METHOD, SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR CUSTOMER LINKING AND IDENTIFICATION CAPABILITY FOR INSTITUTIONS

• US 20110137760A1
• Filed: 12/03/2009
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Experian Marketing Solutions Incorporated (Experian plc)
• Original Assignee: Experian Marketing Solutions Incorporated (Experian plc)
• Inventors: Rudie, Todd C., McMillan, Helen C.
• Application Number:
  US12/630,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20110137760A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

In an enterprise where a database maintains multiple accounts for one or more business customers, a method, system, and computer program product correctly links accounts which are associated with a single location of a common business. Further hierarchical linkages are established between accounts associated with multiple locations of the common business. The linkages are established via matching rules, the matching rules including provisions for optimizing the quality of the account data, integrating account-related data from external sources, and assigning quality-of-matching factors to different kinds of account data. Both internal and external account data are utilized to create an integrated view, or “business demographics”, of the business structure of the single common business shared by the linked, hierarchically-related accounts. Separate accounts of separate businesses which are nonetheless related accounts may be associated with each other. Feedback loops may be used to correct both erroneous data and the linking rules.

Claims

1. A method of managing accounts stored by an enterprise, wherein said accounts are accounts of at least one business customer of a plurality of business customers of the enterprise, comprising:

identifying a plurality of accounts associated with a single location of the at least one business customer;

linking the plurality of accounts associated with the single location;

repeating said identifying and linking steps for a plurality of single locations of the at least one business customer, wherein a first identification and linkage is made to link a plurality of accounts of a first location of the at least one business customer and a second identification and linkage is made to link a plurality of accounts of a second location of the at least one business customer;

creating a hierarchical relationship between at least an account of the first location and at least an account of the second location; and

capturing business demographics for the linked accounts of the at least one business customer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a first account of the plurality of business customers of the enterprise and a second account of the plurality of business customers of the enterprise;

determining that the first account is not linked to the second account;

determining that the first account is not in a hierarchical relationship with the second account;

determining according to a plurality of association rules that an association exists between the first account and the second account; and

creating an associative link between the first account and the second account.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining according to a plurality of association rules that an association exists between the first account and the second account comprises at least one of:

determining that the first account and the second account are accounts of a common person;

determining that the first account and the second account are accounts sharing a common business interest;

determining that the first account and the second account are accounts sharing a common demographic;

determining that the first account and the second account are accounts of a respective first business and second business wherein the first business and the second business are at least one of commonly owned businesses or associated businesses;

determining that the first account and the second account are accounts of a respective first business unit and a respective second business unit of a common business, where a rule exists to not link accounts between the first business unit and the second business unit; and

determining that the first account and the second account are accounts of a respective first person and second person wherein the first person is associated with the second person through at least one of a common business dealing, a common business association, or a common personal association.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein linking the plurality of accounts associated with the single location comprises:

applying a plurality of matching rules to a plurality of account data, wherein a first account of the plurality of accounts of the single location is matched to a second account of the plurality of accounts of the single location; and

linking the first account with the second account by assigning a common identification value to the first account and the second account.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein applying the plurality of matching rules to the plurality of account data comprises at least one of:

comparing a plurality of account identification attributes of the plurality of account data according to a plurality of comparison rules to determine a probability of a match between the first account and the second account;

customizing the plurality of comparison rules by assigning a quality-of-match level for at least one account identification attribute of the plurality of account identification attributes;

analyzing at least one of a business data obtained from a secondary data source and personal data obtained from the secondary data source;

removing extraneous identifying information from the plurality of account data;

standardizing the data format of the plurality of account data;

including multiple addresses per account;

updating the plurality of account data based on merger, acquisition, and divestiture data;

obtaining business data from an external data source;

obtaining business data for a prospective customer;

making multiple passes through the account data to maximize a match rate; and

selectively applying matching rules in accordance with at least one of a type of the account and a type of a business unit of the at least one business customer.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein applying the plurality of matching rules to the plurality of account data comprises selectively applying matching rules in accordance with at least one of a type of the account and a type of a business unit of the at least one business customer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying a data feedback loop to identify a data anomaly, wherein the data anomaly comprises at least one of a proprietary linkage, a questionable linkage, a questionable hierarchy, a questionable data quality of external data, a questionable data quality of internal data, and a data inconsistency;

