Business negotiation support system, business negotiation support method, and program for executing the same

Abstract

To provide a business negotiation support system, a business negotiation support method, and a program for executing the same, which allow both the customer and the trader to easily start business negotiations using a computer without any burden. The business negotiation support system 1 supports business negotiations between a customer and a trader using computers 2, 4, and 5, and includes a URL issuing unit 44 that generates and issues a customer URL specific to the customer when it receives information sent from the customer's terminal 2 that has accessed a predetermined URL, and a personal page generating unit 45 that generates a personal page linked to the customer URL specific to the customer for communication between the customer and the trader.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a business negotiation support system, a business negotiation support method, and a program for executing the same, which support business negotiations between customers and vendors using a computer. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, various types of business negotiation support systems like those described above have appeared and are being widely used, whether they are conducted face-to-face in a store or remotely without face-to-face interaction. For example, Patent Document 1 below describes a system in which, after logging in via a communication environment, a provider can provide a recipient with a transaction screen (quote, contract, purchase order, etc.) relating to a product or service identified in a remote business negotiation. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 below describes a system in which, when a customer enters and registers customer information and desired property conditions on a web page, a customer ID is issued, an email containing the customer ID, etc. is sent to the customer, and information on unlisted properties is provided to the customer. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-234084 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-86061 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Most such sales negotiation support systems first obtain the customer's name, mobile phone number, email address, etc., and then set up an account to begin providing services. However, while this is fine if the customer has already decided to purchase a product at the store or wishes to receive services from the store, there are cases where customers are resistant to being asked to set up an account at a certain stage in the product selection process, and the use of a computer-based system does not necessarily lead to customer acquisition. Furthermore, from the store's perspective, there are also cases where it is a burden to have to obtain and manage personal information at a stage when it is unclear whether the customer will become a customer.

[0005] In order to solve these problems, the present invention aims to provide a business negotiation support system, a business negotiation support method, and a program for executing the same, which allow both the customer and the business to easily start business negotiations using a computer without any burden. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the business negotiation support system of the present invention is a business negotiation support system that uses a computer to support business negotiations between a customer and a vendor, and is characterized by comprising a URL issuing unit that generates and issues a customer URL unique to the customer when it receives information sent from the customer's terminal that has accessed a specified URL, and a my page generating unit that generates a my page linked to the customer URL that is unique to the customer for interaction between the customer and the vendor.

[0007] The business negotiation support system according to the present invention is a business negotiation support system that supports business negotiations between a customer and a trader using a computer, The business negotiation support system according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: a URL issuing unit that generates and issues a customer URL unique to the customer when triggered by receiving the customer's mobile phone number and / or the customer's email address entered from a predetermined URL; and a My Page generating unit that generates a My Page linked to the customer URL exclusive to the customer for communication between the customer and the vendor. Furthermore, in the business negotiation support system according to the present invention, when the customer URL is received, the display screen may be automatically switched from the predetermined URL to the customer URL.

[0008] The business negotiation support method according to the present invention is a business negotiation support method using a computer to support business negotiations between a customer and a trader, and is characterized by comprising: a URL issuing unit that generates and issues a customer URL unique to the customer when input information is received from the customer's terminal that has accessed a predetermined URL; and a My Page generating unit that generates a My Page linked to the customer URL dedicated to the customer for communication between the customer and the trader, and the My Page is executed in a chat format to carry out a series of business negotiation flows such as product selection, financial planning, and contract procedures. The program according to the present invention also causes a computer to execute the business negotiation support method. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the business negotiation support system, business negotiation support method, and program for executing the same of the present invention, both the customer and the business can easily start business negotiations using a computer without any burden. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is an example of a system diagram and a server block diagram of a business negotiation support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1A is an example of a block diagram of a customer terminal in the embodiment, and FIG. 1B is an example of a block diagram of a store terminal in the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic flowchart up to the start of a business negotiation in the business negotiation support system of the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of a schematic flowchart up to the start of a business negotiation in the business negotiation support system of the embodiment. [Figure 5] (a) is a diagram showing a schematic example of a survey screen displayed on the display unit of a customer terminal in the same embodiment, and (b) is a diagram showing a schematic example of a My Page screen (after answering the survey) displayed on the display unit (touch panel) of a customer terminal in the same embodiment. [Figure 6] (a) is a diagram showing a schematic example of a system screen (before the survey) displayed on the display unit of a store terminal in the same embodiment, and (b) is a diagram showing a schematic example of a My Page screen (after the survey) displayed on the display unit of a store terminal. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a workflow of a business negotiation that can be carried out using the business negotiation support system of the embodiment. [Figure 8] (a) is a diagram showing a schematic example of the display of the My Page screen (after answering the questionnaire) when using a smartphone as the store terminal in this embodiment, and (b) is a diagram showing a schematic example of the display of the My Page screen (after answering the questionnaire) displayed on the display unit of the store terminal. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing an example of a system screen displayed on a display unit of a store terminal in which a negotiation support system and a sales support system are linked together in the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0012] The business negotiation support system 1 in this embodiment is a business negotiation support system that supports business negotiations between a customer and a trader using computers 2, 4, and 5, and includes a URL issuing unit 44 that generates and issues a customer URL unique to the customer when it receives information sent from a customer terminal 2 that has accessed a predetermined URL, and a personal page generating unit 45 that generates a personal page linked to the customer URL dedicated to the customer for communication between the customer and the trader. These will be described in detail below.

