Methods and apparatus for intelligent, purpose-based selection of goods and services in telephonic and electronic commerce
First Claim
1. A method for providing remote commerce consisting of offers of a good or a service to prospective customers as users of a system comprising the steps of:
- establishing a remote communication between at least one of the users and the system for a purpose of a primary transaction for a requested service or repair,obtaining primary transaction data with respect to the primary transaction, including an identity of the prospective customer and the purpose of the primary transaction as being a communication for one of the requested service or repair,utilizing the identity of the prospective customer to obtain at least a second data element from a remote database relating to the user,utilizing at least in part the primary transaction data, including the purpose of the primary transaction as being a communication for one of the requested service or repair and the second data element, to determine at least a new product being currently available at the time of the communication for prospective upsell to the prospective customer in real time with the primary transaction, wherein the new product is different than the requested service or repair, andoffering the new product to the prospective customer in lieu of the requested service or repair whereby the upsell serves to obviate the purpose for the primary transaction and the upsell is successful in providing the customer with the new product in replacement thereof.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods are provided for effecting remote commerce, such as in telemarketing (either inbound or outbound) and in electronic commerce, which are particularly adapted for the intelligent selection and proffer of products, services or information to a user or customer. In one aspect of the invention, goods, service or information are provided to the user via electronic communication, such as through a telephone, videophone or other computer link, as determined by the steps of first, establishing communication via the electronic communications device between the user and the system to effect a primary transaction or primary interaction, second, obtaining data with respect to the primary transaction or primary interaction, including at least in part a determination of the identity of the user or prospective customer, third, obtaining at least a second data element relating to the user, fourth, utilizing the primary transaction or primary interaction data along with the at least second data element as factors in determining at least one good, service or item of information for prospective upsell to the user or prospective customer, and offering the item to the prospective customer. In the preferred embodiment, the selection of the proffer of goods, services or information comprises an upsell with respect to the primary transaction or primary interaction data. The offer of the upsell is preferably generated and offered in real time, that is, during the course of the communication initiated with the primary transaction or primary interaction.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A method for providing remote commerce consisting of offers of a good or a service to prospective customers as users of a system comprising the steps of:
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establishing a remote communication between at least one of the users and the system for a purpose of a primary transaction for a requested service or repair, obtaining primary transaction data with respect to the primary transaction, including an identity of the prospective customer and the purpose of the primary transaction as being a communication for one of the requested service or repair, utilizing the identity of the prospective customer to obtain at least a second data element from a remote database relating to the user, utilizing at least in part the primary transaction data, including the purpose of the primary transaction as being a communication for one of the requested service or repair and the second data element, to determine at least a new product being currently available at the time of the communication for prospective upsell to the prospective customer in real time with the primary transaction, wherein the new product is different than the requested service or repair, and offering the new product to the prospective customer in lieu of the requested service or repair whereby the upsell serves to obviate the purpose for the primary transaction and the upsell is successful in providing the customer with the new product in replacement thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification