DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to Applicant's response to application filed on 08 July 2025. Currently, claims 1-30 are pending. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1, 11 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. The acronym CRM is not clearly defined and thus indefinite. Claims 2-10, 12-20, 22-30 depend from claims 1, 11 and 21, inherit the same deficiencies and thus rejected for the same reasons.
Claims 12, 21 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. The acronym SMS is not clearly defined and thus indefinite.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-30 are clearly drawn to at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter recited in 35 U.S.C. 101 (method, computer program product, and system). Claims 1-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more. Claims 1, 11 and 21 recite the abstract idea of defining a dealership hierarchical structure within a CRM overlay that is wherein the dealership hierarchical structure identifies a plurality of dealership entities associated with a dealership group and receiving a communication that includes identifying information and processing the identifying information within the communication to identify a sender and an intended recipient for the communication and matching the communication with an existing sales lead for one of the plurality of dealership entities associated with the dealership group based, at least in part, upon the sender and the intended recipient for the communication. The claims are directed to a type of matching sales leads for dealerships. Under prong 1 of Step 2A, these claims are considered abstract because the claims are certain method of organizing human activity including commercial interactions (including sales, marketing and business relations). Applicant’s claims are organizing human activity because the claims show using communication (human activity) to match sales leads (a type of organizing sales data) for dealerships (commercial entity). Under prong 2 of Step 2A, the judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because the claims (the judicial exception and any additional elements individually or in combination such as a computer-implemented method, executed on a computing device, a CRM overlay that is configured to interface with a generic customer relationship management platform, a computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, a computing system including a processor and memory configured to perform operations) are not an improvement to a computer or a technology, the claims do not apply the judicial exception with a particular machine, the claims do not effect a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing nor do the claims apply the judicial exception in some other meaningful way beyond generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment such that the claims as a whole is more than a drafting effort designed to monopolize the exception. These limitations at best are merely implementing an abstract idea on a computer, or merely uses a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea - see MPEP 2106.05(f). Under Step 2B, the claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the additional elements individually or in combination such as a computer-implemented method, executed on a computing device, a CRM overlay that is configured to interface with a generic customer relationship management platform, a computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, a computing system including a processor and memory configured to perform operations (as evidenced by para [0017]-[0026] of applicant’s own specification) are well understood, routine and conventional in the field. Dependent claims 3-9, 13-19, 23-29 also do not include additional elements that integrate the judicial exception into a practical application because the additional elements either individually or in combination are merely an extension of the abstract idea itself by further showing wherein the identifying information includes one or more of: a telephone number; and an email address and wherein one of the sender and the intended recipient is a professional at one of the plurality of dealership entities associated with the dealership group and wherein matching the communication with an existing sales lead for one of the plurality of dealership entities associated with a dealership group based, at least in part, upon the sender and the intended recipient for the communication includes: if the communication is associated with an existing open opportunity, matching the communication with the existing open opportunity and wherein matching the communication with an existing sales lead for one of the plurality of dealership entities associated with a dealership group based, at least in part, upon the sender and the intended recipient for the communication includes: if the communication is associated with an existing non-disqualified lead, matching the communication with the existing non-disqualified lead and wherein matching the communication with an existing sales lead for one of the plurality of dealership entities associated with a dealership group based, at least in part, upon the sender and the intended recipient for the communication includes: if the communication is associated with an existing closed opportunity, matching the communication with the existing closed opportunity and wherein matching the communication with an existing sales lead for one of the plurality of dealership entities associated with a dealership group based, at least in part, upon the sender and the intended recipient for the communication includes: if the communication is associated with an existing disqualified lead, matching the communications with the disqualified lead and wherein the dealership hierarchical structure identifies a plurality of vehicle dealership entities associated with a vehicle dealership group. Dependent claims 2, 10, 12, 20, 22, 30 do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the additional elements individually or in combination such as wherein the communication includes one or more of: an SMS-based communication; an email-based communication; and a voice-based communication and wherein the CRM overlay includes a dealer CRM solution that runs on top of and/or interfaces with the generic customer relationship management platform (as evidenced by para [0017]-[0026] of applicant’s own specification) are well understood, routine and conventional in the field.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kuchenbecker et al. (US 2022/0020086 A1) (hereinafter Kuchenbecker) in view of White et al. (US 2020/0126117 A1) (hereinafter White).
