Method for engaging professional services through a service brokerage via a network such as the internet

Abstract

A method for allowing a user to access a plurality of service providers through a service brokerage via a network such as the Internet. The service brokerage establishes accounts with the service providers and the user. Once a user logs in to the service brokerage, the user is presented with a set of private service provider chat rooms that are on on-line. The set may be chosen based upon a predetermined criterion. Once the user selects a chat room of a chosen provider, the service provider must allow the user access to that service provider's chat room. A user profile may be provided to the service provider to aid in the admission process. Once a user is inside a chat room, the chat room is closed and the user and service provider may privately interact in the occupied chat room via the Internet. The service provider may have access to, and modify, a user information file of the user during the session, and the user may have access to the file once the session is over. The user's account is charged with a user service fee, and the service provider's account is credited with a service provider fee, according to the length of time the user spends in the occupied chat room of the service provider. The user may also be given the option, for given service providers, a telephone connection.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for allowing a user to access a plurality of service providers through a service brokerage via a network, comprising the steps of: 
 establishing a user account with the service brokerage;    logging the user into the service brokerage via the network;    presenting the user with a set of private service providers who are currently on-line and which communication formats are available for each private service provider, said communication formats including telephone and chat room;    allowing the user to select a chosen service provider from the set of private service providers, and allowing the user to select a desired communication format from available communication formats;    if the user selects chat room as the desired communication format, effecting chat room communication by the steps of (1) allowing the user to enter the chat room, (2) allowing the user and the chosen service provider to interact in the first chat room, (3) timing the length of time the user spends in the first chat room, and (4) charging the user account with a user's service fee for the length of time spent by the user in the first chat room;    if the user selects telephone as the desired communication format, effecting telephone communication by the steps of (1) obtaining a phone number of the user, (2) obtaining a phone number of the chosen service provider, (3) sending the phone number of the user and the phone number of the chosen service provider to a third party telecom service provider who arranges for telephonic connection by the steps of (a) making a call to the user, (b) obtaining acceptance of the call from the user, (c) making a call to the chosen service provider, (d) connecting the calls between the user and the chosen service provider, (e) timing the length of the call, (f) upon completion of the call, sending data corresponding to the length of the call to the service brokerage, and (4) applying the connect time as applicable to the user account.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising the steps of 
 allowing the chosen service provider to open the first chat room to the user and then closing the first chat room to form an occupied chat room;  
 allowing the user and the chosen service provider to privately interact in the occupied chat room.  
 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of creating a user information file with the service brokerage associated with the user.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the user information file is available to the chosen service provider in the occupied chat room.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the chosen service provider can modify the user information file.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the chosen service provider is provided with a user profile of the user once the user selects the chosen service provider.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the chosen service provider can reject the request of the user from selecting the chosen service provider.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of presenting the user with a schedule as to availability of each of the set of private service providers.  
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing information to the user as to when the private service provider is expected to be available.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of allowing the user to sign a waiting list for when the chosen service provider becomes available.  
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , further comprising the step of notifying the user when the chosen service provider, for which the user has signed the waiting list, becomes available.  
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the set of private service providers is selected from the plurality of service providers according to a pre-selected criterion of the user.  
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of 
 establishing an available amount of credit in the user account by a payment from the user to the service provider;    reducing the available amount of credit in the user account as the user account is charged the user service fee while the user is in communication with the chosen service provider; and    limiting the amount of time that the user can be in communication with the chosen service provider based upon the available amount of credit in the user account.    
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing the user with a coupon to reduce the user service fee for the user's access to one or more of the plurality of service providers according to a pre-selected criterion.  
     
     
         15 . A method for allowing a user to access a plurality of service providers through a service brokerage via the Internet, comprising the steps of: 
 establishing a private service provider chat room for each of the plurality of service providers that connects the service provider to the service brokerage via the Internet;    logging a user into the service brokerage via the Internet;    presenting the user with a set of private service provider chat rooms that are on-line, each of said chat rooms being associated with a service provider selected from the plurality of service providers;    allowing the user to select a first chat room of a chosen service provider selected from the set of private service provider chat rooms and request entry into the first chat room;    allowing the chosen service provider to open the first chat room to the user and then closing the first chat room to form an occupied chat room;    allowing the user and the chosen service provider to privately interact in the occupied chat room via the Internet.    
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15  further comprising the steps of 
 timing length of time the user spends in the occupied chat room; and  
 crediting an account of the chosen service provider based on the length of time spent by the user in the occupied chat room.  
 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 15 , further comprising the steps of: 
 establishing a service provider account for each of the plurality of service providers; and    crediting the chosen service provider's account with a service provider's fee for the length of time spent by the user in the occupied chat room.    
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 15  further comprising the steps of 
 allowing the chosen service provider to open the first chat room to the user and then closing the first chat room to form an occupied chat room;  
 allowing the user and the chosen service provider to privately interact in the occupied chat room.  
 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 15 , further comprising the step of creating a user information file with the service brokerage associated with the user.  
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein the user information file is available to the chosen service provider in the occupied chat room.  
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein the chosen service provider can modify the user information file.  
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the chosen service provider is provided with a user profile of the user once the user selects the chosen service provider.  
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the chosen service provider can reject the request of the user from selecting the chosen service provider.  
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 15 , further comprising the step of presenting the user with a schedule as to availability of each of the set of private service providers.  
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 15 , further comprising the step of providing information to the user as to when the private service provider is expected to be available.  
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 15 , further comprising the step of allowing the user to sign a waiting list for when the chosen service provider becomes available.  
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 26 , further comprising the step of notifying the user when the chosen service provider, for which the user has signed the waiting list, becomes available.  
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the set of private service providers is selected from the plurality of service providers according to a pre-selected criterion of the user.  
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 15 , further comprising the steps of 
 establishing an available amount of credit in the user account by a payment from the user to the service provider;    reducing the available amount of credit in the user account as the user account is charged the user service fee while the user is in communication with the chosen service provider; and    limiting the amount of time that the user can be in communication with the chosen service provider based upon the available amount of credit in the user account.    
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 15 , further comprising the step of providing the user with a coupon to reduce the user service fee for the user's access to one or more of the plurality of service providers according to a pre-selected criterion.