Information processing apparatus

Abstract

To provide an information processor, a method and a program for enabling an enterprise to achieve better management results, and for enabling a user to suppress any loss due to the influence of dynamic pricing, and to reserve lodging at a satisfactory price.SOLUTION: The information processing device includes a market information acquisition unit that acquires usage fee information for each type of facility or equipment to be used and for each date or time period of use based on the information stored in the access destination storage unit and registers the usage fee information in a fee storage unit, a desired condition reception unit that receives desired usage condition information regarding the type of facility or equipment to be used and the date or time period of use of the use applicant, the desired usage fee information, and contact information of the use applicant, the system has a determination means for determining whether or not the use charge information specified by the desired use condition information is below the desired use charge information, and a guide means for guiding the user desiring the use to a method for making the use reservation under the condition specified by the desired use condition information when it is determined that the use charge information is below the desired use charge information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This relates to the technology of a system that allocates equipment and personnel for a certain period of time and makes reservations for applicable facilities that eliminate supply-demand gaps through dynamic pricing (hereinafter referred to as DP applicable facilities). This includes hotels, inns, conference rooms, banquet halls, and restaurants that serve course meals. [Background technology]

[0002] A reservation for a DP facility can only be made when the service conditions, including the usage price, offered by the DP facility are met and the acceptable price for the service that the prospective user can accept is met.

[0003] On the other hand, in recent years, the spread of public communication networks such as the Internet has been remarkable, and it has become common to conduct electronic commerce via the Internet for the sale, purchase, and delivery of goods, as well as the reservation of services.

[0004] Against this background, with the aim of making reservations for DP-applied facilities smoother, for example, Patent Document 1 proposes a reservation system that uses communication lines to enable service seekers to present their desired service fees to service providers. Also, Patent Document 2 discloses an idea in which user request information is distributed via the Internet to all contracted facilities in the desired area that meet the request, and an intermediary is acted upon so that the user can obtain a response, and if the requests of both parties match, the reservation can be made. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-049807 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-243304 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Meanwhile, the service prices offered by operators of DP-applied facilities fluctuate daily based on the concept of dynamic pricing. With the above-mentioned conventional technology, there was a problem in that potential customers who could not agree on the usage fee at a certain point in time but who might be able to agree on it due to subsequent fluctuations in supply and demand would be missed.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide operators of DP-applied facilities with an information processing device that can lower the psychological barriers to adopting aggressive sales strategies, thereby achieving better business results, and that can reduce losses due to the effects of dynamic pricing for prospective users, allowing them to make reservations and use the facility at a price that is acceptable to them. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One form of the information processing device to be disclosed includes an access destination storage means for storing access destination information for each DP applicable facility, a fee storage means for storing usage fee information for each facility, type of facility to be used (room type, venue, seat, etc.) and usage date (or usage time slot), a market information acquisition means for acquiring the usage fee information for each DP applicable facility, type of facility to be used (room type, venue, seat, etc.) and usage date (or usage time slot) based on the access destination information stored in the access destination storage means and registering the acquired usage fee information in the fee storage means, and a facility and usage facility (room type, venue, seat, etc.) of a person who wishes to use the facility. The system is characterized by having a desired condition receiving means for receiving desired use condition information, desired use fee information, and contact information of the person wishing to use, for each type and use date (or use time zone), a determination means for determining whether the use fee information stored in the fee storage means has decreased so that the use fee information specified by the desired use condition information has fallen below the desired use fee information, and, if the determination means determines that the use fee information has fallen below the desired use fee information, a guidance means for providing guidance on a method for making a use reservation under the conditions specified by the desired use condition information, based on the contact information of the person wishing to use. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The disclosed information processing device will lower the psychological barriers for operators of DP-applied facilities to adopt aggressive sales strategies, thereby achieving better business results and enabling prospective users to reduce losses due to the effects of dynamic pricing and make reservations and use the facility at a price that satisfies them. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a functional block diagram of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a fee storage unit according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the processing of the second guidance means according to the present embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of a crawl process performed by the information processing device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of an example of a reservation method guidance process (part 1) performed by the information processing device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of an example of reservation method guidance processing (part 2) performed by the information processing device according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. (Operation principle of the information processing device according to this embodiment)

