System and method for granting promotional rewards to credit account holders

• US 20040122736A1
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Bank One Delaware NA (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Glavin, Eugene M., Bressler, Beth L., Hooper, Lynn, Strock, Bradley R.
• Application Number:
  US10/683,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20040122736A1
• 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 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0213 Consumer transaction fees
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0216 Investment accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0231 Awarding of a frequent usage incentive independent of the monetary value of a good or service purchased, or distance travelled
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0232 Frequent usage rewards other than merchandise, cash or travel
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements

Abstract

A system and method for providing promotional rewards is provided. First, a promotional reward is communicated to a customer. The promotional reward offer comprises a promotional reward associated with one or more promotional reward-earning behaviors and a promotional time frame. The offer may specify a customer population, and the customer may be enrolled in the promotional reward program if the customer is determined to be in the population. The customer is credited a promotional reward if the customer accomplishes the promotional reward-earning behavior(s) within the promotional time frame. The customer may also be enrolled in a base reward program. The promotional rewards and base rewards may be accumulated in a customer account. A system for implementing a promotional rewards program is also provided.

Claims

1. A method of implementing a promotional rewards program, comprising:

communicating a promotional reward offer to a customer, wherein the promotional reward offer comprises a promotional reward associated with a promotional reward-earning behavior and a promotional time frame; and

crediting the promotional reward to the customer if a customer accomplishes the promotional reward-earning behavior within the promotional time frame.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the customer is enrolled in a base reward program prior to the offer of the promotional reward.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the promotional reward is further associated with a defined population.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining that the customer is a member of the defined population.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining that the customer is a member of the defined population; and

verifying the promotional reward-earning behavior by processing customer transaction information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying the promotional reward-earning behavior by processing customer transaction information.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein verifying the promotional reward-earning behavior comprises verifying a cardholder acceptor ID of a transaction.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein verifying the promotional reward-earning behavior comprises verifying a bank identification number of a transaction

9. The method of claim 6 wherein verifying the promotional reward-earning behavior comprises verifying a standard industry code of a transaction.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein verifying the promotional reward-earning behavior comprises verifying an amount of a transaction.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein verifying the promotional reward-earning behavior comprises verifying a location of a transaction.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein verifying the promotional reward-earning behavior comprises verifying a merchant description of a transaction.

13. The method of claim 6 wherein verifying the promotional reward-earning behavior comprises verifying a frequency of a plurality of customer transactions.

14. The method of claim 6 wherein verifying the promotional reward-earning behavior comprises verifying a transaction type of a transaction.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein a financial transaction network is used to verify the behavior, and the reward-earning behavior comprises one or more of the following:

a visit; and

a use of an account.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the promotional time period comprises specific days or a specific time of day.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the promotional reward offer is a phased offer.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the promotional reward offer is a multi-tiered offer.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accumulating one or more promotional rewards and one or more base rewards in a single customer reward account, wherein the one or more promotional rewards are accumulated when the customer accomplishes one or more promotional reward-earning behaviors, and the base reward is accumulated when the customer accomplishes a base reward-earning behavior pursuant to a base reward program.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the reward-earning behavior comprises at least one of:

credit or debit card transaction;

accumulating a specific amount of charges;

charging a specific amount;

charging a certain number of transactions;

transacting at a specific location;

paying a balance;

paying interest;

linking with another account;

making a deposit;

making a withdrawal;

drafting a check;

paying a fee for a banking service;

transferring a balance;

issuing a convenience check;

accessing a line of credit;

purchasing from a merchant;

checking and savings account activity;

setting up a recurring payment;

enabling an auto-payment;

paying an annual fee;

paying a rewards fee;

transactions with Bank partners;

transactions with third parties;

brokerage transactions;

purchasing or selling securities;

depositing funds;

transferring holdings from an external account to a Bank account;

transferring a balance;

opening a checking account;

opening a credit or debit account;

applying for a loan or other credit account;

paying a balance on time; and

maintaining at least a specified minimum balance;

having a specific account balance at a specific time;

having above or below a specific average daily balance;

revolving an account balance;

having an inactive account;

maintaining a type of account balance;

taking a cash advance;

using a convenience check; and

using an account card for identification purposes.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the promotional reward-earning behavior comprises one or more of the following:

using an account card for an identification purpose that does not result in debiting an account; and

using a convenience check.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the promotional reward comprises at least one of:

a product;

a service;

points, miles or other reward currency;

a discount;

a coupon; and

cash, checks, Treasury bills, stocks, bonds, or other financial instruments.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the promotional reward comprises at least one of:

a gift card or other stored value; and

an upgrade in account status or other recognition.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

exchanging the promotional reward for a second reward.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

issuing the second reward to the customer.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

converting a customer reward account sponsored by one institution into another reward account sponsored by another institution.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

converting a promotional reward associated with the customer reward account sponsored by one institution to a different reward.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a customer request to exchange a customer'"'"'s earned reward for a second award;

exchanging the earned award for the second award.

29. The method of claim 2, wherein the promotional reward is a different reward than the base reward.

30. A system for enabling customers to earn promotional rewards, comprising:

an offer setup processor configured to generate an offer for a promotional reward program, wherein said program enables a customer to earn one or more rewards by accomplishing one or more specific reward-earning behaviors during a specific time frame, wherein said customer is enrolled in a base reward program;

an enrollment processor configured to enroll customers into one or more promotional reward programs by processing offer data and customer account data;

a qualifying processor configured to process customer transaction data to determine whether a customer transaction earns a reward.

31. The system of claim 30, further comprising:

an accumulation processor operatively connected to said qualifying processor, configured to accumulate earned rewards in a customer rewards account.

32. The system of claim 30, further comprising:

a fulfillment processor configured to receive earned rewards data from the accumulation processor and distribute earned rewards to customers based on the rewards earnings data.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the enrollment processor is further configured to enroll customers into one or more promotional reward programs by processing population data.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the qualifying processor is further configured to earn, track, and redeem customer rewards.

35. A computer-readable medium encoded with computer program code for implementing a promotional reward program, comprising:

offering the customer promotional reward earnings that can be accumulated in a customer rewards account pursuant to a promotional reward program;

accumulating the promotional reward earnings and base reward earnings in the customer rewards account, wherein the promotional reward earnings are accumulated pursuant to the promotional reward program, and the base reward earnings are accumulated pursuant to a base reward program.

36. A method of implementing a promotional reward program, comprising:

receiving a customer account identifier at a merchant point of sale, card terminal, or other means for processing an account identifier, wherein the customer account identifier is associated with one or more customer accounts;

processing customer account information associated with the customer account identifier, wherein the customer account is not charged;

crediting reward earnings to the customer account based on the processing step.