determining a source of the data anomaly, wherein the source of the data anomaly comprises at least one of an effectiveness of a linking rule, a requirement for the linking rule, a misapplication of the linking rule, an effectiveness of a hierarchy rule, a requirement for the hierarchy rule, a misapplication of the hierarchy rule, a data error in an external data source, and a data error in an internal data source; and

rectifying the source of the data anomaly by at least one of adding the linking rule, modifying the linking rule, deleting the linking rule, adding the hierarchy rule, modifying the hierarchy rule, deleting the hierarchy rule, changing the application of the linking rule, changing the application of the hierarchy rule, changing a parameter of the linking rule, changing a parameter of the hierarchy rule, correcting an error in the external data, and correcting an error in the internal data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein applying the data feedback loop further comprises at least one of applying an automated data auditing rule to a linking process output and auditing of the linking process output by a human operator.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising generating a report indicative of at least one of a data input, a data input quality, a data output, a data output quality, a result of an application of the linking rule, and a result of an application of the hierarchy rule.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the hierarchical relationship between at least the account of the first location and at least the account of the second location comprises at least one of:

creating a hierarchical relationship based on an organizational structure of the at least one business customer; and

creating a hierarchical relationship based on a financial transaction of the accounts of the at least one business customer with a common financial structure.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the hierarchical relationship between at least the account of the first location and at least the account of the second location comprises:

creating a first set of hierarchical account relationships based on a first hierarchical criteria;

creating a second set of hierarchical account relationships based on a second hierarchical criteria, wherein the second hierarchical criteria is different from the first hierarchical criteria;

comparing the first set of hierarchical account relationships with the second set of hierarchical account relationships to detect an inconsistency between the first set and the second set; and

detecting at least one of an erroneous business data, an erroneous linking rule, and an erroneous hierarchy rule based on the inconsistency between the first set and the second set.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing business demographics for the linked accounts of the at least one business customer comprises:

capturing at least one of demographic information. number of years in business, an industry code, an industry code with an extension, an executive, a business revenue, and an employee count of the at least one business customer; and

refreshing the at least one of demographic information, number of years in business, the industry code, the industry code with an extension, the executive, the business revenue, and the employee count periodically to track at least one of a growth of the business and a deterioration of the business.

13. A system for managing accounts stored by an enterprise, wherein said accounts are accounts of at least one business customer of a plurality of business customers of the enterprise, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing a plurality of processing instructions for directing the processor to;

(a) identify a plurality of accounts associated with a single location of the at least one business customer;

(b) link the plurality of accounts associated with the single location;

(c) repeat steps (a) and (b) for a plurality of single locations of the at least one business customer, wherein a first identification and linkage is made to link a plurality of accounts of a first location of the at least one business customer and a second identification and linkage is made to link a plurality of accounts of a second location of the at least one business customer;

(d) create a hierarchical relationship between at least an account of the first location and at least an account of the second location; and

(e) capture business demographics for the linked accounts of the at least one business customer.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising instructions for directing the processor to:

(f) identify a first account of the plurality of business customers of the enterprise and a second account of the plurality of business customers of the enterprise;

(g) determine that the first account is not linked to the second account;

(h) determine that the first account is not in a hierarchical relationship with the second account;

(i) determine according to a plurality of association rules that an association exists between the first account and the second account; and

(j) create an associative link between the first account and the second account.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to determine according to a plurality of association rules that an association exists between the first account and the second account comprise at least one of instructions for directing the processor to:

(k) determine that the first account and the second account are accounts of a common person;

(l) determine that the first account and the second account arc accounts sharing a common business interest;

(m) determine that the first account and the second account are accounts sharing a common demographic;

(n) determine that the first account and the second account are accounts of a respective first business and second business wherein the first business and the second business are at least one of commonly owned businesses or associated businesses;

(o) determine that the first account and the second account are accounts of a respective first business unit and a respective second business unit of a common business, where a rule exists to not link accounts between the first business unit and the second business unit; and

(p) determine that the first account and the second account are accounts of a respective first person and second person wherein the first person is associated with the second person through at least one of a common business dealing, a common business association, or a common personal association.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to link the plurality of accounts associated with the single location comprise instructions for directing the processor to:

(f) apply a plurality of matching rules to a plurality of account data, wherein a first account of the plurality of accounts of the single location is matched to a second account of the plurality of accounts of the single location; and

(g) link the first account with the second account by assigning a common identification value to the first account and the second account.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to apply the plurality of matching rules to the plurality of account data comprise at least one of instructions for directing the processor to:

(h) compare a plurality of account identification attributes of the plurality of account data according to a plurality of comparison rules to determine a probability of a match between the first account and the second account;

(i) customize the plurality of comparison rules by assigning a quality-of-match level for at least one account identification attribute of the plurality of account identification attributes;

(j) analyze at least one of a business data obtained from a secondary data source and a personal data obtained from the secondary data source;

(k) remove extraneous identifying information from the plurality of account data;

(l) standardize the data format of the plurality of account data;

(m) include multiple addresses per account;

(n) update the plurality of account data based on merger, acquisition, and divestiture data;

(o) obtain business data from an external data source;

(p) obtain business data for a prospective customer;

(q) make multiple passes through the account data to maximize a match rate; and

(r) selectively apply the matching rules in accordance with at least one of a type of the account and a type of a business unit of the at least one business customer.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to apply the plurality of matching rules to the plurality of account data comprise instructions for directing the processor to:

(h) selectively apply the matching rules in accordance with at least one of a type of the account and a type of a business unit of the at least one business customer.

19. The system of claim 13, further comprising instructions for directing the processor to:

(f) apply a data feedback loop to identify a data anomaly, wherein the data anomaly comprises at least one of a proprietary linkage, a questionable linkage, a questionable hierarchy, a questionable data quality of external data, a questionable data quality of internal data, and a data inconsistency;

(g) determine a source of the data anomaly, wherein the source of the data anomaly comprises at least one of an effectiveness of a linking rule, a requirement for the linking rule, a misapplication of the linking rule, an effectiveness of a hierarchy rule, a requirement for the hierarchy rule, a misapplication of the hierarchy rule, a data error in an external data source, and a data error in an internal data source; and

(h) rectify the source of the data anomaly by at least by at least one of adding the linking rule, modifying the linking rule, deleting the linking rule, adding the hierarchy rule, modifying the hierarchy rule, deleting the hierarchy rule, changing the application of the linking rule, changing the application of the hierarchy rule, changing a parameter of the linking rule, changing a parameter of the hierarchy rule, correcting an error in the external data, and correcting an error in the internal data.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions of step (f) for directing the processor to apply the data feedback loop further comprise at least one of instructions for directing the processor to:

(i) apply an automated data auditing rule to a linking process output; and

(j) present a user-interface means for a human operator to audit the linking process.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising instructions for directing the processor to:

(i) generate a report indicative of at least one of a data input, a data input quality, a data output, a data output quality, a result of an application of the linking rule, and a result of an application of the hierarchy rule.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions of step (d) for directing the processor to create the hierarchical relationship between at least the account of the first location and at least the account of the second location comprise at least one of:

(f) instructions for directing the processor to create a hierarchical relationship based on an organizational structure of the at least one business customer; and

(g) instructions for directing the processor to create a hierarchical relationship based on a financial transaction of the accounts of the at least one business customer with a common financial structure.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions of step (d) for directing the processor to create the hierarchical relationship between at least the account of the first location and at least the account of the second location comprise instructions for directing the processor to:

(f) create a first set of hierarchical account relationships based on a first hierarchical criteria;

(g) create a second set of hierarchical account relationships based on a second hierarchical criteria, wherein the second hierarchical criteria is different from the first hierarchical criteria;

(h) compare the first set of hierarchical account relationships with the second set of hierarchical account relationships to detect an inconsistency between the first set and the second set; and

(i) detect at least one of an erroneous business data, an erroneous linking rule, and an erroneous hierarchy rule based on the inconsistency between the first set and the second set.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions for directing the processor to capture business demographics for the linked accounts of the at least one business customer comprise:

(f) instructions for directing the processor to capture at least one of demographic information, number of years in business, an industry code, an industry code with an extension, a highest ranking official, a business revenue, and an employee count of the at least one business customer; and

(g) instructions for directing the processor to refresh the at least one of demographic information, number of years in business, the industry code, the industry code with an extension, the executive, the business revenue, and the employee count periodically to track at least one of a growth of the business and a deterioration of the business.

25. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to manage accounts stored by an enterprise, wherein said accounts are accounts of at least one business customer of a plurality of business customers of the enterprise, said control logic comprising:

first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to identify a plurality of accounts associated with a single location of the at least one business customer;

second computer readable program code means for causing the computer to link the plurality of accounts associated with the single location;

third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to repeat said identifying and linking steps for a plurality of single locations of the at least one business customer, wherein a first identification and linkage is made to link a plurality of accounts of a first location of the at least one business customer and a second identification and linkage is made to link a plurality of accounts of a second location of the at least one business customer;

fourth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to create a hierarchical relationship between at least an account of the first location and at least the account of a second location;

fifth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to capture business demographics for the linked accounts of the at least one business customer; and

sixth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to determine for a first account which is not linked to a second account and which is not in a hierarchical relationship with the second account that an association exists between the first account and the second account, and for causing the computer to create an associative link between the first account and the second account.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein said second computer readable program code means comprises:

seventh computer readable program code means for causing the computer to apply a plurality of matching rules to a plurality of account data, wherein a first account of the plurality of accounts of the single location is matched to a second account of the plurality of accounts of the single location; and

eighth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to link the first account with the second account by assigning a common identification value to the first account and the second account.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein said seventh computer readable program code means comprises at least one of:

ninth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to compare a plurality of account identification attributes of the plurality of account data according to a plurality of comparison rules to determine a probability of a match between the first account and the second account;

tenth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to customize the plurality of comparison rules by assigning a quality-of-match level for at least one account identification attribute of the plurality of account identification attributes;

eleventh computer readable program code means for causing the computer to analyze at least one of a business data obtained from a secondary data source and a personal data obtained from the secondary data source;

twelfth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to remove extraneous identifying information from the plurality of account data;

thirteenth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to standardize the data format of the plurality of account data;

fourteenth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to include multiple addresses per account;

fifteenth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to update the plurality of account data based on merger, acquisition, and divestiture data;

sixteenth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to obtain business data from an external data source;

seventeenth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to obtain business data for a prospective customer; and

and

eighteenth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to make multiple passes through the account data to maximize a match rate.

28. The computer program product of claim 26, further comprising:

ninth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to apply a data feedback loop to identify a data anomaly, wherein the data anomaly comprises at least one of a proprietary linkage, a questionable linkage, a questionable hierarchy, a questionable data quality of external data, a questionable data quality of internal data, and a data inconsistency;

tenth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to determine a source of the data anomaly, wherein the source of the data anomaly comprises at least one of an effectiveness of a linking rule, a requirement for the linking rule, a misapplication of the linking rule, an effectiveness of a hierarchy rule, a requirement for the hierarchy rule, a misapplication of the hierarchy rule, a data error in an external data source, and a data error in an internal data source; and

eleventh computer readable program code means for causing the computer to rectify the source of the data anomaly by at least by at least one of adding the linking rule, modifying the linking rule, deleting the linking rule, adding the hierarchy rule, modifying the hierarchy rule, deleting the hierarchy rule, changing the application of the linking rule, changing the application of the hierarchy rule, changing a parameter of the linking rule, changing a parameter of the hierarchy rule, correcting an error in the external data, and correcting an error in the internal data.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the ninth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to apply the data feedback loop to identify the data anomaly comprises at least one of:

twelfth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to apply an automated data auditing rule to a linking process output;

thirteenth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to present a user-interface means for a human operator to audit the linking process; and

fourteenth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to generate a report indicative of at least one of a data input, a data input quality, a data output, a data output quality, a result of an application of the linking rule, and a result of an application of the hierarchy rule.

30. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein said fourth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to create the hierarchical relationship between at least the account of the first location of the at least one business customer and at least the account of the second location of the at least one business customer comprises:

seventh computer readable program code means for instructing the processor to create a first set of hierarchical account relationships based on a first hierarchical criteria, wherein the first hierarchical criteria comprises at least one of;

an organizational structure of the at least one business customer; and

a financial transaction of the accounts of the at least one business customer with a common financial structure;

eighth computer readable program code means for instructing the processor to create a second set of hierarchical account relationships based on a second hierarchical criteria, wherein the second hierarchical criteria is different from the first hierarchical criteria and wherein the second hierarchical criteria comprises at least one of;

an organizational structure of the at least one business customer; and

a financial transaction of the accounts of the at least one business customer with a common financial structure;

ninth computer readable program code means for instructing the processor to compare the first set of hierarchical account relationships with the second set of hierarchical account relationships to detect an inconsistency between the first set and the second set; and

tenth computer readable program code means for instructing the processor to detect at least one of an erroneous business data, an erroneous linking rule, and an erroneous hierarchy rule based on the inconsistency between the first set and the second set.