[0013] <Business negotiation support system> In this embodiment, a session between a customer and a dealer for negotiations can be a video call, a chat or voice-only internet call, or a face-to-face meeting at a physical store, but is not limited to this. The following describes an example in which the negotiation support system 1 is applied to a car sales negotiation support tool. In the following, the "customer" is a customer (buyer: Mr. Taro B) who is considering purchasing a car, and the "dealer" is a car dealership XY Car (seller: sales representative: Mr. Ayama) who is selling a used car to the customer. It is assumed that the actual users of the negotiation support system 1 using the store terminal 5 are sales or administrative employees or managers of the store, who have the authority to access the negotiation support system 1. Potential users of the negotiation support system 1 are not limited to the car dealerships described in the following embodiments. The system can be used for negotiations and sales of all kinds of products and services, including real estate agents, moving companies, insurance companies, and retailers of motorcycles, furniture, etc. The system can be applied not only to so-called BtoC (Business to Customer) but also to BtoB (Business to Business) situations.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the business negotiation support system 1 of this embodiment comprises a server 4, multiple customer terminals 2, and store terminals 5 via a communication network 3, and is used in a secure environment in which they can freely communicate with each other. Examples of the communication network 3 include circuit-switched networks such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and packet-based networks such as the Internet. There are no particular limitations on the communication standard as long as the communication network allows video calls. The communication network 3 includes any network that provides data communication via wireless signals. An example of such a network is a wireless local area network (WLAN) that uses WiFi / WiMax communication. The customer terminals 2 and store terminals 5 access the server 4 through the communication network 3.

[0015] A URL refers to a Uniform Resource Locator, a string of characters used to identify a resource (web page) on the Internet. A "My Page" generally refers to a page dedicated to a user who has acquired an account. However, in this embodiment, the customer URL is not the URL of a "My Page" that can be accessed by acquiring an account and logging in, but rather the URL of a customer-specific dedicated page (hereinafter referred to as "My Page") issued by filling out a questionnaire prepared by the store. My Page allows customers to chat with sales representatives and send and receive data such as catalogs, estimates, and contracts. These exchanges are saved in chat format, so customers can access the customer URL at any time, even after completing a sales negotiation with a sales representative. The customer questionnaire (hereinafter referred to as "questionnaire") in this embodiment is conducted by a car dealership called "XY Car" for customers considering purchasing a car. The content of the questionnaire is not particularly limited, but may include fields such as a name field 6a, a mobile phone number field 6b, an email address field 6c, an address field 6d, a date of birth field 6e, and a reason for visiting the store field 6f, as shown in FIG. 5(a), to encourage customers to fill out information the store wants to know about when conducting a business negotiation for the first time. Although it is referred to as a questionnaire here, it is not a survey to investigate something, but rather a form (customer sheet) to enter the contact information to notify the customer URL and information required for business negotiations.

[0016] <server> The server 4 is configured with an information processing device such as a computer, and is managed by the service provider of the business negotiation support system 1. The server 4 may be a single server, or may be configured with multiple servers, such as an application server and a database server, and may be a dedicated or general-purpose server or a cloud server. Of course, a firewall may be provided between the server 4 and the communication network 3. As shown in FIG. 1 , the server 4 includes at least a control unit 40, a communication unit 41, a memory unit 42, a chat processing unit 43, a URL issuing unit 44, a My Page generating unit 45, and an email generating and sending unit 46.

