Information processing system, information processing method, and program

Abstract

The present invention provides a technique for enabling both a plurality of deliverers and a plurality of hotels to promote efficiency.　For each of a plurality of deliverers NG-1 to NG-m, a commodity information acquisition unit 51 acquires as commodity information, from the corresponding one of a plurality of deliverer terminals 2-1 to 2-m, information related to a prescribed commodity designated for a stock. A stock unitary management unit 52 unitarily manages, as stock information, commodity information about a commodity, among a plurality of prescribed commodities, which has become a shared stock by transferring the ownership thereof to a service provider S. In response to access from a deliverer terminal 2 or a hotel terminal 3, a stock display control unit 53 visualizes information relating to at least a part of the plurality of prescribed commodities that are unitarily managed as the stock, and executes control for displaying the information on the terminal having performed the access.

Description

Information processing system, information processing method and program

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program.

[0002] One known technology that attempts to reduce the ordering work on the hotel side by using the Internet to compile order requests entered from the hotel's site into order forms for suppliers and post them on the hotel's website is the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1. The supplier also uses the Internet to enter a predetermined supplier code and refers to the order list on the hotel's website to create order and delivery slips, and then delivers the products to the hotel.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-249991

[0004] In conventional techniques including the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, an N-to-N business model was developed in which multiple suppliers each handled deliveries to multiple hotels, so it was not possible for both the multiple suppliers and the multiple hotels to promote efficiency.

[0005] The present invention has been made in light of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a technology that enables both multiple suppliers and multiple hotels to promote efficiency.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, an information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of first-class devices operated by each of a plurality of deliverers who deliver specified goods, a second-class device operated by a delivery destination of the specified goods, and a third-class device that communicates with each of the first-class devices and the second-class devices, wherein the third-class device comprises: a product information acquisition means for acquiring, for each of the plurality of deliverers, information on the specified goods that are in stock as product information from each of the plurality of first-class devices; a centralized inventory management means for centrally managing, as inventory information, the product information on those of the specified goods that have been transferred in ownership to a designated manager and become stock; and an inventory display control means for, in response to access from the second-class device, visualizing information on at least a portion of the specified goods that are centrally managed as inventory and displaying it on the second-class device.

[0007] An information processing method and a program corresponding to the information processing system according to one aspect of the present invention are also provided as an information processing method and a program according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0008] According to the present invention, both multiple suppliers and multiple hotels can promote efficiency.

[0009] 14 is a diagram comparing the basic flow of a service that can be realized by an information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention with that of conventional logistics. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an overview of this service for multiple hotel establishments that can be realized by an information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an overview of this service for multiple hotels that can be realized by an information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an example of visualization of shared inventory by this service. FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an overview of shared inventory. FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an example of joint purchasing with other hotels by this service. FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example of the joint purchasing of FIG. 6. FIG. 21 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of a server in the information processing system of FIG. 8. FIG. 23 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of the server in FIG. 9 in the information processing system of FIG. 8. FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed when registering a transaction master to be stored in the memory unit of the server in the information processing system of FIG. 8. FIG. 25 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed when registering a department master to be stored in the memory unit of the server in the information processing system of FIG. 8. FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed when registering a user master to be stored in the memory unit of the server in the information processing system of FIG. 8. FIG. 27 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed when registering a product master to be stored in the memory unit of the server in the information processing system of FIG. 8. FIG. 28 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed when updating and deleting the product master in FIG. 14. It is a figure which shows the example of the screen of the stock situation search and the stock list. It is a figure which shows the example concerning the work burden reduction of the supplier. It is a figure which shows the example concerning the berth reservation of FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows the example concerning the promotion of efficiency.

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagram comparing the basic flow of a service that can be realized by an information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "this service") with that of conventional physical distribution.

[0012] This service is provided by Service Provider S, and enables multiple suppliers and multiple hotels to improve efficiency. In this service, Service Provider S functions as a procurement logistics platform for hotels. In addition, by providing this service, Service Provider S controls the flow of information and goods.

[0013] First, the current situation will be described with reference to the example shown on the left side of Figure 1. Conventionally, as shown on the left side of Figure 1, there were multiple suppliers NG-1 through NG-m that delivered a specific product (m is an integer value equal to or greater than 1). There were also multiple hotel establishments HJ-1 through HJ-n to which the specific product was delivered. The multiple suppliers NG-1 through NG-m are assumed to include various vendors, such as suppliers of ingredients to hotel kitchens and suppliers of amenities. The products are assumed to include fresh foods (e.g., fruits and vegetables, fresh fish, etc.), stored and processed foods (room temperature, frozen, and refrigerated), and supplies and consumables (e.g., water, slippers, toothbrushes, packaging materials, etc.). The hotels, i.e., hotel establishments HJ-1 through HJ-n, are assumed to include, for example, hotels in Yokohama, Tokyo, a golf course in Izu, and the headquarters of the same chain (these may also include individual departments within the Yokohama hotel, or various hotels outside the chain). It should be noted that the term may refer to a city hotel, a business hotel, or a resort hotel, and may also include lodging facilities such as inns.

[0014] Conventionally, when a supplier NG-1 receives an order from hotel establishment HJ-1, the supplier delivers the ordered specified goods (ordered specified goods) to hotel establishment HJ-1. To make the delivery, truck NT-1 of a trucking company requested by supplier NG-1 delivers the goods to hotel establishment HJ-1. When supplier NG-1 receives orders from hotel establishment HJ-2 or hotel establishment HJ-n, truck NT-1 delivers the specified goods to hotel establishment HJ-2 through hotel establishment HJ-n, respectively, in the same manner as described above. Supplier NG-2 also delivers the specified goods to hotel establishments HJ-1 through HJ-n, respectively, in the same manner as described above (truck NT-2 of a trucking company requested by supplier NG-2 delivers the goods each time). In addition, similarly to the above, the supplier NG-m delivers the specified products to the hotel establishments HJ-1 to HJ-n that have placed orders (deliveries are made by truck NT-k (k is an integer value greater than or equal to 1) of a truck operator requested by the supplier NG-m).

