JP7624124B2 - Reservation management system, reservation management method, and reservation management program - Google Patents

Description

Application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act February 24, 2021: Disclosure by presentation at a meeting (Engineer recruitment public relations event (held online)), October 7, 2020: Disclosure via telecommunications lines (https://curama.jp/shop), October 7, 2020: Disclosure via telecommunications lines (https://faq.curama.jp/--5f7bc8c2af522c001e6d1787), October 7, 2020: Disclosure via telecommunications lines (https://curama.jp/water-block-repair/emergency), October 7: Disclosure via telecommunications lines (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.curama.user&hl=ja&gl=US), October 7, 2020: Disclosure via telecommunications lines (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.curama.shop), October 7, 2020: Disclosure via telecommunications lines (https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/%E3%81%8F%E3%82 %89%E3%81%97%E3%81%AE%E3%83%9E%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B1%F3%83%83%E3%83%88%/id1228474394), October 7, 2020: Disclosure via telecommunications lines (https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/%E3%81%8F%E3%82%89%E3%81%97%E3%81%AE%E3%83%9E%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B1%F3%83%83%E3%83%88%E5%BA%97%E8%88%97%E7%AE%A1%E 7%90%86%E3%82%B7%E3%82%B9%E3%83%86%E3%83%A0/id1024919472), October 14, 2020: Disclosure via telecommunications lines (https://note.com/curama/n/n9549093e1f12), October 16, 2020: Disclosure via telecommunications lines (https://tech.curama.jp/entry/2020/11/06/175807), March 3, 2021: Disclosure via telecommunications lines (https://www.minma.jp/recruit)

The present invention relates to a reservation management system, a reservation management method, and a reservation management program.

Online marketplaces have become popular with the development of the Internet. Traditionally, online marketplaces were primarily used for the sale of goods, but in recent years, they have also become popular for the sale (reservation) of services.

For example, Patent Document 1 describes technology for service reservations, which accepts reservations from users over the phone and sends the user a message indicating the reservation result, and discloses technology that makes reservations over the phone more efficient in addition to reservations made via websites. Patent Document 2 describes technology for making reservations with multiple companies on behalf of the reservation applicant.

Among the services sold on online marketplaces, there are some that require urgent service (hereafter referred to as "emergency services"). For example, responding to breakdowns of facilities and equipment used daily, such as problems with water supply and sewerage systems in the home, falls into the category of emergency services.

As an example of emergency technology, Patent Document 3 describes technology related to a rescue service system that, upon receiving a request from a subscriber for help with an elevator problem, quickly dispatches a serviceman from a service company that is suited to the current situation and the customer's wishes.

JP 2017-139667 A JP 2019-53337 A JP 2007-128299 A

Here, particularly in online marketplaces that handle urgent matters, consumers (users) may require that responses be made as quickly as possible, that services be provided as quickly as possible and to an acceptable extent to the user, and that services be provided at a price that the user can accept.

However, the technology of Patent Document 1 cannot be used effectively in an online marketplace from the viewpoint of a user searching for a provider that matches their needs from among unspecified providers. In addition, since it is presumed that the user's telephone number is registered in the customer DB, it cannot be used by users who are using the online marketplace for the first time.

The technology of Patent Document 2 is also not suitable for use. A user who desires an emergency service may expect the provider to provide the service quickly. On the other hand, an operator at a reservation agency center can grasp the status of future registered reservations, but cannot grasp the work status of the provider on the day, such as whether the provider is busy with work or has been canceled and has free time, and is therefore unable to accept emergency reservations appropriately.

Similarly, the technology in Patent Document 3 cannot be used effectively in an online marketplace, where users can search for providers that match their needs from among an unspecified number of providers.

In view of the above, the present invention aims to provide a new technology for providing emergency services in online marketplaces.

In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides a reservation management system for an online marketplace where providers of urgent services post their services and manage reservations for those services, comprising:
The reservation management system includes a call control unit and a reservation data generation unit,
the call control unit receives a call specifying the provider from a user terminal device, transmits the call to a provider terminal device, and receives a response from the provider terminal device to the call;
When the response indicates reception of power, the reservation data generation unit generates reservation data in which identification information of the user and identification information of the provider who received the power are associated with each other.

The present invention also provides a reservation management method executed by a reservation management system of an online marketplace where providers of urgent services post their services and manage reservations for those services, comprising the steps of:
The reservation management system includes a call control unit and a reservation data generation unit,
the call control unit receives a call specifying the provider from the user terminal device, transmits the call to the provider terminal device, and receives a response to the call from the provider terminal device;
When the response indicates reception of power, the reservation data generation unit generates reservation data in which identification information of the user and identification information of the provider who received the power are associated with each other.

The present invention also provides a reservation management program for an online marketplace in which a provider of an emergency service posts the service and manages reservations for the service, comprising:
A computer is caused to function as a call control unit and a reservation data generating unit,
the call control unit receives a call specifying the provider from the user terminal device, transmits the call to the provider terminal device, and receives a response to the call from the provider terminal device;
When the response indicates reception of power, the reservation data generation unit generates reservation data in which identification information of the user and identification information of the provider who received the power are associated with each other.

