Method and system for facilitating electronic dispute resolution

• US 7,356,516 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2002
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Richey, David, King, Marie, Van Horn, David, Bernhard, Lisa
• Primary Examiner(s): ELISCA, PIERRE E
• Application Number:
  US10/172,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20030233292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,126 Days
• Field of Search: 705/30, 705/33, 705/35, 705/39, 705/40, 705/44, 705/7, 705/8, 705/16, 705/21, 705/80, 705/1
• US Class Current: 705/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/389 Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/182 Alternative dispute resolution
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

A system for facilitating payment transaction disputes is provided. According to one aspect of the system, a user, such as an issuer, is allowed to use the system to resolve a disputed transaction. Based on information provided by a cardholder, the issuer is able to use the system to retrieve transactional information relating to the disputed transaction reported by the customer for review. When the issuer uses the system to retrieve information relating to the disputed transaction, a case folder is created. The case folder is a repository for storing all the relevant information and documentation relating to the disputed transaction. Using the information retrieved by the system, the issuer then determines whether to initiate a dispute. Alternatively, the system can also be used by an acquirer to respond to a dispute, usually on behalf of one of its merchant. If a dispute is responded to, a questionnaire is then created by the system. Alternatively, the issuer may decline to initiate a dispute and either seek additional information from the cardholder or deny the cardholder'"'"'s inquiry. The case folder and the questionnaire are created for a specific disputed transaction. The questionnaire is designed to capture information from the cardholder and/or the issuer relating to the disputed transaction. The questionnaire may be pre-populated with previously retrieved transactional information which is stored in the case folder. Relevant documents in support of the disputed transaction may also be attached as part of the questionnaire. Various parties to the dispute may then provide relevant information (including supporting documentation) to the system. The relevant information provided by the parties is maintained in the case folder. The system then keeps track of the relevant timeframes for the case folder to ensure that each party to the dispute is given the correct period of time to respond during the processing of a dispute. Prior to filing the dispute for arbitration or compliance, the system permits the parties to resolve the dispute amongst themselves without the help of an arbiter through pre-arbitration and pre-compliance. If the parties to the dispute are unable to resolve the dispute on their own, the system also permits the parties to resolve the dispute via arbitration or compliance with the help of an arbiter. The system provides the arbiter with access to the case folder to allow the arbiter to render an informed decision on the dispute.

Claims

1. A payment transaction dispute system for facilitating payment transaction disputes, comprising:

a storage system storing transactional information relating to a plurality of transactions; and

a dispute resolution system interacting with the storage system, wherein a first user retrieves and reviews information relating to a transaction involving the first user and a second user, and initiates a dispute with the second user using the dispute resolution system, wherein the transaction is thereafter a disputed transaction;

wherein some or all of the retrieved information relating to the disputed transaction is stored by the dispute resolution system in a case folder, the case folder being used to store only information relating to the disputed transaction;

wherein upon receiving indication that the dispute is initiated, the dispute resolution system creates a questionnaire and presents the questionnaire to the first user in order to capture information relating to the disputed transaction from the first user; and

wherein the dispute resolution system attaches the questionnaire to the case folder and monitors the case folder to track timeframes and alert the first and second users with regard to actions that are to be completed by the first and second users as part of a resolution process for resolving the disputed transaction.

2. The payment transaction dispute system of claim 1 wherein the dispute resolution system is further configured to allow the second user who is a party to the disputed transaction to provide information relating to the disputed transaction upon receiving indication that the dispute is initiated.

3. The payment transaction dispute system of claim 1 wherein the dispute resolution system is further configured to provide an arbiter access to the information maintained in the case folder to allow the arbiter to resolve the dispute between the first user and the second user.

4. The payment transaction dispute system of claim 1 wherein the dispute resolution system is further configured to examine the information relating to the disputed transaction contained in the case folder to determine whether the initiated dispute is authorized.

5. The payment transaction dispute system of claim 4 wherein the information relating to the disputed transaction contained in the case folder includes information on whether an attempt to resolve the disputed transaction has been undertaken.

