Systems and methods that use geographic data to intelligently select goods and services to offer in telephonic and electronic commerce

• US 7,729,945 B1
• Filed: 10/17/2000
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• 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): GORT, ELAINE L
• Application Number:
  US09/691,392
• Time in Patent Office: 3,514 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/14, 705/14.58
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

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 at least one offer of an item, the item including at least one of a good and a service, utilizing an electronic communications device enabling communication between an offeror and a user of the electronic communications device, comprising the steps of:

establishing communication via the electronic communications device between the offeror and the user to enable the user at least to initiate a given primary transaction therebetween,

obtaining primary transaction data during the given primary transaction, the primary transaction data obtained during the given primary transaction including at least data representing an identity of the user and data representing a geographic descriptor of the user,

utilizing the data representing the identity of the user to obtain at least a further data element related to the user, wherein the further data element includes processed data that is ascertained through a third party data base and is a coded designator that is a combination of at least two attributes related to the user, wherein at least one of the two attributes is related to received confidential financial information about the user,

utilizing at least in part the combination of the geographic descriptor of the user, the at least further data element, and the identity of the user to select among multiple items available for that geographic descriptor the at least one offer for the item in real time with the given primary transaction,

including in the selection negative decision criteria including prior successful offers, offers previously declined by the user, a determination that the user is not a good prospect for an offer or a determination that the user is on a no-call list and wherein a user defined negative decision criteria data is stored in a memory, and

offering the item to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining primary transaction data includes obtaining the data representing an identity of the user and the data representing a geographic position of the user in connection with a single primary transaction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining primary transaction information includes using the data representing the identity of the user to obtain the data representing the geographic position of the user.