[0012] The operating principle of an information processing device 100 according to this embodiment (hereinafter simply referred to as "this device") will be described using Figures 1 to 4. The following example focuses on the accommodation industry. Figure 1 is a diagram showing the connection relationship between this device 100 and external devices 330 and 350, Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of this device 100, and Figures 3 and 4 are diagrams for explaining the processing of this device 100.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the device 100 is connected via a communication network 360 to a facility terminal 350 operated by a staff member 340 at the facility 220, and a user terminal 330 operated by a person 320 who wishes to use the facility 220.

[0014] The communication network 360 may be either wired or wireless. The facility 220 may be, for example, a hotel or inn. The user terminal 330 and the accommodation facility terminal 350 are so-called computers, and may be, for example, a mobile information terminal such as a smartphone, or a laptop or desktop personal computer.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2, the device 100 includes an access destination storage means 110, a fee storage means 120, a market information acquisition means 130, a desired conditions reception means 140, a determination means 150, a guidance means 160, and a second guidance means 170.

[0016] The access destination storage means 110 stores access destination information 210 for each facility 220. The access destination information 210 is, for example, a URL (Uniform Resource Locator). The access destination storage means 110 may also store access destination information 210 for each facility 220, date of use (or time slot) 230, type of assigned facility (room type, venue, seat, etc.) 240, number of users 250, and usage plan 260. At the destination specified by the access destination information 210, usage fee information 270 is displayed in an obtainable state for each facility 220, date of use (or time slot) 230, type of assigned facility (room type, venue, seat, etc.) 240, number of users 250, and usage plan 260.

[0017] The fee storage means 120 stores usage fee information 270 for each facility 220, date of use (or time slot) 230, type of assigned equipment (room type, venue, seat, etc.) 240, number of users 250, and usage plan 260. As shown in Fig. 3, the fee storage means 120 associates the facility 220: Hotel A, date 230: March 28, type of assigned equipment (room type, venue, seat, etc.) 240: moderate double, and number of users 250: 2 people with the usage plan 260 (breakfast included, etc.), and stores the usage fee information 270: 12,800 yen. Similarly, the fee storage means 120 stores usage fee information 270: 13,800 yen in association with the facility used 220: Hotel A, the date of use (or time period used) 230: March 28, the type of facilities used (room type, venue, seating, etc.) 240: Non-smoking moderate twin <23 square meters>, and the number of users 250: 2 people.

[0018] The market information acquisition means 130 accesses the destination specified in the access destination information 210 stored in the access destination storage means 110, and acquires usage fee information 270 for each facility to be used 220, usage date (or usage time slot) 230, type of facility to be used (room type, venue, seat, etc.) 240, number of users 250, and usage plan 260. In other words, the market information acquisition means 130 performs crawling processing. Then, the market information acquisition means 130 registers the usage fee information 270 acquired by the crawling processing in the fee storage means 110 for each facility to be used 220, usage date (or usage time slot) 230, type of facility to be used (room type, venue, seat, etc.) 240, number of users 250, and usage plan 260.

[0019] The desired conditions receiving means 140 receives from a user 320 (user terminal 330) desired use conditions information 280 relating to the facility to be used 220, the date of use (or time period to be used) 230, the type of equipment to be used (room type, venue, seating, etc.) 240, the number of users 250, and the use plan 260, desired use fee information 290, and contact information 300 of the user 320. The contact information 300 is, for example, an address, name, telephone number, email address, user ID such as an application, etc.

[0020] It is assumed that the service provision conditions, including the usage price 270, presented by the facility 220 and the acceptable service price 290 that the user 320 can accept are not in agreement, and the reservation for use was not made at the time of processing by the desired conditions receiving means 140.

