SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO PROCESS REFERRALS IN OFFER CAMPAIGNS

• US 20160371733A1
• Filed: 08/31/2016
• Published: 12/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carlson, Mark, Spears, Joseph, Stan, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 10,360,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0214 Referral reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0258 Registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to represent offer rules based on requirements for the detection of predefined types of events, and actions scheduled to be performed in response to the detection of each occurrence of the events. The events are processed independently from each other and are linked via prerequisite conditions to formulate the requirements of an offer campaign. In one embodiment, the requirements for the detection of the events are specified based on predetermined types of events, including a first type for an event specified for interaction with a first user when the first user performs an action as a result of a referral from a second user, and a second type for an event specified for interaction with the second user in response to the first user performing the action.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

defining, based on electronic data received from a merchant via a portal, a first offer campaign of the merchant in terms of a set of required events linked by prerequisite conditions;

sending, by a computing apparatus to a data warehouse, transaction data associated with authorization requests to cause storage of the transaction data in the data warehouse, wherein the authorization requests are received from transaction terminals;

in response to an electronic action by a referring user, transmitting, by the computing apparatus, a first notification to a first computing device of an enrolling user, wherein the first notification comprises a link, the link including a unique identifier for the referring user;

subsequent to the enrolling user activating the link, receiving, by the computing apparatus, enrollment information associated with an enrollment request from the enrolling user;

identifying the referring user based on the enrollment information; and

in response to the enrollment of the enrolling user;

determining, by the computing apparatus, whether the enrolling user has completed a requirement associated with an event in the first offer campaign, the determining based at least in part on the transaction data,

performing an action for the enrolling user for the event, wherein the action comprises transmitting, via the portal, a second notification to the enrolling user, the transmitting to cause a display of the second notification in a user interface of the first computing device of the enrolling user, and

sending an electronic communication to cause recording, by the data warehouse, of data in a first data record to track progress of the enrolling user in the first offer campaign.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating a record set of the referring user in a second offer campaign.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising when the enrolling user performs a required action in accordance with a referral by the referring user, updating a record set of the enrolling user in the first offer campaign to indicate a new milestone achieved by the enrolling user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the required action is one of filling out a form, clicking a link, or swiping a card.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the set of required events is based on a respective pre-defined event type.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein each respective pre-defined event type allows the merchant to define criteria for matching user actions to referred enrollment events that qualify as achieving a milestone in the first offer campaign.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the link is activated by the enrolling user clicking the link to visit an enrollment service, and the referring user is identified based on a web page that hosts the link.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the referring user is required to identify the enrolling user prior to the enrolling user performing the enrollment.

9. A computing apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory storing instructions configured to instruct the at least one processor to;

define a first offer campaign of a merchant in terms of a set of required events linked by prerequisite conditions;

when an enrolling user completes an enrollment as a result of a referral from a referring user, perform an action for the enrolling user for a matching event in the first offer campaign;

identify the referring user based on enrollment information associated with the enrolling user; and

track progress of the enrolling user in the first offer campaign.

10. The computing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further configured to instruct the at least one processor to update a record set of the referring user in a second offer campaign.

11. The computing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further configured to instruct the at least one processor to, when the enrolling user performs a required action in accordance with the referral, update a record set of the enrolling user in the first offer campaign to indicate a new milestone achieved by the enrolling user.

12. The computing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the required action is one of filling out a form, clicking a link, and swiping a card.

13. The computing apparatus of claim 9, wherein each of the set of required events is based on a respective pre-defined event type.

14. The computing apparatus of claim 13, wherein each respective pre-defined event type allows the merchant to define criteria for matching user actions to referred enrollment events that qualify as achieving a milestone in the first offer campaign.

15. The computing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the referring user is identified based on a web page that hosts a link clicked by the enrolling user to visit an enrollment service.

16. The computing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the referring user is required to identify the enrolling user prior to the enrolling user performing the enrollment.

17. A computing apparatus, comprising:

a data warehouse configured to store records associated with offer campaigns of merchants;

a portal configured to receive electronic data regarding the offer campaigns from computing devices of the merchants;

at least one processor; and

memory storing instructions configured to instruct the at least one processor to;

define, based on electronic data received from a merchant via the portal, a first offer campaign of the merchant in terms of a set of required events linked by prerequisite conditions;

in response to an electronic action by a referring user, transmit a first notification to a first computing device of an enrolling user;

receive enrollment information associated with an enrollment request from the enrolling user;

identify the referring user based on the enrollment information; and

in response to the enrollment of the enrolling user;

determine whether the enrolling user has completed a requirement associated with an event in the first offer campaign,

perform an action for the enrolling user for the event, wherein the action comprises transmitting, via the portal, a second notification to the enrolling user, the transmitting to cause a display of the second notification in a user interface of the first computing device of the enrolling user, and

send an electronic communication to cause recording, by the data warehouse, of data in a first data record to track progress of the enrolling user in the first offer campaign.

18. The computing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the instructions are further configured to instruct the at least one processor to send, to the data warehouse, transaction data associated with authorization requests received from transaction terminals to cause storage of the transaction data in the data warehouse.

19. The computing apparatus of claim 18, wherein the determining whether the enrolling user has completed the requirement associated with the event is based at least in part on the transaction data.

20. The computing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first notification comprises a link, the link including a unique identifier for the referring user.