Systems, methods and computer readable medium for wireless solicitations

• US 8,775,253 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2004
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Capital One Services LLC (Capital One Financial Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Capital One Financial Corporation
• Inventors: Comerford, Richard, DeFilippo, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamilton, Matthew L
• Application Number:
  US11/003,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20060122921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,501 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14
• US Class Current: 705/14.49
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

Product offering systems are provided. Product offering systems may include sending an offer to a customer that possesses a mobile computing device and has agreed to receive offers for products via the mobile computing device. Agreeing to receive offers would result in the unique data about the customer being available to offer provider. Unique customer data may include data related to the customers wireless service provider or from a financial account in a financial institution, and collecting customer data about the customer, wherein the customer data comprises financial data and personal data. Product offering systems may further include registering a wireless computing device of the customer to able the device to receive the offer, and determining opportunities to send the offer to the customer by monitoring the customer and the customer data. Product offering systems may also include sending the offer to the customer'"'"'s registered device based on the determination of opportunities.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of sending an offer to a customer of a financial account in a financial institution, the method comprising:

monitoring, by one or more processors, a location of the customer based on a location of a wireless computing device of the customer;

determining, by the one or more processors, that the customer is located near one or more merchants based on the monitored location of the customer;

monitoring, by the one or more processors, a status of the financial account of the customer;

determining, by the one or more processors, that the customer is a rewards member associated with the financial account;

providing, by the one or more processors, one or more first rewards for purchases made using the financial account;

determining, by the one or more processors, that the financial account has a rewards level within a proximity of a reward redemption threshold level;

generating, by the one or more processors, an offer associated with at least one product of the one or more merchants located near the monitored location of the customer allowing the customer to reach the rewards redemption threshold level by crediting the financial account for a second reward, wherein the one or more first rewards would not cause the customer to reach the rewards redemption threshold level;

sending the offer to the customer via the customer'"'"'s wireless computing device based on the determination that the financial account has the rewards level within the proximity of the reward redemption threshold level; and

providing the second reward to the customer based upon an indication that the customer purchased a product associated with the offer at the one or more merchants using the financial account.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring the status of the financial account further comprises:

collecting customer data about the customer, wherein the customer data comprises financial data and personal data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

charging the financial account based on the customer accepting the offer.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the personal data comprises demographic data.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the financial data comprises data about the customer'"'"'s financial account, including data about other financial accounts of the customer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the offer is associated with at least one of a discount, credit offering, insurance offering, lending product, loan product, financial service, brokerage service, banking product, revolving credit product, secured debt product, and an annuity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless computing device is at least one of a personal digital assistant, a text messaging device, an instant messaging device, a video messaging device, an audio messaging device, a wireless access device, a wearable computer, and a tablet computer.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the collecting customer data further comprises:

collecting financial data about the customer from a financial institution, other financial institutions, and credit bureaus; and

collecting personal data about the customer from the financial institution and from sources outside of the financial institution.

9. The method of claim 1,

further comprising determining whether a credit of the financial account is near a credit limit;

and

wherein the sending the offer includes offering the customer an increase in the credit limit based on the determining whether the customer is near the credit limit and contingent upon the customer making the purchase at the one or more merchants.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining whether the customer makes the purchase; and

increasing the credit limit based on the determination of whether the customer makes the purchase.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the customer is located near the one or more merchants is based on a determination that the customer is within a predetermined distance from the one or more merchants.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the determination that the credit of the financial account is near the credit limit is based on a determination that an amount of available credit is less than a predetermined amount.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring the location of the customer further comprises:

determining that the customer is near a particular merchant or a particular competitor of the particular merchant.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining whether to send the offer further comprises:

identifying a shopping pattern of the customer with respect to the particular merchant; and

offering the customer a coupon to purchase at the particular merchant based on the identified shopping pattern.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining whether the customer uses the coupon; and

charging the financial account based on the determination of whether the customer uses the coupon.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the determination that the customer is near the particular merchant or the competitor is based on a determination that the customer is within a predetermined distance from the particular merchant or from the competitor.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the financial account allows the customer to receive rewards based on an amount of purchase transactions meeting an award threshold;

and

wherein the sending the offer includes offering the customer a reward incentive product to make a purchase at a particular merchant contingent upon the customer making a purchase at the particular merchant.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining whether the customer used the reward incentive product; and

charging the financial account based on the determining whether the customer used the reward incentive product.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the reward incentive product includes at least a coupon for a discount at the particular merchant.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the reward incentive product is one of a digital coupon, a price discount, or a buy one get one free discount.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more merchants are correlated to a predetermined product for offering to customers of the one or more merchants.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the determining whether to send the offer further comprises:

determining whether the customer is eligible for the predetermined product; and

offering the customer the predetermined product contingent upon the customer making a purchase at the one or more merchants.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

determining whether the customer makes the purchase; and

sending the customer the predetermined product based on a determination that the customer made the purchase.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the determination that the customer is near the one or more merchants is based on a determination that the customer is within a predetermined distance from the one or more merchants.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending the offer further comprises:

sending the offer as a text message, an email, a page, or a voice mail to the customer'"'"'s wireless computing device.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering the customer for a service to receive the offer via the wireless computing device.

