System and method for internet-based customer check-in

Abstract

An internet-based system and method allows customers to remotely check-in to a wait list for a no-appointment first listed-first served business. A location associated with a customer is received and an interactive map displays multiple icons with each icon corresponding to a location of the business. A dynamically updated estimated wait time for the wait list at each business location is displayed. A customer selection of a location at which to receive a service from the business is received by a selection of the icon representing the business and the customer is added to the wait list at the location.

1 . A method of providing internet-based customer check-in for customers desiring a service from a no appointment, first listed-first served business having a plurality of business locations, comprising:
 providing an internet-based interface associated with a business having a plurality of business locations;   receiving a location associated with a customer by way of the interne-based interface;   displaying an interactive map including the location to the customer on the internet-based interface, the interactive map including multiple icons with each icon corresponding to one of the business locations and positioned at a position on the map of the corresponding business location;   displaying a dynamically updated estimated wait time for each of the business locations, each displayed wait time based on an actual wait time of a no appointment, first listed-first served waiting list at the business location;   receiving a customer selection of a selected business location at which to receive the service, the customer selection being received as a result of the customer selecting the icon on the map representing the selected business location; and   automatically transmitting information regarding the customer to the selected business location corresponding to the selected icon to allow the customer to be placed on the waiting list inside the selected business location following the customer selection of the selected icon.   
     
     
         2 . The method of claim,  1 , wherein displaying a dynamically updated estimated wait time for each of the business locations includes displaying the wait time on the icon corresponding to each respective business location on the map. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying a dynamically updated estimated wait time includes using a computer processor to calculate the wait time at each location using historical data related to the performance of the service at the location. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the historical data includes a separate amount of service time that each of a plurality of specific employees at the location have taken to perform the service in the past. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the service time for the service results primarily from the skill and experience of the specific employee. 
     
     
         6 . An internet-based customer check-in system for customers desiring a service from a business, comprising:
 an internet-based interface configured to identify a location associated with a customer, display an interactive map including multiple icons with each icon corresponding to one of a plurality of business locations of the business and positioned at a position on the map of the corresponding business location, and receive a customer selection of a selected business location at which to receive the service, the customer selection being made by the customer selecting the icon on the map corresponding to the selected business location;   a computer processor configured to calculate a dynamically updated estimated wait time for the service at each business location based on an actual wait time of a no appointment, first listed-first served waiting list at each business location; and   wherein the internet-based interface is configured to communicate with a computer at each business location, the computer including the waiting list for the business location, and customers who enter the waiting list via the internet-based interface are automatically placed on the waiting list at the business location in response to the customer selection of the selected icon.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the dynamically updated estimated wait time for each business location is displayed on the icon on the map corresponding to the business location. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the estimated wait time at each location is calculated using historical data related to the performance of the service at the location. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the historical data includes a separate amount of service time that each of a plurality of specific employees at the location have taken to perform the service in the past. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the service time for the service results primarily from the skill and experience of the specific employee. 
     
     
         11 . An internet-based method of checking in for a service from a business, comprising:
 accessing an interne based interface associated with a business having a plurality of business locations;   enabling the interface to receive a location;   viewing a dynamically updated estimated wait time for a service displayed on the interface for each of the plurality of business locations located in a vicinity of the location, each wait time corresponding to an actual wait time of a no appointment, first-listed first-served waiting list at the respective business location;   selecting one of the business locations at which to receive the service by selecting an icon on the interactive map representing the selected business location from a plurality of icons each corresponding to one of the business locations and positioned at a position on the map of the corresponding business location;   entering identification information through the interface; and   being placed on the waiting list at the selected business location.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein viewing a dynamically updated estimated wait time for a service for each of the plurality of business locations includes viewing the wait time for each business location on the icon corresponding to that business location. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the wait time is calculated by a computer processor using historical data related to the performance of the service at the location. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the historical data includes a separate amount of service time that each of a plurality of specific employees at the location have taken to perform the service in the past. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the service time for the service results primarily from the skill and experience of the specific employee.