Systems and methods relating to a lead distribution engine that accommodates internal and imported destination relationships

Abstract

Lead distribution systems and methods distribute consumer business leads received from lead sources for routing to one or more destinations that will use the lead and/or will forward the lead to another destination. The system identifies a set of most profitable destinations for each lead, while complying with business rules associated with the lead source and the destinations. For each lead, the system identifies a set of candidate destinations, each with associated business rules. The candidate destinations may include destinations with which the system has established business rules, destinations with which the lead source has established business rules, or both. For leads that may be multi-distributed, different business rules may apply to each time the lead is distributed. When both the lead distribution system and the source have different business rules established with a destination, the rules established by the source may take precedence over those of the lead distribution system.

1 . A lead distribution system that distributes consumer business leads from lead sources to a plurality of lead destinations, the system comprising:
 a computer readable storage medium configured to store information about lead destinations with which the lead distribution system has an established relationship, the computer readable storage medium further configured to store, for use in distributing leads received from a lead source, information about business preferences associated with the lead source, including, but not limited to, information about a set of lead destinations with which the lead source has an established relationship; and   a processor in communication with computer storage storing:
 processor readable instructions configured such that, together with the processor, an interface system is implemented to receive a notification of a lead available from the lead source; and 
 processor readable instructions configured such that, together with the processor, a selection system is implemented to identify from the computer readable storage medium a set of one or more potential lead destinations for the lead, wherein the set may comprise lead-distribution-system-associated destinations, lead-source-associated lead destinations, or both. 
   
     
     
         2 . The lead distribution system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further in communication with computer storage storing instructions configured such that, together with the processor, a lead fulfillment system is implemented to receive the lead and to distribute the lead to at least one of the set of one or more potential lead destinations identified by the selection system. 
     
     
         3 . The lead distribution system of  claim 1 , wherein the set of lead-distribution-system-associated destinations and the set of lead-source-associated lead destinations include at least one of the set consisting of: a supplier of a product and/or service related to the lead, an entity that uses leads on behalf of at least one supplier, and a lead intermediary that distributes leads to other entities. 
     
     
         4 . The lead distribution system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer readable storage medium is further configured to store information about business preferences of the lead source; and wherein the selection system is further configured to identify the set of one or more potential lead destinations in accordance with the business preferences of the lead source. 
     
     
         5 . The lead distribution system of  claim 1 , wherein relationships with lead destinations are associated with levels of potential gain, and wherein the selection system identifies the one or more potential lead destinations based, at least in part, on preferred levels of potential gain associated with the lead-source-associated lead destinations and the lead-distribution-system-associated destinations. 
     
     
         6 . A set of computer instructions stored on a computer readable medium for use by a general purpose computer, wherein the instructions direct the general purpose computer to:
 store information about a first set of relationships between a lead distribution system and a first set of lead destinations;   store information about a second set of relationships between a lead source and a second set of lead destinations;   select, for a lead received from the lead source, at least one lead destination to which to distribute the lead, wherein the at least one lead destination may be included in the first set of destinations, the second set of destinations, or both; and   distribute the lead to the at least one selected lead destination.   
     
     
         7 . The set of computer instructions of  claim 6 , wherein the instructions further direct the general purpose computer to identify, when the at least one lead destination is included in both the first set and in the second set of destinations, which, of the first set of relationships and the second set of relationships, is associated with a greater perceived business advantage. 
     
     
         8 . The set of computer instructions of  claim 7 , wherein the instructions further direct the general purpose computer to distribute the lead to the at least one lead destination in accordance with the set of relationships that has been determined to be associated with a greater perceived business advantage.