[0017] The control unit 40 includes a CPU, which executes various programs stored in the storage unit 42 to perform various processes. The communication unit 41 transmits and receives data between the customer terminal 2 and the store terminal 5. For example, the communication unit 41 receives a questionnaire entered on the customer terminal 2 and transmits a customer URL unique to the customer issued by the URL issuing unit 44 to the customer terminal 2 and the store terminal 5. The storage unit 42 stores various programs and data required for the operation of the server 4. Specifically, various programs are stored, such as an operating system (OS), middleware, a URL issuing program, a My Page generating program, an email generating program, and a chat program. The storage unit 42 also stores chat exchanges between the customer and the store executed within the My Page, catalog data sent during negotiations, and the like. The storage unit 42 associates the questionnaire content entered by the customer with the customer's unique customer URL and stores them. The chat processing unit 43 enables interactions between the customer and the store staff, such as chat conversations and data transmission. The URL issuing unit 44 generates and issues a customer-specific customer URL when the communication unit 41 of the server 4 receives a questionnaire completed by a customer. The URL issuing unit 44 also generates and issues a customer-specific customer URL when the communication unit 41 receives the customer's mobile phone number and / or email address. The personal page generating unit 45 generates a personal page (web page) linked to the customer's dedicated customer URL for communication between the customer and store staff. If the customer's mobile phone number and / or email address are included in the questionnaire completed by the customer, the email generating and sending unit 46 inserts a link to the customer URL issued by the URL issuing unit 44 into a standard email message and sends the email to the mobile phone number and / or email address of the customer. At this time, a personal page for the new customer who completed the questionnaire is newly created in the sales negotiation support system 1. The new customer's personal page is added to the sales negotiation list on the system screen of the store terminal 5 where the sales negotiation support system 1 is installed. The sales staff can access the new customer's personal page by clicking the link in the sales negotiation list.Also, for example, if a sales representative wishes to have the customer URL of a new customer sent to their mobile terminal, the sales representative's mobile phone number and email address may be registered in advance, and in that case, the email generation and sending unit 46 will send an email containing a link to the customer URL to the registered address.

[0018] <Customer terminal> The customer terminal 2 is assumed to be a terminal used by a customer considering purchasing a car. While FIG. 1 illustrates the customer terminal 2 as a smartphone, this is not limited to this and it can also be a tablet, laptop, or desktop PC. Essentially, the customer terminal 2 is required to be capable of chatting with the store terminal 5 and transmitting and receiving data, files, etc. with the server 4 via the communication network 3. If the customer terminal 2 is equipped with a camera 23, it can conduct online business negotiations via video calls while meeting with the store. The customer terminal 2 is a terminal that is not registered for the services of the business negotiation support system 1, i.e., does not require service registration. As shown in FIG. 2(a), the customer terminal 2 includes a control unit 20, a communication unit 21, a memory unit 22, a camera / speaker / microphone 23, and a touch panel 24. The control unit 20 includes a CPU, which executes predetermined programs stored in the memory unit 22 to perform various processes. The communication unit 21 transmits and receives data, files, etc. with the server 4. The memory unit 22 is composed of memory such as ROM and RAM, an HDD, and an SSD, and stores computer programs for transmitting and receiving various data. The touch panel 24 is a display unit that displays various information under the control of the control unit 20, and is a user interface that accepts tap operations by the user and is configured with a display that can detect contact with an external object. The camera / speaker / microphone 23 may be any device that allows video calls, similar to the store terminal 5.

[0019] <Store terminal> The store terminal 5 is assumed to be a terminal used by a sales representative or the like at a car dealership. While FIG. 2 illustrates a laptop computer as the store terminal 5, the present invention is not limited thereto and may be a desktop computer, a tablet computer, or a smartphone. Essentially, any terminal device can be used as the store terminal 5 as long as it can communicate with the customer terminal 2 via video calls or chats via the communication network 3 and can transmit and receive data, files, and the like to and from the server 4. In this embodiment, we will explain the use of a PC and a smartphone as the store terminal 5. The store terminal 5 is a terminal that can use the sales negotiation support system 1 via a browser, application, or the like. As shown in FIG. 2(b), the store terminal 5 includes a control unit 50, a communication unit 51, a memory unit 52, a camera / speaker / microphone 53, a display unit 54, and an operation unit 55. The control unit 50 includes a CPU, and the CPU executes predetermined programs stored in the memory unit 52 to perform various processes. The communication unit 51 transmits and receives data, files, and the like to and from the server 4. The storage unit 52 is composed of memories such as ROM and RAM, as well as HDD and SSD, and stores computer programs for transmitting and receiving various data. The camera, speaker and microphone 53 is not particularly limited as long as it is a camera capable of transmitting a video image of the user in a video call, the speaker is a speaker capable of outputting the other party's voice, and the microphone is a microphone capable of transmitting voice in a video call. The display unit 54 is a user interface that displays various information under the control of the control unit 50 and is composed of an LCD panel or the like. The operation unit 55 is a user interface that accepts operations by the user and is composed of a keyboard and mouse.

