Virtual referral service

Abstract

An on-line referral system. According to a preferred embodiment, individuals in need of having services rendered on their behalf post situations, preferably via a billboard maintained on a website. Service providers meeting certain competency thresholds capable and willing to perform services on behalf of such posted situations are enable to bid or otherwise forward advertising or promotional information to the individual posting such situation. In this respect, such posted situation is disseminated to those service providers capable of rendering such services on behalf of the individual. The individual may then consider the information, as submitted, and either select a particular service provider, or choose not to go with any service provider responding to such situation. In either event, the posted situation is caused to be terminated and withdrawn from the billboard. In further refinements of the invention, revenue may be generated by collecting subscription fees from service providers and/or fees from individuals for posting the situations.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.