[0015] Previously, multiple deliverers NG-1 through NG-m made deliveries to multiple hotel establishments HJ-1 through HJ-n, taking into consideration the individual circumstances of each. That is, they handled each hotel establishment HJ-1 through HJ-n individually. This resulted in a cumbersome series of tasks, such as preparing the delivery of specified products, arranging delivery, and contacting the delivery destination. While multiple hotel establishments HJ-1 through HJ-n benefit from consideration of their individual circumstances, they also had to handle receiving orders and administrative tasks for each vendor, which also complicated the work. Furthermore, multiple hotel establishments HJ-1 through HJ-n were concerned about traffic congestion around the hotels due to the separate deliveries from multiple deliverers NG-1 through NG-m (each delivered by multiple trucks NT-1 through NT-k). They also worried about security risks due to an unspecified number of deliveries. For truck operators, transportation efficiency was poor due to parking congestion and long waiting times when delivering goods. In addition, for truck operators, parking congestion and long waiting times at reception desks made it difficult to work on reducing CO2 emissions.

[0016] As described above, in the past, an N-to-N business model was developed, in which multiple deliverers NG-1 to NG-m each delivered to multiple hotel establishments HJ-1 to HJ-n, resulting in a situation in which the efficiency of both the multiple deliverers and the multiple hotels was reduced. Furthermore, the development of this traditional business model also resulted in a situation in which the efficiency of truck operators was reduced.

[0017] In this embodiment, a service (this service) is provided that converts the above-mentioned N-to-N business model into an N-to-1-to-N business model. This allows both multiple suppliers and multiple hotels to improve efficiency. Furthermore, by providing this service, efficiency can also be improved for truck operators. Specifically, this will be described below with reference to the example shown on the right side of Figure 1 (efficiency improvement for truck operators will be described separately).

[0018] In the above-mentioned "N to 1 to N," for example, the "N" on the left side corresponds to multiple suppliers NG-1 to NG-m. Also, the "N" on the right side corresponds to multiple hotels, namely Hotel A HA to Hotel P HP, and the multiple hotel establishments HJ-1 to HJ-n that belong to each of these hotels. Also, the "1" in the middle corresponds to the service provider S that provides this service. Service provider S functions as a procurement logistics platform for hotels.

[0019] Details will be given later, but in this embodiment, this service is provided by service provider S, which controls the flow of information and goods, thereby enabling both multiple suppliers and multiple hotels to promote efficiency.

[0020] Of the multiple deliverers NG-1 to NG-m, deliverer NG-1 delivers the specified products ordered by the hotel (specified products ordered by deliverer NG-1) to service provider S. For delivery, truck NT-1 of truck operator TJ, requested by deliverer NG-1, delivers the products to service provider S. Note that truck NT-1 that delivers the specified products to service provider S may also be requested by service provider S from truck operator TJ (the same applies below). Deliverer NG-2 also delivers the specified products ordered by the hotel to service provider S. For delivery, truck NT-2 of truck operator TJ, requested by deliverer NG-2, delivers the products to service provider S. Deliverer NG-m also delivers the specified products ordered by the hotel to service provider S. For delivery, truck NT-k of trucking company TJ, which has been requested by deliverer NG-m, delivers the goods to service provider S and delivers them.

[0021] In this embodiment, multiple deliverers NG-1 to NG-m each deliver specified products ordered by the hotel to the service provider S. The service provider S stores as inventory the specified products delivered by the multiple deliverers NG-1 to NG-m for which ownership has been transferred. In other words, the service provider S purchases the specified products and stores them as its own inventory. Note that in this embodiment, ownership of specified products that have passed the incoming inspection is transferred to the service provider S (incoming inspection is an example and is not particularly limited). Since the service provider S stores the products for which ownership has been transferred as inventory, it can have a shared inventory, which will be described later.

[0022] A server 1 (described later) managed by the service provider S acquires product information for predetermined products delivered by multiple deliverers NG-1 to NG-m from a supplier terminal 2 (described later). Product information includes information about the product itself (e.g., manufacturer information, temperature control information, best-before date / use-by date information, etc.), information related to traceability, and information about the delivery destination (including information about orders from the delivery destination, such as delivery location and quantity (information received by the delivery supplier)). The acquired product information is managed centrally as inventory information by the server 1. In other words, information related to shared inventory is managed centrally by the server 1.

[0023] The service provider S sorts the specified products stored as inventory based on the product information (specifically, based on information regarding orders from the delivery destination (information received by the delivery company)) and delivers the specified products to the delivery destination (for example, a relevant business establishment among hotel establishments HJ-1 to HJ-n). The specified products are delivered to the delivery destination by, for example, a truck ST of trucking company TJ requested by the service provider S, which delivers the products to the delivery destination. Because the service provider S sorts the specified products, the delivery company does not have to perform the complicated work that was previously required. Furthermore, because the sorted specified products are delivered by the service provider S, the hotel only needs to handle receiving and administrative tasks with the service provider S.

[0024] The server 1 acquires information about orders from delivery destinations (information about orders received by delivery companies) from the delivery companies, and can therefore plan efficient delivery routes based on this information. As a result, the service provider S can deliver the specified products to the delivery destinations along the delivery routes planned by the server 1 (for example, milk-run delivery is possible).

[0025] The server 1 is communicatively connected to and controls data linkage with supplier terminals 2 (described later) managed by multiple suppliers NG-1 to NG-m, respectively. The server 1 is also communicatively connected to and controls data linkage with hotel terminals 3 (described later) managed by hotels and multiple hotel establishments HJ-1 to HJ-n, respectively.

