Method and apparatus for network-based sales force automation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for network-based sales force automation are provided that meet objectives of increasing sales and marketing efficiency and efficiency of technical and customer support by providing multi-dimensional displays of transactional information to users. Transactional information of deals, contacts, accounts, and leads is provided over the Internet using a Web browser. The information of related transactions is electronically linked, and the transactional information is electronically searchable using custom profiles. The transactional information is accessed and shared among host organization members according to a hierarchy and predefined territories. A Radar Screen Opportunity Display (RSOD) may be selected on which deal objects are displayed that represent the stages in a sales pipeline of corresponding deals. New business information may be selected, wherein automatic notification is provided of new information and changed information relating to transactions, wherein the new business information comprises information on at least one monitored customer Web site. A communication capability is provided that comprises electronic mail, facsimile, telephones, and paging devices, wherein communication is automatically established using transactional information.

1 . A method comprising:
 providing, over a network, shared information regarding a transaction,
 wherein 
 the transaction comprises one or more deals, one or more contacts, and one or more accounts; 
   electronically linking information of first and second related transactions;   establishing communications, wherein
 the communications comprise one or more of electronic mail, facsimile, telephones, and paging devices, 
 at least one communication is automatically established using the shared information regarding the transaction; and 
   saving a record of the communication in a history file corresponding to the transaction.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 using one or more profiles to select at least one addressee from the information regarding the transaction, wherein
 the one or more profiles locate contacts, deals, and accounts that match at least one set of criteria, and 
 the one or more profiles comprise one or more of predefined profiles and custom profiles. 
   
     
     
         3 . A method for managing at least one transaction comprising the steps of:
 providing shared information regarding the at least one transaction, wherein the at least one transaction comprises at least one deal, at least one contact, and at least one account, wherein the information of related transactions is electronically linked, wherein the information regarding the at least one transaction is provided over an Internet; and   establishing communications, wherein at least one communication is automatically established over at least one communication medium using the information regarding the at least one transaction, wherein a record of the communication is saved in a history file of a corresponding at least one transaction.   
     
     
         4 . A system comprising:
 a display device;   a processor, coupled to a network and the display device, and configured to
 provide shared information regarding a transaction, wherein
 the transaction comprises one or more deals, one or more contacts, and one or more accounts, 
 
 link information of a first and second related transaction, 
 establish communications using one or more of electronic mail, facsimile, telephones, and paging devices, wherein
 at least one communication is automatically established using the shared information regarding the transaction, and 
 a record of the communication is saved in a history file corresponding to the transaction. 
 
   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein at least one profile is used to select at least one addressee from the information regarding the transaction, wherein the one or more profiles locate contacts, deals, and accounts that match at least one set of criteria, and the one or more profiles comprise one or more of predefined profiles and custom profiles. 
     
     
         6 . A computer readable medium comprising:
 a first set of instructions, executable in a processing system, configured to provide, over a network, shared information regarding a transaction, wherein
 the shared information regarding the transaction comprises information regarding one or more deals, one or more contacts, and one or more accounts; 
   a second set of instructions, executable in the processing system, configured to electronically link shared information regarding related transactions; and   a third set of instructions, executable in the processing system, configured to establish communications, wherein
 the communications comprise one or more of electronic mail, facsimile, telephones, and paging devices, 
 at least one communication is automatically established using the shared information regarding the transaction; and 
   a fourth set of instructions, executable in the processing system, configured to save a record of the communication in a history file corresponding to the transaction.   
     
     
         7 . The computer readable medium of  claim 6  further comprising:
 a fifth set of instructions, executable in the processing system, configured to use one or more profiles to select at least one addressee from the information regarding the transaction, wherein
 the one or more profiles locate contacts, deals, and accounts that match at least one set of criteria, and 
   the one or more profiles comprise one or more of predefined profiles and custom profiles.