Method for customer lead selection and optimization

• US 6,078,892 A
• Filed: 04/09/1998
• Issued: 06/20/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Anderson, Gary Floyd, Chou, Paul Bao-Luo, Kamesam, Pasumarti V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stamber, Eric W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robinson-Boyce, Akiba
• Application Number:
  US09/057,633
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 705/10, 705/14, 345/327, 707/2
• US Class Current: 705/7.33
• 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 30/0204 Market segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing

Abstract

A method for retrieving information from a database includes pre-scoring each of a plurality of records in the database to determine their relevance to a particular item of interest, specifying at least one trait corresponding to a type of information sought to be retrieved, searching the database to derive a collection of records which satisfy the trait, and ordering the records in the first collection to identify the records most relevant to the item of interest. In order to further derive the most relevant records, a plurality of traits may be specified to effect multiple levels of searching. A predetermined number of the records may then be output without superfluous information, to increase the density, clarity, and coherency of the output. Records may then be selected for pursuit. A system and computer process implement one or more steps of the method.

Claims

1. A method for retrieving customer lead information from a marketing database, said database storing a plurality of customer records each containing data relating to a different customer, said method comprising steps of:

assigning scores to said plurality of customer records, each of said scores indicating a relationship between a respective one of said customer records and a product;

specifying a predetermined number of preferences;

determining whether each of said plurality of customer records satisfies said predetermined number of preferences;

defining, as a first collection of customer records, customer records which satisfy said predetermined number of preferences;

ordering said first collection of customer records based on the scores assigned to the customer records in said first collection in said assigning step;

outputting a predetermined number of customer records from said first collection of customer records in an order determined in said ordering step;

selecting a customer record from said predetermined number of customer records output from said first collection; and

outputting information associated with said selected customer record.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the relationship indicated by each of said scores is indicative of a likelihood of a match between a customer associated with a respective one of said customer records and said product.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said likelihood of a match is determined by comparing customer descriptive information in said respective one of said customer records to said product.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined number of preferences includes an attribute of a type of customer sought to be retrieved as a customer lead for said product.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said determining step includes a step of comparing customer descriptive information in each of said plurality of customer records with said attribute to find a match therebetween.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said outputting step includes outputting a predetermined number of customer records from said first collection of customer records having highest scores as assigned in said assigning step.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting the scores assigned to the customer records in said first collection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein customer records in said first collection are output exclusive of customer contact information.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a customer record from said predetermined number of customer records output from said first collection; and

wherein said information associated with said selected customer record is contact information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined number of preferences and said product are specified in a search request which, when executed, causes said database to be searched for customer records in said first collection.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said search request is formulated by one of a user and a computer.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined number of preferences is zero.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said assigning step occurs after said defining step and includes scoring customer records in said first collection to indicate a relationship between a respective one of the customer records in said first collection and a product.

14. A method for retrieving customer lead information from a marketing database, said database storing a plurality of customer records each containing data relating to a different customer, said method comprising steps of:

assigning scores to said plurality of customer records, each of said scores indicating a relationship between a respective one of said customer records and a product;

specifying a predetermined number of preferences;

determining whether each of said plurality of customer records satisfies said predetermined number of preferences;

defining, as a first collection of customer records, customer records which satisfy said predetermined number of preferences;

ordering said first collection of customer records based on the scores assigned to the customer records in said first collection in said assigning step;

defining, as a second collection of customer records, a predetermined number of customer records from said first collection having highest scores as assigned in said assigning step;

specifying a second predetermined number of preferences; and

determining how closely the customer records in said second collection satisfy said second predetermined number of preferences.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said ordering step includes ordering said first collection of customer records in descending order according to scores assigned in said assigning step.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

assigning new scores to the customer records in said second collection, each of said new scores indicating how closely a respective one of the customer records in said second collection satisfies said second predetermined number of preferences; and

ordering the customer records in said second collection based on said new scores.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein if the customer records in said first collection of customer records number less than or equal to said predetermined number of customer records, the customer records in said second collection are same as the customer records in said first collection.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

outputting a predefined number of customer records from said second collection of customer records.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said predefined number of customer records correspond to customer records in said second collection having highest new scores.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

outputting the new scores assigned to said predefined number of customer records output from said second collection.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein said second predetermined number of preferences is zero.

22. A method for retrieving information in an information system, said system including a storage device for storing a plurality of data records, said method comprising steps of:

measuring a relationship between each of plurality of data records and an item of interest by comparing said item of interest to information contained in each of said data records;

designating a predetermined number of traits;

searching said plurality of data records to determine which ones of said plurality of data records possess said predetermined number of traits;

defining, as a first collection of data records, data records from said plurality of data records which possess said predetermined number of traits;

arranging the data records in said first collection based on the relationship measured for each of the data records in said first collection in said measuring step;

outputting a predetermined number of the data records in said first collection;

selecting at least one of the data records in said first collection; and

outputting information from a data field of said at least one selected data record.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said arranging step includes arranging the data records in said first collection in descending order of relevance, as determined by the relationships measured in said measuring step.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said searching step includes a step of comparing said predetermined number of traits to information in a data field of each of said plurality of data records.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

specifying a maximum number of data records to be included in said first collection.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein said predetermined number of traits is zero.

