Enhanced customer interaction channel systems and methods

• US 8,645,270 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2012
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Engage Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Paynection
• Inventors: Mallean, Sean H., Gilder, Clark S., Mallean, Henry G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Poinvil, Frantzy
• Application Number:
  US13/659,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20130103578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 705 10- 44
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3827 Use of message hashing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history

Abstract

A computer-implemented method, a server, and a computer use an enhanced customer interaction channel based on a predetermined payment key associated with a specific company and location. The predetermined payment key uniquely identifies the specific company and location and enables the enhanced customer interaction channel based on existing payment processing systems. The specific company may use the enhanced customer interaction channel to reach customers who were previously unknown to the specific company for a variety of purposes such as rewards, coupons, offers, product information, and the like.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

determining a payment key associated with a specific company, wherein the payment key comprises one or more attributes of payment data, company payment data, or merchant data, either in a native form or in a derivative form, that is configured to uniquely identify the specific company;

determining payment data matches the payment key thereby indicating a customer had a transaction with the specific company;

creating an engagement channel between the customer and the specific company based on the matching of the payment data and the payment key;

receiving data from the specific company, wherein the data comprises information for to the customer who has not registered with the specific company but has at least one transaction therewith; and

providing the data to the customer by the specific company through the engagement channel for display thereof, wherein the data comprises one of data related to a transaction associated with the payment data and/or data related to a future transaction;

wherein the payment data is matched to the payment key without a contemporaneous request by the customer to do so during the transaction, and wherein the determining, creating, receiving, and providing steps are performed by a processor communicatively coupled to memory and a network interface.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the payment key is derived using a plurality of static fields associated with a payment system including a merchant name field and at least one additional field such that the specific company is uniquely identifiable even if a merchant name is duplicative or incomplete.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the determining the payment key comprises:

providing the specific company a payment mechanism with known characteristics;

performing a sample transaction using the payment mechanism and a known value;

analyzing payment data associated with the sample transaction;

deriving the payment key based on the known characteristics, the known value, and associated static data in the payment data; and

linking the payment key to the specific company.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein if the derived payment key is duplicative of another specific company, the determining the payment key further comprises:

determining a plurality of static fields for the specific company, wherein the plurality of static fields are used in payment data for the specific company;

adjusting one or more of the plurality of static fields;

deriving the payment key from the plurality of static fields, wherein the payment key is no longer duplicative of the another specific company based on the adjusting; and

linking the payment key to the specific company.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the determining the payment key comprises:

determining a plurality of static fields for the specific company, wherein the plurality of static fields are used in payment data for the specific company;

deriving the payment key from the plurality of static fields; and

linking the payment key to the specific company.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

installing an application or browser add-in on a device associated with the customer;

viewing the payment data on the device by the customer; and

displaying indicia of the engagement channel on the device responsive to the determining the payment data matches the payment key.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing transaction data to determine a product associated with the transaction data; and

providing the data through the engagement channel related to the product, wherein the data comprises any of receipt data and product manuals.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining the product during the determining the payment key.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data is provided to the customer by the specific company via the engagement channel without the specific company having a prior knowledge of the customer.

10. A server, comprising:

a network interface communicatively coupled to at least one customer and at least one company;

a processor communicatively coupled to the network interface; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

register a specific company;

derive a payment key associated with the specific company, wherein the payment key comprises one or more attributes of payment data, company payment data, or merchant data, either in a native form or in a derivative form, that is configured to uniquely identify the specific company;

determine payment data matches the payment key thereby indicating the customer had a transaction with the specific company;

create an engagement channel between the customer and the specific company based on the matching of the payment data and the payment key;

receive data from the specific company, wherein the data comprises information for the customer who has not registered with the specific company but has at least one transaction therewith; and

provide the data to the customer by the specific company through the engagement channel for display thereof, wherein the data comprises one of data related to a transaction associated with the payment data and or data related to a future transaction;

wherein the payment data is matched to the payment key without a contemporaneous request by the customer to do so during the transaction.

11. The server of claim 10, wherein the payment key is derived using a plurality of static fields associated with a payment system including a merchant name field and at least one additional field such that the specific company is uniquely identifiable even if a merchant name is duplicative or incomplete.

12. The server of claim 10, wherein, to determine the payment key, the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

provide the specific company a payment mechanism with known characteristics;

receive a sample transaction using the payment mechanism and a known value;

analyze payment data associated with the sample transaction;

derive the payment key based on the known characteristics, the known value, and associated static data in the payment data; and

link the payment key to the specific company.

13. The server of claim 10, wherein, to determine the payment key, the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

determine a plurality of static fields for the specific company, wherein the plurality of static fields are used in payment data for the specific company;

derive the payment key from the plurality of static fields; and

link the payment key to the specific company.

14. The server of claim 10, wherein the data is provided to the customer by the specific company via the engagement channel without the specific company having a prior knowledge of the customer.

15. A computer, comprising:

a network interface communicatively coupled to a server on a network;

a processor communicatively coupled to the network interface; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

execute an application or browser add-in;

display payment data associated with a transaction between a customer and a specific company;

match the payment data to a predetermined payment key, wherein the predetermined payment key comprises one or more attributes of payment data, company payment data, or merchant data, either in a native form or in a derivative form, that is configured to uniquely identify the specific company;

display an engagement channel between the specific company and the customer; and

provide data to the customer from the specific company through the engagement channel, wherein the data comprises one of data related to a transaction associated with the payment data and data related to a future transaction, wherein the data comprises information for the customer who has not registered with the specific company but has at least one transaction therewith;

wherein the payment data is matched to the payment key without a contemporaneous request by the customer to do so during the transaction.

16. The computer of claim 15, wherein the payment key is derived using a plurality of static fields associated with a payment system including a merchant name field and at least one additional field such that the specific company is uniquely identifiable even if a merchant name is duplicative or incomplete.

17. The computer of claim 15, wherein the data is provided to the customer by the specific company via the engagement channel without the specific company having prior knowledge of the customer.