Computer implemented customer value model in airline industry

• US 20020138332A1
• Filed: 02/14/2001
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teradata US, Inc. (Teradata Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Yung-Seop
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation

Abstract

A computer implemented method of evaluating customers in the airline industry in a given period is disclosed. Records of each customer'"'"' contribution factors, which include net revenue and number of flights, are first obtained. A score is then assigned for each of the attribute values. The records are consecutively sorted by the assigned scores, first for the net revenue, then for the number of flights. The records are further sorted by the raw values of the net revenue and number of flights, preferably until, records having different net revenue and/or number of flights have been sorted to different ranks. Finally, an evaluation score is assigned to each record which has been sorted.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of evaluating a plurality of records, each record having at least a first attribute and a second attribute, each of the first attribute and the second attribute having an associated attribute value, the method comprising:

a) first assigning a discretized attribute score for each of the attribute values;

b) first sorting the plurality of records in to an order based on the assigned discretized attribute scores associated with the first attribute;

c) second sorting the plurality of records in to an order based on the assigned discretized attribute scores associated with the second attribute;

d) third sorting the plurality of records in to an order based on the attribute values associated with at least the first attribute and the second attribute, until records, which have different attribute values associated with at least the first attribute or the second attribute, have been sorted to different ranks; and

e) second assigning an evaluation score to each record which has been sorted.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) includes the steps of:

(i) breaking the plurality of records into a number of groups based on the attribute values; and

(ii) for records of each group, assigning a discretized attribute score for the attribute values.

3. The method of claim 2, further including the step of sorting the plurality of records in the order based on the attribute values associated with one of at least the first attribute and the second attribute.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) includes the steps of:

(i) breaking the plurality of records into quartiles based on the attribute values associated with one of at least the first attribute and the second attribute; and

(ii) for records of each quartile, assigning one of the scores of 1, 2, 3, and 4 for the attribute values associated with the one of at least the first attribute and the second attribute.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) includes the steps of:

(i) splitting the records, which have been sorted, into a number of groups; and

(ii) assigning an evaluation score for records of each group.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) includes the steps of:

(i) splitting the records, which have been sorted, into 100 groups; and

(ii) assigning an evaluation score of between 1 and 100 for records of each group.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) is performed until records, which have same assigned discretized attribute scores but different attribute values associated with at least the first attribute or the second attribute, have been sorted to different ranks.

8. The method of claim 7, further including the steps of fourth sorting the plurality of records in the order based on the attribute values associated with the first attribute.

9. The method of claim 8, further including the steps of fifth sorting the plurality of records in the order based on the attribute values associated with the second attribute.

10. A computer implemented method of evaluating customers in the airline industry in a given period, the method comprising:

a) obtaining records of each customer'"'"' contribution factors with associated values, the contribution factors including at least net revenue and number of flights;

b) first assigning a discretized score for each of the associated values;

c) first sorting the records in order based on the assigned discretized scores associated with the net revenue;

d) second sorting the records in order based on the assigned discretized scores associated with the number of flights;

e) third sorting the records in order based on the associated values associated with at least the net revenue and the number of flights, until records, which have different associated values associated with at least the net revenue or the number of flights, have been sorted to different ranks; and

f) second assigning an evaluation score to each record which has been sorted.

11. A computer architecture for evaluating a plurality of records, each record having at least a first attribute and a second attribute, each of the first attribute and the second attribute having an associated attribute value, the computer architecture comprising:

a) means for first assigning a discretized attribute score for each of the attribute values;

b) means for first sorting the plurality of records in order based on the assigned discretized attribute scores associated with the first attribute;

c) means for second sorting the plurality of records in order based on the assigned discretized attribute scores associated with the second attribute;

d) means for third sorting the plurality of records in order based on the attribute values associated with at least the first attribute and the second attribute, until records, which have different attribute values associated with at least the first attribute or the second attribute, have been sorted to different ranks; and

e) means for second assigning an evaluation score to each record which has been sorted.

12. A computer system for evaluating a plurality of records, each record having at least a first attribute and a second attribute, each of the first attribute and the second attribute having an associated attribute value, the computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having stored therein sequences of instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of;

first assigning a discretized attribute score for each of the attribute values;

first sorting the plurality of records in order based on the assigned discretized attribute scores associated with the first attribute;

second sorting the plurality of records in order based on the assigned discretized attribute scores associated with the second attribute;

third sorting the plurality of records in order based on the attribute values associated with at least the first attribute and the second attribute, until records, which have different attribute values associated with at least the first attribute or the second attribute, have been sorted to different ranks; and

second assigning an evaluation score to each record which has been sorted.

13. An article, for use in evaluating a plurality of records, each record having at least a first attribute and a second attribute, each of the first attribute and the second attribute having, an associated attribute value, the article comprising:

at least one sequence of machine readable instructions in machine readable form,

wherein execution of the instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of;

first assigning a discretized attribute score for each of the attribute values;

first sorting the plurality of records in order based on the assigned discretized attribute scores associated with the first attribute;

second sorting the plurality of records in order based on the assigned discretized attribute scores associated with the second attribute;

third sorting the plurality of records in order based on the attribute values associated with at least the first attribute and the second attribute, until records, which have different attribute values associated with at least the first attribute or the second attribute, have been sorted to different ranks; and

second assigning an evaluation score to each record which has been sorted.