[0021] The determining means 150 determines whether or not the usage fee information 270 specified by the desired usage condition information 280 has fallen below the desired usage fee information 280 due to a decrease in the usage fee information 270 stored in the fee storage means 110.

[0022] The service provision price 270 offered by the operator of the facility 220 fluctuates daily based on the concept of dynamic pricing, and the processing of the determination means 150 makes it possible to extract potential customers 320 who could not agree on the usage fee 270 at one point in time but may be able to agree on it at another point in time.

[0023] When the determination means 150 determines that the usage fee information 270 is lower than the desired usage fee information 280, the guidance means 160 guides (notifies) a method 310 by which a usage reservation can be made under the conditions specified in the desired usage condition information 280, based on the contact information 300 of the user 320. The method 310 by which a usage reservation can be made is, for example, a telephone number for accepting reservations or a URL of a website for usage reservations, and the URL of the website may be a dedicated URL that is not publicly available. The guidance provided by the guidance means 160 may be, for example, a telephone call, an email, or a message notification from a predetermined application.

[0024] The service price 270 offered by the operator of the facility 220 fluctuates daily based on the concept of dynamic pricing, and the processing by the guidance means 160 makes it possible to reduce the loss of potential customers 320 who could not agree on the usage fee 270 at one point in time but may agree on it at another point in time.

[0025] The second information providing means 170 allows the person in charge 340 of the facility 220 to view a list of desired use condition information 280 and desired use fee information 290 based on an operation by the person in charge 340 of the facility 220 via the facility terminal 350. The second information providing means 170 allows the person in charge 340 to view, for example, a list of desired use condition information 280 and desired use fee information 290 as shown in FIG.

[0026] 4, the second information providing means 170 allows, for example, a person in charge 340 of Hotel A to view a list of desired use condition information 280 and desired use fee information 290. For example, the second information providing means 170 allows the person in charge 340 of Hotel A to view the desired use condition information 280, which includes facility to be used 220: Hotel A, date of use (or time period of use) 230: January 18th, use plan 260: breakfast included, type of facilities to be used (room type, venue, seat, etc.): non-smoking, twin, and the desired use fee information 290: 12,500 yen.

[0027] At the same time, the second information means 170 also allows the person in charge 340 of Hotel A to view desired usage condition information 280, such as accommodation facility 220: Hotel A, usage date (or usage time period) 230: January 18th, usage plan 260: room only, type of facilities (room type, venue, seat, etc.): non-smoking, double, and desired usage fee information 290: 12,500 yen.

[0028] Furthermore, the second information means 170 provides information to the desired user 320, who the person in charge 340 has viewed the list of desired use condition information 280 and desired use fee information 290 and has determined that the person in charge 340 should send information to, about a method 310 for making a reservation for use under the conditions specified in the desired use condition information 280.

[0029] Based on the above operating principle, the device 100 facilitates recovery when there is a discrepancy between the plan and the actual results, thereby lowering the psychological barrier to adopting an aggressive sales strategy and thereby achieving better business results.

[0030] Furthermore, based on the above-described operating principle, the device 100 can accommodate the behavioral characteristics of both customers (mainly inbound customers) who have a long lead time (make reservations well in advance of the date of use) and can tolerate high unit prices, and customers (mainly domestic customers) who have a short lead time and cannot tolerate high unit prices. In particular, the latter can make reservations and use the service at a price that they are satisfied with by reducing losses due to the effects of dynamic pricing.

[0031] This device 100 lowers the psychological barriers for operators of facilities 220 to adopt aggressive sales strategies, thereby enabling them to achieve better business results, and it also reduces losses due to the influence of dynamic pricing for users 320, enabling reservations and use at a price that is acceptable to them. (Hardware configuration of the information processing device according to this embodiment)

[0032] An example of the hardware configuration of the present device 100 will be described using Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the present device 100. As shown in Fig. 5, the present device 100 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 410, a ROM (Read-Only Memory) 420, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 430, an auxiliary storage device 440, a communication I / F 450, an input device 460, a display device 470, and a recording medium I / F 480.

