Systems and Methods for Service Request Management

Abstract

A service request management system is disclosed that enables collaborative information sharing between an occupant of a building and an individual associated with building operations who is responsible for receiving, delegating, or performing a function related to the service request. The system includes one or more processors capable of receiving, from the occupant of the building, a new service request requesting a service or maintenance task to be performed for the occupant at the building, and storing the service request and related service request information in a service request database of the system. The processors are capable of enabling the individual to retrieve the service request from the service request database and to provide service request modification information to modify the service request information stored in the database. The processors are capable of updating the service request information stored in the database based on the service request modification information.

1 . A service request management system that enables collaborative information sharing between an occupant of a building and an individual associated with building operations, the system comprising:
 one or more memories storing instructions; and   one or more processors capable of executing the instructions to perform:
 receiving, from the occupant of the building, a new service request requesting a service or maintenance task to be performed for the occupant at the building and associated service request information that describes at least one characteristic of the service request; 
 storing the service request and at least part of the service request information in a service request database of the service request management system that includes past service requests; 
 enabling the individual associated with building operations who is responsible for receiving, delegating, or performing a function related to the service request to retrieve the service request from the service request database; 
 enabling the individual to provide service request modification information to modify the service request information stored in the database; and 
 updating the service request information stored in the database based on the service request modification information. 
   
     
     
         2 . The service request management system according to  claim 1 , the one or more processors further capable of executing the instructions to perform:
 generating notification data used to inform the occupant of changes to the service request; and   sending the notification data to the occupant.   
     
     
         3 . The service request management system according to  claim 2 , wherein sending the notification data to the occupant includes sending the notification data via one or more of an e-mail message, a pager message, a telephone message, a voicemail message, and facsimile message. 
     
     
         4 . The service request management system according to  claim 2 , wherein the notification data is sent responsive to receiving a request for the notification data from a computing device associated with the occupant. 
     
     
         5 . The service request management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the service request includes one or more of a title, category, description, status, urgency rating, date opened, unit identification information, or occupant identification information corresponding to the service request. 
     
     
         6 . The service request management system according to  claim 5 , the one or more processors further capable of executing the instructions to perform:
 generating data to display, to at least one of the individual or the occupant, a plurality of service requests sorted by the at least one characteristic of the service request.   
     
     
         7 . The service request management system according to  claim 1 , the one or more processors further capable of executing the instructions to perform:
 enabling the individual to search the database and view requests that meet a user-defined criteria, wherein the user defined criteria is at least one of a status of the service request, a type of service request, a unit number associated with the service request, a date the service request was received, an urgency of the service request, or a priority of the service request.   
     
     
         8 . The service request management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the service request modification information includes at least one of changing a type of the service request, assigning a priority to the service request, adding a name of an person or entity assigned to complete a task associated with the service request, closing the service request, recording an amount of time spent on a task related to the service request, entering a dollar amount of costs to be charged to the occupant, or posting a comment about the service request. 
     
     
         9 . The service request management system according to  claim 1 , the one or more processors further capable of executing the instructions to perform:
 enabling the individual to view charge-back amounts for a past time period and determine an amount of money to charge the occupant for services performed in response to previously received service requests.   
     
     
         10 . The service request management system according to  claim 1 , the one or more processors further capable of executing the instructions to perform:
 generating data to display customized input categories for receiving the service request and subsequently associating with the service request, the customized input categories being capable of being customized for each building.   
     
     
         11 . The service request management system according to  claim 1 , the one or more processors further capable of executing the instructions to perform:
 enabling the individual to assign a task associated with the service request to an outside vendor; and   sending a notification to the outside vendor, informing the outside vendor of the service request.   
     
     
         12 . The service request management system according to  claim 11 , the one or more processors further capable of executing the instructions to perform:
 enabling an individual associated with the outside vendor to access the database and view the service request.   
     