[0026] In this service, the server 1 controls the execution of data linkage and centrally manages inventory information related to the shared inventory, thereby controlling the flow of information and goods. As a result, it is possible to visualize the shared inventory and ensure optimal inventory and optimal ordering. Furthermore, it is possible to realize joint purchasing among multiple hotels (Hotel A HA to Hotel P HP). As will be described later, it is also possible to realize efficient berth reservations. These effects will be explained below.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an overview of this service for multiple hotel establishments, which can be realized by an information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] As described above, the server 1 managed by the service provider S is communicatively connected to the supplier terminals 2 (described later) managed by the multiple suppliers NG-1 to NG-m, respectively, and controls data linkage. The server 1 is also communicatively connected to the hotel terminals 3 (described later) managed by the multiple hotel establishments HJ-1 to HJ-n, respectively, and controls data linkage. The server 1 acquires product information for specific products delivered by the multiple suppliers NG-1 to NG-m from the supplier terminals 2 (described later), and centrally manages this acquired product information as inventory information related to shared inventory.

[0029] When the server 1 is accessed by each of the supplier terminals 2 of multiple suppliers NG-1 to NG-m, the server 1 controls the visualization of information relating to at least a portion of multiple predetermined products that are managed in a unified manner as shared inventory in response to the access, and controls the visualization of information to be displayed on the supplier terminal 2. When the server 1 is accessed by each of the hotel terminals 3 of multiple hotel establishments HJ-1 to HJ-n, the server 1 controls the visualization of information relating to at least a portion of multiple predetermined products that are managed in a unified manner as shared inventory in response to the access, as described above, and controls the visualization of information to be displayed on the hotel terminal 3.

[0030] Each of the multiple deliverers NG-1 to NG-m can check the inventory status of a specific product by viewing the information related to the shared inventory displayed on the supplier terminal 2. Therefore, this service can contribute to the realization of appropriate inventory. Furthermore, each of the multiple deliverers NG-1 to NG-m can also check the status of whether the product has been shipped to the corresponding hotel establishment after delivery by viewing the information related to the shared inventory displayed on the hotel terminal 3. Each of the multiple hotel establishments HJ-1 to HJ-n can check the inventory status of a specific product by viewing the information related to the shared inventory displayed on the hotel terminal 3. Therefore, this service can contribute to the realization of appropriate ordering. Furthermore, each of the multiple hotel establishments HJ-1 to HJ-n can check the order status of a specific product (and can also check the order history) by viewing the information related to the shared inventory.

[0031] Meanwhile, at service provider S, server 1 acquires product information from each of multiple deliverers NG-1 to NG-m's supplier terminals 2 and uses this information as shared inventory information. Using the shared inventory information, a staff member can, for example, use a handheld terminal to inspect incoming goods or perform sorting. Information related to the incoming goods inspection and sorting is transmitted from the handheld terminal or other device to server 1 and centrally managed. For sorting, a system configuration that enables digital picking is preferable. During sorting, products are sorted into those that can be stored at room temperature, those that require refrigeration, and those that require freezing based on the shared inventory information. The sorted products are stored in a temperature-controlled warehouse until shipment. At the time of shipment, a staff member, for example, uses a handheld terminal to perform shipping inspection. After loading onto a truck, the products are shipped according to a delivery route previously planned by server 1.

[0032] Based on the information related to the shared inventory, the server 1 controls the temperature and expiration date (including expiration date and shipping time) of the specified products stored in the above-mentioned warehouse. Information related to shipping inspection and shipping is transmitted from a handy terminal or the like to the server 1 and managed centrally.

[0033] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an overview of this service for multiple hotels, which can be realized by an information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] As described above, the server 1 managed by the service provider S is communicatively connected to the supplier terminals 2 (described below) managed by the multiple suppliers NG-1 to NG-m, respectively, and controls data linkage. The server 1 is also communicatively connected to the hotel terminals 3 (described below) managed by the multiple hotels, namely, A Hotel HA to P Hotel HP, respectively, and controls data linkage. The server 1 acquires product information for specific products delivered by the multiple suppliers NG-1 to NG-m from the supplier terminals 2 (described below), and centrally manages this acquired product information as inventory information related to the shared inventory.

[0035] When the server 1 is accessed by each of the supplier terminals 2 of multiple suppliers NG-1 to NG-m, the server 1 controls the visualization of information relating to at least a portion of multiple specified products that are centrally managed as shared inventory in response to the access, and controls the display of the visualized information on the supplier terminal 2. Furthermore, when the server 1 is accessed by each of the hotel terminals 3 of multiple hotels (A Hotel HA to P Hotel HP), the server 1 controls the visualization of information relating to at least a portion of multiple specified products that are centrally managed as shared inventory in response to the access, as described above, and controls the display of the visualized information on the hotel terminal 3. Furthermore, when the server 1 is accessed by each of the hotel terminals 3 of multiple hotels (A Hotel HA to P Hotel HP) requesting a joint purchase of a specified product, the server 1 controls the execution of a predetermined process related to the joint purchase in response to the access.

[0036] Each of the multiple suppliers NG-1 to NG-m can check the stock status of a specific product by viewing the information related to the shared inventory displayed on the supplier terminal 2. This service can therefore contribute to the realization of appropriate inventory. Furthermore, each of the multiple hotels (Hotel A HA to Hotel P HP) can also check the stock status of a specific product by viewing the information related to the shared inventory displayed on the hotel terminal 3. This service can therefore contribute to the realization of appropriate ordering. Furthermore, each of the multiple hotel establishments HJ-1 to HJ-n can also check the order status of a specific product (and can also check the order history) by viewing the information related to the shared inventory.

[0037] Each of the multiple hotels (Hotel A HA to Hotel P HP) can request a joint purchase of the above-mentioned specified products, allowing them to purchase the specified products at a low price, for example. This service therefore provides a purchasing platform that can benefit multiple hotels.

[0038] The service provider S has been described with reference to FIG. 2, and so a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of visualization of shared inventory by this service.

