JPH06110421A - Sales assisting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To develop the most effective presentation provided so as to explain the article when a negotiation time is shorter than an expected time in environment wherein the presentation is made easy for a salesperson and a customer to see and listened to. CONSTITUTION:Portable equipments 1P and 1C equipped with display means 4P and 4C, input means 3P and 3C, and speech output means 5P and 5C are provided and the same contents, etc., are enabled to be seen and listened to; and a storage means 9 is stored with pieces of information to be reproduced together with their priority information and a master machine 1P is provided with a time specifying means which optionally specifies the reproduction times of those portable equipments 1P and 1C and a reproduced information automatic selecting means which selects information to be reproduced according to priority information when the specified reproduction time is shorter than a previously set reproduction time, so that information with high importance is reproduced automatically and preferentially within the limited time.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sales support device for supporting a sales sales activity by a salesperson.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been a sales support robot as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-220989 for the purpose of supporting sales. This is a stationary type in a store, and is intended to assist a salesperson by displaying a demonstration display to visitors. Therefore, it does not support door-to-door sales activities.

There is also a product explanation device for office equipment as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-176780. This was done in consideration of the fact that it takes a lot of effort to bring in and explain a multifunctional and large-sized product to the customer, and a portable device that operates only on the operation panel of the product is manufactured. With this portable device, the customer tries to make the customer experience the product in a simulated manner. Therefore,
Other than these, it does not have a support function for sales activities of ordinary products.

On the other hand, in recent years, portable computers have been commercialized, and product presentations are often made using them. In particular, if a huge amount of information such as sound and images for presentation is stored in a large-capacity storage medium such as a CD-ROM and played back by a portable computer, the product according to the conventional catalog or the like can be used. A presentation that is more impressive and easier to understand than an explanation.

[0005]

However, since an ordinary portable computer has only one liquid crystal (LCD) display screen, the operator (salesperson) and the customer sit face-to-face and have a business negotiation. In the state, since both cannot see the same screen at the same time, there is a problem that smooth sales activities cannot be performed even if the portable computer is used.

In consideration of such a point, display screens are provided on both the inside and outside of the lid of the portable computer so that both seated face-to-face can see each display screen at the same time. What has been proposed is proposed. However, in a portable computer, a liquid crystal display is generally used, it has directivity, and the angle at which the displayed contents can be clearly seen is limited, and normally it is not clear unless viewed from the front. . As a result, if there are liquid crystal display screens on both sides of the vertically standing lid, it is necessary to set the display screen so that it is located at the height of the line of sight between the salesperson and the customer. In (1), it is almost impractical to put the device on a table or the like which is located considerably below the eye level, and it is not practical. Therefore, it is desired to provide an environment in which sales personnel and customers can easily see and operate in sales activities.

Further, in the case of a presentation using this type of portable computer, since the speaker, especially the built-in speaker has directivity, it is not possible to convey sound to a plurality of people at the same level, which is inconvenient in business negotiations. is there.

Business negotiation time is an important factor in business negotiations. In order to give an effective presentation within a limited time, it is necessary to prepare a software recording medium that allows the product description to fit within the limited business talk time. However, the allowable negotiation time is
Generally, it differs for each customer, and there are many cases where even a specific customer is suddenly changed in schedule and the negotiation time is shortened. Therefore, it is difficult to prepare presentation software that can handle all customers and all cases. In this regard, it is conceivable that the salesperson may skip the display screen to the next screen or pause it during product description to adjust the time so that it fits within the promised business talk time. Requires a skilled salesperson's knowledge and the like, and is not very valuable as a sales support device. In addition, the display screen may be frequently skipped, which may cause discomfort to the customer.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the invention, display means for displaying characters and images, input means having a touch panel structure laminated on the display means, and voice for reproducing and outputting voice information are provided. At least two portable devices each provided with an output means are provided so as to be connected to each other, and one portable device among these portable devices is used as a master device to provide information such as characters, images, and sounds. Storage means for storing together with priority information and control means for controlling the respective means, display control means for displaying the same or different information stored in the storage means on each display means, and each input The input control means for inputting the same or different information from the means, and the voice output control means for outputting the same or different voices stored in the storage means from each voice output means are provided. And a reproduction information automatic selection means for selecting reproduction information to be reproduced when the specified reproduction time is shorter than a preset reproduction time, based on the priority information. It was installed on the base unit.

