Global concierge

• US 8,731,984 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Michael, Stiff, Nicola
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garcia-Guerra, Darlene
• Application Number:
  US12/603,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20100268570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.11, 705/5, 705/6, 705/318
• US Class Current: 705/7.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A method for receiving, processing and managing service requests from a user is disclosed. The method includes receiving the service request from a user at a concierge service, generating an itinerary from the service request, sending the itinerary to a server in a consumer relation management system and automatically coordinating the service items of the service request among one or more concierge services. A method for automatically notifying a credit or debit card issuer about the future travel plan of a user is also disclosed. The method includes using the generated itinerary to automatically populate a security profile, and transfer the data from the security profile to an issuer, where the issuer uses these data to authorize future transactions in different locations that would normally be declined.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, from a first computer apparatus, an initial service request comprising a plurality of service items at a second computer apparatus, wherein the initial service request is generated at the first computer apparatus based on data associated with an itinerary indicating a user'"'"'s plans to travel to one or more locations outside the user'"'"'s home country at predetermined times, and wherein transactions relating to the itinerary are authorized at locations that would not ordinarily be authorized in the absence of the itinerary, and wherein transactions are blocked in the user'"'"'s home count during times when the user is traveling abroad;

determining, using the second computer apparatus, which of a set of a plurality of concierges can service the service items;

outputting electronically, using the second computer apparatus, a plurality of service requests to the set of concierges, wherein the plurality of services requests are provided in a coordinated manner, and wherein the second computer apparatus is configured to electronically receive one or more additional or modified service requests and re-coordinate the plurality of service requests based thereon, and

running a plurality of software modules on the second computer apparatus having access to the service items, wherein the plurality of software modules track the progress of fulfilling each service item, provide information regarding the status of service items to a user and provide promotional offers to the user based on the service items;

wherein the concierges in the set of the concierges in the plurality of concierges are in different countries;

wherein the second computer apparatus is configured to receive additional service requests that were not originally submitted from the first computer apparatus, and to electronically re-coordinate the plurality of service requests among one or more concierges in the different countries;

wherein determining which set of a plurality of concierges to service the service items is performed automatically based on pre-set criteria; and

wherein documents and messages related to the service request are translated to a specified language based on a user profile.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein outputting the plurality of service requests to the plurality of concierges includes sending a request message to at least one of the set of the plurality concierges using the second computer apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the initial service request is received from a first concierge in a user'"'"'s country.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the initial service request is received from a user who originates the initial service request.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein outputting the plurality of service requests to the plurality of concierges includes sending a request message to at least one of the set of concierges using the second computer apparatus.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the coordination of the initial service request and re-coordination of an additional service request are based on level of access of a concierge to local resources.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial service request is received at the computer apparatus from a mobile device of a user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a user profile after receiving the initial service request, wherein the user profile indicates types and levels of services that can be provided for a user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a portion of the user profile is accessible by the first computer apparatus, and wherein an access level to the user profile is determined by a pre-defined security setting.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining which set of a plurality of concierges can service the service items is based on a regional code associated with each service item.

11. A system comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer readable medium coupled to the processor, wherein the non-transitory computer readable contains program code run by the processor and configured to;

receive an initial service request comprising a plurality of service items at a first computer apparatus, wherein the initial service request is generated based on data associated with an itinerary indicating a user'"'"'s plans to travel to one or more locations outside the user'"'"'s home country at predetermined times, and wherein transactions relating to the itinerary are authorized at locations that would not ordinarily be authorized in the absence of the itinerary, and wherein transactions are blocked in the user'"'"'s home country during times when the user is traveling abroad;

determine which of a set of a plurality of concierges can service the service items;

output a plurality of service requests to the set of plurality of concierges, wherein the plurality of services requests are provided in a coordinated manner, and

run a plurality of software modules having access to the service items, wherein the plurality of software modules track the progress of fulfilling each service item, provide information regarding the status of service items to a user and provide promotional offers to the user based on the service items;

wherein the concierges in the set of the concierges in the plurality of concierges are located in different countries;

receive additional service requests at a second computer apparatus and re-coordinate the plurality of service requests among one or more concierges in the different countries when one or more additional service requests are received; and

wherein determining which set of a plurality of concierges can service the service items is performed automatically based on pre-set criteria.