[0040] Server 1 centrally manages the shared inventory and, upon access from supplier terminal 2 and hotel terminal 3 (described later), controls the visualization of information about at least some of a plurality of specified products in response to the access. Specifically, it controls the visualization of inventory information tailored to the hotel's business location and inventory information tailored to the supplier. For example, personnel in the XX department at business location A, personnel in the XX department at business location B, and personnel in the headquarters purchasing department can view the visualized inventory information to confirm quantities and adjust orders. Furthermore, personnel in the headquarters purchasing department can view the visualized inventory information to negotiate, adjust, and place orders with suppliers (negotiations, adjustments, and orders may also be conducted via chat, for example, through the service). Meanwhile, each supplier can view the visualized inventory information to confirm quantities and adjust delivery. Since the service provider S sorts the specified products, each supplier delivers them in bulk (the number limit in the figure will be described later).

[0041] Here, referring to Figure 4, we will briefly explain a use case of this service. Assume that a hotel purchases eggs as a regular commodity. For example, if a supplier informs the hotel that an order limit will be imposed for a certain period of time due to an outbreak of avian influenza or other virus, a purchasing department staff member at the head office will confirm with the supplier the quantity that can be ordered within the period and arrange for the order amount to be delivered in one lump sum to the service provider S. At the same time, the purchasing department staff at the head office will also confirm with the staff at each business office the number of eggs that each department will use within the period and allocate the inventory at the service provider S to each business office. The staff at each business office will order the limited quantity while checking the inventory information at the service provider S. The purchasing department staff at the head office will then coordinate subsequent orders with the supplier while checking the inventory information.

[0042] In such an example, by using this service, the hotel can secure a large amount of products that are subject to order restrictions. Also, by using this service, all hotel staff can check inventory information and adjust orders. Therefore, appropriate orders can be placed for products with supply restrictions. On the other hand, by using this service, the supplier can exercise control on the shipper side, making it easier to adjust supply. Also, by using this service, the supplier can deliver a large quantity in one go, instead of small deliveries, in the example above. Therefore, delivery labor hours can be reduced.

[0043] A different use case from the one described above will be briefly explained. The supplier handles "18 liter cans of fruit" made in China. Because "18 liter cans of fruit" are room temperature products with a long shelf life, the hotel orders a large quantity and arranges for them to be delivered in bulk to service provider S. On the hotel side, each business office / department orders from inventory as needed. When an alert regarding the expiration date is received from server 1, the hotel checks inventory and, in cooperation with the purchasing staff of each business office, makes changes to the menu that use the relevant product so that it can be consumed within the deadline.

[0044] In this example, by using this service, the hotel can prevent inventory loss even when ordering large quantities. Furthermore, by using this service, the hotel can order from its inventory as needed from each business office / department. In other words, they can order the required quantity as needed while checking the inventory. Meanwhile, by using this service, the supplier can reduce delivery man-hours and inventory risk.

[0045] An example of the shared inventory will now be described. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an overview of the shared inventory.

[0046] As shown in Figure 5, supplier NG-1 stores wines W1 to W3 in a warehouse, for example, for delivery to Hotel A HA. In this warehouse, supplier NG-2 stores wines W4 and W5 intended for Hotel B HB. Here, it is assumed that wines W1 to W3 and wines W4 and W5 are the same product. If Hotel A HA places an order for an urgent delivery of four bottles, the warehouse has five bottles in stock, but wines W4 and W5 are owned by supplier NG-2, and because they are intended for Hotel B HB, they cannot be delivered to Hotel A HA. In other words, the order for an urgent delivery of four bottles from Hotel A HA cannot be fulfilled.

[0047] In contrast, with this service, ownership of wines W1 to W3 and wines W4 and W5 is transferred to service provider S before they are stocked. Therefore, even if Hotel A HA urgently orders four bottles to be delivered, service provider S can deliver four of the five bottles of wines in stock (wines W1 to W4) to Hotel A HA. With this service, ownership is transferred to service provider S and the wines become shared inventory, so it is possible to respond to urgent orders such as those in the example above. Note that supplier NG-1 simply needs to check the information on the shared inventory and deliver wines W1 to W3 to service provider S. Similarly, supplier NG-2 simply needs to check the information on the shared inventory and deliver wine W4 to service provider S.

[0048] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of joint purchasing with other hotels using this service.

[0049] Server 1 centrally manages the shared inventory, and when accessed by a supplier terminal 2 and a hotel terminal 3 (described later), controls the visualization of information about at least some of a plurality of predetermined products in response to the access. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, it controls the visualization of inventory information tailored to each hotel, such as Hotel A, Hotel B, and Hotel C, as well as inventory information tailored to the supplier. For example, purchasing staff at Hotel A, Hotel B, and Hotel C can view the visualized inventory information to check quantities and adjust orders.

[0050] While the products used in hotels vary slightly depending on the hotel's classification (e.g., city hotel, business hotel), there are many commonly used "standard" items. For example, materials include packaging, toothbrushes, slippers, and toothpaste. Amenity goods include shampoo and conditioner. Food items include rice, sugar, oil, seasonings, and eggs. Typically, each hotel's purchasing manager selects a supplier (supplier), obtains competitive bids, and orders standard items from the supplier offering the lowest terms. Conventionally, hotels have varying purchasing power, resulting in disparate purchasing costs. To address this issue, the present service allows the server 1 to calculate the quantity of "standard items" used by each hotel and place orders with suppliers in total lots, thereby reducing product procurement costs. Specifically, the present service allows hotels, such as Hotel A, Hotel B, and Hotel C, to engage in joint purchasing (joint purchasing) (an example of joint purchasing is described below).

