Customer solicitation support system and information provision server

A customer solicitation support system, comprising:

• a portable apparatus which is carried by a customer;
• a plurality of client computers which are installed in shops;
• and
• a server which exchanges information among the plurality of client computers,
• wherein the portable apparatus comprises:
• a first display device which displays shop information indicating shops having stock of a product desired by the customer;
• and
• a first communication device which wirelessly communicates with the client computers to send customer information indicating the customer carrying, the portable apparatus and receive the shop information displayed on the first display device from one of the client computers closest to the customer;
• wherein each of the client computers comprises:
• a second communication device which wirelessly communicates with the first communication device of the portable apparatus to receive the customer information from the first communication device and send the shop information to the first communication device;
• and
• a third communication device which sends the customer information received by the second communication device to the server and receives the shop information sent by the second communication device from the server;
• and
• wherein the server comprises:
• a fourth communication device which receives the customer information from the portable apparatus via the client computers wirelessly communicating with the portable apparatus and sends the shop information which the first display device of the portable apparatus is caused to display;
• a customer information database which manages desired product information in association with customer information of each customer;
• a stock information database which manages stocked product information indicating stocked products in association with shop information of each shop;
• an extraction device which, upon receiving the customer information via the fourth communication device, extracts the desired product information associated with the customer information from the customer information database based upon the received customer information;
• and
• a control device which compares the desired product information extracted by the extraction device and the stocked product information registered in the stock information database, retrieves stocked product information coinciding with the desired product information, and outputs the shop information associated with the retrieved stocked price information to the fourth communication device.