Methods and apparatus for intelligent selection of goods and services in telephonic and electronic commerce

• US 7,283,974 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• 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:
  US10/294,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20030130904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,799 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/26, 705/27, 705/10, 705/16, 705/1, 706/52, 706/47, 370/270, 725/116
• US Class Current: 705/26.41
• 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 system for providing offers in real time of an item constituting a good or a service in the form of offers for purchase to prospective customers as users of the system, utilizing an electronic communication device, comprising:

an interface implemented through a computer and configured to establish remote communication between the electronic communication device and the system,

an input collection unit coupled to the interface and configured to receive an indication of a user'"'"'s interest to purchase a first item,

an item selection unit implemented through the computer and configured to receive as an input at least an indication of the first item, the item selection unit outputting in real time an indication of at least one second item, different from the first item, for offer to the user, wherein the item selection unit comprises an electronic item selection unit that;

employs a plurality of rules to select the at least one second item, with at least respective ones of the rules being modified over time based at least upon prior offers and the responses thereto, wherein the at least one second item is selected based on a coded designator received from a credit card issuer, wherein the coded designator is related to confidential information about the user, and wherein the coded designator is used to determine a manner of the offer for the second item, and

employs at least one negative rule to determine the at least one second item for offer, and

a communication unit implemented through the computer and configured to offer the second item to the user in real time during the communication.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the negative rules exclude an item for offer that was previously purchased by the user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic item selection unit is adapted to employ the rules to select at least a third item for offer to the user based at least in part on a rejection of the second item by the user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic item selection unit is adapted to employ the rules to select the second item for offer based at least in part on responses to offers by a third party.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic item selection unit is adapted to modify the respective ones of the rules dynamically in real time with and based upon responses from a plurality of other users to offers of the second item.

6. A method for providing offers in real time of an item constituting a good or a service in the form of offers for purchase to prospective customers as users of the system, utilizing an electronic communication device, comprising:

obtaining from the user'"'"'s electronic communication device during a remote communication via a communication network an indication of interest to purchase a first item,

inputting at least an indication of the first item into an item selection unit being implemented through a computer, the item selection unit outputting in real time an indication of at least one second item, different from the first item, for offer to the user, wherein the item selection unit includes an electronic item selection unit that;

employs a plurality of rules to select the at least one second item, with at least respective ones of the rules being modified over time based at least upon prior offers and the responses thereto, wherein the at least one second item is selected based on a coded designator received from a credit card issuer, wherein the coded designator is related to confidential information about the user, and wherein the coded designator is used to determine a manner of the offer for the second item, and

employs at least one negative rule to determine the at least one second item for offer, and

communicating an offer for the second item to the user via the electronic communication device in real time during the communication.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the negative rules exclude an item for offer that was previously purchased by the user.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the electronic item selection unit is adapted to employ the rules to select at least a third item for offer to the user based at least in part on a rejection of the second item by the user.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the electronic item selection unit is adapted to employ the rules to select the second item for offer based at least in part on responses to offers by a third party.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the electronic item selection unit is adapted to modify the respective ones of the rules dynamically in real time with and based upon responses from a plurality of other users to offers of the second item.

11. A system for providing offers in real time of an item constituting a good or a service in the form of offers for purchase to prospective customers as users of the system, utilizing an electronic communication device, comprising:

an interface implemented through a computer and configured to establish remote communication between the electronic communication device and the system,

an input collection unit coupled to the interface and configured to receive an indication of a user'"'"'s interest to purchase a first item,

an item selection unit implemented through the computer and configured to receive as an input at least an indication of the first item, the item selection unit outputting in real time an indication of at least one second item, different from the first item, for offer to the user, wherein the item selection unit comprises an electronic item selection unit that employs a plurality of rules to select the at least one second item, with at least ones of the rules being modified over time, wherein the coded designator is related to confidential information about the user, and wherein the coded designator is used to determine a manner of the offer for the second item, and

a communication unit implemented through a computer and configured to offer the second item to the user in real time during the communication.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the electronic item selection unit is adapted to employ the rules to select at least a third item for offer to the user based at least in part on a rejection of the second item by the user.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the electronic item selection unit is adapted to employ the rules to select the second item for offer based at least in part on responses to offers by a third party.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the electronic item selection unit is adapted to modify the respective ones of the rules dynamically in real time with and based upon responses from a plurality of other users to offers of the second item.

15. A method for providing offers in real time of an item constituting a good or a service in the form of offers for purchase to prospective customers as users of the system, utilizing an electronic communication device, comprising:

obtaining from the user'"'"'s electronic communication device during a remote communication via a communication network an indication of interest to purchase a first item,

inputting at least an indication of the first item into an item selection unit being implemented through a computer, the item selection unit outputting in real time an indication of at least one second item, different from the first item, for offer to the user, wherein the item selection unit includes an electronic item selection unit that employs a plurality of rules to select the at least one second item, with at least respective ones of the rules being modified over time, wherein the at least one second item is selected based on a coded designator received from a credit card issuer, wherein the coded designator is related to confidential information about the user, and wherein the coded designator is used to determine a manner of the offer for the second item, and

communicating an offer for the second item to the user via the electronic communication device in real time during the communication.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronic item selection unit is adapted to employ the rules to select at least a third item for offer to the user based at least in part on a rejection of the second item by the user.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronic item selection unit is adapted to employ the rules to select the second item for offer based at least in part on responses to offers by a third party.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the electronic item selection unit is adapted to modify the respective ones of the rules dynamically in real time with and based upon responses from a plurality of other users to offers of the second item.