Client relationship management and product distribution system and method

A method of remotely managing inventories of a plurality of vending devices over a communications network, comprising the steps of:

• authenticating an operator of an accessed vending device of said plurality of vending devices to determine if said operator is licensed to purchase one or more hair care or cosmetic products
• receiving a selection of said one or more hair care or cosmetic products from said operator by said accessed vending device;
• receiving payment information from said operator by said accessed vending device;
• verifying, by said accessed vending device, said payment information is sufficient to cover a cost of said one or more hair care or cosmetic products selected by said operator;
• dispensing said one or more hair care or cosmetic products by said accessed vending device if it is determined that said received payment information is sufficient to cover the cost of said selection of said one or more hair care or cosmetic products;
• generating transaction data, said transaction data comprising identification information of said accessed vending device and said one or more hair care or cosmetic products purchased by said operator from said accessed vending device;
• receiving said transaction data from each of said plurality of vending devices by a central computer over said communications network;
• remotely managing inventory of each of said plurality of vending devices by said central computer which maintains and updates inventory data for said each of said plurality of vending devices based on said transaction data received from said each of said plurality of vending devices over said communications network when a purchase is made on said each of said plurality of vending devices;
• and
• scheduling delivery to replace vended hair care or cosmetic products to said each of said plurality of vending devices by said central computer, according to fashion trends, based on said updated inventory data maintained at said central computer for said each of said plurality of vending devices and thereby reduce risk of stale inventory at each of said plurality of vending devices.

A method of remotely managing inventories of a plurality of vending devices over a communications network, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a selection of a shade from a plurality of shades associated with a hair care or cosmetic product from an operator by an accessed vending device of said plurality of vending devices;
• determining by said accessed vending device a pre-specified amount of each base stock color required to prepare said shade selected by said operator;
• delivering a tray containing said shade of said prepared hair care or cosmetic product at the point-of-use to said operator by said accessed vending device;
• generating transaction data by said accessed vending device, said transaction data comprising identification information of said accessed vending device and said shade of said prepared hair care or cosmetic product purchased by said operator from said accessed vending device;
• receiving said transaction data from each of said plurality of vending devices by a central computer over said communications network;
• and
• remotely managing inventory of each of said plurality of vending devices by said central computer which maintains and updates inventory data for said each of said plurality of vending devices based on said transaction data received from said each of said plurality of vending devices over said communications network when a purchase of said shade is made on said each of said plurality of vending devices;
• and
• scheduling delivery to replace depleted base stock colors to said each of said plurality of vending devices by said central computer based on said updated inventory data maintained at said central computer, according to fashion trends, for said each of said plurality of vending devices and thereby reduce risk of stale inventory at each of said plurality of vending devices.

A system for remotely managing inventories of a plurality of vending devices over a communications network, comprising:

• a central computer in communications with said plurality of vending devices over said communications network;
• and
• each vending device comprising:
• an user interface to authenticate an operator of a vending device to determine if said operator is licensed to purchase one or more hair care or cosmetic products and to permit said operator to select and purchase said one or more hair care or cosmetic products from said each vending device;
• a processor to generate transaction data comprising identification information of said each vending device and said one or more hair care cosmetic products purchased by said operator from said each vending device;
• and
• a transmitting device to transmit transaction data generated by said processor to said central computer over said communications network;
• and
• wherein said central computer remotely manages inventory of each of said plurality of vending devices by updating inventory data maintained at said central computer for said each of said plurality of vending devices based on said transaction data received from said each of said plurality of vending devices over said communications network when a purchase is made on said each of said plurality of vending devices;
• and
• wherein said central computer schedules delivery to replaced vended hair care or cosmetic products to said each of said plurality of vending devices based on said updated inventory data maintained at said central computer, according to fashion trends, for said each of said plurality of vending devices and thereby reduce risk of stale inventory at each of said plurality of vending devices.

A system for remotely managing inventories of a plurality of vending devices over a communications network, comprising:

• a central computer in communications with said plurality of vending devices over said communications network;
• and
• each vending device comprising:
• a user interface to authenticate an operator of a vending device to determine if said operator is licensed to purchase one or more hair care or cosmetic products and to receive a selection of said one or more hair care or cosmetic products from said operator;
• a payment device to receive payment information from said operator;
• a processor to verify said payment information is sufficient to cover a cost of said one or more hair care or cosmetic products selected by said operator;
• a dispensing device to dispense said one or more hair care or cosmetic products from said each vending device if said processor determines said received payment information is sufficient to cover the cost of said selection of said one or more hair care or cosmetic products;
• and
• a transmitting device to transmit transaction data generated by said processor to said central computer over said communications network, said transaction data comprising identification information of said each vending device and said one or more hair care or cosmetic products purchased by said operator from said each vending device;
• and
• wherein said central computer remotely manages inventory of each of said plurality of vending devices by updating inventory data maintained at said central computer for said each of said plurality of vending devices based on said transaction data received from said each of said plurality of vending devices over said communications network when a purchase is made on said each of said plurality of vending devices;
• and
• wherein said central computer schedules delivery to replace vended hair care or cosmetic products to said each of said plurality of vending devices based on said updated inventory data maintained at said central computer, according to fashion trends, for said each of said plurality of vending devices and thereby reduce risk of stale inventory at each of said plurality of vending devices.

A system for remotely managing inventories of a plurality of vending devices over a communications network, comprising:

• a central computer in communications with said plurality of vending devices over said communications network;
• and
• each vending device comprising:
• a user interface to receive a selection of a shade from a plurality of shades associated with a hair care or cosmetic product from an operator;
• a payment device to receive payment information from said operator;
• a processor to determine a pre-specified amount of each base stock color required to prepare said shade selected by said operator, and to generate a transaction data when said payment information is received by said payment device for said hair care or cosmetic product, said transaction data comprising identification information of said each vending device, said shade of said hair care or cosmetic product purchased by said operator;
• a plurality of reservoirs, each containing different base stock color of said hair care or cosmetic product, to dispense said determined pre-specified amount of the respective base stock color into a tray to provide said shade of said hair care or cosmetic product;
• a dispensing device for delivering said tray containing said prepared hair care or cosmetic product at the point-of-use to said operator;
• and
• a transmitting device for transmitting said transaction data to said central computer over said communications network;
• and
• wherein said central computer remotely manages inventory of each of said plurality of vending devices by updating inventory data maintained at said central computer for said each of said plurality of vending devices based on said transaction data received from said each of said plurality of vending devices when a purchase of said shade is made on said each of said plurality of vending devices;
• and
• wherein said central computer schedules delivery to replace depleted base stock colors to said each of said plurality of vending devices based on said updated inventory data maintained at said central computer, according to fashion trends, for said each of said plurality of vending devices and thereby reduce risk of stale inventory at each of said plurality of vending devices,
• wherein said each vending device further comprises a mixing device to mix said prepared hair care or cosmetic product prior to delivering said tray containing said prepared hair care or cosmetic product to said operator by said dispensing device.