the asset.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for assigning agents using updated criteria tables. In one example, an assignment system maintains an assets table including properties of assets, a recovery agent criteria table including values for a location and a capacity of recovery agents, and a requester criteria preferences table including agent preference factors received from requesters. A requester requests a recovery agent to recover an asset. The agents are scored and weighted using the tables and the asset is assigned to a selected agent. The agent capacity criteria is adjusted in response to the assignment and the agent capacity criteria is adjusted in response to receiving recovery status information about the asset.

Abstract: Selection criteria updates are described in an asset recovery workflow. In one example, a description of a physical asset that is to be recovered for lack of payment is received. The description is applied to a pre-defined set of criteria to select a recovery agent to recover the physical asset. The candidate recovery agents have values assigned to the criteria, such as location, recovery rate, and time to recover. Recovery status information is received as to whether the asset has been recovered by the selected agent. A recovery rate value for the selected recovery agent is then updated using the recovery status information.

Abstract: Recovery agents are assigned and reassigned in an asset recovery workflow. In one example, a description of a physical asset that is to be recovered for lack of payment is received. The description is applied to a pre-defined set of criteria to select a recovery agent to recover the physical asset. The candidate recovery agents have values assigned to the criteria. The physical asset is assigned to the selected recovery agent for recovery. A timer is started after assigning the physical asset, and if recovery status information is not received that the asset has been recovered before expiration of the timer, then a second recovery agent is selected and the physical asset is assigned to the second selected recovery agent for recovery.

Abstract: Selection criteria with preference adjustments are described in an asset recovery workflow. In one example, a description of a physical asset that is to be recovered for lack of payment is received. First and second properties of the description are applied to pre-defined criteria to select a set of candidate recovery agents to recover the physical asset. A preference is applied to the scores of at least a portion of the recovery agents to adjust the scores. The recovery agent of the set of candidate recovery agents with the highest adjusted score is selected and the physical asset is assigned to the selected recovery agent for recovery.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed herein for a closed loop calling process that selects and maintains an optimized list of prospects to use in calling sessions, using historical information stored concerning past contact activity relating to the prospects. For each prospect, information is stored concerning the status of the prospect, attention appropriate for the prospect, a date before which the prospect should not be contacted, and information concerning next steps to be taken with respect to the prospect. In addition, methods and systems are disclosed for automatically integrating an automated calling system with a customer relationship management system, contact management system, and/or task management system, so that historical information stored concerning past contact activity and automated calling sessions relating to contacts is automatically updated in the customer relationship management system, contact management system, and/or task management system.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for calling desired contacts using a standalone smartphone or other portable device, selecting and using contact information from a customer relationship management (CRM) system, and automatically updating the CRM system with the outcome of each conversation. In addition, systems and methods are disclosed for automatically integrating an automated calling system with a customer relationship management system, contact management system, and/or task management system, so that historical information stored concerning past contact activity and automated calling sessions relating to contacts is automatically updated in the customer relationship management system, contact management system, and/or task management system.

Abstract: Methods and systems may generate contextual leads in an automated communication link establishment and management system. In addition, systems and methods may automatically integrate an automated calling system with a customer relationship management system, contact management system, and/or task management system, so that historical information stored concerning past contact activity and automated calling sessions relating to contacts is automatically updated in the customer relationship management system, contact management system, and/or task management system.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed herein for contextual lead generation in an automated communication link establishment and management system. In addition, systems and methods are disclosed for automatically integrating an automated calling system with a customer relationship management system, contact management system, and/or task management system, so that historical information stored concerning past contact activity and automated calling sessions relating to contacts is automatically updated in the customer relationship management system, contact management system, and/or task management system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for converting a searchable electronic catalog of the type used in e-commerce and industrial materiel systems. Such catalogs are typically configured as databases but can be created from a variety of different source materials. The method includes identifying a set of items to be converted, identifying the characteristics for each item, accessing the characteristic values for each identified item, accessing mapping rules for each characteristic and each item, mapping the characteristic values for each item in the first catalog into the characteristic identified by the rule for the item in the second catalog, and compiling the mapped characteristic values for each item to form the second catalog.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for managing updates to a catalog based on a reference electronic catalog. The reference catalog has a reference format and a plurality of items, each with associated characteristics and the second catalog has a second format and a plurality of items, each with associated characteristics. The reference catalog is maintained with updates and revisions to the items and associated characteristics and the second catalog is maintained by repeating the mapping of at least a portion of the reference catalog into the second catalog after maintaining the reference catalog. Preferably, the maintenance times for both catalogs are recorded and the second catalog is maintained by comparing the recorded times and mapping only portions of the reference catalog that have been maintained into the second catalog.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for managing updates to a catalog based on a reference electronic catalog. The reference catalog has a reference format and a plurality of items, each with associated characteristics and the second catalog has a second format and a plurality of items, each with associated characteristics. The reference catalog is maintained with updates and revisions to the items and associated characteristics and the second catalog is maintained by repeating the mapping of at least a portion of the reference catalog into the second catalog after maintaining the reference catalog. Preferably, the maintenance times for both catalogs are recorded and the second catalog is maintained by comparing the recorded times and mapping only portions of the reference catalog that have been maintained into the second catalog.

