Furnishing the identification of customers.

Background of the Invention

The present invention relates to apparatus for furnishing data, comprising an assembly of bibliographic information concerning publications in print, the information including a subject classification for each individual publication, and means for deriving from the assembly information regarding individual publications, whereby such information can be provided on request to first enquirers. The bibliographic information will be assembled in concrete form - the form used can be for instance a traditional card index or any of the techniques used in electronic or computer technology, e.g. an electronic memory or a machine-readable tape or disc.

It is a problem that a publisher does not know who might be interested in his publications, and he can waste considerable resources in circulating those who would have no interest in the publications. It is therefore desirable to be able to identify potential customers, i.e. those who are likely to have some sort of interest in a specific publication which is being brought out. There are already a number of assemblies of bibliographic information, including subject classifications, for publications in print. The assemblies however give no indication of who is likely to want any particular publication.

The Invention

According to the invention, the apparatus also includes an assembly of data on the first enquirers, including their identification and their subject interest, and means for providing from said data data identifying first enquirers having specific subject interests.

Using the invention, the data identifying the first enquirers can be given in written form, e.g. on cards, or printed out, or on a screen. The invention in effect creates market research from customer enquiries, the customers being the first enquirers. The first enquirer (the customer or user) identifies himself, and this can also include information as to how he can be contacted. Each first enquirer can be given a membership number, so that he can identify himself for further enquiries merely by giving e.g. his surname and number. The arrangement is such that the first enquirer is given access to the information in the classification for individual products, only if he identifies himself.

It is desirable, but not essential, that a first enquirer should state his subject interest (and preferably his special or product interest), in general terms. His interest can be deduced to a limited extent from his specific enquiry or the date he examines - e.g. for a book or serial, the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) or the ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) gives the scope of the specific enquiry. If the subject interest of the first enquirer is considered essential, a block can be included to ensure that the first enquirer does not have access to the database unless he gives his subject interest, and this subject interest can be related to the search, i.e. the search be confined only to the subject interest given.

First enquirers could for instance be given a booklet which enables them to define their subject interests in the way required, for later inclusion of the subject interests. Thus a first enquirer may only be required to give: - name; - position and/or title (if a company organisation); - name of company organisation and full postal address; - subject of search (which, if online will be given as a consequence of following online searching procedures).

The apparatus will provide the following further information: - date of enquiry; - ISBN/ISSN of book/serial titles revealed as a result of the enquiry (e.g. displayed online or included in named reports or office prints).

In one proposal, a first database is prepared, including full bibliographic information for British books in print, this information including the ISBN, a subject description for each book and a subject level classification for each book. Enquiries will be invited from the first enquirers (customers or users); the enquiries will be expected to be for specific books or specific subjects. The first database can however also enable the first enquirers to receive select bibliographies of books and serials. The first enquirers will be asked to fill in a standard card, which includes the subject of their interests and also the subject level of their interests (e.g. first degree, first year, etc). These enquiries will be formed into a second database which will be arranged so that it can be searched for subject description and subject level classification. Publishers, the second enquirers, will be invited to make use of the second database for specific targeting onto potential users of any new publications. The information given to the second enquirers is valuable economic information. On request, a publisher can be provided with the interests of the user as to subject, readership level and content description (separately or in combination). The information given can include up-to-date market profiles of customers with an active interest in purchasing say British books, based on the precise nature of that interest. A publisher can be provided with a note of which of his titles have appeared on book lists provided to first enquirers.

In detail, the first database will be built up so as to permit the following search criteria.

For book titles:

- author - title - whether pre-publication or in print - subject classification - readership level - keywords (which may be derived from title, content description and added subject indexing) - publisher and imprint - edition - price - publication date - ISBN (i.e. individual product numbering) - binding - extent - author affiliation - availability in selected key markets.

For serials:

- editor(s) - title - forthcoming or current - subject classification - readership level - keywords (on the same basis as for book titles) - publication frequency - price - ISSN - publisher.

The subject classifications and index headings can be derived from the British Library's UKMARC subject indicators, if necessary amended for non-specialist use. The subject classification can be the Dewey classification and can include the Library of Congress classification with the Library of Congress subject heading. The readership levels can be based on existing U.K. publishing definitions, if necessary translated on a country-by-country basis. Content descriptions will be four or five line descriptions of the book's subject matter, or possibly a table of contents. Where appropriate, this description will contain essential keywords from chapter headings etc to allow greater and more precise searching.

In detail, the simplest way of setting up the system is to build up the first and second databases on cards, with a suitable index system for searching. The amount of information is far greater than any one person can hold, and a card database can provide a simple though rudimentary manual system. A more sophisticated system can hold the databases in computer-readable form and suitable programmes are available for providing the information from the respective databases to the first and second enquirers. In practice, the databases may be held together on the same disc drive.

Embodiments

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a schematic, perspective view of apparatus in accordance with the invention.

The invention is not yet in commercial operation, and the apparatus illustrated represents an experimental stage, which will be improved as discussed below. The apparatus includes a computer input keyboard 1, a monitor 2, a computer 3 which includes a disc drive (not separately illustrated) and a multi-drawer filing cabinet 4 with drawers containing card indexes.

The disc drive contains the assembly of bibliographic information, input using for instance publisher's lists of publications and the UKMARC subject indicators, as discussed above. The computer 3 can be any suitable microcomputer and suitable software is available to provide a relational database in which anything on the database can be searched. A suitable software package is the "Information Dimensions Package "DM"".

When a first enquirer asks for information regarding a publication or a subject, he is given this information, which can be brought up on the monitor 2.

The second database, the assembly of data on the first enquirers, is in the form of cards, there being a single card for each enquirer. The card will contain the information indicated above, and the cards are placed in the drawers in accordance with the UKMARC subject indicator.

On a second enquirer asking for customers who may be interested in a new publication, the UKMARC subject indicator of the new publication is determined and the card index is searched on the basis of this indicator, to reveal who has previously made enquiries relating to that subject or associates subjects. This information is presented on the individual cards, and can be read out or copied out for the second enquirer.

As a development of the system, the second database will be put on a disc drive and will be searched using the same relational database software as for the first database.

A printer can be associated with the computer 3 for printing out information, as well as (or instead of) bringing it up on the monitor 2.

The present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and modifications can be made within the spirit of the invention. Although invention has been developed particularly for application to the publishing industry, it is also applicable to other multi-product industries like pharmaceuticals or vehicle components.