On the other hand, according to the second aspect of the invention, display means for displaying characters and images, input means having a touch panel structure laminated on the display means, and voice output means for reproducing and outputting voice information are respectively provided. At least two portable devices that are provided are connected to each other, and one of these portable devices serves as a master unit for storing information such as characters, images, voices, and the like. Display control means for incorporating the control means for controlling each means to display the same or different information stored in the storage means on each display means, and an input control means for inputting the same or different information from each input means. An audio output control means for outputting the same or different sounds stored in the storage means from each sound output means, and an information selection for arbitrarily selecting reproduction information from the information stored in the storage means. And means, and count information storage means for storing the selected number of times each information provided in the master unit.

Further, in the invention described in claim 3, in addition to the invention described in claim 1, an information selection means for arbitrarily selecting reproduction information from the information stored in the storage means, and a selection for each information. A number-of-times information storage means for storing the number of times performed,
The master unit is provided with a learning unit that compares the number of selections of each piece of stored information with a preset threshold value and updates and learns priority information for each piece of information.

[0012]

According to the first aspect of the invention, as a basic operation thereof, a plurality of portable devices each having a display unit, an input unit and a voice output unit are provided, and the same or different display information, voice output information, etc. Can be output, so that the salesperson and the customer who are seated face-to-face can see the display screen at the same time in a comfortable posture, and the playback sound can be heard at the same time. Will be able to support you. In such a situation, if the allowable business negotiation time is shorter than the preset reproduction scheduled time, the reproduction information automatic selecting means is operated after the reproduction time is specified by the time specifying means. High-priority information is automatically selected and played as priority playback information so that playback can be completed within the specified time, maximizing the limited time without requiring the sales staff to perform troublesome operations. It is possible to develop sales activities that take advantage of.

On the other hand, according to the second aspect of the invention, when the allowable business talk time is short, the salesperson estimates the customer's interest level and the like and arbitrarily selects the information desired to be reproduced in advance by the information selection means. Although it will be selected and specified, since the number-of-times information storage means stores the number-of-times selection information of each piece of information associated with such a selection operation, such information makes it possible for the general interest of customers when actually conducting sales activities. You can know the degree and use it for subsequent sales activities.

Further, in the invention described in claim 3, the priority information which is the basis for the automatic selection of the reproduction information in the invention described in claim 1 is the selection frequency information and the threshold value of each information by the salesperson selecting operation. Since the learning means is updated and learned by comparing the above, the automatic selection is performed based on the priority information reflecting the degree of interest of the customer, and more effective sales activities can be developed.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 2, the sales support apparatus of the present embodiment connects two portable devices, a parent device 1 _P and a child device 1 _C, to a connection cable 2
Connect with. These master unit 1 _P and slave unit 1 _C are
As shown in FIG. 1, input devices (input means) 3 _P and 3 _C , display devices (display means) 4 _P and 4 _C, and speakers (voice output means) 5 _P and 5 _C are provided, and each of them is provided. Control circuit 6 _P ,
6 _C , 7 _P , 7 _C , 8 _P and 8 _C are provided. An external storage device (storage means) 9 is provided in the parent device 1 _P , and an external storage control circuit 10 is provided corresponding to the external storage device 9. Further, a central processing unit (control means) 11 for controlling each of these means is provided in the master unit 1 _P.