This configuration allows the provider that receives the call to generate reservation data depending on whether or not the call was accepted. This makes it possible to generate reservation data on a call-by-call basis in the online marketplace, making reservation acceptance more efficient.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reservation management system further includes a message function providing unit,
The message function providing unit receives messages from the users and providers associated with the reservation, and displays the received messages to the users and providers;
While provision of the message function is restricted depending on the registration status of the reservation data or information about the user, the call control unit is configured to enable calls between a provider and a user associated by the reservation data.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reservation management system further comprises a reservation data processing unit,
the reservation data processing unit accepts registration of a date and time of service provision for the reservation data from the provider,
Provision of the message function is restricted based on at least whether the date and time has been registered.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reservation management system further comprises a user information processing unit,
the user information processing unit accepts registration of user information from the user;
Provision of the message function is restricted based on at least whether or not predetermined information out of the user information has been registered.

This configuration motivates users or providers to add information.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reservation data processing unit determines that a date and time within a predetermined time from the date and time when the reservation was made can be registered as the date and time of the provision of the service.

This configuration makes it more efficient to match dates and times to reservation data.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when the provider terminal device does not answer a call made from the user terminal device, the call control unit does not transmit at least the contact information of the user terminal device to the provider terminal device so that the provider terminal device cannot call back the user terminal device.

This configuration allows for efficient phone-based reservations.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reservation management system further includes a publication management unit,
the call control unit records an outgoing call history from the user terminal device and a response history at the provider terminal device,
The listing management unit changes the listing status in the online marketplace based on the call history and response history.

This configuration allows for efficient phone-based reservations.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reservation management system further comprises an incident management unit,
Based on an operation on the reservation data, a process of registering incident information associated with information on a provider associated with the reservation is performed.

This configuration allows for efficient reservations on the online marketplace.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reservation management system further comprises a search processing unit,
The type of service and/or region that each provider can provide is set, and the available time slot for accepting reservations is stored for each provider.
The search processing unit searches for the provider for which the type of service and/or area specified by the user terminal device has been set and for which at least the current date and time has been set as available time, and obtains the subsequent available time of the searched provider and returns it to the user terminal device.

This configuration allows for efficient phone-based reservations.

The present invention can provide a new technology for providing emergency services in an online marketplace.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing apparatus 10 and a terminal device 90 according to an embodiment. 1 is a flowchart showing a procedure from reservation of a normal service to service provision in one embodiment. 1 is a flowchart showing a procedure from reservation of an emergency service to service provision in one embodiment. 11 is a flowchart showing a process performed when a user searches for a provider in the system according to an embodiment. 4 shows an example of a screen display of a user terminal device 2 in the system according to the embodiment. 4 is a flowchart showing a process from a user making a call to generating reservation data in the system according to an embodiment. 4 shows an example of a screen display of a user terminal device 2 in the system according to the embodiment. 6 shows an example of a screen display of a provider terminal device 3 in the system according to the embodiment. 11 is a flowchart relating to enabling a function in the system of one embodiment. 13 is an example of an incident confirmation screen displayed in the system according to an embodiment.

The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments are shown. However, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

For example, the configuration, operation, etc. of the reservation management system are described in this embodiment, but the same effects can be achieved by the executed method, device, computer program, etc. The program in this embodiment may be provided as a non-transient computer-readable recording medium, or may be provided so as to be downloadable from an external server, or the program may be started on an external computer to realize its functions on a client terminal (so-called cloud computing).

In addition, in this embodiment, a "unit" may include, for example, a combination of hardware resources implemented by a circuit in the broad sense and software information processing that can be specifically realized by these hardware resources. In this embodiment, "information" is represented, for example, by the physical value of a signal value representing a voltage or current, the high or low value of a signal value as a binary bit collection consisting of 0 or 1, or a quantum superposition (so-called quantum bit), and communication and calculations can be performed on a circuit in the broad sense.

In the broad sense, a circuit is a circuit that is realized by appropriately combining a circuit, circuitry, processor, memory, etc. In other words, it includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), etc.

<System Configuration>
Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a system according to an embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the reservation management system 1 includes an information processing device 10 and a database DB. The reservation management system 1 is configured to be able to communicate with a plurality of user terminal devices 2 (reference numerals 2(a) to 2(c)) and a plurality of provider terminal devices 3 (reference numerals 3(a) to 3(c)) via a network NW. The information processing device 10 operates as a server, the user terminal devices 2 are terminal devices operated by users (consumers) of the online marketplace, and the provider terminal devices 3 are terminal devices operated by providers of services exhibited in the online marketplace.

In this embodiment, the network NW is an IP (Internet Protocol) network, but there are no restrictions on the type of communication protocol, and there are also no restrictions on the type or size of the network.

In addition, a general-purpose server computer, a personal computer, or the like can be used as the information processing device 10. It is also possible to configure the reservation management system 1 by implementing the functional components described below on multiple computers.

The user terminal device 2 may be a smartphone, tablet device, personal computer, wearable device, or the like. The user terminal device 2 stores a user application program for using the online marketplace, and this program is configured to realize a provider search means and a calling means with the provider (in this embodiment, an IP calling function). This IP calling function includes a seamless calling function.

