FR2819325A1 - System for supporting commercial actions such as establishing list of prospective customers has device that may establish list of prospective customers as function at least of trading results information - Google Patents

Abstract

A system server (10) includes customers database management device (38) recorded in a storage device (32). A database consultation device (1,6) holds the information concerned the completed commercial operations and their results for some customers. A device (38) is provided to establish a list of prospective customers as function at least of the results information.

Description

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 The present invention relates to a system for assisting commercial actions and in particular a system making it possible to establish a list of clients to prospect.

 Today, there are data analysis systems to determine a list of clients to prospect. These systems generally consist of a computer associated with information storage means containing a database. The database contains a large amount of information on potential customers such as for example their address, name, income, etc. The computer is also equipped with a system for managing this database allowing in particular to create and execute interrogation queries of the database.

 An operator wishing to establish a list of clients to prospect from such a system conventionally proceeds as follows: - it establishes a list of criteria for selecting clients to prospect. For example the user can use as selection criteria, the geographic address of the customers, their turnover or any other information included in the database used; - it builds the query request for the database corresponding to the selection criteria previously chosen. The selection query is conventionally written in a database query language such as the language S. Q. L; and - it launches the execution of the previously created request using the database management system. When the execution of the query is finished, the system displays, for example on the computer screen, a list of clients in the database meeting the selection criteria. The customers on this list are then contacted by the operator in order to offer them products and services that they market.

 Known systems for establishing a list of clients to prospect do not allow the results of this prospecting to be recorded. Consequently, there are currently no means for me to establish a new list of clients to prospect based on the results of commercial prospecting already carried out.

 The present invention therefore aims to remedy the drawbacks

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 known systems by creating a system for assistance with commercial actions which makes it possible to establish a list of clients to prospect based in particular on the results of the surveys already carried out.

 It therefore relates to a system for assisting commercial actions comprising a computer comprising means for managing a database of customers of a company registered in information storage means accessible by the computer, and means for consulting this database, characterized in that said database also includes information concerning the commercial actions already carried out and their results for at least some of the customers in said database and in that the system includes means for establishing a list of clients to prospect based at least on said result information.

destinés à codifier le résultat des actions commerciales et en ce que les informations sur le résultat de l'action commerciale de la troisième table sont choisies parmi lesdits codes de résultats de la quatrième table ; The aid system for commercial actions according to the invention may also include one or more of the following characteristics: - it comprises a first table containing the data relating to customers, at least one unique customer code for each customer, a second table comprising data defining commercial actions including at least one unique commercial action code for each definition of commercial actions, a third table containing the data relating to the results of the commercial actions carried out, said data comprising for each commercial action carried out at least one code d commercial action corresponding to a commercial action code from the second table, a customer code corresponding to one of those from the first table and information on the result of the commercial action, the information from the first and the third table being associated using the customer codes of each of these tables s and the information in the second and third tables being associated using the commercial action codes of each of these tables; - it has a fourth table with codes

intended to codify the result of the commercial actions and in that the information on the result of the commercial action of the third table is chosen from said result codes of the fourth table;

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- les informations sur la définition des actions commerciales comportent une information supplémentaire destinée à identifier les actions commerciales prioritaires ; et - les moyens de consultation comportent un réseau de transmission et un ou plusieurs terminaux de consultation raccordés à ce réseau, lesdits terminaux étant équipés d'un logiciel d'échange

d'informations avec l'ordinateur via le réseau. - It includes additional information on each client contained in the first table and in that the system includes means for classifying the list of clients to prospect based on this additional information; - the additional information also includes the turnover generated by the customer;

- the information on the definition of commercial actions includes additional information intended to identify priority commercial actions; and - the consultation means comprise a transmission network and one or more consultation terminals connected to this network, said terminals being equipped with exchange software

information with the computer via the network.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawing, in which: - the single figure represents the hardware architecture of a help system commercial actions according to the invention.

 This figure represents a terminal 1 connected via a modulator-demodulator 4 to an information transport network 6 such as a switched telephone network. The information transport network 6 is connected via a modulator-demodulator 8 to a database server 10.

base de données vers le serveur 10. Il permet également d'afficher, par exemple sur l'écran 20, les informations obtenues en réponse à la requête. La requête d'interrogation de base'de données se compose de façon classique d'instructions du langage S. Q. L. Ce logiciel est réalisé de façon classique à l'aide d'un logiciel de gestion de base de données tel que par The terminal 1 comprises for example a central unit 18 connected to a man / machine interface such as a screen 20, a keyboard 22 and a mouse 24. This terminal is connected to information storage means 26 such as a disk hard. It is also equipped with software for exchanging information with the database server 10. This software is intended to create and transfer requests for interrogation of a

database towards the server 10. It also makes it possible to display, for example on screen 20, the information obtained in response to the request. The query of database query is made up in a classic way of instructions of SQL language This software is realized in a classic way using a software of management of database such as by

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exemple Access de Microsoft.