Here, the display units 4 _P and 4 _C are for visualizing characters and image information based on the data created by the display control circuits 7 _P and 7 _C , and are constituted by a CRT or an LCD with a backlight. Has been done. Also, the input devices 3 _P , 3
_C is of the touch panel structure of a transparent material which is laminated on the display unit 4 _P, 4 on _C, and a pressing operation such as a finger or a pen on the display unit 4 _P, 4 _C by the displayed screen The coordinate information is input. Input control circuit 6 _P, 6 _C in the display device 4 _P, 4 and coordinate information input from the _C indicator 4 _P, 4 converts the display contents displayed in the _C to the appropriate code by matching the center Processor 11
To input. The speakers 5 _P and 5 _C reproduce and output the audio data created by the audio output circuits 8 _P and 8 _C. The external storage device 9 is configured as a CD-ROM drive, a hard disk drive, or the like, and can store a large amount of data regarding characters, images, voices, etc., and can read the stored data at high speed. This data input / output is controlled by the external storage control circuit 10.

Further, the master unit 1 _P and the slave unit 1 _C of this embodiment are
The size of the B5 is about 3 cm and the weight is about 2 kg, which can be realized by the current technical level, so that the salesperson can easily carry both machines. However, it is natural that the size and weight can be further reduced by future technological progress. Since the external storage device 9 such as a CD-ROM drive is not required on the slave unit 1 _C side, it may be thinner and lighter than the master unit 1 _P side. The connection cable 2 is supposed to have a sufficient length.

[0018] In any case, it carries these parent machine 1 _P slave unit 1 _C as a pair, in a presentation point, salesperson has to hand the parent machine 1 _P, to hand the customer a cordless handset 1 _C Each person can carry it in a position that is easy for them to see and handle.

In such a structure, the basic operation of this embodiment will be described first. First, the external storage device 9 stores information about sounds and images to be reproduced at the time of presentation. As shown in Figure 3, the contents of the presentation consist of several items ("Opening", "Product appearance").
"Product features" etc.). Further, each item of the presentation is made up of several scenes such as a picture-story show as illustrated in FIG. 4, and the displayed contents are different for each scene.
Also, each scene is paired with audio information corresponding to each scene. This audio information is an explanation sound about the displayed contents, a sound effect for giving a sense of presence,
It may be BGM to create an atmosphere.

Each item and each scene are stored in advance in the order of screening, and the screening time is also stored. According to the information example shown in FIG. 4, first, the scene 1 is shown for 10 seconds, then the scene 2 is shown for 8 seconds, and so on. Become. Therefore, if the data as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is created and stored in the external storage device 9, the salesperson can explain the product without performing a special operation.

The above processing will be described with reference to FIG. 1. First, the central processing unit 11 reads the above-mentioned information stored in the external storage device 9 through the external storage control circuit 10 and then reads it. Among them, the image information is the display control circuit 7 _P , 7
_The information is displayed on the indicators 4 _P and 4 _C via _C , and the audio information is output via the audio output circuits 8 _P and 8 _C to the speakers 5 _P and 4 _C , respectively.
Playback output from 5 _C. After the sound and image have finished playing,
When the preset screening time comes, the central processing unit 1
1 requests the external storage device 9 for the next scene or the data of the next item.

By the way, when actually explaining the product to the customer, the presentation time is limited as described above, and it is often impossible to reproduce all the prepared items and scenes. To deal with
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the external storage device 9 stores priority information for each item and each scene. This priority information is based on, for example, 10-level evaluation, and the larger the numerical value, the more important the item or scene, and the smaller the numerical value, the less important the item or scene.

[0023] Further, in this embodiment, as a play item scene selection method, "normal playback", "automatic selection" three of the selected mode of "manual selection" and are available, the display unit 4 _P of the main unit 1 _P As an initial display screen in FIG. 5, as shown in FIG. 5, in addition to the original image display section 21, each key display section 22 of “normal reproduction”, “automatic selection”, and “manual selection” appears and can be operated arbitrarily. Is configured. At the time of selection operation, the operator may press a section corresponding to a desired mode in the key display unit 22 with a finger or a pen. That is, the input device 3 is mounted on the surface of the display device 4 so as to be in contact therewith, and the input control circuit 6 discriminates the coordinate information of the portion pressed by the operator and converts it into code information corresponding to each function. Output to the central processing unit 11. Therefore, the central processing unit 11 discriminates the input function from such code information, and according to the function, each circuit 7,
Each functional process is performed by sending necessary commands to 8 and 10. FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of the mode selection process. "Normal Play" key display unit 22, such as is not displayed in the display unit 4 _C handset 1 _C side.