Abstract: The present invention can allow an electronic catalog or other set of items to be searched and compared interactively. In one embodiment, the invention includes displaying a list of items in an electronic catalog, each item corresponding to a row of the display, each row having values corresponding to attributes of the corresponding items arranged into attribute columns, grouping some of the displayed items based on a selected attribute upon receiving a grouping command so that the grouped items are displayed in a single row, and expanding the grouped items upon receiving an expand command so that the grouped items are each displayed in a separate row. The embodiment further includes removing a row corresponding to an item or to grouped items from the display upon receiving a row remove command and removing a column corresponding to an attribute of the items from the display upon receiving a column remove command.

Abstract: The present invention allows an item to automatically be classified using its attributes based on a classification schema and a knowledge base. The invention can include selecting an attribute of the item associated with a source classification system, comparing the value of the attribute to a set of possible attribute values, the possible attributes being associated respectively with a mapping of values from the source classification system to values in a destination classification system, selecting a destination classification for the item based on the comparison if the value of the attribute exists in the mapping, and if the value of the attribute does not exist in the mapping, modifying the value of the attribute, comparing the modified value to the set of possible values, and selecting a second destination classification for the item based on the comparing the modified value if the modified value exists in the mapping.

Abstract: The present invention allows one catalog to be managed using the content of another catalog. In one embodiment, the invention can include reading records from a plurality of different source databases, converting the records to an open format, comparing the converted records, correcting for differences in the converted records; converting the corrected records to the respective format of the corresponding source database, and writing the records back into the respective source databases. In another embodiment, the invention could include comparing the converted records to open format records from a reference database source and analyzing and correcting the converted records based on the comparison.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described to perform cascading search methodologies on one or more data sets from one or more databases. A graphical user interface for setting up the searching is also described. In one embodiment, the invention can include designating a first strategy comprising a search string applied to operate upon data records in a first database, designating a second search strategy comprising the search string applied to operate upon data records in a second database, and forming a search hierarchy comprised of the first search strategy followed by the second search strategy. In another embodiment, the invention can include a graphical user interface comprising a first area to select a database, a second area to select a search type, and a third area to select an attribute from the selected database upon which to execute the selected search type.

Abstract: An improvement for composing and cataloging item configuration data is disclosed. One embodiment of the invention includes identifying a base item, identifying a part number for the base item, breaking the part number into sections, each section corresponding to an attribute of the base item, and determining which of the part number sections relate to configurable attributes of the base item. The embodiment further includes listing a plurality of selectable part number section values for the configurable attributes, listing descriptive information for each of the selectable part number section values, linking the descriptive information to the corresponding selectable part number section value, generating a part number formula to define the configurable sections and associate configurable sections to the corresponding list of values, and generating a description formula to define a configurable description and associate descriptive information with corresponding configurable selectable part number values.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described to perform cascading search methodologies records in a database. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a free-form search string, comprising one or more search terms, from a user, searching a database to identify records in the database containing the search string, if no data records are identified, searching the database by applying an ordered sequence of search algorithms to identify data records containing strings similar to the search string, and to display the identified records.

Abstract: The present invention allows an item to automatically be classified using its attributes based on a classification schema and a knowledge base. The invention can include selecting a first attribute of the item, designating a first search strategy comprising the value of the first attribute applied to operate upon data records in a first database, selecting a second attribute of the item; designating a second search strategy comprising the value of the second attribute applied to operate upon a second subset of data records in a second database, forming a search hierarchy comprised of the first search strategy followed by the second search strategy, executing the search hierarchy, and selecting at least one classification for the item based on the search.