[0020] <Basic flow for starting chat negotiations in the business negotiation support system> Next, the basic flowchart of the business negotiation support system 1 will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 6. Figures 3 and 4 show the flow from entering a questionnaire to starting chat negotiations between a customer and a store. The example of the flowchart shown in Figure 3 is a flowchart for entering a questionnaire from a "customer terminal 2" that has accessed a specific URL. The example of the flowchart shown in Figure 4 is a flowchart for entering a questionnaire from a "store terminal 5" that has accessed a specific URL. Here, the specific URL refers to the URL of a page where a questionnaire form prepared by the store is displayed and where each item can be entered.

[0021] First, the flowchart shown in Figure 3 will be described. The camera 23 function of the customer terminal 2 is activated, and the customer terminal 2 reads a two-dimensional code from which a predetermined URL that can be used to access a survey page can be read (S100). The survey page is then accessed using the read two-dimensional code, and the survey form is displayed (S101). Figure 5(a) shows an example of the display of an empty survey page 6. The customer enters the survey items and, after completing the entries, submits the survey (S102, S103). Receiving this information triggers the URL issuing unit 44 to issue a customer URL unique to the customer who answered the survey (S107). Once the customer URL is issued, the my page generating unit 45 then generates a my page linked to this customer URL (S108). The customer URL is then sent to the customer terminal 2 and the store terminal 5 (S109).

[0022] In the example display of the questionnaire page 6 shown in Figure 5(a), when a customer enters something into the questionnaire items and touches the "Submit questionnaire" icon 6g at the bottom, the contents of the questionnaire are sent to the server 4. At this time, input into certain questionnaire items may be required, and the icon 6g may not be touched unless something is entered, or, for customers who are reluctant to enter anything into the questionnaire, the icon 6g may be operable without entering anything, like a blank email. A barcode or QR code (registered trademark) may be used as the two-dimensional code for reading the specified URL.

[0023] After the questionnaire is sent (S103), the display screen of the touch panel 24 of the customer terminal 2 switches to a "standby screen" (S104). Then, after a customer URL is issued on the server 4 side and a personal page is generated, once the customer URL is sent, the standby screen switches to the customer URL (S105) and the personal page screen 7 is displayed (S106). Then, chat negotiations with the store can begin.

[0024] The store terminal 5 receives the customer URL (S110), and when the customer URL is accessed, the My Page screen 7 is displayed, allowing chat and data exchange with the customer (S106). Chat negotiations with the customer can then begin. The customer URL can be notified to the store terminal 5 by email to an email address registered in advance in the negotiation support system 1, or by displaying an icon in the application of the negotiation support system 1 to indicate that a new My Page for the new customer has been created.

[0025] With the above configuration, a customer can generate a personal page for communicating with a sales representative (dealer) at a retailer simply by accessing a specific URL and submitting a survey displayed on the URL from the customer terminal 2. It is desirable to enter correct information in each field on the survey page 6, and the survey can be set up so that the survey cannot be submitted unless the specified fields are filled in. However, since the issuance of the customer URL is triggered by receiving the survey, there are no particular limitations on the content of the survey responses. If the customer is reluctant to share their personal information with the store, they may be set up to submit the survey without filling in any information, such as a "blank email," as described above. In the example shown in Figure 3, the survey is submitted using the customer terminal 2, and the screen automatically changes when the customer URL is generated. Therefore, the survey does not require the user to enter an email address or mobile phone number. For example, the customer may be prompted to enter a nickname that identifies the customer in the name field 6a before submitting the survey. In any case, according to the above, customers are not required to register to use the service, such as by registering as a member or obtaining an account, and they do not have to provide personal information such as their mobile phone number or email address, so they can start business negotiations easily and casually, thereby increasing customer engagement.

