The Crawford Group, Inc.

David Gary Smith

Kimberly Ann DeVallance

Anita K Klopfenstein

Craig Stephen Kennedy

Randall Allan Haselhorst

Owen R Miller

Timothy Robert Weinstock

William T Tingle

Russell E Dittmar

Trent Tinsley

Gary K Thomae

Regina M Miller

Jon B Jouris

Maribeth Concannon

Shawn R Cormier

Carl E Epperly

Carmela Pham

Erick Bickett

Doug Kelly

Michael Anthony Hastings

A system, method, and computer program product are disclosed whereby a business partner computer system interfaces with a rental vehicle reservation management computer system via a web service connector. The web service connector can be configured to (1) receive, via a network, a document, the document comprising a web service request by a computer system of a business partner for a rental vehicle transaction with respect to a replacement rental vehicle reservation, (2) process the received document in accordance with a web service specification document to create one or more data objects having a format supported by a rental vehicle reservation management software program, and (3) communicate the one or more data objects to the rental vehicle reservation management software program for automatic processing thereby of the one or more data objects for management of the replacement rental vehicle reservation in accordance with the request.

Business to business computer system for communicating and processing rental car reservations using web services

Various aspects of a system and method are disclosed for communicating vehicle repair data among a plurality of parties, wherein a data pump is employed to automate the extraction of vehicle repair data such as labor hours estimation data from a repair facility computer system for delivery to interested parties, including a rental vehicle service provider that provides replacement rental vehicles to drivers whose vehicles are undergoing repairs at repair facilities. A reservation management computer system operated by the rental vehicle service provider can thus use the received vehicle repair data to facilitate management of replacement rental vehicle reservations by its business partners, such as insurance companies.

Method and system for communicating vehicle repair information to a business-to-business rental vehicle reservation management computer system

A method and system are disclosed for managing a rental vehicle reservation based at least in part on automated processing of vehicle repair data corresponding to a disabled vehicle that is related to the rental vehicle reservation. For example, a preferred method and system can automatically compute from the vehicle repair data an amount of time that is likely to be needed by a repair facility to complete repairs to the disabled vehicle, which in turn can drive more accurate management of an authorization period for the rental vehicle reservation.

System and method for improved rental vehicle reservation management

An Internet-enabled automatic rental vehicle transaction system, the system comprising a web service connector in communication with a rental vehicle software program, the web service connector being configured to (1) receive, via a network, a document from a computer system of an authorized purchaser of rental vehicle services on behalf of another, the document comprising a web service rental vehicle reservation request, (2) process the received document in accordance with a web service specification document to create one or more data objects having a format supported by the rental vehicle software program, and (3) communicate the one or more data objects to the rental vehicle software program, and wherein the rental vehicle software program is configured to automatically process the one or more data objects for fulfillment of the reservation request.

Systems and methods for tracking repair facility performance in a replacement rental vehicle context are disclosed. Various operations for adding and subtracting credits from a repair facility virtual bank account are disclosed. Adjustments to credit totals can be based on repair facility performance with regard to an individual vehicle repair or a plurality of vehicle repairs.

Method and apparatus for tracking repair facility performance for repairs relating to replacement rental vehicle transactions

An Internet-enabled rental vehicle reservation management method and system are disclosed. Via the system and method, authorized purchasers can select a rental vehicle service provider from a among a plurality of competitive rental vehicle service providers via at least one graphical user interface (GUI) menu, and the authorized purchasers can further interact with the system and method to (1) automatically book a rental vehicle reservation with a selected competitive rental vehicle service provider without human intervention on the part of personnel of the selected competitive rental vehicle service provider operating the computer system and (2) manage the booked rental vehicle reservation. In an exemplary embodiment, the reservations created and managed through the system and method are replacement rental vehicles and the authorized purchasers are insurance company personnel.

Extended web enabled business to business computer system for rental vehicle services

An Internet enabled, business-to-business computerized transaction system is disclosed in its preferred embodiment for use in providing rental car services for high volume users and comprises an Internet web portal through which the high volume user may access a plurality of service providers including an integrated business computer network for at least one rental vehicle service provider. The rental vehicle services provider computer network is configured to interconnect a geographically diverse plurality of branch offices, cataloguing their available rental vehicles and schedules for same as well as handling all transactional data relating to its business. The Internet web portal provides ubiquitous connectivity and portability for a multi-level business organization who regularly places high volumes of rental purchases with its business partner and also those other service providers who may or may not have the same integrated business computer system and software. Utilizing the method and apparatus of the present invention large volumes of rental transactions may be placed, monitored, altered during performance, and closed out with financial accounting and payment being made virtually without human intervention.

Extended web enabled multi-featured business to business computer system for rental vehicle services

An Internet-enabled rental vehicle reservation management method and system are disclosed. Via the system and method, authorization limits can be assigned to the users who create and manage replacement rental vehicle reservations through the system, where these authorization limits impose financial commitment monetary limits that the users can make on replacement rental vehicle reservations over a specified period of time. In an exemplary embodiment, these authorization limits are customized on a per user basis.

Method and system for managing rental vehicle reservations with user authorization limits

Systems and methods for managing a virtual bank of repair facility credits are disclosed. Various operations for adding and subtracting credits from a repair facility virtual bank account are disclosed. Adjustments to credit totals can be based on repair facility performance with regard to an individual vehicle repair or a plurality of vehicle repairs.

System and method for allocating replacement vehicle rental costs using a virtual bank of repair facility credits

A method and system are disclosed for managing a rental vehicle reservation based at least in part on automated processing of vehicle repair data corresponding to a disabled vehicle that is related to the rental vehicle reservation. For example, a preferred method and system can automatically compute from the vehicle repair data an amount of time that is likely to be needed by a repair facility to complete repairs to the disabled vehicle, which in turn can drive more accurate management of an authorization period for the rental vehicle reservation. A preferred method and system can also automatically schedule a callback reminder for the rental vehicle reservation based at least in part on the received vehicle repair data. Further still, detailed audit reports regarding how reservations are managed can be generated by the preferred method and system.

An Internet enabled, business-to-business computerized transaction system is disclosed in its preferred embodiment for use in providing rental car services for high volume users and comprises an Internet web portal through which the high volume user may access an integrated business computer network for the rental vehicle service provider. The rental vehicle services provider computer network is configured to interconnect a geographically diverse plurality of branch offices, cataloguing their available rental vehicles and schedules for same as well as handling all transactional data relating to its business. The Internet web portal provides ubiquitous connectivity and portability for a multi-level business organization who regularly places high volumes of rental purchases with its business partner. Utilizing the method and apparatus of the present invention large volumes of rental transactions may be placed, monitored, altered during performance, and closed out with financial accounting and payment being made virtually without human intervention.

Growing community of inventors

Wildwood, MO, United States of America

David Gary Smith