In-bound telemarketing system for processing customer offers

• US 8,533,030 B1
• Filed: 08/30/2004
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Dhir, Nitin, Kappagantu, Ravi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dagnew, Saba
• Application Number:
  US10/928,181
• Time in Patent Office: 3,298 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 379/220.01, 704/270.1, 704/275
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method for processing applications for products or services based on solicited offers made to consumers are provided. A plurality of offers are communicated to a plurality of consumer recipients using a computer, each offer being identified by a solicitation identifier and an offer identifier. Offer information of said offers is stored in an offer database that further includes consumer identification information associated with the consumer recipients. A response to a specific offer is received from a specific consumer recipient at a VRU via a communication link with the specific consumer recipient. At least some offer identification data and consumer identification data is received from the specific consumer recipient at the VRU. Data received at the VRU is used to query the offer database to identify other targeted offers targeted to the specific consumer recipient and data associated with those other targeted offers, including consumer identity verification data. The identity of the specific consumer recipient is verified based on the consumer identification data and the consumer identity verification data. The communication link is transferred from the VRU to a live agent. The live agent is provided with (a) information received from the specific consumer at the VRU and (b) data from the query of the offer database including data regarding other targeted offers.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for processing applications for products or services based on solicited offers made to consumers, comprising:

communicating, using a computer, a plurality of offers to a plurality of consumer recipients, each offer being identified by a solicitation identifier and an offer identifier;

storing offer information of said offers in an offer database that further includes consumer identification information associated with the consumer recipients;

receiving a response to a specific offer from a specific consumer recipient at a VRU via a communication link with the specific consumer recipient;

receiving at least some offer identification data and consumer identification data from the specific consumer recipient at the VRU, wherein the consumer identification data is received from a communication device identified with a telephone number and wherein the consumer identification data comprises the address of the specific consumer recipient;

identifying the telephone number using automatic number identification (ANI);

identifying a location of the specific consumer recipient based on the identified telephone number;

using data received at the VRU to query the offer database to identify other offers targeted to the specific consumer recipient and data associated with those other targeted offers, including consumer identity verification data;

verifying the identity of the specific consumer recipient based on the consumer identification data and the consumer identity verification data comprising verifying the address based on the identified location;

transferring the communication link from the VRU to a live agent; and

providing the live agent with;

(a) information received from the specific consumer at the VRU, and (b) data from the query of the offer database including data regarding other targeted offers prior to the live agent commencing communication with the consumer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

issuing a request to a credit bureau for an approval result returned to the VRU, wherein the providing action further comprises providing the live agent with the results of the credit bureau request.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the credit bureau request comprises a request for a credit score associated with the specific consumer recipient, and wherein the results of the credit bureau request comprise the credit score.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the credit score is based on the consumer identification data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the consumer identification data is associated with the specific consumer recipient and comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a name, an email address, an income, an amount of assets, a monthly housing payment, an address history, and an employment history.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of receiving consumer identification data comprises identifying words spoken by the specific consumer recipient using voice recognition.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific offer comprises at least one of the following:

an offer to establish an account;

an offer to purchase a certificate of deposit;

an offer to purchase a stored value card;

an offer to obtain financing;

an offer to obtain account protection;

an offer to enroll in a travel program; and

an offer to enroll in a rewards program.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data used at the VRU to query the database comprises the offer identification data.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the offer identification data comprises an offer identifier, wherein the offer identifier is pre-associated with the specific offer and the specific consumer recipient.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the acts of (i) receiving a response, (ii) receiving consumer identification information, (iii) using data received at the VRU, (iv) verifying the identity of the specific consumer recipient, (v) transferring the communication link, and (vi) providing the live agent information and data, all occur during a single phone call.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing one or more additional offers to the specific consumer recipient during the single phone call.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more additional offers are selected to be provided to the specific consumer recipient based on at least one selected from the list comprising the specific consumer recipient data, the consumer identification data, the data regarding other targeted offers, and pre-qualification information of the specific consumer recipient.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking a pre-approved database, wherein the providing action further comprises providing the live agent with information based on the checking action.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting the customer for consumer identification data, wherein the act of receiving consumer identification data is based on the act of prompting.