[0033] The CPU 410 is a device that executes a program stored in the ROM 420, performs arithmetic processing on data loaded into the RAM 430 in accordance with instructions from the program, and controls the entire device 100. The ROM 420 stores the programs and data to be executed by the CPU 410. When the CPU 410 executes a program stored in the ROM 420, the programs and data to be executed are loaded into the RAM 430, and the RAM 430 temporarily holds the arithmetic data during the calculation.

[0034] Auxiliary storage device 440 is a device that stores the OS (Operating System), which is basic software, the application program according to this embodiment, and the like, along with related data. Auxiliary storage device 440 includes, for example, access destination storage means 110 and fee storage means 120, and is a hard disk drive (HDD) or flash memory.

[0035] The communication I / F 450 is an interface for connecting to a communication network 360 such as a wired or wireless LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet, and for transmitting and receiving data to and from other devices 330 and 350 that provide communication functions.

[0036] The input device 460 is a device such as a keyboard for inputting data to the device 100. The display device (output device) 470 is a device formed of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or the like, and functions as a user interface when the user uses the functions of the device 100 or when making various settings. The recording medium I / F 480 is an interface for sending and receiving data to and from a recording medium 490 such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or USB memory.

[0037] Each of the means included in the device 100 may be realized by the CPU 410 executing a program corresponding to each of the means stored in the ROM 420 or the auxiliary storage device 440. Each of the means included in the device 100 may also be realized by hardware that performs the processing of the respective means. Alternatively, the device 100 may be caused to execute the program by reading the program according to the present invention from an external server device via the communication I / F 450 or by reading the program according to the present invention from the recording medium 490 via the recording medium I / F 480. (Example of processing by the information processing device according to this embodiment) (1) Crawl processing by the device 100

[0038] An example of crawling processing by the device 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of an example of crawling processing by the device 100.

[0039] In S10, the market information acquisition means 130 accesses the destination specified in the access destination information 210 stored in the access destination storage means 110, and acquires usage fee information 270 for each facility to be used 220, date of use (or time period of use) 230, type of facility to be used (room type, venue, seat, etc.) 240, number of users 250, and usage plan 260. In other words, the market information acquisition means 130 performs crawling processing.

[0040] At S20, the market information acquisition means 130 registers the usage fee information 270 acquired by the crawling process of S10 in the fee storage means 110 for each facility 220 to be used, date of use (or time period) 230, type of equipment to be used (room type, venue, seat, etc.) 240, number of users 250, and usage plan 260. (2) Reservation method guidance process by the device 100 (part 1)

[0041] An example of the reservation method guidance process performed by the device 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of an example of the reservation method guidance process performed by the device 100.

[0042] In S110, the desired conditions receiving means 140 receives from the applicant 320 (user terminal 330) desired use conditions information 280 relating to the facility to be used 220, the date of use (or time period to be used) 230, the type of equipment to be used (room type, venue, seating, etc.) 240, the number of users 250, and the use plan 260, desired use fee information 290, and contact information 300 of the applicant 320. The contact information 300 is, for example, a user ID such as an address, name, telephone number, email address, and application.

[0043] It is assumed that the service provision conditions, including the usage price 270, presented by the facility 220 and the acceptable service price 290 that the user 320 can accept are not in agreement, and the reservation for use was not made at the time of processing by the desired conditions receiving means 140.

[0044] In S120, the determination means 150 determines whether or not the usage fee information 270 specified by the desired usage condition information 280 has fallen below the desired usage fee information 280 due to a decrease in the usage fee information 270 stored in the fee storage means 110.

