Merchant activation tracking systems and methods

• US 20030187782A1
• Filed: 03/27/2002
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Erikson, Karin A., Long, Edward J. Jr., Sgaraglio, Michael L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,962,405 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

A method for analyzing merchant account information comprises receiving at a server computer application information on merchants applying for credit service accounts. The application information is electronically stored at a storage location. At the server computer information is received from a user computer on how at least some of the accounts are being serviced. The servicing information is stored at the storage location.

Claims

1. A method for analyzing merchant account information, the method comprising:

receiving at a server computer application information on merchants applying for credit service accounts;

electronically storing the application information at a storage location;

receiving at the server computer from a user computer information on how at least some of the accounts are being serviced; and

storing the servicing information at the storage location.

2. A method as in claim 1, further comprising receiving at the server computer a request from the user computer to generate a report on how at least one of the accounts is being serviced, generating the report at the server computer, and sending the report to the user computer.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein the requested report comprises a report showing whether the account was activated.

4. A method as in claim 2, wherein the requested report is selected from a group of aging reports consisting a report showing the number of days from signing until receiving an application, a report showing the number of days from receiving the application to approval of the application, a report showing the number of days from approval to account setup, a report showing the number of days from account setup to receiving a welcome kit, a report showing the number of days from receiving the welcome kit to being contact by a primary bank, a report showing the number of days from being contacted by the primary bank to being confirmed, a report showing the number of days from being confirmed to being activated, a report showing the number of days from being signed to being activated, a report showing the number of days from being approved to being activated, and a report showing the number of days from being welcomed to being activated.

5. A method as in claim 2, wherein the requested report comprises a report showing approval rates of the accounts.

6. A method as in claim 2, wherein the requested report comprises a report on applications declined and voided.

7. A method for managing how merchant accounts are being serviced, the method comprising:

receiving at a user computer over a network a document having fields for entering information on how a merchant account is being serviced;

entering servicing information into at least some of the fields; and

transmitting the servicing information to a server computer over the network.

8. A method as in claim 7, where the fields are listed in a sequence according to a timeline of how servicing events are to proceed.

9. A method as in claim 7, wherein the fields elicit information selected from a group consisting of whether a merchant has received a welcome kit, the date the welcome kit was received, whether the merchant has contacted a primary bank, the date the primary bank was contacted, any reason why the bank was not contacted, whether the primary bank has spoken to the merchant, whether the primary bank has all necessary information to process a switch, the date of the primary bank confirmation, any reason for not receiving a confirmation, and general comments.

10. A method for providing information to merchants, the method comprising:

receiving at a server computer application information on merchants applying for credit service accounts;

electronically storing the application information at a storage location;

receiving at the server computer from a user computer a request to identify merchants of a certain group; and

sending a document from the server computer the user computer containing information for generating letters to the identified merchants.

11. A method as in claim 10, wherein the request to identify merchants of a certain group includes those merchants that need to receive a welcome letter, and wherein the document sent from the server computer contains information for generating such welcome letters.

12. A computer system for analyzing merchant account information, the system comprising:

a server computer;

a storage device associated with the server computer;

wherein the server computer is configured to receive application information on merchants applying for credit service accounts, and to electronically store the application information in the storage device, and wherein the server computer is further configured to receive information on how at least some of the accounts are being serviced, and to store the servicing information at the storage location.

13. A computer system as in claim 12, wherein the server computer is further configured to receive a request from a user computer to generate a report on how at least one of the accounts is being serviced, to generate the report, and to send the report to the user computer.

14. A computer system as in claim 13, wherein the requested report comprises a report showing whether the account was activated.

15. A computer system as in claim 13, wherein the requested report is selected from a group of aging reports consisting a report showing the number of days from signing until receiving an application, a report showing the number of days from receiving the application to approval of the application, a report showing the number of days from approval to account setup, a report showing the number of days from account setup to receiving a welcome kit, a report showing the number of days from receiving the welcome kit to being contact by a primary bank, a report showing the number of days from being contacted by the primary bank to being confirmed, a report showing the number of days from being confirmed to being activated, a report showing the number of days from being signed being activated, a report showing the number of days from being approved to being activated, and a report showing the number of days from being welcomed to being activated.

16. A computer system as in claim 13, wherein the requested report comprises a report showing approval rates of the accounts.

17. A computer system as in claim 13, wherein the requested report comprises a report on applications declined and voided.