Methods and apparatus for intelligent selection of goods and services in telephonic and electronic commerce

• US 8,306,908 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2006
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: West Corporation
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Barker, Thomas B., Strubbe, Todd B., Kempkes, Rodney J., Pettay, Mark J., Johnson, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chencinski, Siegfried E
• Application Number:
  US11/368,271
• Time in Patent Office: 2,440 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/7, 705/26, 705/3, 705 35- 44
• US Class Current: 705/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history

Abstract

The invention provides methods, systems, and computer readable media of performing account acquisitions while associating pending transactions with applications for such accounts. One embodiment includes obtaining transaction information for preliminary transaction(s) by which a customer orders goods and/or services, proposing one or more additional transactions relating to goods and/or services to the customer, along with new accounts to pay for such preliminary or additional transactions, and associating the preliminary or additional transactions is with the new account application as pending transactions. Finally, the method can include requesting approval of the new application, with the transaction for goods/services associated with the application in a pending status. In another embodiment, a method includes receiving and approving an application for a new account, evaluating whether one or more pending transactions are associated with the new account or the application for the same, with the pending transaction(s) having been proposed before the application was approved.

Claims

1. A method for performing an upselling transaction, the method comprising at least the following:

receiving at least one preliminary transaction for at least one of goods and services into a computer system comprising at least one processor and at least one memory configured to store and process information related to the at least one preliminary transaction for at least one of goods and services;

generating a proposal by the computer system, during the payment processing of the at least one preliminary transaction, the proposal comprising at least one new account to enable a consumer to pay for the at least one preliminary transaction, the proposal being generated in response to the computer system processing the received information;

thereafter, receiving into the computer system information related to an application for the at least one new account;

in the computer system, associating the at least one preliminary transaction with the at least one application by issuing a unique identifier linking the at least one application and the at least one preliminary transaction as a pending transaction;

in the computer system, generating a request for approval of the at least one application, the request including the unique identifier and transaction specific data associated with the pending transaction;

transmitting the request from the computer system to an approval authority;

in the computer system, receiving a status of an approval of the at least one application, wherein receiving the status includes receiving at least one of a real time approval of the at least one application, or a real time rejection of the at least one application; and

storing the unique identifier as a data record in a data store that corresponds to the application being processed and transaction data associated with the at least one preliminary transaction in order to link the pending status of the at least one preliminary transaction to the application being processed and to retrieve the data record upon receiving the status of the approval request;

wherein at least the generation of the proposal, receiving the information related to the application and transmitting the request for approval are performed during the preliminary transaction and wherein the at least one preliminary transaction is maintained in a pending status until the status of the approval of the at least one application is received in the computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining information related to the at least one application includes populating the at least one application automatically.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein populating the at least one application automatically includes populating the application prior to any interaction with an applicant for the at least one account.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein populating the at least one application includes populating the application based on data derived from an ANI parameter associated with an applicant for the account.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein populating the at least one application includes populating the application based upon data derived from a unique identification number associated with an applicant for the account.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein populating the at least one application includes populating the application based on data derived from a code associated with a marketing campaign.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining information related to the at least one preliminary transaction includes interacting with an applicant during an inbound teleservices event.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining information related to the at least one preliminary transaction includes interacting with an applicant during an outbound teleservices event.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining information related to the at least one preliminary transaction includes interacting with an applicant using an interactive voice response platform.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining information related to the at least one preliminary transaction includes interacting with an applicant over a wide area global communications network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining information related to the at least one application includes obtaining information related to an application to acquire at least one of a loan account, a credit card account, and a debit card account.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising proposing at lest one additional transaction beyond the at least one preliminary transaction.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein proposing the at least one additional transaction including using selection information related to at least one of the preliminary transaction and the application for the new account to select at least one of goods and services to be offered when proposing the at least one additional transaction.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein using information including using selection information in real time with the obtaining of the information to select at least one of goods and services to be offered when proposing the at least one additional transaction.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein proposing the at least one additional transaction includes offering at least one of goods and services that are selected in real time relative to the obtaining of the selection information.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein proposing at least one additional transaction includes offering at least one transaction involving goods and services that are selected based on the selection information.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein proposing at least one additional transaction includes offering at least one transaction involving at least one of goods and services.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the at least one preliminary transaction with the at least one application includes storing data associating the at least one preliminary transaction with the application.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the at least one preliminary transaction with the at least one application includes generating a unique identifier corresponding to the application, entering transaction data corresponding to the at least one preliminary transaction into a data store, and indexing the transaction data in the data store using the unique identifier.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein requesting approval includes sending the unique identifier and data associated with the preliminary transaction to an entity receiving a request to approve the application.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein requesting approval includes sending at least a transaction amount to an entity receiving the request to approve the application.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein requesting approval includes requesting approval from an entity issuing the new account.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein requesting approval includes requesting approval for at least one of a loan account, a credit card account and a debit card account.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein generating a unique identifier includes generating a unique identifier other than an account number assigned to the account by an issuer of the account;