Microsoft Access example.

The database server 10 comprises a man / machine interface, a central unit 30 and information storage means 32.

 The man / machine interface consists for example of a screen 34 and a keyboard 36.

 The central processing unit 30 further comprises a database management system 38 such as, for example, Microsoft Access software equipped with a user management module 40.

utilisateur a le droit à la fois de consulter et de modifier la base de données 44. The information storage means 32 comprise two databases 42 and 44. The database 42 comprises for each user of the database server 10, for example, a user identification code as well as degrees corresponding authorizations. The degrees of authorization consist, for example, of information making it possible to determine if a given user has the right to consult the database 44 without modifying it or if on the contrary this

user has the right to both view and modify the database 44.

 The database 44 is made up of 4 tables 50, 52, 54 and 56 and a memory area 58.

 Table 50, called the customer table, contains the data relating to the customers of an enterprise. These data consist for each registered customer of at least one customer code capable of uniquely identifying the customer and of additional information such as for example: - the name, first name and address of the customer; - the total turnover generated by this client during his previous relations with the company.

commerciales. Ces données se composent, pour chaque définition d'action commerciale, d'un code d'action commerciale-apte à identifier de façon unique la définition de l'action commerciale et des informations supplémentaires telles que : - le type d'action, par exemple contact téléphonique, Table 52 contains data defining actions

commercial. These data consist, for each definition of commercial action, of a commercial action code-capable of uniquely identifying the definition of commercial action and additional information such as: - the type of action, for example telephone contact,

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 direct mail, invitation, meeting or other; - the object, that is to say the nature of the product or service that is offered; and - the degree of priority, that is to say for example a figure between 1 and 10 intended to indicate the degree of priority of this type of commercial action.

 Table 54 contains a set of codes called result code, intended to indicate the result of a commercial action carried out.

- mode 6 , lorsque le client refuse le produit ou le service proposé avant même que le commercial ait pu lui présenter une argumentation ; - code 7 , pour les clients qui n'ont pas pu être joints mais que l'on doit rappeler ; - mode 8 , pour les clients qui souhaitent recevoir de la documentation sur le produit proposé ; - code 9 , pour les clients ayant annulé leur commande ; et - codes 10 , lorsque le client a formulé une réclamation. The result codes used in this embodiment are for example: -code 0, when contact could not be established; - mode 1, when the commercial action is successful, that is to say that a sale has been made; - code 2, when the customer already owns the product or service offered during the commercial action; - code 3, when the customer's details are false; - code 4, when the customer refuses the commercial proposal made to him; -code 5, when contact is impossible because the customer's telephone number is secret;

- mode 6, when the customer refuses the product or service offered before the salesperson has been able to present an argument; - code 7, for customers who could not be reached but who must be called back; - mode 8, for customers who wish to receive documentation on the product offered; - code 9, for customers who have canceled their order; and - codes 10, when the customer has made a complaint.

 Note that unlike the previous tables, table 54 can only be modified by a particular type of user, called below administrator.

 Table 56, called the results table, contains the data relating to the results of the commercial actions carried out. She understands

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 unless for each commercial action: - a customer code chosen from those in table 50; - a commercial action code chosen from those in table 52; and - a result code chosen from those in table 54.

 It may also contain additional information such as for example the date on which the commercial action was carried out.

 The client code in table 56 of the results is intended to associate the information in this table with the information contained in table 50 in the clients. In fact, given a client code from table 50, it is possible to search in table 56 for the corresponding client code and thus obtain the results of the commercial actions already carried out with this client.

 The commercial action code also makes it possible to associate information from table 56 with that of table 52 of the definitions of commercial actions for example, given a commercial action code from table 56, it is possible to search in the table 52 the corresponding commercial action code, and thus obtain additional information on this action such as for example its object.

 The result code from table 56 corresponding to the result of the action performed is chosen from the result codes from table 54 in order to guarantee that all the users of the system use a common coding to indicate the result of an action. commercial.

 The memory area 58 contains predefined queries for querying the database 44. They consist of conventional database query instructions such as SQL language instructions These queries are intended to be executed periodically by the database management system 38 or on command of a user.

 The information contained in databases 42 and 44 is initially either entered by an operator using the keyboard 36 or, for example, imported from already existing databases using the conventional functionalities of a database management system such as system 38.

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 The operation of the aid system for commercial actions will now be described.

