Method and system for electronically selecting, modifying, and operating a motivation or recognition program

• US 8,359,231 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2001
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maritz Holdings Inc. (InMoment, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Maritz Holdings Inc. (InMoment, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fitzpatrick, Brian, Cox, Ellen, Sheprow, Maddy, Barton, Peggy, Munsch, Frank, Hanes, Mark, Hei, Jennie
• Primary Examiner(s): VAN BRAMER, JOHN W
• Application Number:
  US09/840,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20020046138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,292 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/14.1, 705/14.27, 705/26.5, 705/1.1
• US Class Current: 705/14.27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A system and method for allowing multiple customers to each create an individual, modified motivation or recognition program having participants, each said motivation program permitting the participants to earn awards on the basis of the participants'"'"' performance, each said motivation program of a particular customer operating according to preferences selected by the particular customer.

Claims

1. A method for allowing a first customer to create an individual, modified motivation or recognition first program having first participants, said first program permitting the first participants to access the first program via first participant processors and to earn awards through the first program on the basis of the first participants'"'"' performance, said first program of the first customer operating according to preferences selected by the first customer,

said method for allowing a second customer to create an individual, modified motivation or recognition second program having second participants, said second program permitting the second participants to access the second program via second participant processors and to earn awards through the second program on the basis of the second participants'"'"' performance, said second program of the second customer operating according to preferences selected by the second customer,

said method comprising the steps of:

allowing the first customer to electronically access via a first customer processor a browsable catalog of predefined programs stored in a storage device connected to a program processor;

allowing the first customer to electronically select via the first customer processor a first one of the predefined programs stored in the storage device;

allowing the first customer to electronically modify via the first customer processor at least one component of the selected first predefined program;

allowing the first customer to electronically store via the first customer processor the modified first program in the storage device for access by the first customer;

said method further comprising the steps of;

allowing the second customer to electronically access via a second customer processor the browsable catalog of predefined programs stored in the storage device connected to the program processor;

allowing the second customer to electronically select via the second customer processor a second one of the predefined programs stored in the storage device;

allowing the second customer to electronically modify via the second customer processor at least one component of the selected second predefined program;

allowing the second customer to electronically store via the second customer processor the modified second program in the storage device for access by the second customer;

said method further comprising the steps of;

allowing the first customer to operate the modified first program via the program processor, and allowing the second customer to operate the modified second program via the program processor, wherein the first and second participant processors and the first and second customer processors are remote from said program processor and remote from the storage device connected to the program processor; and

providing the first customer'"'"'s participants with access via the first participant processors to the modified first program stored in the storage device, and providing the second customer'"'"'s participants with access via the second participant processors to the modified second program stored in the storage device, said modified first and second programs executed by the program processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein awards are earned by each of a group of participants on the basis of the performance of the group.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the awards are award points, and wherein the providing step comprises the step of electronically providing each customer'"'"'s participants with access to a browsable catalog of award items which may be obtained by the participant.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of allowing each customer'"'"'s participants to electronically redeem the award points for the award items.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of allowing each participant to view data indicating the amount of the award points of such participant.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of allowing each participant to view data indicating transactions by such participant.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of allowing each customer to operate the modified program further includes the step of allowing a program processor to generate electronic progress reports for the participants in the modified program indicating program information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the browsable catalog of predefined programs has a plurality of business challenges, and further comprising the step of allowing each customer to select one of the business challenges to reduce the number of predefined programs of the browsable catalog which may be selected.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the allowing each customer to electronically modify includes an award calculator for recommending an award value for one or more participants responsive to an input salary associated with the one or more participants.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing each customer with a notification via the program processor when the modified program requires operational maintenance.

11. A system for allowing multiple customers to each create an individual, modified motivation or recognition program via a customer processor, each said program having participants, each said program permitting the participants to access their program via a participant processor and to earn awards through their program on the basis of the participants'"'"' performance, each said program of a particular customer operating according to preferences selected by the particular customer, said system comprising:

a storage device; and

a program processor connected to the storage device, said storage device storing a program for controlling the program processor, said program processor operative with the program wherein the participant processor and the customer processor are remote from said program processor and remote from the storage device;

to electronically provide to each customer access to a browsable catalog of predefined programs stored in the storage device, each program associated with a business challenge;

to allow each customer to electronically select a business challenge wherein the predefined programs associated with the business challenge are presented to the customer wherein the predefined programs are designed to promote the selected business challenge;

to allow each customer to electronically select one of the presented predefined programs stored in the storage device;

to allow each customer to modify at least one component of the selected predefined program;

to allow each customer to electronically store the modified program in the storage device for access by such customer;

to allow each customer to electronically create or review a proposal and/or invoice relating to the modified program;

to allow each customer to operate the modified program; and

to provide each customer'"'"'s participants with access to the modified program stored in the storage device, said modified program executed by the program processor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the customer specifies a promotion code, and wherein one or more terms associated with the promotion code are applied the purchase by the customer.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the business challenges include one or more of the following:

increasing sales and revenue, increasing profit, improving market share, attracting and retaining employees, improving employee morale, recognizing service anniversaries, and rewarding project milestones.

14. A method for allowing multiple customers to each create an individual, modified motivation or recognition program having participants, said programs of said multiple customers supplied by a program supplier, each said program permitting the participants to access their program via a participant processor and to earn awards through the program in which they participate on the basis of the participants'"'"' performance, each said program of a particular customer operating according to preferences selected by the particular customer, said method comprising the steps of:

allowing a first customer via a first customer processor and allowing a second customer via a second customer processor to electronically access a browsable catalog of predefined programs stored in a storage device connected to a program processor, said storage device and said program processor being remote from said customer processor and remote from said participant processor, wherein the first customer'"'"'s access and program is independent of the second customer'"'"'s access and program;

allowing the first customer and the second customer to each electronically select one of the predefined programs stored in the storage device via their customer processor, wherein the first customer'"'"'s selection is independent of the second customer'"'"'s selection;

allowing the first customer and the second customer to each electronically select via their customer processor a rules structure of the selected predefined program, said rules structure defining the manner in which awards are earned by the first and second customer'"'"'s participants, wherein the first customer'"'"'s selection of the rules structure is independent of the second customer'"'"'s selection of the rules structure and wherein the first customer creates a first modified program and the second customer creates a second modified program;

allowing the first customer to electronically store the first modified program in the storage device for access by the first customer via the first customer processor;

allowing the second customer to electronically store the second modified program in the storage device for access by the second customer via the second customer processor;

allowing the first customer to operate the first modified program via the first customer processor;

allowing the second customer to operate the second modified program via the second customer processor, wherein the operation of the first modified program is independent of the second modified program; and

providing the first customer'"'"'s participants with access via their participant processor to the first modified program stored in the storage device, said modified program executed by the program processor, the first customer'"'"'s participants earning awards based on the rules structures of the first modified program;

permitting the second customer'"'"'s participants with access via their participant processor to the second modified program stored in the storage device, said modified program executed by the program processor, the second customer'"'"'s participants earning awards based on the rules structures of the second modified program, wherein access by the first customer'"'"'s participants to the first modified program is independent of access by the second customer'"'"'s participants to the second modified program.

15. A method for allowing multiple customers to each create an individual, modified motivation or recognition program having participants, said programs of said multiple customers supplied by a program supplier, each said program permitting the participants to access their program via a participant processor and to earn awards through the program in which they participate on the basis of the participants'"'"' performance, each said program of a particular customer operating according to preferences selected by the particular customer, said method comprising the steps of:

allowing a first customer via a first customer processor and allowing a second customer via a second customer processor to electronically select a business challenge from a plurality of business challenges, each business challenge associated with one or more predefined programs wherein the predefined programs associated with the business challenge are presented to the customer wherein the predefined programs are designed to promote the selected business challenge, said predefined programs stored in a storage device connected to a program processor, said storage device and said program processor being remote from said customer processor and remote from said participant processor, wherein the first customer'"'"'s access and program is independent of the second customer'"'"'s access and program;

allowing the first customer and the second customer to each electronically select one of the presented predefined programs stored in the storage device via their customer processor, wherein the first customer'"'"'s selection is independent of the second customer'"'"'s selection;

allowing the first customer and the second customer to each electronically select via their customer processor a rules structure of the selected predefined program, said rules structure defining the manner in which awards are earned by the first and second customer'"'"'s participants, wherein the first customer'"'"'s selection of the rules structure is independent of the second customer'"'"'s selection of the rules structure and wherein the first customer creates a first modified program and the second customer creates a second modified program;

allowing the first customer to electronically store the first modified program in the storage device for access by the first customer via the first customer processor;

allowing the second customer to electronically store the second modified program in the storage device for access by the second customer via the second customer processor;

allowing the first customer to operate the first modified program via the first customer processor;

allowing the second customer to operate the second modified program via the second customer processor, wherein the operation of the first modified program is independent of the second modified program; and

providing the first customer'"'"'s participants with access via their participant processor to the first modified program stored in the storage device, said modified program executed by the program processor, the first customer'"'"'s participants earning awards based on the rules structures of the first modified program;

permitting the second customer'"'"'s participants with access via their participant processor to the second modified program stored in the storage device, said modified program executed by the program processor, the second customer'"'"'s participants earning awards based on the rules structures of the second modified program, wherein access by the first customer'"'"'s participants to the first modified program is independent of access by the second customer'"'"'s participants to the second modified program.