METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING A MULTI-CHANNEL VIRTUAL COLLECTIONS CENTER

• US 20080077525A1
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Katabat LLC
• Original Assignee: Bridgeforce Incorporated
• Inventors: Willey, Dawn, Centrone, Joseph, Scarborough, Joseph, Zhang, Ye
• Granted Patent: US 8,660,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments

Abstract

An integrated multi-channel virtual collections center and methods for using the same are disclosed. The collections center may include a program management module, a communications module and a data analytics module. The program management module may be configured to generate a plurality of scenarios for a debt collection campaign. The communications module may be configured to automatically present a scenario to a debtor and to receive response data from the debtor. The communications module may include a plurality of communication channels. The data analytics module may be configured to automatically analyze response data received from the communications module and to select a communications channel and a scenario for the communications module based on the response data.

Claims

1. A method of contacting a debtor using an integrated multi-channel virtual collections center, the method comprising:

receiving, by an integrated multi-channel virtual collections center, account information for an account associated with a debtor from a creditor;

automatically analyzing, by the integrated multi-channel virtual collections center, the account information for the account to determine an account status;

automatically selecting, by the integrated multi-channel virtual collections center, one or more of a plurality of communication channels by which to contact the debtor based on the account status;

automatically attempting to contact the debtor via the one or more selected communication channels;

automatically determining, by the integrated multi-channel virtual collections center, statistical information pertaining to the attempt to contact the debtor via the one or more selected communication channels;

automatically updating the account information based on the statistical information;

repeating the analyzing, selecting, attempting, determining and updating until at least one condition is satisfied for the account; and

providing account summary information based on the updated account information to the creditor.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the account information comprises one or more of the following:

a payment option including a payment amount and a duration of a payment program;

a creative to be used to contact the debtor;

a campaign to be used to contact the debtor;

an amount of time that a debtor listened to an interactive voice response (IVR) session;

a URL for a web page visited by the debtor;

a sequence of communication channels used to contact the debtor;

one or more options selected by the debtor within an IVR session;

a time of day at which a previous contact occurred;

a time that a previous scheduled payment activity occurred;

a time that an actual payment activity occurred;

a language preference; and

information pertaining to whether the debtor has requested to speak with a person.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of communication channels comprise the following:

an IVR system;

an electronic mail system;

a short message service (SMS) system; and

an Internet website.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the account summary information comprises one or more of the following:

an identifier for the one or more selected communication channels;

an action taken for the account;

the statistical information for the account;

one or more status codes for the account;

a payment type identifier;

a payment channel identifier;

a payment account type identifier;

a payment amount received; and

a payment amount pledged.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the account summary information comprises one or more of the following:

a number of accounts;

a number of payment types;

an aggregate payment amount received; and

an aggregate payment amount pledged.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically selecting a creative for contacting the debtor,

wherein automatically attempting to contact the debtor comprises automatically attempting to contact the debtor via the selected communications channel using the selected creative.

7. An integrated multi-channel virtual collections system, comprising:

a program management module configured to generate a plurality of scenarios for a debt collection campaign;

a communications module configured to automatically present a scenario to a debtor and to receive response data from the debtor, wherein the communications module comprises a plurality of communication channels; and

a data analytics module configured to automatically analyze response data received from the communications module and to select a communications channel and a scenario for the communications module based on the response data.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the plurality of communication channels comprise one or more of the following:

an interactive voice response (IVR) system;

an electronic mail system;

a short message service (SMS) system; and

an Internet website.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a collections module configured to receive a payment from a debtor.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the data analytics module is further configured to receive account information for an account of a creditor corresponding to a debtor.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the account information comprises one or more of the following:

a payment option including a payment amount and a duration of a payment program;

a creative to be used to contact the debtor;

a campaign to be used to contact the debtor;

an amount of time that a debtor listened to an IVR session;

a URL for a web page visited by the debtor;

a sequence of communication channels used to contact the debtor;

one or more options selected by the debtor within an IVR session;

a time of day at which a previous contact occurred;

a time that a previous scheduled payment activity occurred;

a time that an actual payment activity occurred;

a language preference; and

information pertaining to whether the debtor has requested to speak with a person.

12. A rules manager for an integrated multi-channel virtual collections center, the rules manager comprising:

a processor;

one or more communication channels in communication with the processor; and

a processor-readable storage medium in communication with the processor,

wherein the processor-readable storage medium contains one or more programming instructions for performing a method of contacting a debtor, the method comprising;

receiving account information for an account corresponding to a debtor and a creditor,

automatically selecting one or more strategies for contacting the debtor based on one or more account decision variables, wherein a strategy comprises a reference to a communications channel and one or more parameters for a payment program, and

transmitting a program rules output file used to configure the communications channel referenced by the selected strategy.

13. The rules manager of claim 12, further comprising:

a user interface in communication with the processor,

wherein the processor readable storage medium further contains one or more programming instructions for performing the following;

receiving user information from the user interface via the input/output interface, and

updating the one or more strategies based on the received user information.

14. The rules manager of claim 13 wherein the one or more programming instructions for receiving user information from the user interface comprise one or more programming instructions for receiving one or more of an account decision variable, a strategy and one or more parameters for a payment plan.

15. A method of contacting a debtor using an integrated multi-channel virtual collections center, the method comprising:

determining first account information for an account pertaining to the debtor;

determining an effectiveness of at least one communication channel in the integrated multi-channel virtual collections center in resolving debts from accounts for which at least a portion of the account information is substantially similar to a corresponding portion of the first account information;

assigning the account to the communication channel having the highest effectiveness; and

contacting the debtor via the assigned communication channel.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the account information comprises one or more of the following:

an amount of time that a debtor listened to an interactive voice response (IVR) session;

a geographic location for the debtor;

a URL for a web page visited by the debtor;

a sequence of communication channels used to contact the debtor;

one or more options selected by the debtor within an IVR session;

a time of day at which a previous contact occurred;

a time that a previous scheduled payment activity occurred;

a time that an actual payment activity occurred;

a language preference; and

information pertaining to whether the debtor has requested to speak with a person.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one communications channel comprises the following:

an IVR system;

an electronic mail system;

a short message service (SMS) system; and

an Internet website.