Customer loyalty, product demonstration, and store/contact center/internet coupling system and method

• US 8,117,087 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Mohler, David S., Michaelis, Paul Roller
• Primary Examiner(s): Levine, Adam
• Assistant Examiner(s): Civan, Ethan D
• Application Number:
  US12/566,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20110071884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations

Abstract

A system for storing information about searches and inquiries by a customer is provided. The system includes a customer service server that receives information from two or more sources, such as from a retail location sales agent, a website, a call center agent, etc. The information is associated and correlated to interrelate inquiries from the different sources. Further, when the user enters a retail location, a node or server at the retail location can push test application to a user'"'"'s mobile device based on the past inquiries. These test applications are provided only when the customer is present in the retail location. As such, hacking the application is prevented. Further, with the customer using the application in the retail location, a sales agent is present to assist the customer.

Claims

1. A method for providing a product to a customer for a limited time, the method comprising:

a retail server node receiving a detection of a presence of the customer in a geo-fenced, physical retail location based on a Global Positioning System (“

GPS”

) location;

the retail server node identifying the customer;

the retail server node determining if the customer made a past inquiry about a product the customer has yet to purchase;

if the customer made a past inquiry about a product the customer has yet to purchase, the retail server node retrieving inquiry information for the past inquiry;

based on the retrieved inquiry information, the retail server node pushing the unpurchased product to a mobile device of the customer to test while the customer is in the geo-fenced, physical retail location;

the retail server node allowing the customer to test the product on the mobile device while the customer remains in the geo-fenced, physical retail location and

if the customer leaves the geo-fenced, physical retail location, uninstalling the unpurchased product from the mobile device.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

if the customer did not make a past inquiry about a product, the retail server node determining if the customer is making a current inquiry about a product; and

in response to the current inquiry, the retail server node pushing the product to the mobile device of the customer based on information associated with the current inquiry.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising storing at least one of a group comprising inquiry information and purchase information.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein storing the inquiry information or purchase information comprises amending a customer activity record including previous customer activity associated with the product to include the inquiry information or purchase information.

5. The method as defined in claim 4, further comprising pushing a cookie to a computer associated with the customer, wherein the cookie stores at least a portion of the customer activity record on the computer.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the customer'"'"'s presence is detected by the mobile device registering with the retail server node.

7. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein the retail server node determines an identity of the customer from information received from the mobile device registering with the retail server node.

8. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the identity of the customer is used to search a customer information database for inquiry information associated with the customer.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the product is an unpurchased software application.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein pushing the product to the mobile device comprises:

the retail server node pushing a notice of a software application available for testing to the mobile device;

the retail server node determining if the customer requests the software application;

in response to determining that the customer requests the software application, the retail server node pushing the software application and an uninstall application to the mobile device;

the retail server node determining if the customer is still present or has left the geo-fenced, physical retail location ;

if the customer is still present, waiting a period of time; and

if the customer has left the geo-fenced, physical retail location , sending a signal to the uninstall application to uninstall the application.

11. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions stored onto a non-transitory computer readable medium which, when executed by a processor of a computer, causes the processor to execute a method for providing a software application, that the customer has yet to purchase, to a customer while a customer is in a geo-fenced, physical retail location, the method comprising:

a retail server node detecting that a mobile device associated with a customer is present in the geo-fenced, physical retail location based on a Global Positioning System (“

GPS”

) location;

in response to detecting the mobile device, the retail server node pushing a notice that the software application is available for testing to the mobile device;

the retail server node determining if the customer requests the software application;

in response to determining that the customer requests the software application, the retail server node pushing the software application and an uninstall application to the mobile device before the customer purchases the software application;

the retail server node determining if the customer is still present or has left the geo-fenced, physical retail location;

if the customer is still present, waiting a period of time then repeating the step of determining if the customer is still present; and

if the customer has left the geo-fenced, physical retail location , uninstalling the software application.

12. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 11, wherein the retail server node detects presence by determining if the mobile device entered a geo-fenced retail location.

13. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 12, further comprising registering the customer associated with the mobile device.

14. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 11, further comprising:

the retail server node sending a periodic heartbeat signal to the mobile device;

wherein, the periodic heartbeat signal is received by the mobile device only within the geo-fenced, physical retail location, and wherein, if the mobile device stops receiving the periodic heartbeat signal, the uninstall application uninstalls the software application from the mobile device.

15. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 11, further comprising:

the retail server node receiving a periodic heartbeat signal from the mobile device;

wherein, the retail server node receives the periodic heartbeat signal from the mobile device only within a geo-fenced area, and wherein, if the retail server node stops receiving the periodic heartbeat signal, the retail server node sends a signal to the uninstall application to uninstall the software application from the mobile device.