[0051] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the joint purchase of FIG.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 7 , assume that the shared inventory of toothbrushes at service provider S is 100 units. Toothbrushes are one of the "standard" products mentioned above. In step S1 of FIG. 7 , when a person in charge at Hotel A, H1, places an order for 120 toothbrushes, server 1 (described later) notifies person in charge at Hotel A, H1, in step S2, that the current shared inventory is 100 units and that an additional 20 units must be ordered. At this time, server 1 notifies person in charge at Hotel A, H1, of a 20% discount for an additional order of 50 units, along with a "joint purchase button" that encourages joint purchase when placing the additional order. Since the 20% discount is a good deal, person in charge at Hotel A, H1, presses the "joint purchase button" mentioned above in step S3 to encourage other hotel personnel to participate in the joint purchase.

[0053] When the Hotel A representative H1 presses the "joint purchase button," in step S4, the server 1 notifies the other hotel representatives that if they order 30 or more toothbrushes, they will receive a 20% discount off the regular price, encouraging them to join the joint purchase. Here, it is assumed that Hotel B representative H2 and Hotel C representative H3 have agreed to the joint purchase. In step S5A, Hotel B representative H2 orders 20 toothbrushes. In step S5B, Hotel C representative H3 orders 10 toothbrushes. The server 1 accepts the orders for 30 toothbrushes from Hotel B representative H2 and Hotel C representative H3, and also accepts the 20 toothbrushes from Hotel A representative H1, and executes processing to place an additional order for a total of 50 toothbrushes.

[0054] In step S6, service provider S places an additional order for 50 toothbrushes with supplier NG (note that server 1 may also perform control so that an additional 50 toothbrushes can be automatically ordered from supplier NG). In step S7, when supplier NG delivers 50 toothbrushes, service provider S's shared toothbrush inventory becomes 150. Of these, 120 are delivered to Hotel A, 20 to Hotel B, and 10 to Hotel C. Through joint purchasing, 20 of the 120 toothbrushes ordered by Hotel A representative H1 are discounted by 20% (step S8A). The 20 toothbrushes ordered by Hotel B representative H2 are also discounted by 20% (step S8B). The 10 toothbrushes ordered by Hotel C representative H3 are also discounted by 20% (step S8C). Thus, with this service, the joint purchasing function allows hotels to reduce product procurement costs.

[0055] Here, we will briefly explain the use cases of this service regarding joint purchasing. For example, if the price of "commercial cooking oil" increases significantly, hotels can work together and use the joint purchasing function to purchase in bulk, allowing them to purchase the product as it was before the price increase for a certain period of time after the price increase. The "commercial cooking oil" purchased in bulk is appropriately stored as shared inventory by service provider S, and inventory information related to the shared inventory is centrally managed by server 1, so that orders can be placed as needed after checking the inventory.

[0056] Next, an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] The information processing system shown in Figure 8 is configured to include a server 1 managed by service provider S, supplier terminals 2-1 to 2-m operated by each of suppliers NG-1 to NG-m (m is any integer value greater than or equal to 1), a plurality of hotel terminals operated by, for example, each of the business office staff at A Hotel HA to P Hotel HP (for example, at A Hotel HA, hotel terminals 3-A1, 3-A2, ... correspond to this; at B Hotel HB, hotel terminals 3-B1, 3-B2, ... correspond to this; and at P Hotel HP, hotel terminals 3-P1, 3-P2, ... correspond to this), and truck operator terminals 4-1 to 4-k (k is any integer value greater than or equal to 1) operated by, for example, each of the drivers of truck operator TJ.

[0058] The server 1, the supplier terminals 2-1 to 2-m, the hotel terminals (hotel terminals 3-A1, 3-A2, etc.), and the truck operator terminals 4-1 to 4-k are interconnected via a network N such as the Internet.

[0059] Each of the supplier terminals 2-1 to 2-m is configured, for example, as a smartphone, a tablet, etc. When there is no need to distinguish between the supplier terminals 2-1 to 2-m, they will be simply referred to as supplier terminals 2.

[0060] Each of the multiple hotel terminals (hotel terminals 3-A1, 3-A2, ..., etc.) is configured, for example, as a smartphone, tablet, etc. When there is no need to distinguish between the multiple hotel terminals, they will be simply referred to as hotel terminals 3.

[0061] Each of the truck operator terminals 4-1 to 4-k is configured, for example, as a smartphone, a tablet, etc. When there is no need to distinguish between the truck operator terminals 4-1 to 4-k, they will be simply referred to as truck operator terminals 4.

[0062] FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a server in the information processing system of FIG.

[0063] The server 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, a bus 14, an input / output interface 15, an input unit 16, an output unit 17, a memory unit 18, a communication unit 19, and a drive 20.

[0064] The CPU 11 executes various processes according to programs recorded in the ROM 12 or programs loaded from the storage unit 18 into the RAM 13. The RAM 13 also stores data and the like necessary for the CPU 11 to execute various processes.

[0065] The CPU 11, ROM 12, and RAM 13 are interconnected via a bus 14. An input / output interface 15 is also connected to this bus 14. An input unit 16, an output unit 17, a storage unit 18, a communication unit 19, and a drive 20 are connected to the input / output interface 15.

[0066] The input unit 16 is configured with, for example, a keyboard and is used to input various types of information. The output unit 17 is configured with, for example, a display such as an LCD, a speaker, and the like and outputs various types of information as images and sounds. The storage unit 18 is configured with, for example, a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) and is used to store various types of data. The communication unit 19 communicates with other devices (for example, the supplier terminal 2, hotel terminal 3, and truck operator terminal 4 in FIG. 8) via a network N including the Internet.

[0067] Removable media 30, such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, or semiconductor memory, is appropriately attached to the drive 20. Programs read from the removable media 30 by the drive 20 are installed in the storage unit 18 as needed. The removable media 30 can also store various data stored in the storage unit 18 in the same way as the storage unit 18.

