Methods and apparatus for intelligent, purpose-based selection of goods and services in telephonic and electronic commerce

• US 7,280,979 B1
• Filed: 02/16/2000
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: West Corporation
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Katz, Ronald A., West, Gary L., Barker, Thomas B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garg; Yogesh C.
• Application Number:
  US09/505,619
• Time in Patent Office: 2,792 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/38, 705/14, 705/16, 705/5, 705/6, 705/22, 235/380
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0223 based on inventory
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0629 for generating comparisons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided for effecting remote commerce, such as in telemarketing (either inbound or outbound) and in electronic commerce, which are particularly adapted for the intelligent selection and proffer of products, services or information to a user or customer. In one aspect of the invention, goods, service or information are provided to the user via electronic communication, such as through a telephone, videophone or other computer link, as determined by the steps of first, establishing communication via the electronic communications device between the user and the system to effect a primary transaction or primary interaction, second, obtaining data with respect to the primary transaction or primary interaction, including at least in part a determination of the identity of the user or prospective customer, third, obtaining at least a second data element relating to the user, fourth, utilizing the primary transaction or primary interaction data along with the at least second data element as factors in determining at least one good, service or item of information for prospective upsell to the user or prospective customer, and offering the item to the prospective customer. In the preferred embodiment, the selection of the proffer of goods, services or information comprises an upsell with respect to the primary transaction or primary interaction data. The offer of the upsell is preferably generated and offered in real time, that is, during the course of the communication initiated with the primary transaction or primary interaction.

Claims

1. A method for providing remote commerce consisting of offers of a good or a service to prospective customers as users of a system comprising the steps of:

establishing a remote communication between at least one of the users and the system for a purpose of a primary transaction for a requested service or repair,

obtaining primary transaction data with respect to the primary transaction, including an identity of the prospective customer and the purpose of the primary transaction as being a communication for one of the requested service or repair,

utilizing the identity of the prospective customer to obtain at least a second data element from a remote database relating to the user,

utilizing at least in part the primary transaction data, including the purpose of the primary transaction as being a communication for one of the requested service or repair and the second data element, to determine at least a new product being currently available at the time of the communication for prospective upsell to the prospective customer in real time with the primary transaction, wherein the new product is different than the requested service or repair, and

offering the new product to the prospective customer in lieu of the requested service or repair whereby the upsell serves to obviate the purpose for the primary transaction and the upsell is successful in providing the customer with the new product in replacement thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the transaction type of the primary transaction differs from the transaction type of the upsell transaction.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the primary transaction is a service transaction and the upsell transaction is a purchase transaction.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the primary transaction is a service transaction for a first good and the upsell transaction is a purchase transaction for a replacement for the first good.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the primary transaction is a purchase transaction for a first good and the upsell transaction is a purchase transaction for a second good.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the primary transaction is not consummated.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the purpose of the primary transaction is a purchase transaction.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the purpose of the primary transaction is an informational inquiry.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the purpose of the primary transaction is a service transaction.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the purpose of the primary transaction is a sale transaction.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the purpose of the primary transaction is an inventory check.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the purpose of the primary transaction is a status inquiry.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the purpose of the primary transaction is an order fulfillment inquiry.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the purpose of the primary transaction is a comparison shopping inquiry.

15. The method of claim 2 wherein the purpose of the primary transaction is a credit check.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein time is utilized as a factor in determining the good or service to be offered.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the time is the time of day.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the time is the day of the week.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the time is the day of the month.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein a factor in determining the good or service to be offered is proximity to a calendar event.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the calendar event is user defined.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein geographic identifier data of the user is used to determine an offer for a good or service.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the geographic identifier data of the user is provided automatically.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the geographic identifier data is provided by a carrier associated with the electronic communications device.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the geographic identifier data is entered by the user.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein the identity of the good or service of the primary transaction is utilized in determining the prospective upsell.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein the identity of the good or service selected by the user during the primary transaction is utilized in determining the prospective upsell.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein a quality factor associated with the good or service is at least one factor in determining the good or service to be offered.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein the offer is made orally to the prospective customer.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein the offer is made visually to the prospective customer.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the visual offer is static.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein the visual offer is dynamic.

33. The method of claim 30 wherein the visual offer includes a virtual reality display.

34. The method of claim 1 wherein the prospective customer registers to use the system.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the prospective customer preregisters with the system prior to use.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein the registration includes input of information by the prospective customer.

37. The method of claim 34 wherein the prospective customer inputs information in response to questions.

38. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying at least one negative rule when the at least second good or service for prospective upsell to the prospective customer is determined.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the negative rule includes not offering for upsell a good or service determined to already be possessed by the prospective customer.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the negative rule includes not offering a good or service determined to have been previously purchased by the prospective customer.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein the negative rule includes not offering a good or service determined to have been previously offered to the prospective customer, but declined.

42. The method of claim 1 wherein the prospective customer may interact with a live operator.

43. The method of claim 1 wherein the prospective customer utilizes an electronic communications device to communication with the system, and wherein the is a telephone.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the electronic communications device is a videophone.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein the electronic communications device is a computer.