Web-Enabled Expert Systems

The Internet offers an ever expanding set of capabilities. Many companies have the need to qualify prospective customers or make certain customer specifications are clear, unambiguous and fit within the company's capability or skill set. Because these activities are often complex, companies usually employ live telephone or internet sales personnel to handle them. But the cost/benefit curve is rapidly tilting toward using the web to automate many of these functions.

In the 1980's, in co-operation with the Chief Internist at Baylor University Hospital, we built an expert system we called "Decision Medical". The system used decision-tree logic to perform differential diagnosis to guide callers to determine whether their medical condition was a) an emergency situation requiring a call to 911, b) one that required them to make a medical appointment, or c) one for which they could apply a home treatment. By asking a tree-like series of questions it is possible to determine the probable cause and remedy for almost any situation requiring expert advice. Today this type of system has been implemented on the web by a number of health care organizations.

"The Corporate Health Check expert system that PTC Webworks Pro built for us not only shows companies where they need to improve but guides them to seek the right consultant."

Dan Weston
Consult2Texas

Here's what have done for some of our Internet clients:

For Consult2Texas.com we created an expert system that evaluates the current management practices of any company and predicts future performance and results. The health check acts first as a freely provided, powerful web-based resource that attracts corporate decision makers to the site. Then, where concern is warranted, the tool highlights areas where serious management attention is needed. Next, the Corporate Health Check encourages decison makers to consider engaging consultants to help alleviate any areas of concern. As a final step the Corporate Health Check offers profiles and service offerings of highly qualified consultants and how to contact them. Please Note: The Corporate Health Check is now offered as a free online resource at ItsAllAboutBusiness.com

Amerimark Capital Corporation - A Dallas-based merchant and investment banking firm. PTC Webworks Pro developed a process that redirects unsolicited emails, business plans, and proposals requesting capital funding to a qualifications location in the Amerimark website. Here solicitors are directed to interface with an expert system that collects and evaluates the information needed to pass initial Amerimark qualification hurdles. As a result Amerimark Capital executives no longer need personally review and consider unsolicited email offers.

One of the real benefits of expert systems is the ability to deliver real expertise to people who need it even though they are in remote locations or only occasionally need the expertise. Diagnostic expert systems are a prime example of this application. For example an elevator company that contracts with customers to provide maintenance, might provide an online expert system that is capable of determining whether the problem requires a technician to make a service call or whether the customer is capable of resolving the problem themselves...thus saving both parties time and money.

But on-line expert systems are also capable of much, much more. For example, it's now possible and practical for corporations to create expert systems that literally let remote managers learn what they need to do and when to do it in order to increase performance. We've built K-Seek™ a prototype of just such a system that covers all job responsibilities for an IT Services Facilities Management Account Manager. This highly flexible system is can be deployed anywhere worldwide via the Internet. And our exclusive K-Seek™ product has the ability to be easily adapted to virtually any management job. So if you are struggling to train and retain competent managers who do what they are supposed to do when they are supposed to do it you'll want to check out K-Seek™

At PT Consulting Partners, we know you want to take full advantage of all that the web has to offer. That's why we have invested heavily in developing a full range of Internet capabilities. That's also why we spend the time up-front to gain a clear understanding of your business and your business processes. We want each of our customers to gain clear competitive advantage over the competition. We firmly believe that the Internet offers a wide doorway for accomplishing that objective.