Integrated mail, internet, and telephony event tracking system

• US 7,953,607 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2007
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Walz Group, LLC. (Computershare Limited), Walz Group
• Original Assignee: Charles F.H. Mcnairy
• Inventors: McNairy, Charles F. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jabr; Fadey S
• Application Number:
  US11/859,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20080077424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705 38- 39, 709/201, 379/386
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00024 Physical or organizational aspects of franking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0004 Determining the location of mailpieces outside apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00096 via phone lines

Abstract

A method of tracking and acting on events related to the delivery of a mail piece is provided. An integrated record associated with an addressee of a mail piece is created. The mail piece is given a unique identifier and the mail piece is associated with the addressee. The mail piece is placed in a mail stream and the date and nature of associated delivery events is recorded. After a predetermined delivery event occurs, a follow-up communication is transmitted to the addressee, and the date of this follow-up communication is recorded. The date of any response by the addressee to the follow-up communication is also recorded. To the integrated record associated with the addressee is added the date and nature of the delivery events associated with the mail piece, the date of the follow-up communication, and the date of any response by the addressee to the follow up communication.

Claims

1. A method of tracking and acting on events related to the delivery of a plurality of mail pieces, comprising:

(a) for each of the plurality of mail pieces,

creating an integrated record associated with an addressee of a mail piece,

giving the mail piece a unique identifier,

associating the addressee of the mail piece with the mail piece,

placing the mail piece in a mail stream,

recording the date and nature of delivery events associated with the mail piece,

transmitting a follow-up communication to the addressee after a predetermined delivery event occurs,

recording the date of the follow-up communication,

recording the date of any response by the addressee to the follow-up communication,

adding to the integrated record associated with the addressee the date and nature of the delivery events associated with the mail piece, the date of the follow-up communication, and the date of any response by the addressee to the follow-up communication,

(b) storing the plurality of integrated records in a computer database operated by an integrated communications provider,

(c) having the computer operated by the integrated communications provider triage the plurality of integrated records,

(d) having the computer operated by an integrated communications provider hand off the plurality of triaged integrated records to a call center,

(e) for each of the plurality of integrated records, displaying an integrated history screen at the call center in front of a call center operator, and

(f) having the call center operator call the addressee of the mail piece, wherein the triaged integrated record is sent from the integrated communications provider to the call center prior to the call center initiating the call to the addressee of the mail piece, wherein each mail piece includes a phone number for the integrated communications provider which is identified as the phone number for the sender such that follow up communication from the addressee to the sender is directed to the integrated communications provider, and wherein the integrated communications provider is notified of the delivery event prior to follow up communication between the integrated communications provider and the addressee.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording the nature of the follow-up communication,

recording the nature of any response by the addressee to the follow-up communication; and

adding the nature of the follow-up communication and the nature of any response by the addressee to the follow-up communication to the integrated record associated with the addressee.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the follow-up communication is automatically transmitted telephonically.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the follow-up communication comprises a menu of possible responses to the message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each step is performed automatically.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording the date of a communication between the addressee and a predetermined party, and

adding to the integrated record associated with the addressee the date of the communication between the addressee and the predetermined party.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording the date of a communication with a predetermined party regarding the addressee, and

adding to the integrated record associated with the addressee the date of the communication with a predetermined party regarding the addressee.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

including a return receptacle with the mail piece,

associating the addressee with a second unique identifier,

associating the return receptacle with the second unique identifier,

automatically recording date and nature of delivery events associated with the return receptacle, and

adding the date and nature of the delivery events associated with the return receptacle to the integrated record associated with the addressee.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the content of the follow-up communication is predetermined according to the nature of the mail piece and the nature of delivery event that occurred.

10. A method of tracking and acting on events related to the delivery of a plurality of mail pieces to a delinquent borrower, comprising:

(a) for each of the plurality of mail pieces,

creating an integrated record associated with a delinquent borrower,

giving a mail piece a unique identifier,

associating the delinquent borrower with the mail piece,

placing the mail piece in a mail stream,

recording the date and nature of delivery events associated with the mail piece,

transmitting a follow-up communication to the delinquent borrower after a predetermined delivery event occurs,

recording the date of the follow-up communication;

recording the date of any response by the delinquent borrower to the follow-up communication;

adding to the integrated record associated with the delinquent borrower the date and nature of the delivery events associated with the mail piece, the date of the follow-up communication, and the date of any response by the delinquent borrower to the follow-up communication,

(b) storing the plurality of integrated records in a computer database operated by the integrated communications provider,

(c) having the computer operated by the integrated communications provider triage the plurality of integrated records,

(d) having the computer operated by the integrated communications provider hand off the plurality of triaged integrated records to a call center,

(e) for each of the plurality of integrated records, displaying an integrated history screen at the call center in front of a call center operator, and

(f) having the call center operator call the addressee of the mail piece, wherein the triaged integrated record is sent from the integrated communications provider to the call center prior to the call center initiating the call to the delinquent borrower, wherein each mail piece includes a phone number for the integrated communications provider which is identified as the phone number for the sender such that follow up communication from the addressee to the sender is directed to the integrated communications provider, and wherein the integrated communications provider is notified of the delivery event prior to follow up communication between the integrated communications provider and the addressee.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein placing the mail piece in a mail stream comprises:

sending the mail piece using a delivery service that provides updated tracking information while the mail piece is en route.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the follow-up communication is transmitted to the delinquent borrower automatically after a predetermined delivery event occurs.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the follow-up communication is transmitted to the delinquent borrower telephonically after a predetermined delivery event occurs.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the follow-up communication presents the delinquent borrower with the option of being connected to a live designated representative of the owner of the delinquent borrower'"'"'s debt.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the designated representative of the owner of the delinquent borrower'"'"'s debt is a lending agency representative.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the designated representative of the owner of the delinquent borrower'"'"'s debt is a foreclosure attorney representative.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the follow-up communication comprises a text message.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

using the integrated record associated with the delinquent borrower to triage the delinquent borrower relative to other delinquent borrowers.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

causing literature explaining debt workout options to be delivered to the delinquent borrower,

recording the date the literature was delivered to the delinquent borrower, and

adding the date the literature was delivered to the delinquent borrower to the integrated record associated with the delinquent borrower.

20. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

recording the date and nature of a communication with a predetermined party regarding the delinquent borrower, and

adding to the integrated record associated with the delinquent borrower the date and nature of the communication.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the communication with a predetermined party regarding the delinquent borrower comprises a telephonic communication.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the communication with a predetermined party regarding the delinquent borrower comprises a communication transmitted over the internet.