In the "normal reproduction" mode, the information stored in the external storage device 9 (see FIGS. 3 and 4).
This is a mode in which all of the above are played in the order of items / scene.
Therefore, if you select and press the "normal playback" display area,
Normal playback is performed.

The "automatic selection" mode corresponds to the invention described in claim 1, and by automatically selecting a part of a reproduction item / reproduction scene, reproduction with high importance is performed within a designated time. It is for making it. First, "automatic selection"
When the user presses select a display portion, the display device 4 _P becomes automatic selection setting screen as shown in FIG. 7, a time designation key display unit 24 as the time specifying means and a response key display unit 25 such as "Cancel", "OK" Appears. Therefore, by appropriately operating the arrow "↑" and "↓" portions on the time designation key display section 24, the permitted playback time is designated, and the "OK" response key display section 25 is pressed to perform playback. The time has been specified. In addition, this time designation key display unit 2
In the time display column of 4, the reproduction time (screening time) required for normal reproduction is initially displayed, and when the time is shorter than this, the time may be designated in this way.

When such a time designation is made, comparison with the show time is made according to the flow chart shown in FIG. 8. If the designated time is shorter than the preset show time, the time is insufficient, so Items or scenes are selected based on the priority information stored in the external storage device 9. Specifically, by deleting from the playback target in order from the scenes and items with low priority information,
The selection process is automatically performed so as to fit within the specified playback time. Therefore, items and scenes with high importance are reproduced preferentially, and efficient reproduction can be performed in developing sales activities within a limited time. The same priority may be given to some scenes, but in that case, the item having a higher priority may be prioritized.

Next, the "manual selection" mode is for performing reproduction within a designated time by arbitrarily selecting a part of reproduction items. When the user presses select "Manual selection" display portion, becomes the manual selection and setting screen as shown in FIG. 9 on the display 4 _P, as a table of contents screen item information and running time image display unit 21 as shown in FIG. 3 When a desired item field is displayed on the menu displayed, the reproduction item field is designated and displayed in the selected item order. When the response key display section 25 indicating “OK” has been selected, the selected item items are registered, and the actual reproduction process starts. During such a selection operation, the cumulative reproduction time of the selected item is calculated at any time, and the result is displayed in the time display field 26, so that the selection item can be changed appropriately in consideration of the allowable reproduction time. You can do it. As a result, prior to the presentation, the reproduction processing is performed only on the item selected and designated by the salesperson, and the reproduction can be completed within the permitted reproduction time.

By the way, in such a manual selection mode process, as shown in FIG. 4, not only the priority information but also the number of times selected by the above-mentioned manual selection is stored in the item information storage column as "registration count". Is provided, and the registration count is added and updated each time the item is selected and designated as shown in FIG. 9 (corresponding to the invention of claim 2). Therefore, after the salesperson develops sales activities for some customers, by acquiring this registration frequency information in some way,
It is possible to know the degree of interest in each item of all customers and to use it for subsequent sales activities. This is because the items that are likely to have a high degree of interest are usually selected preferentially.

Further, the number of registrations thus added and updated is compared with a predetermined threshold value set in advance, and when the threshold value is reached, the priority of the item is increased by one step. Learning is changed by learning means (not shown). Therefore, the degree of interest of the customer is reflected in the priority information, and the automatic setting of items in the automatic selection mode becomes more effective in sales activities. Such processing corresponds to the invention described in claim 3.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the learning process of the manual selection and the priority information.

