Identifying and Managing Strategic Partner Relationships

• US 20080177589A1
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Weissman, Mary, Durvasula, Sastry VSM, Sacheti, Sandeep K., Law, Janice
• Granted Patent: US 8,694,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems

Abstract

Systems and methods that identify and manage partner relationships. The systems and methods presented herein provide that a third-party trustee collect and process confidential customer information from a plurality of interested parties. The third-party trustee acts as a neutral intermediary between the parties. The third-party trustee processes and analyzes the information received from the various parties to identify mutual and/or prospective customers between the interested parties. The processing results may then be used for further analysis to help one or more of the interested parties to improve their marketing efforts, risk management, and servicing of their customers.

Claims

1. A method of analyzing customer behavior, comprising:

providing a third-party trustee with a master customer list, containing a list of customer names, for preparation of a mutual customer list, wherein the mutual customer list includes a list of mutual customer names and respective partner customer behavior information for each customer whose name is on both the master customer list and a partner list, wherein the partner list is provided by a partner at a first point in time and includes a list of partner customer names and respective partner customer behavior information for each partner customer on the partner list;

receiving from the third-party trustee the mutual customer list and an updated mutual customer list, wherein the updated mutual customer list includes a list of mutual customer names and respective partner customer behavior information for each customer whose name is on both the master customer list and an updated partner list, wherein the updated partner list is provided by the partner at a second point in time and includes a list of partner customer names and respective partner customer behavior information for each partner customer on the updated partner list; and

detecting changes in the respective partner customer behavior information for at least one customer who is on both the mutual customer list and the updated mutual customer list.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a database including the list of mutual customer names and the respective partner customer behavior information for customers on the mutual customer list and the updated mutual customer list.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing at least one mutual customer with an incentive program.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first point in time is before the at least one mutual customer is provided with the incentive program, and the second point in time is after the at least one mutual customer is provided with the incentive program, and further comprising:

evaluating how the incentive program affected customer behavior for the at least one mutual customer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing at least one mutual customer with a customer service level in accordance with the changes in respective partner customer behavior information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assessing at least one mutual customer'"'"'s credit worthiness in accordance with the changes in respective partner customer behavior information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

entering into a contractual obligation with the partner to secure the partner customer names and respective partner customer behavior information for each customer on the partner list; and

ensuring that each step in the method adheres to the contractual obligation.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a security policy to secure the partner customer names and respective partner customer behavior information for each customer on the partner list; and

ensuring that each step in the method adheres to the security policy.

9. A method of analyzing customer behavior, comprising:

maintaining a master customer list having a list of customer names and respective master customer behavior information;

providing a third-party trustee with at least the list of customer names from the master customer list for identification of mutual customers whose names are on the master customer list, a first partner list, and a second partner customer list, wherein the first partner list includes first partner customer names and first partner customer behavior information for each customer on the first partner list, and wherein the second partner list includes second partner customer names and second partner customer behavior information for each customer on the second partner customer list;

receiving from the third-party trustee a mutual customer list including the names of the mutual customers and their respective first partner customer behavior information and second partner customer behavior information; and

analyzing the respective first, second, and master customer behavior information for at least one mutual customer to determine a pattern in the customer behavior.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

creating a database to synthesize the mutual customer list and respective first partner customer behavior information, second partner customer behavior information, and master customer behavior information.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing the at least one mutual customer with an incentive program in accordance with the pattern in the customer behavior.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

evaluating how the incentive program affected customer behavior for the at least one mutual customer after the at least one mutual customer has been provided with an incentive program.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing the at least one mutual customer with a customer service level in accordance with the pattern in the customer behavior.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

assessing the at least one mutual customer'"'"'s credit worthiness in accordance with the pattern in the customer behavior.

15. A computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions executable by at least one processing device, comprising:

first instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to

compare a master customer list to a mutual customer list, wherein the master customer list has a list of customer names and respective master customer behavior information, and wherein the mutual customer list includes a list of mutual customers and respective partner customer behavior information; and

determine a pattern in the customer behavior.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising:

second instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to adhere to a security protocol.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the mutual customer list includes partner customer behavior information for a plurality of partners, and wherein the medium further comprises:

second instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to index the list of mutual customers by respective partner.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising:

second instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to index the list of mutual customers in accordance with the pattern in the customer behavior.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising:

second instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to calculate a credit ranking for at least one mutual customer in accordance with the pattern in the respective customer behavior for the at least one mutual customer.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising:

second instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to prepare a promotional incentive to a customer on a prospective customer list.