[0026] In the above example, the process starts with reading a two-dimensional code to access a specific URL from customer terminal 2. The customer may visit the dealership and obtain the two-dimensional code information within the store, but there are no particular restrictions on how the two-dimensional code information is obtained. For example, the process may start with reading a two-dimensional code that is posted on the dealership's own website, a car sales information site, or advertising materials such as magazines or posters. Alternatively, a sales representative may send the two-dimensional code to a customer in a remote location via email, short message, social networking site, etc.

[0027] The initial display screen (S106) of the My Page may be, for example, as shown in FIG. 5(b). In this case, the My Page screen 7 displays in the upper bar 7a that the car dealership is "XY Car" and the sales representative is "Ayama." This allows the customer to confirm that the person exchanging information is "Ayama" of "XY Car." The upper bar 7a includes a screen refresh icon 7aa and a phone call icon 7ab. The screen refresh icon 7aa is used when the chat screen 7b freezes and does not progress, or when data transmission and reception is not working properly. Touching the phone call icon 7ab switches the display to a keypad screen when you want to talk on the phone (voice call). Touching the icon 7ab from the customer terminal 2 may automatically call the registered mobile phone number of the sales representative. In the case of the store terminal 5, clicking icon 7ab on the My Page screen 7 switches to a keypad screen where the customer can manually enter their details, but if the customer has entered their mobile phone number in the questionnaire, the system may be configured to automatically call that mobile phone number. In this case, the mobile phone number is based on the information entered by the customer, so as long as there are no errors in the customer's input, there is no risk of operational errors, making it very convenient.

[0028] A chat screen 7b is located below the top bar 7a of the My Page screen 7, displaying messages from both the sales representative, Mr. Ayama, and the customer, Mr. B. The date and time of each message can be confirmed. Figure 5(b) shows an example of a message from Mr. Ayama to Mr. B. As shown here, the message to start the negotiation can be a message thanking the customer for completing the questionnaire and encouraging them to "favorite" the customer URL. This message can also be sent by default when the My Page is created. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5(b), the customer URL issued to the customer is issued only to customers who complete the questionnaire, eliminating the need for account registration or password setup. Therefore, once the customer URL is issued, all a customer needs to do is know the customer URL to communicate with Mr. Ayama of "XY Cars." Furthermore, by accessing the customer URL, chat conversations with the sales representative and the sending and receiving of catalog data are saved. Therefore, after the online negotiation is over, the customer can carefully review the history of those conversations and carefully consider whether or not to purchase.

[0029] Below the chat screen 7b is an input bar 7c that allows users to enter messages and send and receive data, and below the input bar 7c is a display selection bar 7d. When users want to display only chat conversations on the chat screen 7b, they can touch the "Chat" icon 7da on the display selection bar 7d to display only chat conversations. Furthermore, when users want to display only information about vehicles under consideration in negotiations (catalogs, estimates, payment plans, etc.) on the chat screen 7b, they can touch the "Vehicles under negotiation" icon 7db to display only information about the vehicles under negotiation.

[0030] The My Page screen 7 shown in Fig. 5(b) shows an example of the display on the touch panel 24 of the customer terminal 2, while Fig. 8(a) shows an example of the display on the My Page screen 7 when a smartphone is used as the store terminal 5. As is clear from these, the basic configuration of the My Page screen is the same for both the customer terminal 2 and the store terminal 5, and this example shows received messages being displayed to the left and sent messages being displayed to the right so that it is intuitively clear which side is the sender and which side is the receiver of the message displayed on the chat screen 7b.

[0031] Next, the flowchart shown in Figure 4 will be explained. The application of the business negotiation support system 1 is accessed on the store terminal 5, and a questionnaire page is displayed (S200). Figure 6(a) shows an example of the system screen 8 displayed on the display unit 54 of the store terminal 5. For example, when a customer visits the store, sales representative Mr. Ayama can open the system screen 8 and click on icon 8ba, which takes him to the questionnaire page, to display a questionnaire screen such as that shown in Figure 5(a) on the display unit 54 of the store terminal 5.

[0032] The customer then enters their email address or mobile phone number into the questionnaire (S201), operates the "Submit questionnaire" icon 6g, and sends the questionnaire (S202). This triggers the URL issuing unit 44 to issue a customer URL unique to the customer who answered the questionnaire (S206). Once the customer URL is issued, the my page generating unit 45 then generates a my page linked to this customer URL (S207). The customer URL is then sent to the customer's email address or mobile phone number and the store terminal 5 (S208).