The provider terminal device 3 may be a smartphone, tablet device, personal computer, wearable device, or the like. The provider terminal device 3 stores a provider application program for opening a shop on the online marketplace and managing reservations, and this program is configured to realize a shop opening management means, a reservation management means, and a means for calling users (in this embodiment, an IP calling function).

<Hardware Configuration>
2A is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the information processing device 10. The information processing device 10 includes, as the hardware configuration, a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a communication unit 13.

The control unit 11 includes one or more processors such as a CPU, and controls the overall operation and processing of the information processing device 10 by executing the reservation management program according to the present invention, the OS, browser software, and other applications.

The storage unit 12 is a HDD, ROM, RAM, etc., and stores the reservation management program according to the present invention and data used when the control unit 11 executes processing based on the program. The control unit 11 executes processing based on the reservation management program stored in the storage unit 12, thereby realizing the functional configuration described below.

The communication unit 13 controls communication with the network NW, and performs input necessary to operate the information processing device 10 and outputs related to the operation results.

Figure 2 (b) is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a terminal device 90 (user terminal device 2 and provider terminal device 3). Similarly, the terminal device 90 also includes, as its hardware configuration, a control unit 91, a storage unit 92, a communication unit 93, an input unit 94, and an output unit 95.

The control unit 91 of the terminal device 90 includes one or more processors such as a CPU, and controls the overall operation and processing of the terminal device 90. The storage unit 92 of the terminal device 90 is a HDD, ROM, RAM, etc., and stores the above-mentioned user application program or provider application program, as well as data used when the control unit 91 executes processing based on the program. The communication unit 93 of the terminal device 90 controls communication with the network. The input unit 94 of the terminal device 90 is a touch panel, mouse, keyboard, etc., and inputs operation requests from the user/provider to the control unit 91. The output unit 95 of the terminal device 90 is a display, etc., and displays the results of processing by the control unit 91, etc.

<Functional configuration>
2A, the information processing device 10 includes, as its functional configuration, a call control unit 101, a reservation data generation unit 102, a message function providing unit 103, a reservation data processing unit 104, a user information processing unit 105, a publication management unit 106, an incident management unit 107, and a search processing unit 108. This is information processing by software (stored in the storage unit 12) specifically realized by hardware (the control unit 11, etc.).

With reference to Figures 3 to 11, we will explain the reservation management method using the reservation management system and the processing content of each functional component.

<Online Marketplace>
The online marketplace in this embodiment is a web system in which providers set up shops and sell services to users (accept reservations). In this embodiment, the information processing device 10 receives a request from a user terminal device 2 that executes a user application program, processes the page source stored in the storage unit 12 and the information stored in the database DB, and returns the processing results, allowing the user to use the online marketplace.

Services that require urgent provision or that are marketed in that way are called "urgent services." Examples of the former are services that disrupt the user's daily life and require an urgent solution, such as unlocking the front door or repairing a clogged toilet. Examples of the latter are services that are marketed with an urgency attached, such as "same-day estimates" or "furniture assembly now."

At least emergency services are sold in the online marketplace. In this embodiment, non-emergency services (referred to as normal services) are sold in addition to emergency services in the online marketplace.

<Database DB>
The database DB stores provider information, service master, provided service information, schedule information, user information, reservation data, history information, incident information, and person in charge information. Some or all of these may be stored in the storage unit 12 or the like, or some of these may be stored in another database or the like.

<Registering information for opening a store>
A provider accesses the online marketplace via a provider terminal device 3 that executes a provider application program or via a web browser, etc., and registers his/her own information in the database DB as provider information and also registers the services he/she provides as provided service information.

The provider information is information that indicates information related to the provider. The provider information includes, for example, the provider's identification information, provider name, comments, icon image, address, telephone number, business days of the week, time periods, and service area. The unavailable dates and times in the schedule information described below are automatically set according to the business days of the week and time periods.

The service master is master data of services that can be sold in the online marketplace. The service master may include service identification information, service name, category, and information indicating normal or emergency. Note that normal and emergency services may each include services with the same name.

The service information is information indicating the services that each provider can provide and their fees. The provider service information includes identification information of the provided service, service identification information, comments and images related to the provided service, and information indicating whether the service is publicly available on the online marketplace. The information indicating whether the service is publicly available is, for example, a flag, and at least the provided service that has been set to be publicly available is set up on the online marketplace (displayed so that users can inquire about it). Different fees may be set for normal and emergency services with the same name.

Schedule information is information indicating the available dates and times (free times) and unavailable dates and times for each provider. The unavailable dates and times are set based on the above-mentioned days of the week and time periods that indicate the provider's business hours, as well as the date and time of service provision for which normal and emergency services have already been reserved. In this embodiment, time periods can be registered in 15-minute increments, but the method for registering time periods is arbitrary. When a provider receives a reservation from a user specifying an available date and time, the provider registers the time period for the available date and time and changes the specified time period to an unavailable date and time. The provider then provides the service to the user at the specified date and time.

<Outline of the procedure from reservation to service provision for regular services>
FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the procedure from reservation of a normal service to provision of the service.
In step S301, a user searches for providers who provide normal services in an online marketplace. The user selects a provider published in the online marketplace based on the provider's services, their fees, service areas, etc., and in step S302, makes a reservation based on the provider's available dates and times.