 A user equipped with a terminal such as terminal 1 and wishing to obtain assistance with commercial actions to be undertaken connects with his terminal to the database server 10 via a corresponding modulator-demodulator 4, the network 6 and the second modulator-demodulator 8. L the user then transmits his identification code to the user management module 40. The latter searches the database 42 for the identification code of the user and, if the latter is there, he determines the degree of authorization of this user. In this example, it is considered that the user has sufficient rights to consult, modify and enter new data in table 52 of the customers and in table 56 of the results of the commercial actions. The degree of authorization allowing the definition of new commercial actions in table 52 is reserved for a particular user called commercial manager, in order to control and secure access to the data of the database 44. When the user is identified and that its degree of authorization has been determined, the user can use the information exchange software with the database server 10.

 With the help of this software, the user creates a query request for the database 44 corresponding, for example, to the following selection criteria: - the client can be contacted because his telephone number is not secret , that is to say that the client belongs to all of the clients in table 50 whose associated information in table 56 of the results does not have a result code equal to 5; - the customer does not already have the product that we want to offer him. That is to say that the client belongs to all of the clients in table 50 whose associated information in table 56 of the results does not have a commercial action code corresponding to a definition of commercial action whose the object is the product in question, and do not have a result code equal to 1 indicating that the commercial action has ended with a sale.

 Once the query corresponding to these selection criteria

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 is created, it is transmitted using the information exchange software with the server 10 to the database management system 38. The latter selects from the database 44 all of the customers satisfying the selection criteria and returns in response a list of customers satisfying these criteria, that is to say the list of customers to prospect.

 It will be noted that, alternatively, the user can also select and launch the execution of one of the predefined requests recorded in the memory area 58 to obtain a list of clients to be prospected established according to predefined selection criteria.

 Once the list of clients to prospect is obtained, the user interrupts the connection with the server 10.

After having contacted the various clients of the previously established list, the user establishes a new connection with the server 10 in a similar manner to that which has been described previously. Then the user enters, using the information exchange software with the server 10, the information relating to the commercial actions he has carried out.
For this, it enters and records in table 56 of the results of commercial actions the following information for each commercial action carried out: - a commercial action code corresponding to one of those in table 52 of the definitions of commercial actions; - a customer code corresponding to the code of the prospected customer; - a result code chosen from those in table 54 of the result codes and corresponding to the result he obtained from this client; and - the date on which contact was established with the client.

 Thus for each client that the user has contacted the database 44 is updated.

 In a variant of the aid system for commercial actions, the user creates a query request for the database 44, the results of which are classified according to additional information such as the turnover generated by the customer of la-table-50 or the degree of priority of a commercial action from table 52. Such a request is carried out conventionally in a database query language such as SQL language

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 In a variant of the aid system for commercial actions, the table 50 of data relating to the customers includes information concerning the equipment with which the customer is already equipped. Such information is used as a selection criterion in queries to query the database 44.

 It therefore appears that a system of aid for commercial actions in accordance with the invention makes it possible to establish a prospecting strategy for customers according to the result of the commercial actions already carried out with them.

Claims (7)

 1. Aid system for commercial actions comprising a computer (10) comprising means (38) for managing a database of customers of a company registered in means (32) for storing information accessible by the computer, and means (1,6) for consulting this database, characterized in that said database also includes information concerning the commercial actions already carried out and their results for at least some of the customers in said database data and in that the system comprises means (38) for establishing a list of clients to prospect based at least on said result information.  2. System according to claim 1 characterized in that said database comprises a first table (50) containing the data relating to customers including at least one unique customer code for each customer, a second table (52) comprising data defining commercial actions including at least one unique commercial action code for each definition of commercial actions, a third table (56) containing the data relating to the results of the commercial actions carried out, said data comprising for each commercial action carried out at least one code commercial action corresponding to a commercial action code from the second table, a customer code corresponding to one of those from the first table and information on the result of the commercial action, the information from the first and the third table being associated using the customer codes of each of these tables and the information of the second and of the third table being associated using the commercial action codes of each of these tables.  3. System according to claim 2 characterized in that said database comprises a fourth table (54) comprising codes

 intended to codify the result of the commercial actions and in that the information on the result of the commercial action of the third table is chosen from said result codes of the fourth table. <Desc / Clms Page number 11>  4. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said database comprises additional information on each customer contained in the first table and in that the system comprises means for classifying the list of customers to prospect according to of this additional information.  5. System according to claim 3 characterized in that the additional information further comprises the turnover generated by the customer.  6. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the information on the definition of the commercial actions includes additional information intended to identify the priority commercial actions.  7. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the consultation means comprise a transmission network (6) and one or more consultation terminals (1) connected to this network, said terminals being equipped with software. exchange of information with the computer via the network.