and further comprising sending at least the unique identifier to a fulfillment entity along with a request to fulfill the at least one preliminary transaction.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein storing data includes storing an account number assigned to the account by an issuer of the account;

and further comprising sending the account number to a fulfillment entity along with a request to fulfill the at least one transaction.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the status further includes receiving at least one of a real time approval of the at least one application, a real time rejection of the at least one application, and a request to refer the at least one application to credit personnel.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a status includes receiving an approval in real time with the requesting of the approval;

and further comprising receiving an identifier associated with the account, wherein the identifier is generated by an issuer of the at least account.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein receiving a status includes receiving one of approval of the new account and denial of the at least one account.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising dispositioning the preliminary transaction in response to the status.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein dispositioning the at least one preliminary transaction includes referring data related to the at least one preliminary transaction to a fulfillment entity, and updating a data store entry corresponding to the at least one preliminary transaction.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein referring data includes referring an account card number generated by an entity issuing the account to the fulfillment entity.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein referring data includes referring a unique identifier other than an account number generated by an entity issuing the account to the fulfillment entity.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein dispositioning the at least one preliminary transaction includes notifying the applicant that the at least one application has been denied.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein dispositioning the at least one preliminary transaction includes seeking an alternative payment for the transaction from the applicant.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein dispositioning the at least one preliminary transaction includes obtaining information from the applicant enabling the transaction to be settled to an existing account.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein proposing at least one preliminary transaction is performed by an entity other than an applicant for the at least one new account.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining information related to the at least one preliminary transaction is performed before proposing the at least one new account.

38. The method of claim 1, further comprising confirming the at least one preliminary transaction during an activation event associated with the at least one account.

39. The method of claim 12, wherein proposing at least one additional transaction includes proposing at least one transaction having at least one payment term enabling the applicant to defer payment for the at least one additional transaction for a pre-determined period of time.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein dispositioning the at least one additional transaction includes awaiting expiration of the pre-determined period before forwarding numerical data related to the transaction.

42. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

processing the at least one application for at least one account, wherein processing the at least one application comprising at least the following;

receiving the at least one application for the at least one account;

approving the at least one application; and

evaluating whether at least one transaction is associated with at least one of the at least one account and the at least one application, wherein the at least one transaction was proposed before the at least one application was approved.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein receiving the at least one application includes receiving the at least one application from an entity interacting with an applicant for the account.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein receiving the at least one application includes receiving the at least one application from an entity different from an entity processing the at least one application.

45. The method of claim 42, further comprising receiving at least a first unique identifier associated with the at least one application.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein receiving a unique identifier includes receiving a unique identifier related to at least one application for at least one of a credit card account, a debit card account, and a loan account.

47. The method of claim 42, further comprising processing at least a second unique identifier associated with the at least one application.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein processing at least a second unique identifier includes processing an account number assigned to the account upon opening the account.

49. The method of claim 42, further comprising receiving data corresponding to the at least one transaction associated with at least one of the account and the application.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein receiving data includes receiving at least one of a reference number corresponding to the transaction, data identifying a merchant offering at least one of a good and a service involved in the proposed transaction, and a date of the transaction.

51. The method of claim 42, further comprising matching the transaction with the application.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein matching the transaction includes receiving a unique identifier associated with the transaction, and relating the unique identifier to at least one respective account number assigned by an entity issuing the account.

53. The method of claim 51, wherein matching the transaction includes relating the unique identifier to a credit card account number assigned by an entity issuing a credit card account.

54. The method of claim 51, wherein matching the transaction includes relating the unique identifier to at least one loan account number assigned by a lender making a loan.

55. The method of claim 51, wherein matching the transaction includes relating the unique identifier to at least one debit card account number assigned by an entity holding debit funds on deposit.

56. The method of claim 42, further comprising processing the transaction against the account.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein processing the transaction includes adjusting a balance remaining parameter associated with the account.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein processing the transaction includes reducing a credit limit parameter associated with a credit card account.

59. The method of claim 56, wherein processing the transaction includes reducing an amount of funds on deposit associated with a debit card account.

60. The method of claim 56, wherein processing the transaction includes reducing a loan balance available amount associated with a loan account.

61. The method of claim 42, wherein approving the application includes approving the application in real time;

and further comprising issuing an account number in real time.