[0045] The service provision price 270 offered by the operator of the facility 220 fluctuates daily based on the concept of dynamic pricing, and the processing of the determination means 150 makes it possible to extract potential customers 320 who could not agree on the usage fee 270 at one point in time but may be able to agree on it at another point in time.

[0046] If the judgment means 150 determines in S130 that the usage fee information 270 stored in the fee storage means 110 has decreased, causing the usage fee information 270 specified by the desired usage conditions information 280 to fall below the desired usage fee information 280 (YES in S130), processing proceeds to 140.

[0047] In S140, the information providing means 160 provides (notifies) a method 310 by which a reservation can be made under the conditions specified in the desired use condition information 280, based on the contact information 300 of the user 320 who wishes to use the facility. The method 310 by which a reservation can be made is, for example, a telephone number for accepting reservations or the URL of a website for reservations, and the URL of the website may be a dedicated URL that is not publicly available. The information provided by the information providing means 160 may be, for example, by telephone, email, or message notification using a specified application.

[0048] The service provision price 270 presented by the operator of the facility 220 fluctuates daily based on the concept of dynamic pricing, and processing by the information means 160 can reduce the loss of potential customers 320 who could not agree on the usage fee 270 at one point in time but may agree on it at another point in time. (3) Reservation method guidance process by the device 100 (part 2)

[0049] An example of the reservation method guidance process performed by the device 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of an example of the reservation method guidance process performed by the device 100.

[0050] In S210, the second information providing means 170 causes the person in charge 340 of the facility 220 to view a list of desired use condition information 280 and desired use fee information 290, based on an operation by the person in charge 340 via the facility terminal 350. The second information providing means 170 causes the person in charge 340 to view, for example, a list of desired use condition information 280 and desired use fee information 290 as shown in FIG.

[0051] 4, the second information providing means 170 allows, for example, a person in charge 340 of Hotel A to view a list of desired use condition information 280 and desired use fee information 290. For example, the second information providing means 170 allows the person in charge 340 of Hotel A to view the desired use condition information 280, which includes facility to be used 220: Hotel A, date of use (or time period of use) 230: January 18th, use plan 260: breakfast included, type (room type, venue, seat, etc.): non-smoking twin, and the desired use fee information 290: 12,500 yen.

[0052] At the same time, the second information means 170 also allows the person in charge 340 of Hotel A to view desired usage condition information 280, such as facility to be used 220: Hotel A, date of use 230: January 18th, usage plan 260: room only, type of facilities to be used (room type, venue, seat, etc.): non-smoking, double, and desired usage fee information 290: 12,500 yen.

[0053] If the person in charge 340 who has viewed the list of desired use condition information 280 and desired use fee information 290 in S220 determines that an invitation should be sent to one of the applicants 320 (YES in S220), the process proceeds to S230.

[0054] In S230, the second information means 170, based on the contact information 300 of one user 320, informs the desired user 320 of a method 310 by which the person in charge 340 can make a reservation for use under the conditions specified in the desired use condition information 280.

[0055] The method 310 for making a reservation is, for example, a telephone number for receiving reservations or a URL for a website for reservations, and the URL for the website may be a dedicated URL that is not publicly available. The means for providing information by the second information means 170 is, for example, telephone, email, or message notification by a predetermined application.

[0056] The processing by the second information means 170 makes it possible to reduce the loss of potential customers 320 who could not agree on the service fee 270 at one point in time but may agree on it at another point in time, since the service provision price 270 presented by the operator of the facility 220 fluctuates daily based on the concept of dynamic pricing.

[0057] By performing the above-described processing, the device 100 facilitates recovery when there is a discrepancy between the plan and the actual results, thereby lowering the psychological barrier to adopting an aggressive sales strategy and thereby achieving better business results.

[0058] Furthermore, by performing the above-described processing, the device 100 can accommodate the behavioral characteristics of both customers (mainly inbound customers) who have a long lead time (make reservations well in advance of the date of use) and can tolerate high unit prices, and customers (mainly domestic customers) who have a short lead time and cannot tolerate high unit prices. In particular, the latter can make reservations and use the service at a price that they are satisfied with by reducing losses due to the effects of dynamic pricing.