[0068] Although not shown, the supplier terminal 2, hotel terminal 3, and truck operator terminal 4 in Fig. 8 can also have basically the same hardware configuration as that shown in Fig. 9. Therefore, a description of the hardware configuration of the supplier terminal 2, hotel terminal 3, and truck operator terminal 4 will be omitted.

[0069] The various hardware and software components constituting the information processing system of FIG. 8, including the server 1 of FIG. 9, work together to execute various processes for providing the present service of FIG.

[0070] FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the server of FIG. 9 in the information processing system of FIG.

[0071] 10, the CPU 11 of the server 1 functions as a product information acquisition unit 51, a centralized inventory management unit 52, an inventory display control unit 53, a joint purchasing control unit 54, and a joint logistics control unit 55. In addition, a delivery company DB 81, a hotel DB 82, a trucking company DB 83, and an inventory information DB 84 are provided in one area of ​​the memory unit 18 of the server 1.

[0072] The supplier DB 81 stores information on each of a plurality of suppliers NG-1 to NG-m. The hotel DB 82 stores information on each of a plurality of hotels (A Hotel HA to P Hotel HP) and information on each of hotel establishments HJ-1 to HJ-n. The truck company DB 83 stores information on truck operator TJ. The inventory information DB 84 stores information on shared inventory, information on orders, etc.

[0073] The product information acquisition unit 51 acquires information on predetermined products in stock as product information from each of the plurality of supplier terminals 2-1 to 2-m for each of the plurality of suppliers NG-1 to NG-m, and stores this information in the supplier DB 81. The centralized inventory management unit 52 centrally manages product information as inventory information for those of the plurality of predetermined products whose ownership has been transferred to the service provider S and made into shared inventory, and stores the inventory information in the inventory information DB 84.

[0074] In response to access from the supplier terminal 2 and / or the hotel terminal 3, the inventory display control unit 53 visualizes information about at least some of the specified products that are centrally managed as inventory and controls the display of the information on the accessed terminal. In this way, the product information acquisition unit 51, the centralized inventory management unit 52, and the inventory display control unit 53 function to enable shared inventory and visualization of the shared inventory, thereby achieving optimal inventory and optimal ordering. This allows both multiple suppliers and multiple hotels to promote efficiency.

[0075] The joint purchasing control unit 54 receives requests for joint purchases of predetermined products (for example, the joint purchases shown in FIGS. 6 and 7) from each of the multiple suppliers NG-1 to NG-m from each of the multiple hotel terminals 3, controls the execution of predetermined processing related to the joint purchase, and stores information related to the joint purchase in the hotel DB 82 or inventory information DB 84. In this way, the functioning of the joint purchasing control unit 54 makes it possible to realize joint purchases, thereby further promoting efficiency.

[0076] The joint logistics control unit 55 controls the execution of predetermined processes related to logistics for delivering the plurality of predetermined products that are the subject of the joint purchase to each of the plurality of hotels, etc. In this way, the functioning of the joint logistics control unit 55 makes it possible to realize joint logistics, thereby promoting further efficiency.

[0077] Next, various examples of screens will be described with reference to Figures 11 to 16. Figure 11 is a diagram showing an example of a screen when registering a transaction master stored in the storage unit of the server in the information processing system of Figure 8.

[0078] The example screen of the transaction master shown in FIG. 11 allows the registration of information about business partners (suppliers in this embodiment). Information that can be registered includes business partner code, business partner name, business partner name in kana, postal code, address 1, address 1 in kana, address 2, address 2 in kana, and telephone number. Selecting "Master Management" in the upper left corner of the screen enables the above-mentioned registration of business partner master. In addition to the business partner master, there is also user master, warehouse master, berth master, berth reservation slot master, office master, department master, product master, and inventory unit master, and various types of registrations are possible. Through the above-mentioned registration, the information about business partners is stored, for example, in the supplier DB 81.

[0079] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a screen when registering department master data stored in the memory unit of the server in the information processing system of FIG. 8. The example department master screen shown in FIG. 12 allows new registration and search of information related to business establishments and departments. Information that can be registered includes department code, department name, kana department name, and business establishment. Searches can be performed by department name, kana department name, and business establishment. FIG. 12 shows the results of a search in which Hotel A is entered as the business establishment. Through the above registration, information related to business establishments and departments is stored, for example, in the hotel DB 82.

[0080] Fig. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a screen related to the user master stored in the storage unit of the server in the information processing system of Fig. 8. On the screen showing the example of the user master shown in Fig. 13, it is possible to update or delete information related to the user master.

[0081] 14 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed when registering a product master stored in the memory unit of the server in the information processing system of FIG. 8. The example product master screen shown in FIG. 14 allows new registration and search of information about products for each supplier. Information that can be registered includes product code, product name, kana product name, manufacturer, inventory unit, quantity, etc. Searches can be performed by supplier. Through the above registration, product information is stored, for example, in the supplier DB 81.

[0082] Fig. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a screen related to updating and deleting the product master data of Fig. 14. As shown in Fig. 15, various information registered in the product master data can be updated or deleted. The example screen of Fig. 15 shows that it is possible to update or delete the product name, inventory unit, quantity, temperature range, etc.

[0083] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example screen for searching inventory status and viewing an inventory list. The example screen shown in FIG. 16 allows users to search for inventory status and view an inventory list. Note that the inventory here refers to shared inventory. For example, a supplier or a hotel staff member can search for the current inventory status based on the storage location, product name, etc. The staff member can also view the inventory list (shared inventory list). Information viewable from the inventory list (shared inventory list) includes the product name, actual inventory quantity, theoretical inventory quantity, manufacturer, unit, quantity, temperature range, etc. In addition, in this embodiment, a lot-by-lot inventory list can also be viewed. The lot-by-lot inventory list allows users to view, for example, the best-before date / expiration date, inventory quantity, and available quantity. That is, the inventory quantity for each lot (e.g., best-before date) of the relevant product can be viewed.

