Integrated Mail, Internet, and Telephony Event Tracking System

• US 20080077424A1
• Filed: 09/21/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walz Group, LLC. (Computershare Limited), Walz Group
• Original Assignee: Charles Mcnairy
• Inventors: McNairy, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,953,607 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00024 Physical or organizational aspects of franking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0004 Determining the location of mailpieces outside apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00096 via phone lines

Abstract

A method of tracking and acting on events related to the delivery of a mail piece is provided. An integrated record associated with an addressee of a mail piece is created. The mail piece is given a unique identifier and the mail piece is associated with the addressee. The mail piece is placed in a mail stream and the date and nature of associated delivery events is recorded. After a predetermined delivery event occurs, a follow-up communication is transmitted to the addressee, and the date of this follow-up communication is recorded. The date of any response by the addressee to the follow-up communication is also recorded. To the integrated record associated with the addressee is added the date and nature of the delivery events associated with the mail piece, the date of the follow-up communication, and the date of any response by the addressee to the follow up communication.

Claims

1. A method of tracking and acting on events related to the delivery of a mail piece, comprising:

creating an integrated record associated with an addressee of a mail piece,

giving the mail piece a unique identifier,

associating the addressee of the mail piece with the mail piece,

placing the mail piece in a mail stream,

recording the date and nature of delivery events associated with the mail piece,

transmitting a follow-up communication to the addressee after a predetermined delivery event occurs,

recording the date of the follow-up communication,

recording the date of any response by the addressee to the follow-up communication, and

adding to the integrated record associated with the addressee the date and nature of the delivery events associated with the mail piece, the date of the follow-up communication, and the date of any response by the addressee to the follow-up communication.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording the nature of the follow-up communication,

recording the nature of any response by the addressee to the follow-up communication; and

adding the nature of the follow-up communication and the nature of any response by the addressee to the follow-up communication to the integrated record associated with the addressee.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the follow-up communication is automatically transmitted telephonically.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the follow-up communication comprises a menu of possible responses to the message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each step is performed automatically.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording the date of a communication between the addressee and a predetermined party, and

adding to the integrated record associated with the addressee the date of the communication between the addressee and the predetermined party.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording the date of a communication with a predetermined party regarding the addressee, and

adding to the integrated record associated with the addressee the date of the communication with a predetermined party regarding the addressee.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

including a return receptacle with the mail piece,

associating the addressee with a second unique identifier,

associating the return receptacle with the second unique identifier,

automatically recording date and nature of delivery events associated with the return receptacle, and

adding the date and nature of the delivery events associated with the return receptacle to the integrated record associated with the addressee.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the content of the follow-up communication is predetermined according to the nature of the mail piece and the nature of delivery event that occurred.

10. A method of tracking and acting on events related to the delivery of a mail piece, comprising:

a sender transmitting information about an addressee to an independent integrated record keeper,

the independent integrated record keeper creating an integrated record associated with the addressee,

the independent integrated record keeper adding the information about the addressee to the integrated record,

generating a mail piece for delivery to the addressee,

the independent integrated record keeper associating the mail piece with the addressee'"'"'s associated integrated record,

sending the mail piece to the addressee by placing it in a mail stream of a delivery service not affiliated with the independent integrated record keeper,

the independent integrated record keeper monitoring delivery events associated with the mail piece, and

the independent integrated record keeper automatically causing a communication to be transmitted to the addressee upon the occurrence of a predetermined delivery event associated with the mail piece.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined delivery event is the expected delivery of the mail piece as predicted by the independent integrated record keeper based on the date of placement of the mail piece in the mail stream of a delivery service not affiliated with the independent integrated record keeper.

12. A method of tracking and acting on events related to the delivery of a mail piece to a delinquent borrower, comprising:

creating an integrated record associated with a delinquent borrower,

giving a mail piece a unique identifier,

associating the delinquent borrower with the mail piece,

placing the mail piece in a mail stream,

recording the date and nature of delivery events associated with the mail piece,

transmitting a follow-up communication to the delinquent borrower after a predetermined delivery event occurs,

recording the date of the follow-up communication;

recording the date of any response by the delinquent borrower to the follow-up communication; and

adding to the integrated record associated with the delinquent borrower the date and nature of the delivery events associated with the mail piece, the date of the follow-up communication, and the date of any response by the delinquent borrower to the follow-up communication.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein placing the mail piece in a mail stream comprises:

sending the mail piece using a delivery service that provides updated tracking information while the mail piece is en route.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the follow-up communication is transmitted to the delinquent borrower automatically after a predetermined delivery event occurs.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the follow-up communication is transmitted to the delinquent borrower telephonically after a predetermined delivery event occurs.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the follow-up communication presents the delinquent borrower with the option of being connected to a live designated representative of the owner of the delinquent borrower'"'"'s debt.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the designated representative of the owner of the delinquent borrower'"'"'s debt is a lending agency representative.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the designated representative of the owner of the delinquent borrower'"'"'s debt is a foreclosure attorney representative

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the follow-up communication comprises a text message.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

using the integrated record associated with the delinquent borrower to triage the delinquent borrower relative to other delinquent borrowers.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

causing literature explaining debt workout options to be delivered to the delinquent borrower,

recording the date the literature was delivered to the delinquent borrower, and

adding the date the literature was delivered to the delinquent borrower to the integrated record associated with the delinquent borrower.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

recording the date and nature of a communication with a predetermined party regarding the delinquent borrower, and

adding to the integrated record associated with the delinquent borrower the date and nature of the communication.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the communication with a predetermined party regarding the delinquent borrower comprises a telephonic communication.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the communication with a predetermined party regarding the delinquent borrower comprises a communication transmitted over the internet.

25. A method of communicating with a delinquent borrower, comprising:

identifying the occurrence of a default condition;

generating a letter to a delinquent borrower;

sending the letter to the delinquent borrower after the occurrence of the default condition;

determining if the letter has been accepted by the delinquent borrower;

contacting the delinquent borrower after determining whether the letter has been accepted by the delinquent borrower;

communicating with the delinquent borrower to determine the delinquent borrower'"'"'s condition;

triaging the delinquent borrower'"'"'s condition as compared to other delinquent borrowers'"'"' conditions; and

then

having a customer service representative communicate with the delinquent borrower.