When reserving a regular service, the user registers user information. The user information indicates information about the user, and includes the user's identification information in the online marketplace, the user's name, the address of the place where the service is to be provided, a telephone number, an email address, etc. Here, payment information for online payment may also be associated with the user.

Reservations for normal services are made, for example, via a web form that requests a reservation for a specified service from a specified provider. In step S302, the user (user terminal device 2) inputs user information and the desired time via the web form and sends it to the information processing device 10, and in step S303 the reservation data is registered. Here, the date and time that can be specified as the desired time is a date and time that is a specified number of days or hours after the current date and time when the user is operating the online marketplace, among the available dates and times of the specified provider.

The reservation data includes reservation identification information, user identification information, provider identification information, service provided identification information, desired date and time, reservation data status, and reservation data acceptance date and time. The status may be, for example, "provisional reservation," "confirmed reservation," "accounted for (provision completed)," or "cancelled." In step S303, when the reservation data is accepted, the status is set to "provisional reservation."

In step S304, the provider checks the received desired date and time, and registers the date and time of service provision in the reservation data. This causes the status of the reservation data to be treated as "confirmed reservation." When the provision date and time is registered, the available date and time in the schedule information is secured, and it becomes an unavailable date and time. Note that for reservation data for which a certain amount of time has passed since the status was "tentative reservation," the provider may be notified and warned to associate the provision date and time.

Then, in step S305, the service provider visits the service provision location at the date and time of service provision by referencing the user information, and provides the service. In this embodiment, after providing the service, the provider receives money from the user, and stores the received amount and the date and time of receipt in association with the reservation data. This changes the status of the reservation data to "Accounted (Provision Completed)."

<Outline of procedures from reservation of emergency services to service provision>
FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the procedure from reservation of an emergency service to the provision of the service.
In step S401, the user executes the user application program on the user terminal device 2 to access the online marketplace and search for providers offering emergency services. At this time, it is assumed that the user is looking for services that are highly urgent due to their nature, and that the user has not registered user information (user name, address, telephone number, etc.) in advance before inquiring of the provider. Of course, if the user is a repeat customer, for example, the user information may be registered in advance before inquiring of the provider offering emergency services.

The call control unit 101 of the information processing device 10 performs call control such as making calls, receiving calls, answering, and disconnecting calls from one of the user terminal device 2 and the provider terminal device 3 to the other. The call control unit 101 further stores the call history and response history as history information in a database DB. The call control unit 101 may be realized, for example, as a SIP server.

The history information includes, for example, identification information of the user or provider who made the call and the provider or user who was the destination of the call, the response type of the destination of the call (answered after receiving the call, did not answer after receiving the call, did not receive the call, etc.), the date and time of the call, the date and time of the call, the ringing time, the call duration, the answering date and time, the disconnection date and time, etc. The contents of the call are also recorded and stored in the database DB as call voice data in association with the history information.

In step S401, the user selects a provider published on the online marketplace based on the provider's services, their fees, and the area of service, and in step S402, makes a call to the provider. At this time, since the user may not have registered user information, the user is prompted to enter a phone number before making the call, and this is sent together with the call request from the user terminal device 2. In this embodiment, the user terminal device 2 further sends the type of service the user wishes to receive, the desired date and time for the service to be provided, together with the phone number. The phone number is used as information to identify users whose user information has not been registered, and is also used to make calls between the provider and the user via a mobile phone network, etc., when necessary.

When a user makes a call request, the call control unit 101 receives a call at the provider terminal device 3. If the provider answers the call (YES in step S403), the user and the provider talk and discuss the date, time, and location for providing emergency services.

In step S404, if the reservation data generation unit 102 determines that the provider has answered the call based on the response from the provider terminal device 3 acquired by the call control unit 101, it generates reservation data. At the stage when the reservation data is generated in step S404, the status is set to "tentative reservation." Here, if the provider has not answered the call (NO in step S403), the user will search for another provider that offers emergency services.

In step S405, the provider checks the received desired date and time, and registers the date and time of service provision in the reservation data. Once the date and time of service provision is registered, the reservation data processing unit 104 changes the status of the reservation data to "Reservation confirmed." In addition, the user can register any missing user information, such as the user's name and address.

Then, in step S406, as with normal services, the provider provides the service on the date and time of service provision, receives payment from the user, and stores the received amount and the date and time of receipt in association with the reservation data. The reservation data processing unit 104 sets the status of the reservation data to "accounted for (provision completed)."

<Detailed procedure from reservation of emergency services to service provision>
Next, details of the process from reservation of emergency services to service provision will be described.

<Search for providers>
First, the search for a provider in step S401 will be described. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing how a user searches for a provider. Fig. 6 shows an example of a screen display when searching for a provider using a user application.

In step S501, the user operates the provider search screen W61 for which a reservation is desired to search for a provider who provides the desired service in the desired area. As shown in FIG. 6(a), the provider search screen W61 includes a provided service designation area W611, a service area designation area W612, a desired time designation area W613, and a search button W614.

The service provision designation area W611 is an area where the user designates the emergency service desired. The area provision designation area W612 is an area where the user designates the area where the service is desired to be provided. In step S501, when the desired service is designated via the service provision designation area W611 and the area where the service is to be provided via the area provision designation area W612, the user terminal device 2 transmits these to the information processing device 10.

