SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTING AND TRACKING INCENTIVES FOR POSITIVE BEHAVIOR

• US 20100106576A1
• Filed: 08/24/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Sharmak, Larry, Perry, Denee, Etheredge, Christine C., Kaplan, Jessica A., Leung, Jason K., Kapoor, Deepak K., Koo, E. Bai
• Application Number:
  US12/546,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20100106576A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.130
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

The system evaluates a set of incentives based upon a variety of factors and/or predetermined rules and consumers are provided incentives when they satisfy one or more criteria of making payments for their transaction accounts. The one or more criteria include making an early payment, paying more than a minimum amount due, and making the payment through an automatic payment scheme. If a received payment satisfies one or more predefined criteria, one or more incentives are selected for the consumer, tracked, and provided to the consumer. The system analyzes payment information to determine attributes and positive (desirable) behavior and provides incentives to the consumer based on such positive behaviors.

Claims

1. A method for tracking marketing activities comprising:

receiving, by a computer, first distribution tracking data from a service provider, wherein the first distribution tracking data is based at least partially upon detection of a first tracking indicator which is associated with a first tracking identifier, wherein the first tracking indicator is configured to be detected and the first tracking identifier is associated with a consumer solicitation;

matching, by the computer, a first tracking dataset with the first distribution tracking data to create matched tracking data, wherein the first tracking dataset is one of a plurality of tracking datasets;

receiving, by the computer, at least a portion of first response tracking data, wherein the first response tracking data is based on detection of a first response tracking indicator and includes the first tracking identifier along with additional information, and wherein the first tracking identifier is encoded in the first response tracking indicator on a consumer response such that the response tracking indicator is configured to be detected, wherein a portion of the consumer solicitation comprises the consumer response;

updating, by the computer, the matched tracking data by matching the first tracking dataset with the first response tracking data;

analyzing, by the computer, at least one of the first distribution tracking data, the first response tracking data or the matched tracking data to determine an incentive;

associating, by the computer, the incentive with the matched tracking data; and

producing, by the computer, output based at least partially upon at least one of the matched tracking data and the incentive.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the incentive comprises a positive consumer attribute and wherein the incentive is associated with a desired consumer behavior and wherein the positive consumer attribute is used to determine that the desired consumer behavior is satisfied.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the consumer solicitation comprises an offer of the incentive to a consumer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the positive behavior attribute comprises a response time associated with responding to the offer and wherein the response time is determined by analyzing at least one of the first distribution tracking data, the first response tracking data or the matched tracking data.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the consumer solicitation is an account statement associated with a transaction account, wherein the transaction account is associated with a consumer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the desired behavior attribute is associated with at least one of making a payment for the transaction account, reducing the balance of the transaction account by a predetermined percentage, reducing below a predetermined threshold the balance of the transaction account, reducing to zero the balance of the transaction account, or transferring a balance of a second transaction account to the transaction account.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving the consumer response, wherein the consumer response comprises a payment for the transaction account; and

,

analyzing the matched tracking information to that the positive consumer behavior is satisfied.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

calculating, by the computer, the positive behavior reward based at least partially upon the incentive.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first tracking indicator or the first response tracking indicator is at least one of:

an intelligent mail barcode, a radio frequency identifier (RFID), a global positioning system signal, a signal, a code, device, number, letter, symbol, digital certificate, smart chip, digital signal, analog signal, biometric, PIN, Internet code, Universal Product Code, magnetic stripe, optical, or transponder.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first tracking indicator or the first response tracking indicator is an intelligent mail barcode (IMB);

and, the service provider is the United States Postal Service (USPS), wherein detection is done by scanning the intelligent mail barcode.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting the first tracking indicator and creating first additional tracking data based upon the detecting.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the matching comprises matching the first tracking dataset with at least one of the first distribution tracking data and the first additional tracking data to create matched tracking data.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first incentive is associated with a first reward and the first reward comprises at least one of a discount on finance charges, a rebate on finance charges, a discount on fees, or a rebate on fees.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first incentive is associated with a first reward and the first reward comprises at least one of a cash bonus, a cash-back amount, loyalty points, an increased credit line, an increased spend line, a statement credit, or a gift voucher.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first incentive is associated with a first reward and the first reward comprises at least one of waiving an annual fee associated with a consumer account, upgrading status of account consumer account, upgrading status of a second consumer account, upgrading the status of a third-party account, providing access to a club, providing access to a website, providing access to discounted products, upgrading a consumer account to a VIP status, providing a preferred bidding status to an item in an auction, providing a preferred access to an item in an auction, providing a loaded smart card, or paying the consumer an interest amount based at least partially upon the early payment amount.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the consumer information comprises at least one of consumer demographic data, consumer profile data, first transaction account history, a second transaction account history, a first transaction account type, a payment received for the first transaction account or consumer payment history.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the consumer information is obtained from at least one of a billing system, an accounting system, a transaction account authorization system, a collections system, an account management system, a customer relationship management system, a credit bureau, a third-party, a service provider, or a merchant.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the computer, a reward receiving account associated with the incentive; and

producing, by the computer, output based at least partially upon a reward associated with the incentive in order to apply at least a portion of the reward to the reward receiving account.

19. A tangible computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

receiving, by the computer, first distribution tracking data from a service provider, wherein the first distribution tracking data is based at least partially upon detection of a first tracking indicator which is associated with a first tracking identifier, wherein the first tracking indicator is configured to be detected and the first tracking identifier is associated with a consumer solicitation;

matching, by the computer, a first tracking dataset with the first distribution tracking data to create matched tracking data, wherein the first tracking dataset is one of a plurality of tracking datasets;

receiving, by the computer, at least a portion of first response tracking data, wherein the first response tracking data is based on detection of a first response tracking indicator and includes the first tracking identifier along with additional information, and wherein the first tracking identifier is encoded in the first response tracking indicator on a consumer response such that the response tracking indicator is configured to be detected, wherein a portion of the consumer solicitation comprises the consumer response; and

updating, by the computer, the matched tracking data by matching the first tracking dataset with the first response tracking data;

analyzing, by the computer, at least one of the first distribution tracking data, the first response tracking data or the matched tracking data to determine an incentive;

associating the incentive with the matched tracking data; and

producing, by the computer, output based upon at least one of the matched tracking data and the incentive.

20. A system comprising:

a network interface communicating with a memory;

the memory communicating with a processor; and

the processor, when executing a computer program, is configured to;

receive first distribution tracking data from a service provider, wherein the first distribution tracking data is based at least partially upon detection of a first tracking indicator which is associated with a first tracking identifier, wherein the first tracking indicator is configured to be detected and the first tracking identifier is associated with a consumer solicitation;

match a first tracking dataset with the first distribution tracking data to create matched tracking data, wherein the first tracking dataset is one of a plurality of tracking datasets;

receive at least a portion of first response tracking data, wherein the first response tracking data is based on detection of a first response tracking indicator and includes the first tracking identifier along with additional information, and wherein the first tracking identifier is encoded in the first response tracking indicator on a consumer response such that the response tracking indicator is configured to be detected, wherein a portion of the consumer solicitation comprises the consumer response; and

update the matched tracking data by matching the first tracking dataset with the first response tracking data;

analyze at least one of the first distribution tracking data, the first response tracking data or the matched tracking data to determine an incentive;

associate the incentive with the matched tracking data; and

produce output based upon at least one of the matched tracking data and the incentive.