27. A method for retrieving information in an information system, said system including a storage device for storing a plurality of data records, said method comprising steps of:

measuring a relationship between each of plurality of data records and an item of interest by comparing said item of interest to information contained in each of said data records;

designating a predetermined number of traits;

searching said plurality of data records to determine which ones of said plurality of data records possess said predetermined number of traits;

defining, as a first collection of data records, data records from said plurality of data records which possess said predetermined number of traits;

arranging the data records in said first collection based on the relationship measured for each of the data records in said first collection in said measuring step;

defining, as a second collection of data records, a predetermined number of data records from said first collection having highest scores as assigned in said assigning step;

specifying a second predetermined number of traits;

determining how closely the data records in said second collection are related to said second predetermined number of traits; and

arranging the data records in said second collection based on how closely the data records in said second collection are related to said second predetermined number of traits.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein in said arranging step, the data records in said second collection are arranged in descending order of relevance.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

outputting said second collection of data records as arranged in said arranging step.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

selecting at least one of the data records output in said second collection; and

outputting information from a data field of said at least one selected data record as stored in said storage device.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein said second predetermined number of traits is zero.

32. A computer process comprising:

a computer program embodied in a computer-readable medium for retrieving customer lead information from a marketing database, said database storing a plurality of customer records each containing data relating to a different customer, said program being performed on or with aid of a computer and including;

(a) first code means for causing the computer to assign scores to said plurality of customer records, each of said scores indicating a relationship between a respective one of said customer records and a product;

(b) second code means for causing the computer to acknowledge a predetermined number of preferences;

(c) third code means for causing the computer to determine whether each of said plurality of customer records satisfies said at least one preference;

(d) fourth code means for causing the computer to define, as a first collection of customer records, customer records which satisfy said at least one preference;

(e) fifth code means for causing the computer to order said first collection of customer records based on the scores assigned to the customer records in said first collection by said first code means;

(f) in sixth code means for causing the computer to output a predetermined number of customer records from said first collection of customer records in an order determined by said fifth code means; and

(g) seventh code means for causing the computer to output information associated with a customer record selected by a user.

33. A system for retrieving information, comprising:

a storage device for storing a plurality of customer records;

a first processor for determining scores for each of said plurality of customer records, each of said scores indicating a relationship between a respective one of said customer records and a product;

an input device for receiving a search request containing a predetermined number of preferences;

a second processor, in communication with said input device, for processing the search request to derive a first collection of customer records which satisfy said predetermined number of preferences, said processor sorting the customer records in said first collection based on scores assigned to the customer records in said first collection by said first processor;

a memory unit, in communication with said second processor, for storing a predetermined number of said sorted customer records from said first collection; and

an output device for outputting at least one customer record from said first collection,

wherein said output device outputs a predetermined number of customer records from said first collection as sorted by said second processor, and

wherein said input device receives selection information for selecting said at least one customer record output on said output device, said output device outputting, in response to said selection information, data derived from a data field of said selected customer record.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said data includes customer contact information.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein one of a user, second processor, and external computer inputs the search request received by said input device.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein said input device is remotely located from said first and second processors, and is connected thereto via a communications line.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said communications line is one of a LAN, WAN, land-based telephone line, and cellular phone line.

38. The system of claim 33, wherein said output device is said input device.

39. The system of claim 33, wherein said second processor sorts the customer records in said first collection in descending order based on the scores determined for the customer records in said first collection by said first processor.

40. The system of claim 33, wherein said first processor and said second processor are a same processor.

41. A system for retrieving information, comprising:

a storage device for storing a plurality of customer records;

a first processor for determining scores for each of said plurality of customer records, each of said scores indicating a relationship between a respective one of said customer records and a product;

an input device for receiving a search request containing a predetermined number of preferences;

a second processor, in communication with said input device, for processing the search request to derive a first collection of customer records which satisfy said predetermined number of preferences, said processor sorting the customer records in said first collection based on scores assigned to the customer records in said first collection by said first processor;

a memory unit, in communication with said second processor, for storing a predetermined number of said sorted customer records from said first collection; and

an output device for outputting at least one customer record from said first collection,

wherein said second processor defines, as a second collection of customer records, a predetermined number of customer records from said first collection having highest scores, and wherein said system further comprises;

a third processor for determining how closely customer records in said first collection satisfy a second predetermined number of preferences included within said search request.

42. The system of claim 41, further comprising:

a fourth processor for determining new scores for customer records in said second collection, each of said new scores indicating how closely a respective one of said customer records in said second collection satisfies said second predetermined number of preferences, said fourth processor further ordering the customer records in said second collection based on said new scores.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein said output device outputs a predetermined number of customer records from said second collection as ordered by said fourth processor.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein said predetermined number of customer records output from said second collection are said predetermined number of customer records from said second collection having highest new scores.

45. The system of claim 42, wherein said first processor, second processor, third processor, and fourth processor are a same processor.

46. The system of claim 41, wherein said first processor, second processor, and third processor are a same processor.