Works Timing

Abstract

The system and/or processes described herein are configured to help an entity operating one or more service facilities manage the timing of service jobs across work stations. The entity manages the timing based on receiving, and tracking, job status information received from the work stations. For instance, after receiving the job status information, the entity may implement timing mechanisms to estimate or predict a time when a service job is likely to begin. The entity may also use the timing mechanisms to estimate or predict a time when the service job is likely to be completed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for notifying customers of real-time timing information associated with servicing of automobiles in an automobile service facility, the method comprising:
 receiving over a period of time, by a server and from a plurality of work station devices connected to the server via one or more network connections, first timing information for a plurality of first automobile service jobs, wherein:
 the plurality of first automobile service jobs have already been started and are currently being performed at a plurality of work stations equipped to service the automobiles within the automobile service facility, and 
 the first timing information includes an estimated amount of time until a respective first automobile service job is completed, 
   accessing, by the server and over the period of time, second timing information for a plurality of second automobile service jobs, wherein:
 the plurality of second automobile service jobs have been placed in a service queue and are waiting to be started at the automobile service facility, and 
 the second timing information includes an estimated duration of time to complete a respective second automobile service job based at least in part on an automobile service job type, 
   determining, by the server in real-time based at least in part on the first timing information received over the period of time and the second timing information accessed over the period of time, estimated starting times for the plurality of second automobile service jobs that have been placed in the service queue;   determining, by the server in real-time based at least in part on the first timing information received over the period of time and the second timing information accessed over the period of time, a next available starting time for a next automobile service job to be added to the service queue, wherein the next automobile service job is made available for any one of a plurality of next customers that decides to bring an automobile to the automobile service facility;   generating, by the server, a notification that captures a real-time customer view into an operational timeliness of the automobile service facility, the notification presenting at least one of:
 the estimated amount of time until the respective first automobile service job that has already been started and that is currently being performed at one of the plurality of work stations is completed; 
 at least one of the estimated starting times determined for the plurality of second automobile service jobs; or 
 the next available starting time determined for the next automobile service job; and 
   communicating, by the server, the notification to a customer device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the notification comprises at least one of an email, a text message, or a social network message. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the notification comprises data presented within a graphical user interface accessible over a network via a uniform resource locator or an application. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the estimated duration of time to complete the respective second automobile service job is calculated based on averaging, for a predefined recent time period, actual durations of time taken to complete previously completed automobile service jobs of the automobile service job type. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving service information indicative of the next automobile service job;   correlating the service information to a pre-defined automobile service job type;   identifying an estimated time duration to complete the next automobile service job based at least in part on the pre-defined automobile service job type;   determining, based at least in part on the estimated time duration, an estimated completion time for the next automobile service job; and   communicating, for the next automobile service job, the estimated completion time to the customer device.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the plurality of work station devices, additional timing information for the plurality of first automobile service jobs, the additional timing information including updates to the estimated amount of time until the respective first automobile service job is completed; and   dynamically updating, based at least in part on the updates, the estimated amount of time until the respective first automobile service job is completed.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from an individual work station device, automobile service job timing information indicating first times when a plurality of automobile service jobs performed by a particular automobile service technician were started and second times when the plurality of automobile service jobs performed by the particular automobile service technician were completed; and   generating, based in part on the first times and the second times, a performance report indicative of timeliness of the particular automobile service technician with respect to completing the plurality of automobile service jobs, the timeliness including:
 a first number of automobile service jobs that were started within a threshold period of time of an estimated start time; and 
 a second number of automobile service jobs that were completed within a threshold period of time of an estimated end time. 
   
     
     
         8 . A system for notifying customers of real-time timing information associated with servicing of automobiles in an automobile service facility, the system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the system to perform operations comprising:
 receiving over a period of time, from a plurality of work station devices connected to the system via one or more network connections, first timing information for a plurality of first automobile service jobs, wherein:
 the plurality of first automobile service jobs have already been started and are currently being performed at a plurality of work stations equipped to service the automobiles within the automobile service facility, and 
 the first timing information includes an estimated amount of time until a respective first automobile service job is completed, 
 
 accessing, over the period of time, second timing information for a plurality of second automobile service jobs, wherein:
 the plurality of second automobile service jobs have been placed in a service queue and are waiting to be started at the automobile service facility, and 
 the second timing information includes an estimated duration of time to complete a respective second automobile service job based at least in part on an automobile service job type, 
 