Claims 1, 11 and 21:
Kuchenbecker, as shown, discloses the following limitations of claim 1:
A computer-implemented method (and corresponding computer program product and system, see para [0001]-[0003] – showing equivalent computing functionality and components), executed on a computing device (see para [0001]-[0003] – showing equivalent computing functionality and components), comprising: defining a dealership hierarchical structure (see para [0035], “FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the car dealership data management system 200 (hereinafter referred to as the “system”) comprising a vehicle data system 202 configured to transmit and receive a plurality of vehicle information 216 corresponding to the vehicles 212 at the local dealership or connected dealerships in communication with the network 130.”), wherein the dealership hierarchical structure identifies a plurality of dealership entities associated with a dealership group (see para [0038]-[0040], " In some embodiments, the calendar module 325 aggregates data in a calendar view which may be provided in a daily, weekly, monthly, etc. view. The calendar module 325 may store data in the calendar view such that the user can navigate through a calendar interface to permit the user to engage with the information therein. The calendar module 325 may be used by the dealership personnel or other users of the system. In one example, managers at the dealership may aggregate individual dealership information into the calendar by day, month, week, etc. Further, sales personnel may view the calendar interface to view appointments and tasks. In some embodiments, active leads include in-store leads or remote leads at other dealerships. This may be especially useful for internet-based sales teams to track their leads that were transmitted via a website associated with the dealership, manufacturer, and the like. The user may perform a lead search to view “parent” customers that may be used to track all leads within a dealer group across various dealerships. This will allow the user to isolate individual sales cycles for a particular customer. For example, a customer buys a car from a first dealership in June of 2018. The same customer visits a second dealership in June of 2020 to purchase another vehicle. Each sales transaction is stored in reference to the customer.");
receiving a communication that includes identifying information (see para [0037], ". For example, the sales module 305 may process and display discounts, promotions and the like to inform the sale professionals of a change in prices, terms, and the like. The inventory module 310 provides real-time inventory information to the user. For example, the inventory module 310 may permit the user to search vehicle inventory across multiple dealerships. The financing module 315 allows the user to access financing systems which may include generating finance agreements, generating terms, and calculating finance costs. A communications module 320 is operable to permit communications between the various users of the system and their associated departments. For example, the communications module 320 provides a means for transmitting sales information to the financing department for processing." and see para [0046], "FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart of the lead processing method which allows the user to perform a lead search, enter customer data, generate a quote, and otherwise manage various processes associated with the sale, trade-in, or purchasing of a vehicle. In step 600, the user conducts a lead search, which may display customers relevant to the search terms input by the user. If there is no match to the search terms, the user may start a new lead. If there is a match, the user may select to start a new lead or continue a lead from an existing sales cycle. In step 610 the user enters customers information (e.g., addresses, contact information, emails, payment information, insurance information, etc.).");
Kuchenbecker, however, does not specifically disclose a CRM overlay that is configured to interface with a generic customer relationship management platform. In analogous art, White discloses the following limitations:
defining a dealership hierarchical structure within a CRM overlay that is configured to interface with a generic customer relationship management platform (see para [0022], "In another aspect, system 100 can employ processor 112 to execute matching component 120 that determines, by matching server device 106, whether a subset of first data matches second data representing existing customer information. In an aspect, matching component 120 can determine whether extracted first data matches second data in order to determine whether first data corresponds to an existing customer record (e.g., stored in a dealership CRM system implemented on a dealership data store or stored in a dealership data management system implemented on a dealership data store). For instance, processor 112 can employ matching component 120 to compare a subset of first data to second data (e.g., historical data associated with an intake form, previous interactive website activity, browsing data, location data of interested automotive vendors, etc.) based on whether any similar identification data (e.g., name information, phone number information, address information, automotive vendor location data, etc.) is identified in first data and second data. If matching component 120 finds a comparative similarity, then matching component 120 determines the subset of first data corresponds with existing customer data (e.g., second data) and the subset of first data can be integrated with the second data or a subset of second data (e.g., existing customer profile data). In the event, matching component 120 determines a satisfactory match above a threshold level of similarity (e.g., indicative of matching customer identification information) between the first data and the second data, then the customer identification information can be assigned a flag to indicate that the activity data is associated with a user having a prior record of engagement with a vendor (e.g., OEM, vehicle dealer, etc.) rather than a candidate consumer having no prior record of engagement. For instance, a lead may represent a consumer with a greater level of interest in purchasing a vehicle from a respective dealership." and see para [0038]-[0042]),