10. A computer-implemented method for processing applications for products or services based on solicited offers made to consumers, comprising:

communicating, using a computer, a plurality of offers to a plurality of consumer recipients, each offer being identified by a solicitation identifier and an offer identifier;

storing offer information of said offers in an offer database that further includes consumer identification information associated with the consumer recipients and wherein the consumer identification data comprises words spoken by the specific consumer recipient indicating a street address;

identifying a zip code associated with the specific consumer recipient;

identifying one or more streets associated with the identified zip code;

identifying the street address based on the identified zip code and the identified one or more streets;

receiving a response to a specific offer from a specific consumer recipient at a VRU via a communication link with the specific consumer recipient;

receiving at least some offer identification data and consumer identification data from the specific consumer recipient at the VRU;

using data received at the VRU to query the offer database to identify other offers targeted to the specific consumer recipient and data associated with those other targeted offers, including consumer identity verification data;

verifying the identity of the specific consumer recipient based on the consumer identification data and the consumer identity verification data;

transferring the communication link from the VRU to a live agent; and

providing the live agent with;

(a) information received from the specific consumer at the VRU, and (b) data from the query of the offer database including data regarding other targeted offers prior to the live agent commencing communication with the consumer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the act of identifying the street address comprises:

identifying speech recognition information based on the words spoken by the specific consumer recipient;

comparing the speech recognition information to the one or more streets associated with the zip code.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the act of identifying the street address comprises identifying a specific street that is most closely related to the speech recognition information.

16. A computer-implemented method for processing applications for products or services based on solicited offers made to consumers, comprising:

communicating, using a computer, a plurality of offers to a plurality of consumer recipients, each offer being identified by a solicitation identifier and an offer identifier;

storing offer information of said offers in an offer database that further includes consumer identification information associated with the consumer recipients;

receiving a response to a specific offer from a specific consumer recipient at a VRU via a communication link with the specific consumer recipient;

receiving at least some offer identification data and consumer identification data from the specific consumer recipient at the VRU;

using data received at the VRU to query the offer database to identify other offers targeted to the specific consumer recipient and data associated with those other targeted offers, including consumer identity verification data;

storing prior speech recognition data of the specific consumer recipient, wherein the prior speech recognition data is obtained during a prior communication with the specific consumer recipient;

verifying the identity of the specific consumer recipient based on the consumer identification data and the consumer identity verification data comprising processing the prior speech recognition data;

transferring the communication link from the VRU to a live agent; and

providing the live agent with;

(a) information received from the specific consumer at the VRU, and (b) data from the query of the offer database including data regarding other targeted offers prior to the live agent commencing communication with the consumer.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the act of processing the prior speech recognition data comprises comparing the speech recognition data to current speech recognition data.

20. A method for processing a customer offer, comprising:

distributing an offer to a customer;

receiving a response to the offer from the customer through a customer communication device, wherein the response comprises customer address information, wherein the customer response is received from a telephone associated with a telephone number;

identifying the telephone number using automatic number identification (ANI);

automatically identifying a location of the customer communication device based on the identified telephone number and one or more additional offers that may be targeted to the customer;

wherein the act of identifying the location comprises identifying a zip code;

identifying an address of the customer, comprising;

identifying one or more streets associated with the zip code;

receiving street address information from the customer; and

comparing the street address information with the one or more streets associated with the zip code;

verifying the customer address information based on the location of the customer communication device;

prompting the customer for personal information, wherein the personal information comprises at least one of a name of the customer, an email address of the customer, a physical address of the customer, an income of the customer, an address history of the customer, and an employment history of the customer;

receiving the personal information from the customer; and

providing to a live agent information about the distributed offer and the one or more additional offers that may be targeted to the customer prior to the live agent commencing communication with the customer.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the offer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an offer to establish an account;

an offer to purchase a certificate of deposit;

an offer to purchase a stored value card;

an offer to obtain financing;

an offer to obtain account protection;

an offer to enroll in a travel program; and

an offer to enroll in a rewards program.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

verifying the personal information.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the act of verifying the personal information comprises identifying the personal information by using voice recognition to distill words from customer speech.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

passing the personal information to a credit bureau;

receiving a credit score from the credit bureau, wherein the credit score is based on the personal information.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the personal information comprises at least one of a name of the customer, an email address of the customer, a physical address of the customer, an income of the customer, an address history of the customer, and an employment history of the customer.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

passing customer data to a credit bureau; and

receiving a credit score from the credit bureau, wherein the credit score is based on the customer data.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the street address information comprises speech recognition information, and wherein the act of comparing the street address information with the one or more streets comprises identifying a specific street that is most closely related to the speech recognition information.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the acts of receiving, identifying and providing occur during a single phone call.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the one or more additional offers are selected based on at least one of the customer data, personal information received from the customer, and a credit score associated with the customer.

30. A method for processing a customer offer, comprising:

distributing an offer to a customer;

receiving a response to the offer from the customer through a customer communication device, wherein the response comprises customer address information;

automatically identifying the location of the customer communication device and one or more additional offers that may be targeted to the customer;

verifying the customer address information based on the location of the customer communication device;

storing speech recognition data of the customer;

verifying the identity of the customer based on the speech recognition data; and

providing to a live agent information about the distributed offer and the one or more additional offers that may be targeted to the customer prior to the live agent commencing communication with the customer.