[0033] When requesting a customer to submit a questionnaire from the store terminal 5, it is different from the example in Figure 3 in that it is necessary to request the customer to enter the destination of the notification of the customer URL, since the customer URL cannot be sent to the customer if the customer submits the questionnaire without entering anything as in the example in Figure 3. Even when the questionnaire is submitted from the store terminal 5, the display screen shown in Figure 5(b) above is applied as the format of the initial display screen (S205) of the My Page.

[0034] After sending the questionnaire (S202), the display unit 54 of the store terminal 5 switches to a "standby screen" (S203). Then, after the server 4 issues a customer URL and generates a personal page, the customer URL is sent (S208), and the display unit 54 switches from the standby screen to the customer URL (S204, S205), and the personal page screen 7 is displayed (S205). Then, chat negotiations with the customer can begin.

[0035] The customer terminal 2 receives the customer URL (S208), and when the customer URL is accessed, the My Page screen 7 is displayed, which allows chatting and data exchange with the store (S205). Then, chat negotiations with the store can begin. The customer URL is notified to the customer terminal 2 by sending an email to the email address entered in the questionnaire or by attaching a link to the customer URL in a short message sent to the customer's mobile phone.

[0036] According to the above, simply by entering the customer's email address or mobile phone number into a questionnaire displayed at a specified URL not only from the customer terminal 2 but also from the store terminal 5, a unique customer URL can be issued for the customer, and a personal page can be generated for business negotiations between the customer and the store's sales representative (dealer). In this case, the customer receives an email with a link to the customer URL at the email address or mobile phone number entered in the questionnaire. By opening the email on their own device and clicking the customer URL, the customer can access their personal page and start business negotiations with the sales representative in chat format. Furthermore, in the above example, the customer does not need to register for the service, such as by registering as a member or obtaining an account, allowing for easy and convenient business negotiations, thereby enhancing customer engagement.

[0037] <System screen display example> Next, referring to FIG. 6, we will explain an example of the system screen 8 displayed on the store terminal 5 of the business negotiation support system 1. FIG. 6(a) is an example of the system screen 8 displayed on the display unit 54 of the store terminal 5. The business negotiation support system 1 not only provides functions that allow users to easily create a personal page and start chat negotiations, but also includes numerous functions that allow users to smoothly conduct online business negotiations with customers. The system screen 8 shown in FIG. 6(a) is an example of a browser display when starting a new business negotiation (before the questionnaire). As shown here, the top bar 8a includes an icon 8aa that moves to a page listing customers, an icon 8ab that moves to a page where the status of the negotiation can be confirmed, an icon 8ac that moves to a page where minutes of the business negotiation with the customer can be confirmed and entered (e.g., deadlines for submitting loan documents, deposit payment deadlines, vehicle payment deadlines, etc.), an icon 8ad that moves to a check page, and an icon 8ae that allows users to switch the screen display from browser display to smartphone display when viewing the system screen 8 on a smartphone. The main screen 8b also has an icon 8ba that takes you to a survey page and an icon 8bb that takes you to an inventory selection page, making the screen layout easy for sales representatives to use. When a new customer visits the store and uses the store terminal 5 to answer a survey and generate their own page, they can operate the survey icon 8ba on the main screen 8b to display the survey page (see Figure 5(a)).

[0038] Figure 6(b) is a schematic diagram of the My Page screen (after completing a questionnaire) displayed on the display unit 54 of the store terminal 5. This example shows the display when "Mr. B" is selected from the customer list in the upper bar 8a. Figure 6(b) displays the questionnaire results entered by the customer. Missed items can be added as the sales negotiation progresses. The displayed information can be easily saved by clicking the "Save Survey Content" icon 8cb in the lower bar 8c. The information is then registered and saved as "customer" information in the My Page. Furthermore, because the sales negotiation support system 1 is linked to a sales support system (Sales Force Automation (SFA)) described below, personal information entered by customers can be fed into the sales support system. This allows the sales representative to use the personal information they themselves entered as system information, rather than inputting personal information (such as name, mobile phone number, email address, address, and date of birth) obtained from the customer into the system, thereby reducing input errors. By operating the "Send Customer URL" icon 8bc next to the mobile phone number on the main screen 8b, you can send the customer URL via short message to the mobile phone number. Also, by operating the "Send Customer URL" icon 8bd next to the email address on the main screen 8b, you can send the customer URL via email to the email address. This makes it easy to send the customer URL as many times as you like to customers who have forgotten to register them as "favorites." The bottom bar 8c also has an icon 8ca called "Display customer 2D code," which can be operated to display a 2D code that displays a survey for creating your own page. Therefore, even if you have a sudden visitor, you can quickly show the 2D code to the customer.