processing the identifying information within the communication to identify a sender and an intended recipient for the communication (see para [0019], "In another aspect, web-based activity data can correspond to historical web-based activity. In an aspect, such first data can be extracted from one or more first data store 170 such as a data store representing a dealer customer relationship management storage device, a dealership data management system executing on a dealership device, a data store comprising social media data, a data store comprising location data (e.g., data records of visiting automotive dealer location) of user devices (e.g., smart phone or smart phone application executing on a smart phone device), or other such data stores. For instance, processor 112 can execute detection component 110 to extract first data from disparate data sources (e.g., one or more data store 170) that can represent data from one or more website application (e.g., user interactive website behavior data), lead generation data (e.g., an e-mail or input data received at a dealership website application) received at a dealership data store, and/or dealer sales (e.g., record of goods or services sold to customers) or customer data stored at a dealership data management system executing on a data store. As such, the detection (e.g., using detection component 110) of web-based activity data and/or non-web-based activity data can represent interactive behaviors corresponding to candidate consumers of vehicles." where it is obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that an e-mail has a sender and receiver information)
matching the communication with an existing sales lead for one of the plurality of dealership entities associated with the dealership group based, at least in part, upon the sender and the intended recipient for the communication (see para [0022], " In another aspect, system 100 can employ processor 112 to execute matching component 120 that determines, by matching server device 106, whether a subset of first data matches second data representing existing customer information. In an aspect, matching component 120 can determine whether extracted first data matches second data in order to determine whether first data corresponds to an existing customer record (e.g., stored in a dealership CRM system implemented on a dealership data store or stored in a dealership data management system implemented on a dealership data store). For instance, processor 112 can employ matching component 120 to compare a subset of first data to second data (e.g., historical data associated with an intake form, previous interactive website activity, browsing data, location data of interested automotive vendors, etc.) based on whether any similar identification data (e.g., name information, phone number information, address information, automotive vendor location data, etc.) is identified in first data and second data. If matching component 120 finds a comparative similarity, then matching component 120 determines the subset of first data corresponds with existing customer data (e.g., second data) and the subset of first data can be integrated with the second data or a subset of second data (e.g., existing customer profile data). In the event, matching component 120 determines a satisfactory match above a threshold level of similarity (e.g., indicative of matching customer identification information) between the first data and the second data, then the customer identification information can be assigned a flag to indicate that the activity data is associated with a user having a prior record of engagement with a vendor (e.g., OEM, vehicle dealer, etc.) rather than a candidate consumer having no prior record of engagement. For instance, a lead may represent a consumer with a greater level of interest in purchasing a vehicle from a respective dealership." and see para [0051])
It would have been obvious to one or ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to combine the teachings of White with Kuchenbecker because including a CRM enables more effective management of customer data for the dealership (see White, [0002]-[0004]).
Moreover, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to include the method for triggering marketing operations as taught by White in the vehicle dealership data management system of Kuchenbecker, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claims 2-4, 12-14, 22-24:
Kuchenbecker does not explicitly disclose wherein the communication includes one or more of: an SMS-based communication; an email-based communication; and a voice-based communication. In analogous art, White discloses the following limitations:
wherein the communication includes one or more of: an SMS-based communication; an email-based communication; and a voice-based communication (see para [0019], " In another aspect, web-based activity data can correspond to historical web-based activity. In an aspect, such first data can be extracted from one or more first data store 170 such as a data store representing a dealer customer relationship management storage device, a dealership data management system executing on a dealership device, a data store comprising social media data, a data store comprising location data (e.g., data records of visiting automotive dealer location) of user devices (e.g., smart phone or smart phone application executing on a smart phone device), or other such data stores. For instance, processor 112 can execute detection component 110 to extract first data from disparate data sources (e.g., one or more data store 170) that can represent data from one or more website application (e.g., user interactive website behavior data), lead generation data (e.g., an e-mail or input data received at a dealership website application) received at a dealership data store, and/or dealer sales (e.g., record of goods or services sold to customers) or customer data stored at a dealership data management system executing on a data store. As such, the detection (e.g., using detection component 110) of web-based activity data and/or non-web-based activity data can represent interactive behaviors corresponding to candidate consumers of vehicles." and see para [0041], "Furthermore, in another non-limiting embodiment, indexing component 210 can classify subsets of first data as representing a sales lead or a service lead based on a classification criterion. In another aspect, call tracking number data can correspond with a service lead classification data or sales lead classification data based upon text and/or speech analysis technologies. In an aspect, a dealership can transmit target market message data to a lead type or data store (e.g., CRM). In an aspect, system 100 and/or system 200 capability to identify anonymous new lead data and generate notification data for transmission to data stores can significantly improve current dealership data store capabilities. Furthermore, in an aspect, processor and memory access efficiencies can be created by implementation of such capabilities. In yet another aspect, the automated populating of first data and enriched first data via mechanisms (e.g., duplication technologies) can improve the efficacy of data stores (e.g., CMS, CRM, DMS, etc.). In another aspect, various embodiments and implementations can apply to a range of industries (e.g., retail, automotive, healthcare, etc.)