27. A system of sending an offer to a customer of a financial account in a financial institution, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

monitoring a location of the customer based on a location of a wireless computing device of the customer;

determining that the customer is located near one or more merchants based on the monitored location of the customer;

monitoring a status of the financial account of the customer;

determining that the customer is a rewards member associated with the financial account;

providing one or more first rewards for purchases made using the financial account;

determining that the financial account has a rewards level within a proximity of a reward redemption threshold level;

generating an offer associated with at least one product of the one or more merchants located near the monitored location of the customer allowing the customer to reach the rewards redemption threshold level by crediting the financial account for a second reward, wherein the one or more first rewards would not cause the customer to reach the rewards redemption threshold level;

sending the offer to the customer via the customer'"'"'s wireless computing device based on the determination that the financial account has the rewards level within the proximity of the reward redemption threshold level; and

providing the second reward to the customer based upon an indication that the customer purchased a product associated with the offer at the one or more merchants using the financial account.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the monitoring the status of the financial account further comprises:

collecting customer data about the customer, wherein the customer data comprises financial data and personal data.

29. The system of claim 27, the operations further comprising:

charging the financial account based on the customer accepting the offer.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the personal data comprises demographic data.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the financial data comprises data about the customer'"'"'s financial account, including data about other financial accounts of the customer.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the offer is associated with at least one of a discount, credit offering, insurance offering, lending product, loan product, financial service, brokerage service, banking product, revolving credit product, secured debt product, and an annuity.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein the wireless computing device is at least one of a personal digital assistant, a text messaging device, an instant messaging device, a video messaging device, an audio messaging device, a wireless access device, a wearable computer, and a tablet computer.

34. The system of claim 28, wherein the collecting customer data further comprises:

collecting financial data about the customer from a financial institution, other financial institutions, and credit bureaus; and

collecting personal data about the customer from the financial institution and from sources outside of the financial institution.

35. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

determining whether a credit of the financial account is near a credit limit; and

wherein the sending the offer includes offering the customer an increase in the credit limit based on the determining whether the customer is near the credit limit and contingent upon the customer making the purchase at the one or more merchants.

36. The system of claim 35, further comprising:

determining whether the customer makes the purchase; and

increasing the credit limit based on the determination of whether the customer makes the purchase.

37. The system of claim 27, wherein the determining that the customer is located near the one or more merchants is based on a determination that the customer is within a predetermined distance from the one or more merchants.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein the determination that the credit of the financial account is near the credit limit is based on a determination that an amount of available credit is less than a predetermined amount.

39. The system of claim 27, wherein the monitoring the location of the customer further comprises:

determining that the customer is near a particular merchant or a particular competitor of the particular merchant.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the determining whether to send the offer further comprises:

identifying a shopping pattern of the customer with respect to the particular merchant; and

offering the customer a coupon to purchase at the particular merchant based on the identified shopping pattern.

41. The system of claim 40, the operations further comprising:

determining whether the customer uses the coupon; and

charging the financial account based on the determination of whether the customer uses the coupon.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein the determination that the customer is near the particular merchant or the competitor is based on a determination that the customer is within a predetermined distance from the particular merchant or from the competitor.

43. The system of claim 27, wherein the financial account allows the customer to receive rewards based on an amount of purchase transactions meeting an award threshold;

and

wherein the sending the offer comprises offering the customer a reward incentive product to make a purchase at a particular merchant contingent upon the customer making a purchase at the particular merchant.

44. The system of claim 43, the operations further comprising:

determining whether the customer used the reward incentive product; and

charging the financial account based on the determining whether the customer used the reward incentive product.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the reward incentive product may be a coupon for a discount at the particular merchant.

46. The system of claim 43, wherein the reward incentive product is one of a digital coupon, a price discount, or a buy one get one free discount.

47. The system of claim 27, wherein the one or more merchants are correlated to a predetermined product for offering to customers of the one or more merchants.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the determining whether to send the offer further comprises:

determining whether the customer is eligible for the predetermined product; and

offering the customer the predetermined product contingent upon the customer making a purchase at the one or more merchants.

49. The system of claim 48, the operations further comprising:

determining whether the customer makes the purchase; and

sending the customer the predetermined product based on a determination that the customer made the purchase.

50. The system of claim 47, wherein the determination that the customer is near the one or more merchants is based on a determination that the customer is within a predetermined distance from the one or more merchants.

51. The system of claim 27, wherein the sending the offer further comprises:

sending the offer as a text message, an email, a page, or a voice mail to the customer'"'"'s wireless computing device.

52. The system of claim 27, the operations further comprising:

registering the customer for a service to receive the offer via the wireless computing device.

53. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for performing, when executed by a processor, a method of sending an offer to a customer of a financial account in a financial institution, the method comprising:

monitoring a location of the customer based on a location of a wireless computing device of the customer;

determining that the customer is located near one or more merchants based on the monitored location of the customer;

monitoring a status of the financial account of the customer;

determining that the customer is a rewards member associated with the financial account;

providing one or more first rewards for purchases made using the financial account;

determining that the financial account has a rewards level within a proximity of a reward redemption threshold level;

generating an offer associated with at least one product of the one or more merchants located near the monitored location of the customer allowing the customer to reach the rewards redemption threshold level by crediting the financial account for a second reward, wherein the one or more first rewards would not cause the customer to reach the rewards redemption threshold level;

sending the offer to the customer via the customer'"'"'s wireless computing device based on the determination that the financial account has the rewards level within the proximity of the reward redemption threshold level; and

providing the second reward to the customer based upon an indication that the customer purchased a product associated with the offer at the one or more merchants using the financial account.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, wherein the monitoring the status of the financial account further comprises:

collecting customer data about the customer, wherein the customer data comprises financial data and personal data.

55. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, further comprising:

charging the financial account based on the customer accepting the offer.

56. The computer-readable medium of claim 54, wherein the personal data comprises demographic data.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 54, wherein the financial data comprises data about the customer'"'"'s financial account, including data about other financial accounts of the customer.

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, wherein the offer is associated with at least one of a discount, credit offering, insurance offering, lending product, loan product, financial service, brokerage service, banking product, revolving credit product, secured debt product, and an annuity.

59. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, wherein the wireless computing device is at least one of a personal digital assistant, a text messaging device, an instant messaging device, a video messaging device, an audio messaging device, a wireless access device, a wearable computer, and a tablet computer.

60. The computer-readable medium of claim 54, wherein the collecting customer data further comprises:

collecting financial data about the customer from a financial institution, other financial institutions, and credit bureaus; and

collecting personal data about the customer from the financial institution and from sources outside of the financial institution.

61. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, further comprising:

determining whether a credit of the financial account is near a credit limit; and

wherein the sending the offer includes offering the customer an increase in the credit limit based on the determining whether the customer is near the credit limit and contingent upon the customer making the purchase at the one or more merchants.

62. The computer-readable medium of claim 61, further comprising:

determining whether the customer makes the purchase; and

increasing the credit limit based on the determination of whether the customer makes the purchase.

63. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, wherein the determining that the customer is located near the one or more merchants is based on a determination that the customer is within a predetermined distance from the one or more merchants.

64. The computer-readable medium of claim 61, wherein the determination that the credit of the financial account is near the credit limit is based on a determination that an amount of available credit is less than a predetermined amount.

65. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, wherein the monitoring the location of the customer further comprises:

determining that the customer is near a particular merchant or a particular competitor of the particular merchant.

66. The computer-readable medium of claim 65, wherein the determining whether to send the offer further comprises:

identifying a shopping pattern of the customer with respect to the particular merchant; and

offering the customer a coupon to purchase at the particular merchant based on the identified shopping pattern.

67. The computer-readable medium of claim 66, further comprising:

determining whether the customer uses the coupon; and

charging the financial account based on the determination of whether the customer uses the coupon.

68. The computer-readable medium of claim 65, wherein the determination that the customer is near the particular merchant or the competitor is based on determination that the customer is within a predetermined distance from the particular merchant or from the competitor.

69. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, wherein the financial account allows the customer to receive rewards based on an amount of purchase transactions meeting an award threshold;

and

wherein the sending the offer comprises offering the customer a reward incentive product to make a purchase at a particular merchant contingent upon the customer making a purchase at the particular merchant.

70. The computer-readable medium of claim 69, further comprising:

determining whether the customer used the reward incentive product; and

charging the financial account based on the determining whether the customer used the reward incentive product.

71. The computer-readable medium of claim 69, wherein the reward incentive product may be a coupon for a discount at the particular merchant.

72. The computer-readable medium of claim 69, wherein the reward incentive product is one of a digital coupon, a price discount, or a buy one get one free discount.

73. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, wherein the one or more merchants are correlated to a predetermined product for offering to customers of the one or more merchants.

74. The computer-readable medium of claim 73, wherein the determining whether to send the offer further comprises:

determining whether the customer is eligible for the predetermined product; and

offering the customer the predetermined product contingent upon the customer making a purchase at the one or more merchants.

75. The computer-readable medium of claim 74, further comprising:

determining whether the customer makes the purchase; and

sending the customer the predetermined product based on a determination that the customer made the purchase.

76. The computer-readable medium of claim 73, wherein the determination that the customer is near the one or more merchants is based on a determination that the customer is within a predetermined distance from the one or more merchants.

77. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, wherein the sending the offer further comprises:

sending the offer as a text message, an email, a page, or a voice mail to the customer'"'"'s wireless computing device.

78. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, further comprising:

registering the customer for a service to receive the offer via the wireless computing device.