Method and system for providing an incentive to use an automated teller machine (ATM)

• US 7,421,410 B1
• Filed: 10/06/2000
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Citicorp Credit Services Incorporated (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Citicorp Development Center Incorporated (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schechtman, Howard A., Paradiso, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamilton; Lalita M
• Application Number:
  US09/684,096
• Time in Patent Office: 2,888 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/39, 705/41, 705/43, 705/44, 705/38, 705/40
• US Class Current: 705/43
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and systems for promoting banking services to non-customers at an automated teller machine (ATM) through an incentive system. Non-customers who enroll in the incentive system are awarded points based on ATM use, viewing of advertisements at an ATM, and other factors. When a pre-determined number of points is accumulated by the non-customer, the non-customer is provided with an award (e.g., a convenience fee for use of the ATM is forgiven). In addition, use of networked ATMs by the non-customer is tracked in order to provide tailored awards and advertisements.

Claims

1. A method of promoting banking services comprising:

receiving at an automatic teller machine (ATM) a transaction request from an ATM user for a transaction for which a convenience fee is charged if the user is a non-customer, wherein the ATM comprises a display screen;

determining that the ATM user comprises a non-customer;

displaying information related to an incentive program for non-customers on the display screen, wherein the information prompts the ATM user for a response;

receiving the response from the ATM user;

enrolling the ATM user in the incentive program;

accumulating award points in an incentive program account for the enrolled non-customer ATM user in connection with each succeeding transaction request from the enrolled non-customer ATM user; and

discounting at least a portion of the convenience fee for the enrolled non-customer ATM user when a pre-determined award points balance is accumulated in the incentive program account.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising tracking the electronic transactions of the ATM user.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the ATM comprises an ATM operated by a first financial institution.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein determining that the ATM user comprises a non-customer comprises determining that the ATM user is not a customer of the first financial institution.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein determining that the ATM user comprises a non-customer comprises accessing a network associated with the first financial institution.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising assigning a pre-selected number of points to the incentive program account of the ATM user in response to a pre-selected event.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising receiving a point-balance request from the ATM user, accessing the account of the ATM user, wherein the account comprises a point balance of the ATM user, and providing the point balance of the ATM user to the ATM user.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the transaction request comprises a bank identification number (BIN).

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the receiving at the automatic teller machine (ATM) the transaction request from the ATM user comprises receiving an ATM card of the ATM user.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the information related to the incentive program for non-customers comprises information encouraging the ATM user to join the incentive program.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the response comprises at least one of the following:

an e-mail address and a telephone number.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising thereafter tracking the ATM user'"'"'s electronic transactions on a second ATM associated with the first financial institution.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing the ATM user with further opportunities to earn a pre-selected number of points.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising providing an opportunity to the ATM user to redeem the points for at least one of the following:

goods, services, discounts, credit, and cash.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein discounting the convenience fee of the ATM user comprises eliminating the convenience fee of the ATM user.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein eliminating the convenience fee of the ATM user is carried out on a periodic basis.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the periodic basis comprises at least one of the following:

every fifth transaction session, every tenth transaction session, every transaction session, and every other transaction session.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein enrolling the ATM user in the incentive program comprises recording the BIN of the ATM user.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing the incentive program account for the ATM user.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising assigning a pre-selected number of points to the incentive program account of the ATM user.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising receiving a request to view the number of points in the incentive program account of the ATM user and displaying the number of points associated with the ATM user.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising accessing the incentive program account of the ATM user, wherein the incentive program account comprises the number of points associated with the ATM user.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising displaying an advertisement to the ATM user.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising displaying an advertising-view inquiry comprising an invitation to view an advertisement in exchange for the addition of points to the incentive program account of the ATM user and receiving an affirmative response to the advertising-view inquiry.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising receiving an indication from the ATM user that the ATM user viewed the advertisement;

and, after receiving the indication from the ATM user that the ATM user viewed the advertisement, assigning a second pre-selected number of points to the incentive program account of the ATM user.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising determining if the ATM user is eligible for an incentive award.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein determining if the ATM user is eligible for the incentive award comprises comparing the number of points associated with the ATM user with a third pre-selected number of points.

28. The method of claim 27 comprising providing the ATM user with the award.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the award comprises forgiveness of the convenience fee.

30. The method of claim 28 further comprising recording an electronic transaction of the ATM user in a transaction database associated with the ATM user.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising selecting the advertisement based on the transaction database associated with the ATM user.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the ATM comprises an off-premises ATM.

33. The method of claim 1 wherein enrolling the ATM user in the incentive program comprises contacting the ATM user using data in the response.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the ATM comprises an off-premises ATM.