[0039] <About the sales workflow> Next, with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9, a business negotiation workflow from the start of business negotiations to follow-up after the business negotiations are concluded using the business negotiation support system 1 and the sales support system will be described.

[0040] FIG. 7 shows an example of a workflow for business negotiations that can be carried out using the business negotiation support system 1. First, when a customer visits a store or when the customer calls the store by mobile phone, the system requests the customer ("Taro Bda") to fill out a "survey" (S300, FIG. 5(a)). At this time, if the sales representative "Yama A" wants the customer to complete the survey from the store terminal 5, he operates the survey icon 8ba in FIG. 6(a) to display the "survey" on the display unit 54 of the store terminal 5. If the customer wants to complete the survey from the customer terminal 2, he presents the customer with a two-dimensional code that allows access to the survey page and prompts the customer to scan the two-dimensional code with the customer terminal 2. Once the customer accesses the survey page, they can complete the "survey." After submitting the survey, a unique customer URL is issued and a personal page is generated (S301, FIG. 5(b)).

[0041] Next, using the chat function on the My Page generated for the customer's unique URL, the sales representative and the customer can exchange messages, send and receive catalog data, provide price information, make reservations to visit the store, and proceed with car selection (S302 - Figures 8(a) and 8(b)). Figure 8(a) shows an example of the My Page display screen displayed on the touch panel 24 of the customer terminal 2, and is an example of the screen on which the customer is selecting a car. On the chat screen 7b, Mr. Ayama has sent catalogs of cars from companies W and Z, and the car from company W is marked as "Sold" 7ba, so it is clear at a glance that the car under consideration has been sold.

[0042] The chat screen 7b not only allows for car selection but also financial planning, such as providing an estimate (S303) and proposing a payment plan (S304). Figure 8(a) shows, below Company Z's car catalog, that Mr. Ayama has sent documents for an estimate and a payment plan to Mr. B. Both Figures 8(a) and 8(b) are display examples on the store terminal 5, with Figure 8(a) showing a smartphone display and Figure 8(b) showing a PC display. The My Page screen on the store terminal 5 offers more functionality than the My Page screen displayed on the customer terminal 2. In this display example, in addition to the chat screen 8d on the right side, for example, by operating the inventory selection icon 8bb, the customer can select the car they wish to propose to the customer. Furthermore, if the customer wants to send a memo about the deadline for loan documents via chat during a negotiation, the minutes icon 8ad can be used to move to a screen for entering the deadline, and the "Send to Customer" icon (not shown) can be used to send the deadline information to the customer via the chat screen 8d.

[0043] If the deal is concluded, the procedure flow can proceed to the issuance and conclusion of an electronic contract (S305). Furthermore, follow-up on various post-contract procedures, such as the garage certificate procedure, which is a required procedure for purchasing a car, and the title change procedure, which is a required procedure for purchasing a used car, can also be carried out within the negotiation support system 1 (S360). For these procedures, electronic contracts can be sent via the chat screen 7b of the customer's personal page, and the contract can be issued and concluded using an electronic signature. Further after-sales follow-up, such as information on regular inspections and vehicle inspections, suggestions for switching cars when the loan is paid off, and information on store events, can also be continued through the customer's personal page (S307).

[0044] On the other hand, even if the deal is not concluded with the customer and the purchase is lost, the customer can be notified through their personal page with a message or information about a price reduction on the car they were considering (S308), or notified of information about store events (S309).

[0045] According to the above, after the sales representative prepares the documents required for each workflow, such as estimates and contracts, they can be easily presented to the customer via My Page, and the customer can easily check, approve, and sign on Customer Terminal 2. In addition, all of these exchanged documents are automatically stored on My Page, making it easy to review them later.