." and see para [0024])
wherein the identifying information includes one or more of: a telephone number; and an email address (see para [0019], " In another aspect, web-based activity data can correspond to historical web-based activity. In an aspect, such first data can be extracted from one or more first data store 170 such as a data store representing a dealer customer relationship management storage device, a dealership data management system executing on a dealership device, a data store comprising social media data, a data store comprising location data (e.g., data records of visiting automotive dealer location) of user devices (e.g., smart phone or smart phone application executing on a smart phone device), or other such data stores. For instance, processor 112 can execute detection component 110 to extract first data from disparate data sources (e.g., one or more data store 170) that can represent data from one or more website application (e.g., user interactive website behavior data), lead generation data (e.g., an e-mail or input data received at a dealership website application) received at a dealership data store, and/or dealer sales (e.g., record of goods or services sold to customers) or customer data stored at a dealership data management system executing on a data store. As such, the detection (e.g., using detection component 110) of web-based activity data and/or non-web-based activity data can represent interactive behaviors corresponding to candidate consumers of vehicles.")
wherein one of the sender and the intended recipient is a professional at one of the plurality of dealership entities associated with the dealership group (see para [0019], where it is obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that an e-mail received by a dealership would have been received by a professional at the dealership and see para[ 0025], showing personnel accessing existing customer information)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to include the method for triggering marketing operations as taught by White in the vehicle dealership data management system of Kuchenbecker, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claims 5-6, 8, 10, 15-16, 25-26, 20, 30:
Kuchenbecker does not specifically disclose wherein matching the communication with an existing sales lead for one of the plurality of dealership entities associated with a dealership group based, at least in part, upon the sender and the intended recipient for the communication includes: if the communication is associated with an existing open opportunity, matching the communication with the existing open opportunity. In analogous art, White discloses the following limitations:
wherein matching the communication with an existing sales lead for one of the plurality of dealership entities associated with a dealership group based, at least in part, upon the sender and the intended recipient for the communication includes: if the communication is associated with an existing open opportunity, matching the communication with the existing open opportunity (see para [0022], " In another aspect, system 100 can employ processor 112 to execute matching component 120 that determines, by matching server device 106, whether a subset of first data matches second data representing existing customer information. In an aspect, matching component 120 can determine whether extracted first data matches second data in order to determine whether first data corresponds to an existing customer record (e.g., stored in a dealership CRM system implemented on a dealership data store or stored in a dealership data management system implemented on a dealership data store). For instance, processor 112 can employ matching component 120 to compare a subset of first data to second data (e.g., historical data associated with an intake form, previous interactive website activity, browsing data, location data of interested automotive vendors, etc.) based on whether any similar identification data (e.g., name information, phone number information, address information, automotive vendor location data, etc.) is identified in first data and second data. If matching component 120 finds a comparative similarity, then matching component 120 determines the subset of first data corresponds with existing customer data (e.g., second data) and the subset of first data can be integrated with the second data or a subset of second data (e.g., existing customer profile data). In the event, matching component 120 determines a satisfactory match above a threshold level of similarity (e.g., indicative of matching customer identification information) between the first data and the second data, then the customer identification information can be assigned a flag to indicate that the activity data is associated with a user having a prior record of engagement with a vendor (e.g., OEM, vehicle dealer, etc.) rather than a candidate consumer having no prior record of engagement. For instance, a lead may represent a consumer with a greater level of interest in purchasing a vehicle from a respective dealership." where flagging engagement with the vehicle dealer is based on the extracted data from para [0019] such as the e-mail)