[0084] The above list can be generated because the server 1 centrally manages the shared inventory, etc. The server 1 visualizes the inventory list and the inventory list by lot, thereby realizing optimal inventory and optimal ordering.

[0085] 17 is a diagram showing an example of reducing the workload of a supplier. In this embodiment, if Supplier NG receives an order for, for example, two bottles of Product A from "Department XX" of Hotel A HA, one bottle of Product A from "Department X," and three bottles of Product A from "Department △," Supplier NG, who receives the order, packs six bottles of Product A into one box and delivers them to Service Provider S. Note that the delivery requires only one dispatch of Truck NT. The six bottles of Product A can be delivered in one box because Service Provider S sorts the delivered Product A based on the product information obtained from Supplier NG and then ships them to Hotel A HA.

[0086] In the comparative example of Figure 17, similar to the above, if Supplier NG receives an order for two bottles of Product A from "Department X," one bottle of Product A from "Department X," and three bottles of Product A from "Department △" of Hotel A HA, Supplier NG, who receives the order, packs two bottles of Product A for "Department X" and delivers them to "Department X" by truck NT. Supplier NG also packs one bottle of Product A for "Department X" and delivers it separately to "Department X" by truck NT. Supplier NG also packs three bottles of Product A for "Department △" and delivers it separately to "Department △" by truck NT.

[0087] As described above, in this embodiment, the service provider S functions as a procurement logistics platform for hotels, which reduces the workload of the supplier NG. In addition, the transportation efficiency of the truck NT can be improved.

[0088] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of the berth reservation shown in FIG. 1. This service allows truck operator TJ to make efficient berth reservations when delivering goods to service provider S. That is, when truck operator TJ operates truck operator terminal 4 (see FIG. 8) to make a berth reservation with server 1, server 1 controls the process of recommending reservation slots through automatic prioritization. In the example of FIG. 18, the berth reservation status is assumed to include three reserved slots and empty slots (1) to (6). In this berth reservation status, server 1 prioritizes and recommends to truck operator TJ, for example, empty slot (4) as the first priority, empty slot (6) as the second priority, and empty slot (2) as the third priority. Upon receiving the recommendation, truck operator TJ can make an efficient berth reservation by selecting, for example, empty slot (4).

[0089] Fig. 19 is a diagram showing an example of efficiency promotion. In this embodiment, the service provider S functions as a procurement logistics platform for hotels, so that various systems such as those shown in Fig. 19 can be realized as a transportation efficiency promotion project, for example.

[0090] 1 to 19, in this embodiment, the product information acquisition unit 51, the centralized inventory management unit 52, and the inventory display control unit 53 function in the CPU 11 of the server 1, thereby enabling shared inventory and visualization of the shared inventory, thereby achieving optimal inventory and optimal ordering. Therefore, in this embodiment, both multiple suppliers and multiple hotels can promote efficiency.

[0091] Furthermore, the CPU 11 of the server 1 has a joint purchasing control unit 54 functioning to realize joint purchasing, thereby further promoting efficiency. The CPU 11 of the server 1 has a joint logistics control unit 55 functioning to realize joint logistics, thereby further promoting efficiency.

[0092] In this embodiment, if a supplier delivers goods to the service provider S in bulk, the server 1 can centrally manage the goods and deliver them to the hotel's multiple business locations for each order. In addition, the server 1 can issue hotel-specific delivery slips on behalf of the supplier, rather than the supplier. Furthermore, the service provider S's inventory function can be used to store frequently ordered products together (purchase storage, consignment storage, etc.), deliver orders for major holidays in advance, and implement business continuity planning (BCP) measures, and the server 1 can manage these functions. The server 1 can also visualize and view shared inventory. Furthermore, by providing a commercial flow (accounting) function, suppliers can initiate new transactions with hotels, and hotels can procure goods, for example, regional products or items for events, without opening a purchasing account.

[0093] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and modifications and improvements that can achieve the object of the present invention are considered to be included in the present invention. For example, while data integration is shown in Figure 1, integration with EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) managed by each of multiple suppliers and integration with EDI managed by each of multiple hotels are also included in the present invention.

[0094] For example, the system configuration shown in FIG. 2 and the hardware configuration of the server 1 shown in FIG. 3 are merely examples for achieving the object of the present invention, and are not particularly limited.

[0095] Furthermore, the functional block diagram shown in Fig. 10 is merely an example and is not particularly limited. That is, it is sufficient if the information processing system in Fig. 8 is provided with a function that can execute the various processes described above as a whole, and the functional blocks and databases used to realize this function are not particularly limited to the example in Fig. 10.

[0096] Furthermore, the locations of the functional blocks and databases are not limited to those shown in Fig. 10 and may be arbitrary. For example, at least some of the functional blocks and databases located on the server 1 side may be provided on the supplier terminal 2 side, the hotel terminal 3 side, the truck operator terminal 4 side, or another information processing device not shown.

[0097] The above-described series of processes can be executed by hardware or software, and each functional block can be configured by hardware alone, software alone, or a combination of both.

[0098] When a series of processes is executed by software, the programs constituting the software are installed onto a computer or the like from a network or a recording medium. The computer may be a computer incorporated into dedicated hardware. The computer may also be a computer capable of executing various functions by installing various programs, such as a server, a general-purpose smartphone, or a personal computer.

[0099] The recording medium containing such a program may be composed not only of a removable medium (not shown) that is distributed separately from the device main body in order to provide the program to the user, but also of a recording medium that is provided to the user in a state that is pre-installed in the device main body.

[0100] In this specification, the steps describing the program to be recorded on the recording medium include not only processes that are performed in chronological order, but also processes that are not necessarily performed in chronological order but are performed in parallel or individually.