In step S502, the search processing unit 108 searches the database DB for providers who meet the specified conditions and have the current time set as their free time, and obtains the subsequent free time of the relevant providers.

In FIG. 6(a), of the three services "toilet," "kitchen," "bathroom," and "washroom," "repair of the toilet" is specified as the service, and "Ota-ku, Tokyo" is specified as the area of service. The search processing unit 108 searches for providers that meet these conditions. Since a call will then be made between the user and the provider, the search processing unit 108 further searches for providers who have the current date and time registered as an available time (available date and time). The search processing unit 108 returns the provider's subsequent available time obtained as a result of the search to the desired time specification area W613 for display processing. The subsequent available time may be, for example, the time up to 24 hours after the search date and time.

In step S503, the user terminal device 2 receives the search processing result from the information processing device 10, and the display content of the desired time specification area W613 is updated. In the illustrated example, for example, this means that the user performed a search at 12:30, and one or more providers obtained as search results had free time slots of 14:00-15:00 and 16:00-17:00. In other words, this means that under the current conditions, no providers were found who had free time slots of 15:00-16:00.

The time slots selectable in the desired time designation area W613 are controlled from the available times obtained as a result of the search. Note that "as soon as possible" may be configured to be selectable at all times. In step S504, the user designates the desired time and presses the search button W614, thereby transmitting the designated service, area, and desired time to the search processing unit 108.

The search processing unit 108 searches for providers that meet the conditions. The information processing device 10 displays a provider list screen based on the search processing results, and returns the display processing results to the user terminal device 2.

Figure 6 (b) is an example of the screen display of the provider list screen W62. The provider list screen W62 displays a provider display area W621 for each provider found in the search process, and a call button W622 is located in the provider display area W621. By pressing this call button W622, a member registration screen W63 is displayed as shown in Figure 6 (c).

The user information processing unit 105 registers user information in the database DB. In addition, the user information processing unit 105 processes the addition, modification, deletion, etc. of information for the registered user information.

On the member registration screen W63, if the user is not a member of the online marketplace, the user is prompted to enter only a phone number and can register as a member. When the user enters a phone number in the phone number input field W631 and presses the new member registration button W632, the user information processing unit 105 registers the user information, including at least the phone number, in the database DB. The user then logs into the online marketplace. Note that if the user has already registered user information, the user can press link W633 to display the login screen.

When a user logs in to the online marketplace, a call screen W64 is displayed, as shown in FIG. 6(d). The call screen W64 displays information about the provider with whom the user wishes to make a call in a provider information display area W641 (in the illustrated example, only an icon image is displayed), displays some or all of the conditions entered by the user during the search in a condition display area W642, and also includes a call button W643. When the call button W643 is pressed, the call control unit 101 makes a call to the provider terminal device 3 that is the call destination.

<Generating reservation data>
Next, the generation of reservation data in step S404 will be described.
FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the process from when a user makes a call to when reservation data is generated.

In step S701, the call button W643 is operated, and the call control unit 101 makes a call to the provider terminal device 3 of the call destination. In step S702, the call control unit 101 stores the call history as history information in the database DB. In addition, in step S703, the call control unit 101 stores the response history as history information in the database DB. Note that these may be performed separately, or may be configured to be registered after the call is disconnected.

When a call is made at the provider terminal device 3, a call screen (not shown) is displayed on the provider terminal device 3. The provider answers the call by pressing the answer button on the call screen. The call control unit 101 may transmit some or all of the conditions entered by the user at the time of the search to the called provider terminal device 3, and the provider terminal device 3 may display some or all of the conditions entered by the received user at the time of the search on the call screen, as displayed in the condition display area W642.

Furthermore, the call control unit 101 may transmit information that enables the calling user to determine whether or not the calling user has registered the specified user information to the called provider terminal device 3, and the provider terminal device 3 may display the received information on the call screen. The specified user information is, for example, the user's name, address, etc., and the call control unit 101 may transmit the user's name, address, etc., or information indicating whether or not the calling user has not registered these (new member), to the called provider terminal device 3, and the provider terminal device 3 may display the user's name, address, etc., or information indicating whether or not the calling user has not registered these (new member) on the call screen.

Based on the response result received by the call control unit 101 from the provider terminal device 3, if the response type indicates a state in which the call was accepted after the call was received (YES in step S704), the reservation data generation unit 102 generates reservation data (step S705). In this embodiment, the reservation data generation unit 102 determines whether the provider accepted the call (answered the call) based on the history information stored in the database DB. The reservation data generation unit 102 generates reservation data that associates the user who made the call with the provider who was the destination of the call. The reservation data generation unit 102 may determine whether to generate reservation data based on the call duration in addition to whether the call was accepted after the call was received. For example, the reservation data may be configured not to be generated if the call duration is below a certain time.

If the response type does not indicate a state in which the call was accepted after the call was received (NO in step S704), the reservation data generation unit 102 does not generate reservation data. Furthermore, in step S706, the provider terminal device 3 is notified that an inquiry was made from the user and that the inquiry was not answered. The notification is sent, for example, to an email address or telephone number registered in the database DB as user information.