wherein matching the communication with an existing sales lead for one of the plurality of dealership entities associated with a dealership group based, at least in part, upon the sender and the intended recipient for the communication includes: if the communication is associated with an existing non-disqualified lead, matching the communication with the existing non-disqualified lead (see para [0022], where a determination above a satisfactory match above a threshold level can be considered to show non-disqualified given broadest reasonable interpretation)
wherein matching the communication with an existing sales lead for one of the plurality of dealership entities associated with a dealership group based, at least in part, upon the sender and the intended recipient for the communication includes: if the communication is associated with an existing disqualified lead, matching the communications with the disqualified lead (see para [0020], " In another aspect, system 100 can employ detection component 110 to extract from one or more data store 170 first data based on lead criteria data. In an aspect, lead criteria data can represent a set of instructions or executable code that determine a relevance of a set of data as qualifying lead data such that the relevant data referred to as first data can be extracted (e.g., using an extraction component employed by detection component 110) from one or more first data store 170. In an aspect, lead criteria data can represent a set of instructions to extract first data that correlates to an indication that a user is shopping for inventory present or readily accessible to an automotive dealership as indicated by dealership data. Furthermore, lead criteria data can represent data that correlates to an indication of a user spending behaviors that are linked to a purchase of an item a dealership possess for sale as indicated by dealership data.” where not qualifying can be considered a disqualified lead and see para [0045])
wherein the CRM overlay includes a dealer CRM solution that runs on top of and/or interfaces with the generic customer relationship management platform (see para [0025], showing a dealership management system and dealership smart phones and see para [0019])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to include the method for triggering marketing operations as taught by White in the vehicle dealership data management system of Kuchenbecker, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claims 7, 9, 17, 19, 27, 29:
Further, Kuchenbecker discloses the following limitations:
wherein matching the communication with an existing sales lead for one of the plurality of dealership entities associated with a dealership group based, at least in part, upon the sender and the intended recipient for the communication includes: if the communication is associated with an existing closed opportunity, matching the communication with the existing closed opportunity (see para [0043], "The lead engine 410 allows the user to input lead information such as, for example, client contact information, lead details, and similar information which may be useful to the sales representative, account manager, or other user of the system. A sales log engine 420 may process historical sales information for a customer or group thereof. This may be especially useful for clients managing a fleet of vehicles to allow the dealership to view fleet purchase history. A vehicle inventory processor 430 allows the user to interact with vehicle inventory information as well as submit a work order for one or more vehicles within the vehicle inventory. Information related to a customer and/or vehicle may be transmitted from the sales processing system to the finance processing system 500 (shown in FIG. 5) to allow various users in the sales and finance teams of a dealership to readily communicate information to and from one another.” where history sales of a customer that is used for identification can be considered closed opportunities)
wherein the dealership hierarchical structure identifies a plurality of vehicle dealership entities associated with a vehicle dealership group (see para [0038]-[0040], " In some embodiments, the calendar module 325 aggregates data in a calendar view which may be provided in a daily, weekly, monthly, etc. view. The calendar module 325 may store data in the calendar view such that the user can navigate through a calendar interface to permit the user to engage with the information therein. The calendar module 325 may be used by the dealership personnel or other users of the system. In one example, managers at the dealership may aggregate individual dealership information into the calendar by day, month, week, etc. Further, sales personnel may view the calendar interface to view appointments and tasks. In some embodiments, active leads include in-store leads or remote leads at other dealerships. This may be especially useful for internet-based sales teams to track their leads that were transmitted via a website associated with the dealership, manufacturer, and the like. The user may perform a lead search to view “parent” customers that may be used to track all leads within a dealer group across various dealerships. This will allow the user to isolate individual sales cycles for a particular customer. For example, a customer buys a car from a first dealership in June of 2018. The same customer visits a second dealership in June of 2020 to purchase another vehicle. Each sales transaction is stored in reference to the customer.")
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Long et al. (US 2013/0226699 A1), a system for improved customer relationship management where customers and employees of the entity may be members of the entity's online community and each member may have a landing page or "wall" provided online by a secure site, which may present the member's profile, all vendor products owned by the client and a history of any associated services performed by the entity and the customer can communicate via text messaging with the dealership employees that have previously worked with them
Kesa (IN 202441040733 A), a system for customer relationship management for automotive dealerships for automating and optimizing sales and tracking leads
AutoTrader "Lead Management Best Practices", a commercial product on managing leads based on customer engagement
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUJAY KONERU whose telephone number is 571-270-3409. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Patricia Munson can be reached on 571- 270-5396. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SUJAY KONERU/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3624