[0101] To summarize the above, an information processing system to which the present invention is applied is sufficient as long as it has the following configuration, and can take on a variety of different embodiments. That is, an information processing system to which the present invention is applied (for example, the information processing system shown in FIG. 8) is an information processing system (for example, the information processing system shown in FIG. 8) including a plurality of first-class devices (for example, a plurality of supplier terminals 2-1 to 2-m in FIG. 9) operated by each of a plurality of suppliers (for example, a plurality of suppliers NG-1 to NG-m in FIGS. 1 to 3) who deliver predetermined products (for example, toothbrushes in FIG. 7), a second-class device (for example, hotel terminals 3-B1, 3-B2, ..., etc. in FIG. 8) operated by a delivery destination of the predetermined products (for example, Hotel A HA to Hotel P HP in FIGS. 1, 3, and 8, or hotel establishments HJ-1 to HJ-n in FIGS. 1 and 2), and a third-class device (for example, server 1 in FIGS. 8 to 10) that communicates with each of the plurality of first-class devices and the second-class devices, It is sufficient to provide the following for each of the plurality of deliverers: product information acquisition means (e.g., product information acquisition unit 51 in FIG. 10) that acquires, as product information, information on the specified products that are in stock from each of the plurality of type 1 devices; centralized inventory management means (e.g., centralized inventory management unit 52 in FIG. 10) that centrally manages, as inventory information (e.g., information registered in the product master in FIG. 14) for the specified products that have been transferred in ownership to a specified manager (e.g., service provider S in FIGS. 1 to 7) and made into stock (e.g., shared stock of wines W1 to W5 in FIG. 5); and inventory display control means (e.g., inventory display control unit 53 in FIG. 10) that, in response to access from the type 2 device, visualizes information on at least a portion of the specified products that are centrally managed as inventory (e.g., the inventory list in FIGS. 4 and 6) and displays it on the type 2 device.

[0102] This allows for shared inventory and visualization of the shared inventory, resulting in optimal inventory and optimal ordering, which in turn allows multiple suppliers and multiple hotels to promote efficiency.

[0103] There may be a plurality of delivery destinations, and the system may further comprise a group purchasing control means (e.g., the group purchasing control unit 54 in FIG. 10) that receives requests (e.g., additional orders for toothbrushes in FIG. 7) for the group purchase of the specified product (e.g., the group purchase in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7) from the plurality of delivery destinations from each of the plurality of second-type devices and controls the execution of a predetermined process for the group purchase (e.g., additional orders for toothbrushes in FIG. 7). This makes it possible to realize group purchasing, thereby further promoting efficiency.

[0104] The system may further include a joint logistics control means (for example, the joint logistics control unit 55 in FIG. 10) that controls the execution of predetermined processes (for example, automatic planning of delivery routes) related to logistics for delivering the plurality of predetermined products that are the subject of the joint purchase to each of the plurality of delivery destinations (for example, delivery by the milk run method in FIG. 1). This makes it possible to realize joint logistics, thereby promoting further efficiency.

[0105] 1: Server, 2: Supplier terminal, 3: Hotel terminal, 11: CPU, 12: ROM, 13: RAM, 14: Bus, 15: Input / output interface, 16: Input unit, 17: Output unit, 18: Memory unit, 19: Communication unit, 20: Drive, 30: Removable media, 51: Product information acquisition unit, 52: Centralized inventory management unit, 53: Inventory display control unit, 54: Joint purchasing control unit, 55: Joint logistics control unit, 81: Supplier DB, 82: Hotel DB, 83: Trucking company DB, 84: Inventory information DB

Claims

1. An information processing system including a plurality of first type devices operated by each of a plurality of suppliers who deliver specified goods, a second type device operated by a delivery destination of the specified goods, and a third type device that communicates with each of the plurality of first type devices and the second type device, wherein the third type device comprises: a product information acquisition means for acquiring information on the specified goods that are in stock from each of the plurality of first type devices as product information for each of the plurality of suppliers; a centralized inventory management means for centrally managing the product information as inventory information for those of the plurality of specified goods whose ownership has been transferred to a designated manager and made into stock; and an inventory display control means for executing control to visualize information on at least a portion of the plurality of specified goods that are centrally managed as inventory in response to access from the second type device, and display it on the second type device.

2. The information processing system of claim 1, further comprising a joint purchasing control means for receiving requests for joint purchasing of the specified product from the multiple delivery destinations from each of the multiple second type devices and controlling the execution of specified processing related to the joint purchasing.

3. The information processing system according to claim 2, further comprising a joint logistics control means for controlling the execution of a specified process relating to logistics for delivering the plurality of specified products that are the subject of the joint purchase to each of the plurality of delivery destinations.

4. An information processing method executed by an information processing device functioning as a third type device in an information processing system including a plurality of first type devices operated by each of a plurality of suppliers who deliver specified goods, a second type device operated by a delivery destination of the specified goods, and a third type device that communicates with each of the plurality of first type devices and the second type devices, the information processing method including: a product information acquisition step of acquiring information on the specified goods that are in stock from each of the plurality of first type devices as product information for each of the plurality of suppliers; a centralized inventory management step of centrally managing the product information as inventory information for those of the plurality of specified goods whose ownership has been transferred to a designated manager and made into stock; and an inventory display control step of executing control to visualize information on at least a portion of the plurality of specified goods that are centrally managed as inventory in response to access from the second type device, and displaying it on the second type device.

5. In an information processing system including a plurality of first type devices operated by each of a plurality of suppliers who deliver specified goods, a second type device operated by a delivery destination of the specified goods, and a third type device that communicates with each of the plurality of first type devices and the second type devices, a program for causing a computer controlling the third type devices to execute control processes including: a product information acquisition step for acquiring information on the specified goods that are in stock for each of the plurality of suppliers as product information from each of the plurality of first type devices; a centralized inventory management step for centrally managing the product information as inventory information for those of the plurality of specified goods whose ownership has been transferred to a designated manager and made into stock; and an inventory display control step for executing control to visualize information on at least a portion of the plurality of specified goods that are centrally managed as inventory in response to access from the second type device, and displaying it on the second type device.

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