[0059] By performing the above-described processing, the device 100 lowers the psychological barriers for operators of the facilities 220 to adopt aggressive sales strategies, thereby enabling them to achieve better business results, and for prospective users 320, it reduces losses due to the effects of dynamic pricing and enables them to make accommodation reservations at prices that they are satisfied with.

[0060] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 100 Information processing device 110 Access destination storage means 120 Fee storage means 130 Means of acquiring market information 140 Means of accepting desired conditions 150 Judgment means 160 Guidance means 170 Second guidance means 210 Access Information 220 Facilities 230 Date of use (or time period) 240 Type of facilities used (room type, venue, seating, etc.) 250 Number of users 260 Usage Plan 270 Usage Fee Information 280 Desired Terms of Use Information 290 Desired usage fee information 300 Contact Information 310 How to make a reservation 320 Applicants 330 user terminals 340 Facility staff 350 Facility Terminals 360 Communication Network 410 CPU 420 ROM 430 RAM 440 Auxiliary storage 450 communication interface 460 Input Device 470 Output Device 480 Recording Media Interface 490 Recording Media

Claims

1. access destination storage means for storing access destination information for each facility; a fee storage means for storing fee information for each facility and equipment type (room type, venue, seat, etc.) and each date of use (or time period of use); a market information acquiring means for acquiring the usage fee information for each of the facilities to be used, the type of equipment to be used (room type, venue, seat, etc.) and the date of use (or time period of use) based on the access destination information stored in the access destination storage means, and registering the acquired usage fee information in the fee storage means; a desired condition receiving means for receiving desired condition information relating to the facility to be used, the type of equipment to be used (room type, venue, seat, etc.), and the date (or time slot) of use of the user, desired fee information, and contact information of the user; a determination means for determining whether or not the usage fee information stored in the fee storage means has decreased, causing the usage fee information specified by the desired usage condition information to fall below the desired usage fee information; and a guidance means for, if the determination means determines that the desired condition of use is exceeded, providing guidance on a method for making a reservation for use under the conditions specified in the desired condition of use information based on the contact information of the person wishing to use.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a second guidance means for allowing the person in charge of the facility to view the desired conditions of use information and the desired fee information based on an operation by the person in charge, and for providing guidance to the person in charge, based on the contact information of the person in charge, on how to make a reservation for use under the conditions specified in the desired conditions of use information.

3. a step in which market information acquisition means acquires usage fee information for each facility to be used, type of equipment to be used (room type, venue, seat, etc.), and date of use (or time slot of use) based on the access destination information stored in an access destination storage means that stores access destination information for each facility to be used, and registers the acquired usage fee information in a fee storage means that stores usage fee information for each facility to be used, type of equipment to be used (room type, venue, seat, etc.), and date of use (or time slot of use); a step in which a desired condition receiving means receives desired use condition information relating to the facility to be used, the type of equipment to be used (room type, venue, seat, etc.), and the date of use (or time period of use), desired use fee information, and contact information of the user; a step of determining whether or not the usage fee information stored in the fee storage means has decreased, causing the usage fee information specified by the desired usage condition information to fall below the desired usage fee information; An information processing method including a step in which, if the determination means determines that the desired condition of use has been exceeded, the guidance means provides guidance on a method for making a reservation for use under the conditions specified in the desired condition of use information based on the contact information of the person wishing to use.

4. The information processing method according to claim 3, further comprising a step in which a second guidance means, based on an operation by a staff member of the facility to be used, allows the staff member to view the desired usage conditions information and the desired usage fee information, and, based on the contact information of the person desired by the staff member, guides the person desired by the staff member on a method for making a reservation for use under the conditions specified in the desired usage conditions information.

5. An information processing program for causing a computer to execute the method according to claim 3 or 4.

Images