Because the user may have already made an inquiry to another provider, it is preferable that the content notified to the provider does not include at least information with which the user can be contacted. It is not necessary to include any information about the user who made the inquiry. On the other hand, information about the history (e.g., the date and time of the call, the duration of the call, etc.) may be included. For the same reason, it is preferable not to leave a softphone call history for the provider application program of the provider terminal device 3 that did not respond to the inquiry. In other words, the call control unit 101 does not send at least the contact information of the user terminal device 2 (user identification information, application ID, etc.) to the provider terminal device 3 so that the provider terminal device 3 cannot call back the user terminal device 2.

<Register additional information>
Next, the registration of additional information in step S405 will be described.
Fig. 8 is an example of a screen display after the call is ended on the user terminal device 2. As shown in Fig. 8(a), when the provider answers the call from the user and then ends the call, a call completion screen W81 is displayed on the user terminal device 2. The call completion screen W81 includes a transition button W811 to an additional information registration screen and a link W812 for canceling the reservation. When the transition button W811 is pressed, a user information addition screen W82 shown in Fig. 8(b) is displayed on the user terminal device 2. When the link W812 is selected, the information processing device 10 sets the reservation data generated by the call to a "cancelled" status.

The user information addition screen W82 includes a user information input area W821 and a user information registration button W822. When a user who has made a reservation inputs additional user information into the user information input area W821 and presses the user information registration button W822, the user information processing unit 105 adds the information entered into the user information to the database DB.

On the other hand, if the provider does not answer the call from the user, when the user ends the call, a call failure screen W83 is displayed on the user terminal device 2, as shown in FIG. 8(c). The call failure screen W83 displays information about the provider who did not answer in a provider information display area W831 (in the illustrated example, only an icon image), displays some or all of the conditions entered by the user at the time of the search in a condition display area W832, and also has a back button W833. When the back button W833 is pressed, the call failure screen W83 is closed and is configured to be able to transition to the provider list screen W62.

It is preferable that the call screen W64 or the failed call screen W83 be configured to transition to the provider list screen W62 so that calls can be made to other providers if the provider does not answer after the call is made. In the illustrated example, the call screen W64 and the failed call screen W83 are displayed as modal windows superimposed on the provider list screen W62. When the provider list screen W62 is displayed again, the search processing unit 108 may be configured to search again using the same conditions and update the providers included in the list.

FIG. 9 is an example of a reservation management screen displayed on the provider terminal device 3. As shown in FIG.
After the call is completed, the provider adds information to the reservation data. The provider registers the schedule arranged with the user through the call via a reservation management screen W91 shown in FIG. 9( a). The reservation management screen W91 has a switching area W911. When the switching area W911 is operated, it is possible to refer to the reservation data associated with the provider operating the provider terminal device 3 according to the status associated with the reservation data (in this embodiment, "tentative reservation", "confirmed reservation", "accounted (provision completed)", "cancelled").

The reservation data processing unit 104 processes the registered reservation data, adding information, changing information, etc. The reservation data generated by the reservation data generation unit 102 is given a "tentative reservation" status, and by operating the switching area W911, the reservation data with the "tentative reservation" status is displayed in the reservation display unit W912. When the reservation display unit W912 is selected, the schedule registration screen W92 shown in FIG. 9(b) is displayed.

The schedule registration screen W92 displays available dates and times (free times) W921 and unavailable dates and times W922 in a calendar, and the date and time of service provision to be associated with the reservation data can be added by manipulating this calendar display. Here, a date and time within a specified time from the date and time the reservation was made (the reservation data was generated, or the call was made or ended) may be set as a date and time that can be registered as the date and time of service provision. In other words, the calendar display is configured so that dates and times that exceed a specified time from the reservation cannot be selected. When the date and time of service provision is added and the work date and time registration button W923 is pressed, the reservation data processing unit 104 adds the date and time of service provision to the reservation data. The reservation data processing unit 104 changes the status of the reservation data to which the date and time of service provision has been added to "Reservation Confirmed".

<After provision of services>
The provider provides the service at the registered date and time for the reservation data with the "reservation confirmed" status. After providing the service, the sale is registered via the reservation management screen W91 shown in FIG. 9(c). By operating the switching area W911, the reservation data with the "reservation confirmed" status is displayed in the reservation display section W913. The reservation display section W913 includes a checkout button W914, and by operating the checkout button W914, the checkout screen W93 is displayed.

The accounting screen W93 has an amount input area W931, a Confirm button W932, and a Back button W933. After providing the service, the provider enters the amount received from the user in the amount input area W931. Then, by pressing the Confirm button W932, the reservation data processing unit 104 adds the received amount and the date and time of receipt to the reservation data. Furthermore, if the Back button W933 is pressed before pressing the Confirm button W932, the reservation management screen W91 is redisplayed.

When the received amount and the date and time of receipt are added to the reservation data, the reservation data processing unit 104 changes the reservation data to a "Accounted (Provided)" status.

<Activating the function>
10 is a flowchart for enabling the function. While the provision of the message function is restricted depending on the registration status of the reservation data or the information about the user, the call control unit 101 is configured to enable calls at any time between the provider and the user associated by the reservation data.