35. A system for promoting banking services comprising:

means for receiving at an automatic teller machine (ATM) a transaction request from an ATM user for a transaction for which a convenience fee is charged if the user is a non-customer, wherein the ATM comprises a display screen;

means for determining that the ATM user comprises a non-customer;

means for displaying information related to an incentive program for non-customers on the display screen, wherein the information prompts the ATM user for a response;

means for receiving the response from the ATM user;

means for enrolling the ATM user in the incentive program;

means for accumulating award points in an incentive program account for the enrolled non-customer ATM user in connection with each succeeding transaction request from the enrolled non-customer ATM user; and

means for discounting at least a portion of the convenience fee for the enrolled non-customer ATM user when a pre-determined award points balance is accumulated in the incentive program account.

36. The system of claim 35 further comprising means for tracking the electronic transactions of the ATM user.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the ATM comprises an ATM operated by a first financial institution.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the means for determining that the ATM user comprises a non-customer comprises means for determining that the ATM user is not a customer of the first financial institution.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the means for determining that the ATM user comprises a non-customer comprises means for accessing a network associated with the first financial institution.

40. The system of claim 38 further comprising means for assigning a pre-selected number of points to the incentive program account of the ATM user in response to a pre-selected event.

41. The system of claim 40 further comprising means for receiving a point-balance request from the ATM user, means for accessing the account of the ATM user, wherein the account comprises a point balance of the ATM user, and means for providing the point balance of the ATM user to the ATM user.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the transaction request comprises a bank identification number (BIN).

43. The system of claim 42 wherein the means for receiving at the automatic teller machine (ATM) the transaction request from the ATM user comprises means for receiving an ATM card of the ATM user.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein the information related to the incentive program for non-customers comprises information encouraging the ATM user to join the incentive program.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the response comprises at least one of the following:

an e-mail address and a telephone number.

46. The system of claim 44 further comprising means for tracking the ATM user'"'"'s electronic transactions on a second ATM associated with the first financial institution.

47. The system of claim 46 further comprising means for providing the ATM user with further opportunities to earn a pre-selected number of points.

48. The system of claim 47 further comprising means for providing an opportunity to the ATM user to redeem the points for at least one of the following:

goods, services, discounts, credit, and cash.

49. The system of claim 45 further comprising means for reducing the convenience fee of the ATM user.

50. The system of claim 35 wherein means for discounting the convenience fee of the ATM user is carried out on a periodic basis.

51. The system of claim 50 wherein the periodic basis comprises at least one of the following:

every fifth transaction session, every tenth transaction session, every transaction session, and every other transaction session.

52. The system of claim 51 wherein means for enrolling the ATM user in the incentive program comprises means for recording the BIN of the ATM user.

53. The system of claim 35 further means for comprising establishing the incentive program account for the ATM user.

54. The system of claim 53 further comprising means for assigning a pre-selected number of points to the incentive program account of the ATM user.

55. The system of claim 54 further comprising means for receiving a request to view the number of points in the incentive program account of the ATM user and means for displaying the number of points associated with the ATM user.

56. The system of claim 55 further comprising means for accessing the incentive program account of the ATM user, wherein the incentive program account comprises the number of points associated with the ATM user.

57. The system of claim 56 further comprising means for displaying an advertisement to the ATM user.

58. The system of claim 57 further comprising means for displaying an advertising-view inquiry comprising an invitation to view an advertisement in exchange for the addition of points to the incentive program account of the ATM user and means for receiving an affirmative response to the advertising-view inquiry.

59. The system of claim 58 further comprising means for receiving an indication from the ATM user that the ATM user viewed the advertisement;

and, means for assigning a second pre-selected number of points to the incentive program account of the ATM user after receiving the indication from the ATM user that the ATM user viewed the advertisement.

60. The system of claim 59 further comprising means for determining if the ATM user is eligible for an incentive award.

61. The system of claim 60 wherein means for determining if the ATM user is eligible for the incentive award comprises means for comparing the number of points associated with the ATM user with a third pre-selected number of points.

62. The system of claim 61 comprising means for providing the ATM user with the award.

63. The system of claim 62 wherein the award comprises forgiveness of the convenience fee.

64. The system of claim 62 further comprising means for recording an electronic transaction of the ATM user in a transaction database associated with the ATM user.

65. The system of claim 64 further comprising means for selecting the advertisement based on the transaction database associated with the ATM user.

66. The system of claim 65 wherein the ATM comprises an off-premises ATM.

67. The system of claim 35 wherein means for enrolling the ATM user in the incentive program comprises means for contacting the ATM user using data in the response.

68. The system of claim 67 wherein the ATM comprises an off-premises ATM.