[0046] 9(a) and 9(b) are schematic diagrams illustrating examples of the system screen 9 displayed on the display unit 54 of a store terminal 5 in which the negotiation support system 1 and the sales support system are linked. The system screen 9 also includes various functions. The top bar 9a includes the electronic signature function required for electronic contracting, as well as functions for electronic payment, issuing electronic receipts, and online procedures for title change, which is essential when selling used cars. The SFA bar 9b contains icons linked to the sales support system and includes a dashboard function that displays sales targets, order prospects, and achievement forecasts in easy-to-understand graphs and tables; a customer analysis function; a lead function for managing potential customers; a negotiation function that displays the status of individual negotiations; and a report function that creates sales status reports. Essentially, any system that visualizes sales progress and helps streamline sales activities may be implemented. An alert function (not shown) may also be included to alert users when progress on a project has passed its scheduled order date and is no longer visible. The main screen 9c of the system screen 9 has an area displayed in a tag-based multi-layer structure, and Figure 9(a) shows the chat page 9d. The chat content exchanged with Mr. B on his personal page is displayed in conjunction here, and through this chat page 9d of the system screen 9, you can chat with Mr. B in the same way as on the chat screens 7b and 8d in Figures 8(a) and 8(b). To the left of the chat page 9d, customer information 9e is displayed, allowing you to proceed with business negotiations while checking the expected order date, budget, needs, etc. Figure 9(b) shows an example of the display of the business negotiation page 9f, which allows you to check the progress of business negotiations at a glance.

[0047] As mentioned above, not only are all procedures and progress, from the start of negotiations to the follow-up procedures after the contract is signed, integrated into one system, but they are also integrated into a workflow, so once one procedure is completed, the next procedure is automatically carried on, allowing negotiations to proceed efficiently.In addition, since the process history in the workflow (car selection, quote submission, etc.) is automatically accumulated, even if some time has passed since the negotiation, the history of interactions between the customer and the sales representative can be easily confirmed and shared by checking the My Page screen.

[0048] As described above, the configuration and aspects of the sales negotiation support system 1 are not limited to the above embodiment. For example, while the above embodiment has been described using an example of a two-party call, the sales negotiation support system 1 can also be used for more than two parties, provided the customer URL is shared. Furthermore, the sales negotiation support system 1 can be used not only for online sales negotiations with remote customers or in-store sales negotiations, but also for hybrid (combined face-to-face and online) sales negotiations. While the example of car sales has been described, as mentioned above, it can be used for any industry and any sales negotiation. To enhance security, a step of entering a password or authentication code before accessing the customer URL may be added. Furthermore, a viewing period may be set, for example, so that estimates and payment plans cannot be viewed after the period has expired. A configuration may also be adopted in which a cookie is added as customer terminal identification information when the customer URL is accessed. Furthermore, the appearance, icons, message content, etc. of the questionnaire page 6, my page screen 7, system screen 8, and system screen 9 linked to the sales support system are not limited to those shown in the figures, and the browser and smartphone displays are also not limited to those shown in the figures. In short, what is required is a configuration that has a simple display and can be operated intuitively without having to refer to an instruction manual. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 1. Business negotiation support system 2. Customer terminal 3. Communication Network 4 Server 5. Store terminals 44 URL Publishing Department 45 My Page Generation Unit

Claims

1. A business negotiation support system that uses a computer to support business negotiations between a customer and a vendor, A business negotiation support system comprising: a URL issuing unit that generates and issues a customer URL specific to the customer when it receives information sent from the customer's terminal that has accessed a specified URL; and a personal page generating unit that generates a personal page linked to the customer URL that is specific to the customer and that is used for interactions between the customer and the vendor.

2. A business negotiation support system that uses a computer to support business negotiations between a customer and a vendor, A business negotiation support system comprising: a URL issuing unit that generates and issues a customer URL unique to the customer when triggered by receiving the customer's mobile phone number and / or the customer's email address entered from a specified URL; and a personal page generating unit that generates a personal page linked to the customer URL exclusive to the customer for communication between the customer and the vendor.

3. In claim 1 or claim 2, When the customer URL is received, the sales negotiation support system automatically switches the display screen from the predetermined URL to the customer URL.

4. A business negotiation support method for supporting business negotiations between a customer and a vendor using a computer, comprising: The business negotiation support method includes a URL issuing unit that generates and issues a customer URL specific to the customer when it receives input information from the customer's terminal that has accessed a specified URL, and a personal page generating unit that generates a personal page linked to the customer URL that is exclusive to the customer for communication between the customer and the vendor, and the business negotiation support method is carried out in a chat format, where a series of business negotiation flows such as product selection, financial planning, and contract procedures are carried out on the personal page.

5. A program for causing the computer to execute the business negotiation support method according to claim 4.

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