When reservation data is generated by the reservation data generation unit 102 in step S1001, a call function between the user and the provider is enabled in step S1002. This enables a call by the call control unit 101 between the user and the provider associated with the reservation data. In addition, when specific user information is added (YES in step S803), the message function is enabled by the message function providing unit 103 in step S804. The specific user information is, for example, the user's name, address, etc.

The message function providing unit 103 receives messages from the user and provider associated with the reservation, and displays the received messages to the user and provider, thereby providing a message function for sending and receiving messages between the user application program and the provider application program. The message function providing unit 103 displays messages on the user terminal device 2 and the provider terminal device 3 based on the message data stored in the database DB. The message data includes identification information of the message sender and destination, the message content, the sending date and time, etc.

Other functions may be enabled by the user adding specific user information in step S803. For example, the amount provided may be configured to be payable online based on payment information for online payment associated with the user information, and the user information processing unit 105 may enable (make possible) the linking process for online payment to the user information. Alternatively, the message function may be restricted/enabled by the provider at least linking the date and time of service provision.

<Registering incident information>
Next, the registration of incident information will be described. The incident management unit 107 performs a process of registering incident information associated with information on a provider associated with a reservation, based on an operation on reservation data. The database DB stores information on a person in charge, and each person in charge manages, assists, and guides a plurality of providers. The listing management unit 106 also changes the listing status of a user or their services in the online marketplace, based on the call history and response history. The registered incident information is viewed by the person in charge, etc., using a computer (not shown).

In this embodiment, the listing management unit 106 adds the provider or the service to the non-listing list to prevent the provider or service from being searched for. The non-listing list may be associated with identification information of the provider or identification information of the service to be non-listed, and the deadline for non-listing. When a service is to be non-listed, if the provider has registered multiple emergency services, all of those multiple emergency services may be non-listed.

When a predetermined condition is met, the incident management unit 107 registers the incident information, or transmits information for generating the incident information to an external system such as an internal management system so that the incident information can be registered in the external system. In addition, when a predetermined condition is met, the posting management unit 106 suspends posting of the target provider or its services for a certain period of time.

The specified conditions are, for example, the following:

(1) (Condition) When a call from a user continues for a predetermined number of seconds or more (e.g., 20 seconds or more) and the calling provider does not answer the phone: (Response) The listing management unit 106 unlists all emergency services listed by the provider. The unlisting process is released after a predetermined time period (e.g., one hour).
(2) (Condition) When absence (failure to answer) occurs a predetermined number of times (for example, three times): (Response) The incident management unit 107 performs a process of registering incident information.
(3) (Condition) Reservation data with a “tentative reservation” status is not changed to a “confirmed reservation” status even after a specified time (e.g., 24 hours) has elapsed (the date is not registered): (Response) The incident management unit 107 registers the incident information.
(4) (Condition) If the number or frequency of changes to the “Canceled” status exceeds a threshold: (Response) The incident management unit 107 registers incident information.

Incident information may also be registered in the case of (1). Here, if the called provider terminal device 3 does not answer the call, the listing management unit 106 will not list the target provider or its services, and when the call failure screen W83 is displayed or closed on the user terminal device 2, the search processing unit 108 will search again under the same conditions for the search results to be displayed on the provider list screen W62 to which the user is subsequently redirected, and update the display, thereby removing the failed listing from the list. Also, the non-listing process may be performed in the cases of (2) to (4).

FIG. 11 is an example of the screen display of the incident confirmation screen W111. As shown in FIG. 11(a), the incident confirmation screen W111 includes a provider information display area W1111, a provider details display button W1112, a person in charge information display area W1113, an incident display area W1114, a comment posting button W1115, and a comment display area W1116. The provider information display area W1111 displays the target provider, and more detailed information can be referenced by pressing the provider details display button W1112. The person in charge information display area W1113 displays the person in charge associated with the provider. The incident display area W1114 displays the contents of the incident related to (2), and the displayed contents are registered by the incident management unit 107 based on the history information. In addition, the comment posting button W1115 and the comment display area W1116 allow a comment to be associated with the incident.

In the incident confirmation screen W111 shown in FIG. 11(b), the incident management unit 107 registers the contents of the incident displayed in the incident display area W1114 based on the call voice data (address and path of the voice data storage location), history information, user information, etc. stored in the database DB.

1: Reservation management system 10: Information processing device 11: Control unit 12: Memory unit 13: Communication unit 101: Call control unit 102: Reservation data generation unit 103: Message function providing unit 104: Reservation data processing unit 105: User information processing unit 106: Publication management unit 107: Incident management unit 108: Search processing unit 2: User terminal device 3: Provider terminal device 90: Terminal device 91: Control unit 92: Memory unit 93: Communication unit 94: Input unit 95: Output unit NW: Network

Claims (12)