 determining, in real-time based at least in part on the first timing information received over the period of time and the second timing information accessed over the period of time, estimated starting times for the plurality of second automobile service jobs that have been placed in the service queue; 
 determining, in real-time based at least in part on the first timing information received over the period of time and the second timing information accessed over the period of time, a next available starting time for a next automobile service job to be added to the service queue, wherein the next automobile service job is made available for any one of a plurality of next customers that decides to bring an automobile to the automobile service facility; 
 generating a notification that captures a real-time customer view into an operational timeliness of the automobile service facility, the notification presenting at least one of:
 the estimated amount of time until the respective first automobile service job that has already been started and that is currently being performed at one of the plurality of work stations is completed; 
 at least one of the estimated starting times determined for the plurality of second automobile service jobs; or 
 the next available starting time determined for the next automobile service job; and 
 
 communicating the notification to a customer device. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the notification comprises at least one of an email, a text message, or a social network message. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the notification comprises data presented within a graphical user interface accessible over a network via a uniform resource locator or an application. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the estimated duration of time to complete the respective second automobile service job is calculated based on averaging, for a predefined recent time period, actual durations of time taken to complete previously completed automobile service jobs of the automobile service job type. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving service information indicative of the next automobile service job;   correlating the service information to a pre-defined automobile service job type;   identifying an estimated time duration to complete the next automobile service job based at least in part on the pre-defined automobile service job type;   determining, based at least in part on the estimated time duration, an estimated completion time for the next automobile service job; and   communicating, for the next automobile service job, the estimated completion time to the customer device.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving, from the plurality of work station devices, additional timing information for the plurality of first automobile service jobs, the additional timing information including updates to the estimated amount of time until the respective first automobile service job is completed; and   dynamically updating, based at least in part on the updates, the estimated amount of time until the respective first automobile service job is completed.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving, from an individual work station device, automobile service job timing information indicating first times when a plurality of automobile service jobs performed by a particular automobile service technician were started and second times when the plurality of automobile service jobs performed by the particular automobile service technician were completed; and   generating, based in part on the first times and the second times, a performance report indicative of timeliness of the particular automobile service technician with respect to completing the plurality of automobile service jobs, the timeliness including:
 a first number of automobile service jobs that were started within a threshold period of time of an estimated start time; and 
 a second number of automobile service jobs that were completed within a threshold period of time of an estimated end time. 
   
     
     
         15 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processers, cause a system to perform operations comprising:
 receiving over a period of time, from a plurality of work station devices connected to the system via one or more network connections, first timing information for a plurality of first automobile service jobs, wherein:
 the plurality of first automobile service jobs have already been started and are currently being performed at a plurality of work stations equipped to service the automobiles within the automobile service facility, and 
 the first timing information includes an estimated amount of time until a respective first automobile service job is completed, 
   accessing, over the period of time, second timing information for a plurality of second automobile service jobs, wherein:
 the plurality of second automobile service jobs have been placed in a service queue and are waiting to be started at the automobile service facility, and 
 the second timing information includes an estimated duration of time to complete a respective second automobile service job based at least in part on an automobile service job type, 
   determining, in real-time based at least in part on the first timing information received over the period of time and the second timing information accessed over the period of time, estimated starting times for the plurality of second automobile service jobs that have been placed in the service queue;   determining, in real-time based at least in part on the first timing information received over the period of time and the second timing information accessed over the period of time, a next available starting time for a next automobile service job to be added to the service queue, wherein the next automobile service job is made available for any one of a plurality of next customers that decides to bring an automobile to the automobile service facility;   generating a notification that captures a real-time customer view into an operational timeliness of the automobile service facility, the notification presenting at least one of:
 the estimated amount of time until the respective first automobile service job that has already been started and that is currently being performed at one of the plurality of work stations is completed; 
 at least one of the estimated starting times determined for the plurality of second automobile service jobs; or 
 the next available starting time determined for the next automobile service job; and 
   communicating the notification to a customer device.   
     
     
         16 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the notification comprises at least one of an email, a text message, or a social network message. 
     
     
         17 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the notification comprises data presented within a graphical user interface accessible over a network via a uniform resource locator or an application. 
     
     
         18 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the estimated duration of time to complete the respective second automobile service job is calculated based on averaging, for a predefined recent time period, actual durations of time taken to complete previously completed automobile service jobs of the automobile service job type. 
     
     
         19 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving service information indicative of the next automobile service job;   correlating the service information to a pre-defined automobile service job type;   identifying an estimated time duration to complete the next automobile service job based at least in part on the pre-defined automobile service job type;   determining, based at least in part on the estimated time duration, an estimated completion time for the next automobile service job; and   communicating, for the next automobile service job, the estimated completion time to the customer device.   
     
     
         20 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving, from the plurality of work station devices, additional timing information for the plurality of first automobile service jobs, the additional timing information including updates to the estimated amount of time until the respective first automobile service job is completed; and   dynamically updating, based at least in part on the updates, the estimated amount of time until the respective first automobile service job is completed.