[0031]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, display means for displaying characters and images, input means having a touch panel structure laminated on the display means, and voice output means for reproducing and outputting voice information. Storage means for providing information such as characters, images, voices, etc., in which at least two portable devices each provided with are connected to each other, and one of these portable devices serves as a master device. And a control means for controlling each of the above means, a display control means for displaying the same or different information on each display means, an input control means for inputting the same or different information from each input means, and each voice output means. Since the voice output control means for outputting the same or different voice from the above is provided, the salesperson who sits face-to-face and the customer can clearly see the display screen in a comfortable posture at the same time, and
In addition to the basic effect of supporting sales activities that the playback sound can be heard clearly at the same time, if the allowed business negotiation time is shorter than the preset scheduled playback time, playback is performed by the time designation means. After specifying the time,
By operating the playback information automatic selection means, the playback information is automatically selected and played by giving priority to the information with high priority so that the playback can be performed within the specified time. Without doing so, it is possible to develop sales activities that maximize the limited time.

On the other hand, according to the second aspect of the invention, when the allowable business talk time is short, the salesperson estimates the customer's interest level and the like and arbitrarily selects the information to be reproduced in advance by the information selection means. However, since the number-of-times information for selecting each piece of information associated with such a selection operation is stored in the number-of-times information storage means, such information allows
It is possible to know the degree of interest of customers in general when actually performing sales activities, and it can be useful for subsequent sales activities.

According to the invention described in claim 3, the priority information, which is the basis for the automatic selection of the reproduction information in the invention described in claim 1, is the number of times of selection of each information by the salesperson selecting operation and the threshold value. Since the update learning is performed by the learning means by comparison with the above, the automatic selection is performed based on the priority information reflecting the degree of interest of the customer, and more effective sales activities can be developed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an external configuration.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of stored item information.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of stored scene information.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an example of an initial display screen.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of mode selection processing.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an example of an automatic selection setting display screen.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing example of an automatic selection mode.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing an example of a manual selection setting display screen.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing example of a manual selection mode.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 _P Master = portable device 1 _C portable device 3 _P , 3 _C input means 4 _P , 4 _C display means 5 _P , 5 _C voice output means 9 storage means, frequency information storage means 11 control means 24 hour designation means

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. At least two portable types each including display means for displaying characters and images, input means having a touch panel structure laminated on the display means, and audio output means for reproducing and outputting audio information. Equipment is connected to each other,
A storage means for storing information such as characters, images, and voices together with their priority information and a control means for controlling the respective means using one of these portable devices as a master device. Display control means built in and displaying the same or different information stored in the storage means on each display means, input control means for inputting the same or different information from each input means, and each voice output means to the storage means A sound output control means for outputting the same or different sound stored in, and a time designating means for arbitrarily designating a playback time by these portable devices, and a playback time in which the designated playback time is preset. A sales support device, characterized in that the parent machine is provided with a reproduction information automatic selection means for selecting reproduction information to be reproduced when the reproduction time is shorter, based on the priority information. 2. At least two portable types each including display means for displaying characters and images, input means having a touch panel structure laminated on the display means, and audio output means for reproducing and outputting audio information. Equipment is connected to each other,
Using one of these portable devices as a master unit, a storage unit for storing information such as characters, images and sounds and a control unit for controlling each unit are built in, and each display unit is provided with the above unit. Display control means for displaying the same or different information stored in the storage means, input control means for inputting the same or different information from each input means, and the same or different audio stored in the storage means from each audio output means And an audio output control means for outputting, and an information selection means for arbitrarily selecting reproduction information from the information stored in the storage means,
A sales support device, characterized in that the parent machine is provided with a number-of-times information storage means for storing the number of times each piece of information has been selected. 3. An information selection means for arbitrarily selecting reproduction information from the information stored in the storage means, a frequency information storage means for storing the number of times of selection for each information, and each stored information. 2. The sales support device according to claim 1, wherein the master unit is provided with a learning unit that updates and learns the priority information for each piece of information by comparing the number of selections of the selected item with a preset threshold value.