A reservation management system for an online marketplace in which a provider of an emergency service posts a service and manages reservations for the service, comprising:
The reservation management system includes a call control unit, a reservation data generation unit , and a message function providing unit ,
the call control unit receives a call specifying the provider from a user terminal device, transmits the call to a provider terminal device, and receives a response to the call from the provider terminal device;
the reservation data generation unit generates reservation data in which identification information of the user who made the call and identification information of the provider who received the call are associated with each other at least when the response indicates that the call was received;
The message function providing unit receives messages from the users and providers associated with the reservation, and displays the received messages to the users and providers;
The provision of the message function is restricted according to the registration status of the reservation data or the information about the user, while the call control unit is configured to enable a call between the provider and the user associated by the reservation data.
Reservation management system. The reservation management system further includes a reservation data processing unit,
the reservation data processing unit accepts registration of a date and time of service provision for the reservation data from the provider,
Provision of the message function is restricted based on at least whether the date and time have been registered.
The reservation management system according to claim 1 . the reservation data processing unit determines a date and time within a predetermined time from the date and time when the reservation was made as a date and time that can be registered as the date and time of the provision of the service;
The reservation management system according to claim 2 . The reservation management system further includes a user information processing unit,
the user information processing unit accepts registration of user information from the user;
Provision of the message function is restricted based on at least whether or not predetermined information among the user information has been registered.
4. The reservation management system according to claim 1. A reservation management system for an online marketplace in which a provider of an emergency service posts a service and manages reservations for the service, comprising:
The reservation management system includes a call control unit, a reservation data generation unit , and a listing management unit ,
the call control unit receives a call specifying the provider from a user terminal device, transmits the call to the provider terminal device, receives a response to the call from the provider terminal device, and records a call history from the user terminal device and a response history at the provider terminal device;
the reservation data generation unit generates reservation data in which identification information of the user who made the call and identification information of the provider who received the call are associated with each other at least when the response indicates that the call was received;
the listing management unit changes a listing status of the provider or the service provided by the provider in the online marketplace based on the call history and the response history.
Reservation management system. the call control unit, when the provider terminal device does not answer a call from the user terminal device, does not transmit at least a contact information of the user terminal device to the provider terminal device so that the provider terminal device cannot call back the user terminal device;
6. A reservation management system according to claim 1. The reservation management system further includes an incident management unit,
performing a process of registering incident information associated with information on a provider associated with the reservation based on an operation on the reservation data;
7. A reservation management system according to claim 1. The reservation management system further includes a search processing unit,
The type of service and/or region that each provider can provide is set, and the available time slot for accepting reservations is stored for each provider.
the search processing unit searches for the provider for which the type of service and/or region specified by the user terminal device is set and for which at least the current date and time is set as free time, and obtains the subsequent free time of the provider found and returns it to the user terminal device;
8. A reservation management system according to claim 1. A reservation management method executed by a reservation management system of an online marketplace in which a provider of an urgent service posts a service and manages reservations for the service, comprising:
The reservation management system includes a call control unit , a reservation data generation unit , and a message function providing unit ,
the call control unit receives a call specifying the provider from the user terminal device, transmits the call to the provider terminal device, and receives a response to the call from the provider terminal device;
the reservation data generation unit generates reservation data in which identification information of the user who made the call and identification information of the provider who received the call are associated with each other at least when the response indicates that the call has been received;
The message function providing unit receives messages from the users and providers associated with the reservation, and displays the received messages to the users and providers;
The provision of the message function is restricted according to the registration status of the reservation data or the information about the user, while the call control unit is configured to enable a call between the provider and the user associated by the reservation data.
How to manage your reservations. A reservation management method executed by a reservation management system of an online marketplace in which a provider of an urgent service posts a service and manages reservations for the service, comprising:
The reservation management system includes a call control unit, a reservation data generation unit , and a listing management unit ,
the call control unit receives a call specifying the provider from the user terminal device, transmits the call to the provider terminal device, receives a response to the call from the provider terminal device, and records a call history from the user terminal device and a response history at the provider terminal device;
the reservation data generation unit generates reservation data in which identification information of the user who made the call and identification information of the provider who received the call are associated with each other at least when the response indicates that the call has been received;
the listing management unit changes a listing status of the provider or the service provided by the provider in the online marketplace based on the call history and the response history.
How to manage your reservations. A reservation management program for an online marketplace in which a provider of an emergency service posts a service and manages reservations for the service, comprising:
A computer is caused to function as a call control unit , a reservation data generating unit , and a message function providing unit ;
the call control unit receives a call specifying the provider from the user terminal device, transmits the call to the provider terminal device, and receives a response to the call from the provider terminal device;
the reservation data generation unit generates reservation data in which identification information of the user who made the call and identification information of the provider who received the call are associated with each other at least when the response indicates that the call was received;
The message function providing unit receives messages from the users and providers associated with the reservation, and displays the received messages to the users and providers;
The provision of the message function is restricted according to the registration status of the reservation data or the information about the user, while the call control unit is configured to enable a call between the provider and the user associated by the reservation data.
Reservation management program. A reservation management program for an online marketplace in which a provider of an emergency service posts a service and manages reservations for the service, comprising:
A computer is caused to function as a call control unit, a reservation data generation unit , and a listing management unit ,
the call control unit receives a call specifying the provider from the user terminal device, transmits the call to the provider terminal device, receives a response to the call from the provider terminal device, and records a call history from the user terminal device and a response history at the provider terminal device;
the reservation data generation unit generates reservation data in which identification information of the user who made the call and identification information of the provider who received the call are associated with each other at least when the response indicates that the call was received;
the listing management unit changes a listing status of the provider or the service provided by the provider in the online marketplace based on the call history and the response history.
Reservation management program.