Consumer to business data capturing system

• US 8,271,316 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2006
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Buzzmetrics, Ltd. (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: Buzzmetrics, Ltd. (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Inventors: Blackshaw, Peter E., Coates, Daniel M., Fischer, Olivier, Kunz, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boswell, Beth V
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCPHILLIP, ADRIAN J
• Application Number:
  US11/346,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20060253316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,420 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.29, 705/7.31, 705/7.33, 705/7.32
• US Class Current: 705/7.29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation

Abstract

Methods and apparatus of the present invention collect data associated with a consumer through generation of a consumer feedback communication via a wide area network. A business to which the consumer feedback communication is directed is identified in response to input from a consumer via the wide area network. Feedback data relating to the business is obtained from the consumer via the wide area network. At least a portion of the consumer feedback communication is automatically generated using the feedback data. Data associated with the consumer is then collected from the obtained feedback data.

Claims

1. A method to collect data associated with a consumer through generation of a consumer feedback communication via a wide area network, the method comprising:

in response to input from a consumer via the wide area network, identifying a business to which the consumer feedback communication is to be directed;

obtaining feedback data relating to the business from the consumer via the wide area network;

automatically generating at least a portion of the consumer feedback communication using the feedback data;

addressing the consumer feedback communication to an individual associated with the business;

addressing the consumer feedback communication to a person identified by the consumer and to one or more additional individuals;

determining using a processor word of mouth impact of the consumer from information associated with addressing the consumer feedback communication to the person and to the one or more additional individuals, wherein determining the word of mouth impact of the consumer comprises ascertaining a number of individuals carbon copied on the consumer feedback communication;

transmitting the consumer feedback communication to the individual, to the person identified by the consumer, and to the one or more additional individuals;

determining using a processor a socio-economic identification for the consumer; and

storing in a memory an indication that the socio-economic identification is associated with the person identified by the consumer.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the collected data includes data quantifying past experiences of the consumer.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the collected data includes data quantifying future intentions of the consumer.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the collected data includes data quantifying past purchases by the consumer of products and/or services rendered by the business.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the collected data includes data indicating economic value of the consumer over time for the business.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

selecting an industry for which data associated with the consumer is to be collected;

wherein collecting data comprises obtaining consumer data relating to the selected industry from the obtained feedback data.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

providing the collected data to one or more businesses within the selected industry.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

associating the collected data with the consumer feedback communication.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

providing the collected data to the business.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining socio-economic data associated with the consumer, wherein the socioeconomic data includes at least one of income of the consumer and occupation of the consumer; and

determining an economic value of the consumer to the business from the socioeconomic data.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining socio-economic data associated with the consumer, wherein the socioeconomic data includes at least one of income of the consumer and occupation of the consumer; and

combining the collected data and the socio-economic data to obtain one or more indices associated with the consumer.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the one or more indices includes a loyalty index indicating a level of loyalty of the consumer to the business.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the one or more indices includes a buyer power index indicating a level of purchase power of the consumer.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein addressing the consumer feedback communication to the one or more additional individuals comprises:

addressing a carbon copy of the consumer feedback communication to the one or more additional individuals.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining the word of mouth impact comprises ascertaining a total number of individuals carbon copied for the consumer feedback communications initiated by the consumer.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

determining a number of consumer feedback communications initiated by the consumer; and

ascertaining an average number of individuals carbon copied by the consumer from the number of consumer feedback communications initiated by the consumer and the total number of individuals carbon copied for the consumer feedback communications initiated by the consumer.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

addressing the consumer feedback communication to a second set of one or more additional individuals;

wherein collecting data associated with the consumer further comprises obtaining information related to addressing the consumer feedback communication to the second set of one or more additional individuals.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein determining the word of mouth impact of the consumer comprises:

ascertaining a number of individuals carbon copied on the consumer feedback communication; and

ascertaining a number of individuals in the second set of one or more additional individuals.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the second set of one or more additional individuals include direct addressees of the consumer feedback communication.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

for one or more additional consumer feedback communications initiated by the consumer, repeating the identifying, obtaining, generating, collecting, addressing the consumer feedback communication to individual associated with the business, and addressing the consumer feedback communication to the one or more additional individuals; and

ascertaining a total number of individuals carbon copied for the one or more additional consumer feedback communications initiated by the consumer;

ascertaining a total number of individuals in the second set of one or more additional individuals for the additional consumer feedback communications initiated by the consumer; and

adding the total number of individuals carbon copied and the total number of individuals in the second set to obtain a total number of individuals.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

determining a total number of the consumer feedback communications initiated by the consumer; and

ascertaining an average number of individuals who received at least one of the consumer feedback communications initiated by the consumer from the total number of consumer feedback communications initiated by the consumer and the total number of individuals.

22. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining socio-economic data associated with the consumer;

wherein determining the word of mouth impact of the consumer further comprises using the socio-economic data to infer a socio-economic nature of the person and the one or more additional individuals to whom the consumer feedback communication has been addressed.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the socio-economic data includes information indicating at least one of salary, job title or education level of the consumer.

24. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the socio-economic data includes at least one of a title, a political status, or an associated special interest group.

25. A system to collect data associated with a consumer via a wide area network, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor to;

in response to input from the consumer via the wide area network, identify a business to which the consumer is to provide feedback;

obtain feedback data relating to the business from the consumer via the wide area network;

automatically generate at least a portion of a consumer feedback communication using the feedback data;

address the consumer feedback communication to a person identified by the consumer and to one or more additional individuals;

determine word of mouth impact of the consumer from information associated with addressing the consumer feedback communication to the person and to the one or more additional individuals, wherein determining the word of mouth impact of the consumer comprises ascertaining a number of individuals carbon copied on the consumer feedback communication;

transmit the consumer feedback communication to an individual associated with the business, to the person identified by the consumer, and to the one or more additional individuals;

determine a socio-economic identification of the consumer; and

associate the socio-economic identification is associated with the person identified by the consumer, the person being different than the consumer.

26. A system as defined in claim 25, wherein the person is a first person and wherein the processor is to:

transmit the consumer feedback communication to a second person; and

associate the socio-economic identification with the second person.