     
         13 . The service request management system according to  claim 1 , the one or more processors further capable of executing the instructions to perform:
 receiving, from the occupant of the building, instructions indicating a manner in which to inform the occupant of the building of changes to the service request; and   informing the occupant of the building of changes to the service request in accordance with the instructions received from the occupant of the building.   
     
     
         14 . The service request management system according to  claim 1 , the one or more processors further capable of executing the instructions to perform:
 sending, in response to receiving the service request, a notification to the individual associated with building operations to inform the individual that the service request was received.   
     
     
         15 . The service request management system according to  claim 1 , the one or more processors further capable of executing the instructions to perform:
 enabling an individual to view service requests for multiple buildings.   
     
     
         16 . A method for managing service requests that enables collaborative information sharing between an occupant of a building and an individual associated with building operations, the method comprising:
 receiving, from the occupant of the building, a new service request requesting a service or maintenance task to be performed for the occupant at the building and associated service request information that describes at least one characteristic of the service request;   storing the service request and at least part of the service request information in a service request database of the service request management system that includes past service requests;   enabling the individual associated with building operations who is responsible for receiving, delegating, or performing a function related to the service request to retrieve the service request from the service request database;   enabling the individual to provide service request modification information to modify the service request information stored in the database; and   updating the service request information stored in the database based on the service request modification information.   
     
     
         17 . The method for managing service requests according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 generating notification data used to inform the occupant of changes to the service request; and   sending the notification data to the occupant.   
     
     
         18 . The method for managing service requests according to  claim 17 , wherein sending the notification data to the occupant includes sending the notification data via one or more of an e-mail message, a pager message, a telephone message, a voicemail message, and facsimile message. 
     
     
         19 . The method for managing service requests according to  claim 17 , wherein the notification data is sent responsive to receiving a request for the notification data from a computing device associated with the occupant. 
     
     
         20 . The method for managing service requests according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the service request includes one or more of a title, category, description, status, urgency rating, date opened, unit identification information, or occupant identification information corresponding to the service request. 
     
     
         21 . The method for managing service requests according to  claim 20 , further comprising:
 generating data to display, to at least one of the individual or the occupant, a plurality of service requests sorted by the at least one characteristic of the service request.   
     
     
         22 . The method for managing service requests according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 enabling the individual to search the database and view requests that meet a user-defined criteria, wherein the user defined criteria is at least one of a status of the service request, a type of service request, a unit number associated with the service request, a date the service request was received, an urgency of the service request, or a priority of the service request.   
     
     
         23 . The method for managing service requests according to  claim 16 , wherein the service request modification information includes at least one of changing a type of the service request, assigning a priority to the service request, adding a name of an person or entity assigned to complete a task associated with the service request, closing the service request, recording an amount of time spent on a task related to the service request, entering a dollar amount of costs to be charged to the occupant, or posting a comment about the service request. 
     
     
         24 . The method for managing service requests according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 enabling the individual to view charge-back amounts for a past time period and determine an amount of money to charge the occupant for services performed in response to previously received service requests.   
     
     
         25 . The method for managing service requests according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 generating data to display customized input categories for receiving the service request and subsequently associating with the service request, the customized input categories being capable of being customized for each building.   
     
     
         26 . The method for managing service requests according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 enabling the individual to assign a task associated with the service request to an outside vendor; and   sending a notification to the outside vendor, informing the outside vendor of the service request.   
     
     
         27 . The method for managing service requests according to  claim 26 , further comprising:
 enabling an individual associated with the outside vendor to access the database and view the service request.   
     
     
         28 . The method for managing service requests according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the occupant of the building, instructions indicating a manner in which to inform the occupant of the building of changes to the service request; and   informing the occupant of the building of changes to the service request in accordance with the instructions received from the occupant of the building.   
     
     
         29 . The method for managing service requests according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 sending, in response to receiving the service request, a notification to the individual associated with building operations to inform the individual that the service request was received.   
     
     
         30 . The method for managing service requests according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 enabling an individual to view service requests for multiple buildings.