62. The method of claim 42, wherein approving the application includes referring the application to a credit officer;

and further comprising issuing an account number.

63. The method of claim 42 further comprising:

processing at least one pending transaction associated with at least one new account, wherein processing the at least one pending transaction comprising at least the following;

receiving a unique identifier related to the new account;

receiving at least first data corresponding to the pending transaction conducted using the new account, the pending transaction being conducted before the new account is approved for opening;

correlating the pending transaction with the new account using the second unique identifier; and

processing the pending transaction against the new account according to the at least first data.

41. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform an upselling transaction, and applying for an account, the processor being further configured to perform:

obtaining information related to at least one preliminary transaction for at least one of goods and services;

proposing, during the payment processing of the at least one preliminary transaction, at least one new account to enable a consumer to pay for the at least one preliminary transaction;

obtaining information related to an application for the at least one new account;

associating the at least one preliminary transaction with the at least one application by issuing a unique identifier linking the at least one application and the at least one preliminary transaction as a pending transaction;

requesting approval of the at least one application, by transmitting a request including the unique identifier and transaction specific data associated with the pending transaction;

receiving a status of an approval of the at least one application, wherein receiving the status includes receiving at least one of a real time approval of the at least one application, or a real time rejection of the at least one application; and

storing the unique identifier as a data record in a data store that corresponds to the application being processed and transaction data associated with the at least one preliminary transaction in order to link the pending status of the at least one preliminary transaction to the application being processed and to retrieve the data record upon receiving the status of the approval request;

wherein the steps of proposing, obtaining the information related to the application and requesting approval are performed during the preliminary transaction and wherein the at least one preliminary transaction is maintained in a pending status until the status of the approval of the at least one application is received.

64. A method for performing an upselling transaction, the method comprising:

establishing communication between a user and a system comprising at least one computer system comprising at least one processor and at least one memory configured to store and process information for a user initiated initial transaction;

receiving into the at least one computer system transaction data with respect to the user from the initial transaction, including at least certain information regarding the identity of the user;

automatically selecting in the at least one computer system said information for provision to the user as a result of the user initiated initial transaction, comprising the steps of;

utilizing the identity of the user to access one or more databases to obtain at least two second data elements, each relating to the user, at least one second data element containing third party data;

utilizing at least in part the transaction data and the second data elements for selecting the information for provision to users of the system; and

providing the information to the user in real time during the course of the communication;

automatically generating a proposal by the at least one computer system during the payment processing of the initiated initial transaction, for at least one new account to enable the user to pay for the initiated initial transaction;

thereafter receiving into the at least one computer system information related to an application for the at least one new account;

in the at least one computer system associating the at least one preliminary transaction with the at least one application by issuing a unique identifier linking the at least one application and the at least one preliminary transaction as a pending transaction;

in the at least one computer system generating a request for approval of the at least one application and transmitting the request, the request including the unique identifier and transaction specific data associated with the pending transaction;

in the at least one computer system receiving a status of an approval of the at least one application, wherein receiving the status includes receiving at least one of a real time approval of the at least one application, or a real time rejection of the at least one application; and

storing the unique identifier as a data record in a data store that corresponds to the application being processed and transaction data associated with the at least one preliminary transaction in order to link the pending status of the at least one preliminary transaction to the application being processed and to retrieve the data record upon receiving the status of the approval request;

wherein at least the generation of the proposal, receiving the information related to the application and generating the request for approval are performed during the initial transaction with the user and wherein the at least one preliminary transaction is maintained in a pending status until the status of the approval of the at least one application is received in the computer system.

65. A method for performing an upselling transaction, the method comprising:

establishing communication via an electronic communications device operated by a user and a system comprising at least one computer system comprising at least one processor and at least one memory configured to store and process information for a user initiated initial transaction;

receiving into the at least one computer system transaction data with respect to the user from the initial transaction, including at least certain information regarding the identity of the user;

automatically selecting in the at least one computer system said information for provision to the user as a result of the user initiated initial transaction, comprising the steps of;

utilizing the identity of the user to access one or more databases to obtain at least two second data elements, each relating to the user, at least one second data element containing third party data;

utilizing at least in part the transaction data and the second data elements to for selecting the information for provision to users of the system;

providing the information to the user from the at least one computer system in real time during the course of the communication;

automatically generating a proposal from the at least one computer system during the payment processing of the at least one preliminary transaction, for at least one new account to enable a consumer to pay for the at least one preliminary transaction;

thereafter receiving into the at least one computer system information related to at least one preliminary transaction for at least one of goods and services;

in the at least one computer system associating the at least one preliminary transaction with the at least one application by issuing a unique identifier linking the at least one application and the at least one preliminary transaction as a pending transaction;