6. An electronic dispute resolution system for facilitating credit card transaction disputes, comprising:

control logic allowing a first party to review information relating to a credit card transaction;

control logic allowing the first party to initiate a dispute with respect to the credit card transaction with a second party, wherein the credit card transaction is thereafter a disputed credit card transaction;

control logic creating a questionnaire to collect information from the first party upon initiation of the dispute and attach the questionnaire with collected information to a case folder;

control logic monitoring the case folder to track timeframe and send alerts to the first and second users with regard to actions that are to be completed by the first and second users as part of a resolution process for resolving the dispute; and

control logic outputting the alerts to computing devices operated by the first and second users.

7. The electronic dispute resolution system of claim 6 further comprising:

control logic configured to process an information request from the first party in order to retrieve information related to the disputed credit card transaction; and

control logic configured to create the case folder upon processing the information request and include the retrieved information in the case folder.

8. The electronic dispute resolution system of claim 6 further comprising:

control logic configured to determine whether the first party initiated the dispute.

9. The electronic dispute resolution system of claim 8 further comprising:

control logic configured to determine whether an attempt to resolve the dispute has been undertaken.

10. The electronic dispute resolution system of claim 6 wherein there are one or more access levels to the case folder;

and

wherein the first party and the second party have different access levels to the case folder.

11. The electronic dispute resolution system of claim 6 further comprising:

control logic configured to track timeframes and actions that are applicable to an attempt to resolve the dispute.

12. The electronic dispute resolution system of claim 6 further comprising:

control logic configured to allow the first party and the second party to resolve the dispute via pre-arbitration or pre-compliance.

13. The electronic dispute resolution system of claim 6 further comprising:

control logic configured to check the case folder to determine if the first party is allowed to file for arbitration or a compliance ruling; and

control logic configured to allow the first party to file for the arbitration or the compliance ruling.

14. A payment transaction dispute system for facilitating payment transaction disputes, comprising:

a storage system configured to store transactional information relating to a plurality of reported transactions; and

a dispute resolution system, wherein a plurality of users resolve disputes corresponding to respective reported transactions with one another using the dispute resolution system, the dispute resolution system

interacting with the storage system such that users in the plurality of users retrieve and review information relating to respective reported transactions in the plurality of reported transactions to initiate disputes, wherein the retrieved information relating to the respective reported transactions is stored in corresponding case folders, each case folder being used to store only information relating to a specific reported transaction,

creating a questionnaire and presenting the questionnaire to a first user, upon receiving indication that a first dispute is initiated by the first user relating to a first reported transaction with a second user, wherein the questionnaire is used to capture information relating to the first reported transaction from the first user, and

attaching the questionnaire to the corresponding case folder relating to the first reported transaction and monitoring the corresponding case folder relating to the first reported transaction to track timeframes and alert the first and second users with regard to actions that are to be completed by the first and second users as part of a resolution process for resolving the first dispute.

15. The payment transaction dispute system of claim 14 wherein the dispute resolution system is further configured to allow the first user and the second user to have access to the information maintained in the corresponding case folder relating to the first reported transaction.

16. The payment transaction dispute system of claim 15 wherein the first user and the second user are given different access rights to the information maintained in the corresponding case folder relating to the first reported transaction.

17. The payment transaction dispute system of claim 14 wherein the dispute resolution system is further configured to provide an arbiter access to the information maintained in the corresponding case folder relating to the first reported transaction to allow the arbiter to resolve the first dispute between the first user and the second user.

18. A method for facilitating payment transaction disputes using a dispute resolution system, the method comprising:

storing transactional information relating to a plurality of transactions;

receiving a request from a first user for information relating to a transaction in the plurality of transactions;

outputting information relating to the transaction to the first user, wherein the first user initiates a dispute with a second user, and wherein the transaction is thereafter a disputed transaction;

storing some or all of the retrieved information relating to the disputed transaction in a case folder, the case folder being used to store only information relating to the disputed transaction;

creating a questionnaire and presenting the questionnaire to the first user;

receiving a response to the questionnaire including information relating to the disputed transaction from the first user;

attaching the response to the questionnaire to the case folder;

monitoring the case folder to track timeframes; and

alerting the first and second users with regard to actions that are to be completed by the first and second users as part of a resolution process for resolving the disputed transactor based on the timeframes.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising receiving, from the second user who is a party to the disputed transaction, information relating to the disputed transaction upon receiving indication that the dispute is initiated.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising monitoring a timeframe with respect to a pre-compliance or pre-arbitration before the disputed transaction is permitted to move into compliance or arbitration.