Method and apparatus for compensating a recipient that participates in a marketing communication

• US 20040030594A1
• Filed: 08/08/2002
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Berczik, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US10/216,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20040030594A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for compensating a recipient for participating in a marketing communication. The recipient may be compensated by means of a credit applied to his or her existing bill from the corresponding service provider, or by means of a credit applied to a third party account, such as a credit card account of the recipient or a charity that has been designated by the called party to receive such credits. The recipient is notified that he or she may be compensated for a given telemarketing call or another marketing promotion by means of a distinctive telephone ring or a similar distinctive feature. A service provider can also offer a service to its subscribers that employs the distinctive ringing feature described herein to indicate to the customer that a given telephone call is coming from a telemarketer.

Claims

1. A method for compensating a recipient for participating in a marketing communication, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an indication to said recipient that said recipient will be compensated for participating in said marketing communication; and

providing a credit to an account of said recipient if said recipient participates in said marketing communication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said indication is a distinctive feature associated with said marketing communication.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said distinctive feature is a distinctive ringing feature associated with a telemarketing call.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said credit is a credit to an account maintained with a service provider of said recipient.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said credit is a credit to a credit card account maintained by said recipient.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said credit is a credit to a charity designated by said recipient.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining if any additional conditions are satisfied.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said additional conditions include a minimum participation time.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of providing an indication to said recipient once any additional conditions are satisfied.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said indication is a boop tone.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said marketing communication is a telemarketing call that must be answered by said recipient in order to receive said credit.

12. A method for providing an indication to a called party that an incoming call is from a telemarketer, said method comprising the steps of:

determining that an incoming call is from a telemarketer; and

providing a distinctive ringing feature with said call to indicate to said called party that said incoming call is from a telemarketer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said determining step evaluates signaling information received with said incoming call.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said determining step evaluates caller identification information received with said incoming call.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of providing a credit to an account of said recipient if said recipient answers said incoming call.

16. A system for compensating a recipient for participating in a marketing communication, said system comprising:

a memory that stores computer-readable code; and

a processor operatively coupled to said memory, said processor configured to implement said computer-readable code, said computer-readable code configured to;

provide an indication to said recipient that said recipient will be compensated for participating in said marketing communication; and

provide a credit to an account of said recipient if said recipient participates in said marketing communication.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said indication is a distinctive feature associated with said marketing communication.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said distinctive feature is a distinctive ringing feature associated with a telemarketing call.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein said credit is a credit to an account maintained with a service provider of said recipient.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein said credit is a credit to a credit card account maintained by said recipient.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein said credit is a credit to a charity designated by said recipient.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein said processor is further configured to determine if any additional conditions are satisfied.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said additional conditions include a minimum participation time.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein said processor is further configured to provide an indication to said recipient once any additional conditions are satisfied.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said indication is a boop tone.

26. A system for providing an indication to a called party that an incoming call is from a telemarketer, said system comprising:

a memory that stores computer-readable code; and

a processor operatively coupled to said memory, said processor configured to implement said computer-readable code, said computer-readable code configured to;

determine that an incoming call is from a telemarketer; and

provide a distinctive ringing feature with said call to indicate to said called party that said incoming call is from a telemarketer.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said processor is further configured to evaluate signaling information received with said incoming call.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein said processor is further configured to evaluate caller identification information received with said incoming call.