in the at least one computer system generating and transmitting a request for approval of the at least one application, the request including the unique identifier and transaction specific data associated with the pending transaction;

in the at least one computer system receiving a status of an approval of the at least one application, wherein receiving the status includes receiving at least one of a real time approval of the at least one application, or a real time rejection of the at least one application; and

storing the unique identifier as a data record in a data store that corresponds to the application being processed and transaction data associated with the at least one preliminary transaction in order to link the pending status of the at least one preliminary transaction to the application being processed and to retrieve the data record upon receiving the status of the approval request;

wherein at least the generation of the proposal, receiving the information related to the application and generating the request for approval are performed during the initial transaction with the user and wherein the at least one preliminary transaction is maintained in a pending status until the status of the approval of the at least one application is received in the computer system.

66. A method for performing an upselling transaction, the method comprising:

establishing communication between a user and a system comprising at least one computer system in a remote communication environment comprising at least one processor and at least one memory configured to store and process information for a purpose of a user initiated initial transaction;

receiving into the at least one computer system transaction data with respect to the user from the initial transaction, including at least certain information regarding the identity of the user;

automatically selecting in the at least one computer system said information for provision to the user as a result of the user initiated initial transaction, comprising the steps of;

utilizing the identity of the user to access one or more databases to obtain at least two second data elements, each relating to the user, at least one second data element containing third party data;

utilizing at least in part the transaction data and the second data elements to for selecting the information for provision to users of the system;

providing the information from the at least one computer system to the user in real time during the course of the communication;

automatically generating a proposal from the at least one computer system during the payment processing of the initiated initial transaction, for at least one new account to enable the user to pay for the initiated initial transaction;

thereafter receiving into the at least one computer system information related to an application for the at least one new account;

in the at least one computer system associating the at least one preliminary transaction with the at least one application by issuing a unique identifier linking the at least one application and the at least one preliminary transaction as a pending transaction;

in the at least one computer system generating and transmitting a request for approval of the at least one application, the request including the unique identifier and transaction specific data associated with the pending transaction;

in the at least one computer system receiving a status of an approval of the at least one application, wherein receiving the status includes receiving at least one of a real time approval of the at least one application, or a real time rejection of the at least one application; and

storing the unique identifier as a data record in a data store that corresponds to the application being processed and transaction data associated with the at least one preliminary transaction in order to link the pending status of the at least one preliminary transaction to the application being processed and to retrieve the data record upon receiving the status of the approval request;

wherein at least the generation of the proposal, receiving the information related to the application and generating the request for approval are performed during the initial transaction with the user and wherein the at least one preliminary transaction is maintained in a pending status until the status of the approval of the at least one application is received in the computer system.

67. A method for performing an upselling transaction, the method comprising:

establishing communication via an electronic communications device operated by a user and a system comprising at least one computer system in a remote communication environment comprising at least one processor and at least one memory configured to store and process information for a purpose of a user initiated initial transaction;

receiving into the at least one computer system transaction data with respect to the user from the initial transaction, including at least certain information regarding the identity of the user;

automatically selecting in the at least one computer system said information for provision to the user as a result of the user initiated initial transaction, comprising the steps of;

utilizing the identity of the user to access one or more databases to obtain at least two second data elements, each relating to the user, at least one second data element containing third party data; and

utilizing at least in part the transaction data and the second data elements to for selecting the information for provision to users of the system;

providing the information from the at least one computer system to the user in real time during the course of the communication;

automatically generating a proposal from the at least one computer system during the payment processing of the initiated initial transaction, for at least one new account to enable the user to pay for the initiated initial transaction;

thereafter receiving into the at least one computer system information related to an application for the at least one new account;

in the at least one computer system associating the at least one preliminary transaction with the at least one application by issuing a unique identifier linking the at least one application and the at least one preliminary transaction as a pending transaction;

in the at least one computer system generating and transmitting a request for approval of the at least one application, the request including the unique identifier and transaction specific data associated with the pending transaction;

in the at least one computer system receiving a status of an approval of the at least one application, wherein receiving the status includes receiving at least one of a real time approval of the at least one application, or a real time rejection of the at least one application; and

storing the unique identifier as a data record in a data store that corresponds to the application being processed and transaction data associated with the at least one preliminary transaction in order to link the pending status of the at least one preliminary transaction to the application being processed and to retrieve the data record upon receiving the status of the approval request;

wherein at least the generation of the proposal, receiving the information related to the application and generating the request for approval are performed during the initial transaction with the user and wherein the at least one preliminary transaction is maintained in a pending status until the status of the approval of the at least one application is received in the computer system.