CUSTOMER BENEFIT OFFER PROGRAM ENROLLMENT

• US 20110057027A1
• Filed: 09/04/2009
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Grossman, Glenn M., Giordano, Joseph A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,505,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6254 by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for providing customer benefit offer program enrollment are provided. A system for enrolling a purchasing instrument in an electronic customer benefit offer program an electromagnetic receiver module. The receiver module may be configured to receive data from the purchasing instrument and receive from a customer a customer selection of a notification channel, the channel to be used for notifying the customer about a customer benefit. The system may also include a processor module configured to associate the purchasing instrument data with an account on an electronic platform so that a customer benefit offer that is stored on the platform may be associated with the purchasing instrument.

Claims

1. A method for enrolling a purchasing instrument in an electronic customer benefit offer program, the method comprising:

using an electromagnetic receiver module, receiving data from the purchasing instrument;

using the electromagnetic receiver module, receiving from a customer a customer selection of a notification channel, the channel to be used for notifying the customer about a customer benefit; and

,

using a processor module, associating the purchasing instrument data with an account on an electronic platform so that a customer benefit offer that is stored on the platform may be associated with the purchasing instrument.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving data from the purchasing instrument comprises receiving information associated with a credit card or debit card linked to a bank account.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving data from the purchasing instrument comprises receiving data via a web interface provided by the issuer of the purchasing instrument.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving data from the purchasing instrument comprises using a card reader to read the data from a purchasing instrument magnetic strip.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving data from the purchasing instrument comprises using an automated teller machine card reader to read the data from a purchasing instrument magnetic strip.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, using the electromagnetic receiver module, receiving a selection of a customer benefit offer channel, the customer benefit offer being redeemable in connection with the purchase of goods at a point of sale terminal.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using the electromagnetic receiver module, receiving purchasing loyalty program information that identifies the customer and a loyalty program in which the customer participates; and

,

using the processor module, linking the purchasing loyalty program information to the account.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving data from the purchasing instrument comprises using a POS terminal card reader to read the data from a purchasing instrument magnetic strip.

9. A computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for enrolling a purchasing instrument in an electronic customer benefit offer program, the method comprising:

receiving data from the purchasing instrument;

receiving from a customer a customer selection of a notification channel, the channel to be used for notifying the customer about a customer benefit; and

,

using a processor module, associating the purchasing instrument data with an account on an electronic platform so that a customer benefit offer that is stored on the platform may be associated with the purchasing instrument.

10. The medium of claim 9 wherein, in the method, the receiving data from the purchasing instrument comprises receiving information associated with a credit card or debit card linked to a bank account.

11. The medium of claim 9 wherein, in the method, the receiving data from the purchasing instrument comprises receiving data via a web interface provided by the issuer of the purchasing instrument.

12. The medium of claim 9 wherein, in the method, the receiving data from the purchasing instrument comprises using a card reader to read the data from a purchasing instrument magnetic strip.

13. The medium of claim 9 wherein, in the method, the receiving data from the purchasing instrument comprises using an automated teller machine card reader to read the data from a purchasing instrument magnetic strip.

14. The medium of claim 9 wherein the method further comprises receiving a selection of a customer benefit offer channel, the customer benefit offer being redeemable in connection with the purchase of goods at a point of sale terminal.

15. The medium of claim 9 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving purchasing loyalty program information that identifies the customer and a loyalty program in which the customer participates; and

,

linking the purchasing loyalty program information to the account.

16. The medium of claim 9 wherein, in the method, the receiving data from the purchasing instrument comprises using a POS terminal card reader to read the data from a purchasing instrument magnetic strip.

17. A system for enrolling a purchasing instrument in an electronic customer benefit offer program, the system comprising:

an electromagnetic receiver module configured to;

receive data from the purchasing instrument; and

receive from a customer a customer selection of a notification channel, the channel to be used for notifying the customer about a customer benefit; and

,

a processor module configured to associate the purchasing instrument data with an account on an electronic platform so that a customer benefit offer that is stored on the platform may be associated with the purchasing instrument.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the receiver module is further configured to receive information associated with a credit card or debit card linked to a bank account.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the receiver module is further configured to receive data via a web interface provided by the issuer of the purchasing instrument.

20. The system of claim 17 further comprising, when the purchasing instrument has a magnetic data strip, a card reader that is configured to read data from the magnetic data strip.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the receiver module is further configured to receive a selection of a customer benefit offer channel, the customer benefit offer being redeemable in connection with the purchase of goods at a point of sale terminal.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein the receiver module is further configured to:

receive purchasing loyalty program information that identifies the customer and a loyalty program in which the customer participates; and

link the purchasing loyalty program information to the account.

23. The system of claim 17 further comprising, when the purchasing instrument has a magnetic data strip, a POS terminal card reader that is configured to read data from the magnetic data strip.