Interactive electronic assignment of services to providers based on custom criteria

Abstract

A service provider matching system can receive service provider data and preferences, customer data and preferences, and a customer request for service and determine matching scores for one or more matching service providers. Based on a threshold value, the service providers with a matching score above the threshold can be presented to a customer for selection. Upon selection by a customer, an assisted interaction can take place between the customer and one or more selected service providers to agree to particular terms related to a requested service, book a service appointment, and track the progress until completion.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving electronic search data associated with a customer, wherein the electronic search data includes a plurality of search data fields, and wherein the electronic search data indicates search criteria for searching at least a subset of a plurality of service providers that offer a desired service;   identifying a set of service providers from the plurality of service providers, wherein each of the plurality of service providers is associated with service provider information comprising a plurality of service provider data fields, wherein one or more of the plurality of service provider data fields identify criteria set by the individual service provider for accepting work requests from customers, and wherein at least one of the service provider data fields for each service provider in the set of service providers matches a corresponding one of the search data fields;   determining a set of recommended service providers based at least in part on a similarity between the plurality of search data fields and corresponding service provider data fields associated with individual service providers in the set of recommended service providers, wherein the set of recommended service providers is a subset of the set of service providers;   in response to the receiving of electronic search data, generating instructions for display of a user interface comprising an interactive result set based at least in part on the set of recommended service providers, wherein:
 the interactive result set is configured to be displayed in the user interface within a graphical map view, 
 the graphical map view depicts a geographic area and includes display of a plurality of graphical indicators that each represent a different recommended service provider from the set of recommended service providers, and 
 a displayed location within the graphical map view of a first recommended service provider represents a physical location of the first recommended service provider within the geographic area as determined from location data received from at least one of a mobile device or GPS unit associated with the first recommended service provider; 
   receiving a work request for work to be performed by a selected service provider from the recommended service providers as displayed in the interactive result set; and   transmitting service request information to a first service provider system associated with the selected service provider, wherein the service request information includes at least a portion of customer information relating to the customer.   
     
     
         22 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the set of recommended service providers is determined based at least in part on preferences relating to the customer. 
     
     
         23 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the determination of the set of recommended service providers is further based at least in part on a calculated distance from a project location provided by the customer to a current location of the individual service provider as determined from mobile device or GPS data associated with the individual service provider. 
     
     
         24 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 receiving an indication of payment-related data, wherein the payment-related data indicates method and form of payment for a service offered by the selected service provider; and   transmitting the indication of a selection to the first service provider system associated with the selected service provider.   
     
     
         25 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 generating a contract based at least in part on the search criteria, service provider information, and customer information;   transmitting the contract to a customer system associated with the customer; and   transmitting the contract to the first service provider system.   
     
     
         26 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 25 , wherein the contract includes a plurality of contractual terms automatically selected or generated based on information associated with at least one of the customer, the selected service provider or the work request. 
     
     
         27 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 receiving indication of acceptance of the contract from the customer system; and   receiving indication of acceptance of the contract from the first service provider system.   
     
     
         28 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 receiving indication of a change order request from the first service provider system; and   transmitting the indication of the change order request to a customer system associated with the customer.   
     
     
         29 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 receiving indication of acceptance of the change order request from the customer system; and   transmitting the indication of acceptance to the first service provider system.   
     
     
         30 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 receiving bid information from one or more service provider systems associated with one or more service providers, wherein the bid information includes a price to perform work associated with the received electronic search data, and wherein the interactive result set displayed on the user interface includes at least a portion of the bid information so that a customer can consider the bid information when making a decision on which service provider to select.   
     
     
         31 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the graphical map view further includes display of a graphical indicator representing a geographic location of a home or other property at which work is to be performed in association with the work request. 
     
     
         32 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the interactive result set based at least in part on the set of recommended service providers is configured to allow the customer to select one or more service providers from the interactive result set to engage with the selected one or more service providers for the desired service. 
     
     
         33 . A system comprising:
 one or more electronic data stores comprising:
 electronic search data including a plurality of search data fields; 
 customer information relating to a customer; and 
 service provider information relating to a plurality of service providers, 
   wherein service provider information for an individual service provider comprises a plurality of service provider data fields, wherein one or more of the plurality of service provider data fields identify criteria set by the individual service provider for accepting work requests from customers;   a networking interface; and   a hardware processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions in order to:
 receive electronic search data associated with the customer, wherein the electronic search data indicates search criteria for searching at least a subset of the plurality of service providers that offer a desired service; 
 identify a set of service providers from the plurality of service providers, wherein at least one of the service provider data fields for each service provider in the set of service providers matches a corresponding one of the search data fields; 
 determine a set of recommended service providers based at least in part on a similarity between the plurality of search data fields and corresponding service provider data fields associated with individual service providers in the set of recommended service providers, wherein the set of recommended service providers is a subset of the set of service providers; 
 in response to the receiving of electronic search data, generate instructions for display of a user interface comprising an interactive result set based at least in part on the set of recommended service providers, wherein:
 the interactive result set is configured to be displayed in the user interface within a graphical map view, 
 the graphical map view depicts a geographic area and includes display of a plurality of graphical indicators that each represent a different recommended service provider from the set of recommended service providers, and 
 a displayed location within the graphical map view of a first recommended service provider represents a physical location of the first recommended service provider within the geographic area as determined from location data received from at least one of a mobile device or GPS unit associated with the first recommended service provider; 
 
 receive a work request for work to be performed by a selected service provider from the recommended service providers as displayed in the interactive result set; and 
 transmit service request information to a first service provider system associated with the selected service provider, wherein the service request information includes at least a portion of the customer information. 
   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the set of recommended service providers is determined based at least in part on preferences relating to the customer. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the determination of the set of recommended service providers is further based at least in part on a calculated distance from a project location associated with the customer to a current location of the individual service provider as determined from mobile device or GPS data associated with the individual service provider. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions in order to:
 receive an indication of payment-related data, wherein the payment-related data indicates method and form of payment for a service offered by the selected service provider; and   transmit the indication of a selection to the first service provider system associated with the selected service provider.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions in order to:
 generate a contract based at least in part on the search criteria, service provider information, and customer information, wherein the contract includes a plurality of contractual terms automatically selected or generated based on information associated with at least one of the customer, the selected service provider or the work request;   transmit the contract to a customer system associated with the customer; and   transmit the contract to the first service provider system.   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions in order to:
 receive indication of acceptance of the contract from the customer system; and   receiving indication of acceptance of the contract from the first service provider system.   
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions in order to:
 receive bid information from one or more service provider systems associated with one or more service providers, wherein the bid information includes a price to perform work associated with the received electronic search data, and wherein the interactive result set displayed on the user interface includes at least a portion of the bid information so that a customer can consider the bid information when making a decision on which service provider to select.   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the graphical map view further includes display of a graphical indicator representing a geographic location of a home or other property at which work is to be performed in association with the work request.