Generating customized disincentive marketing content for a customer based on customer risk assessment

• US 8,775,238 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daedalus Blue LLC
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Angell, Robert Lee, Kraemer, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Alvin L
• Application Number:
  US11/862,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20080249869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,476 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14
• US Class Current: 705/14
• 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

Abstract

A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for managing a level of marketing disincentives directed towards a customer using a risk assessment score. In one embodiment, a risk assessment score for a customer associated with a retail facility is retrieved. The risk assessment score is analyzed to determine whether the customer is a desirable customer or an undesirable customer. In response to the risk assessment score indicating that the customer is an undesirable customer, aggressive marketing disincentives targeted to the undesirable customer are generated. If the risk assessment score indicates the customer is a desirable customer, marketing incentives targeted to the desirable customer are generated.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for managing a level of marketing directed towards a customer using a risk assessment score, the computer implemented method comprising:

retrieving a risk assessment score for a customer associated with a retail facility, wherein the risk assessment score is at least based upon appearance and behavior of the customer inside the retail facility;

comparing, by a processor, the risk assessment score to a threshold score to determine whether the customer is an undesirable customer; and

responsive to the risk assessment score indicating that the customer is the undesirable customer, initiating aggressive marketing disincentives targeted to the undesirable customer, wherein the aggressive marketing disincentives comprise providing information to a set of employees associated with the retail facility that the customer is the undesirable customer and directing the set of employees to avoid offering assistance unless assistance is requested by the customer.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the risk assessment score is greater than an upper threshold score, identifying the customer as the undesirable customer and initiating the aggressive marketing disincentives, wherein the aggressive marketing disincentives are marketing initiatives intended to decrease an amount of time the customer spends shopping in the retail facility.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the risk assessment score is less than an lower threshold score, identifying the customer as a highly desirable customer; and

initiating aggressive marketing incentives targeted to the customer.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3 wherein initiating the aggressive marketing incentives further comprises:

notifying an employee associated with the retail facility to assist the customer.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 3 wherein initiating the aggressive marketing incentives further comprises:

providing the customer with a display device, wherein customized marketing messages are presented to the customer on the display device, wherein the customized marketing messages present competitive product pricing and preferred product offers, and wherein the display device provides the customer with a map and locations of items in the retail facility to improve a shopping experience of the customer.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the risk assessment score is less than an upper threshold score and greater than a lower threshold score, identifying the customer as a moderately desirable customer; and

initiating moderate marketing incentives targeted to the customer, wherein moderate marketing incentives comprises marketing incentives that are cheaper to generate and present to the customer than aggressive marketing incentives.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the aggressive marketing disincentives targeted to the undesirable customer further comprises:

displaying disincentive marketing messages to the customer, wherein a disincentive marketing message comprises uncompetitive product pricing and undesirable product offers.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the aggressive marketing disincentives targeted to the undesirable customer further comprises:

creating a negative ambiance in an area of the retail facility associated with the customer.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 8 wherein creating the negative ambiance further comprises shining lights in an area of the retail facility occupied by the customer.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 8 wherein creating the negative ambiance further comprises playing subliminal messages over a sound system, wherein the subliminal messages encourage the customer to leave the retail facility.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 2 wherein creating the negative ambiance further comprises playing music over a sound system, wherein the music is designed to encourage the customer to feel uncomfortable.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 8 wherein creating the negative ambiance further comprises adjusting a temperature in an area of the retail facility to an uncomfortable temperature, wherein the uncomfortable temperature is at least one of a temperature that is colder than a predetermined temperature, higher than a predetermined comfortable temperature, and a humidity that is higher than a predetermined comfortable humidity level.

13. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising;

computer usable program code for managing a level of marketing directed towards a customer using a risk assessment score, the computer program product comprising;

computer usable program code for retrieving a risk assessment score for a customer associated with a retail facility, wherein the risk assessment score is at least based upon appearance and behavior of the customer inside the retail facility;

computer usable program code for comparing the risk assessment score to a threshold score to determine whether the customer is an undesirable customer; and

computer usable program code for generating aggressive marketing disincentives targeted to the undesirable customer in response to the risk assessment score indicating that the customer is the undesirable customer, wherein the aggressive marketing disincentives comprise providing information to a set of employees associated with the retail facility that the customer is the undesirable customer and directing the set of employees to avoid offering assistance unless assistance is requested by the customer.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

computer usable program code for identifying the customer as the undesirable customer and initiating the aggressive marketing disincentives in response to a determination that the risk assessment score is greater than an upper threshold score, wherein the aggressive marketing disincentives are intended to decrease an amount of time the customer spends shopping in the retail facility.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

computer usable program code for identifying the customer as a highly desirable customer in response to a determination that the risk assessment score is less than an lower threshold score; and

computer usable program code for initiating aggressive marketing incentives targeted to the customer.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

computer usable program code for identifying the customer as a moderately desirable customer in response to a determination that the risk assessment score is less than an upper threshold score and greater than a lower threshold score; and

computer usable program code for initiating moderate marketing incentives targeted to the customer, wherein moderate marketing incentives comprises marketing incentives that are cheaper to generate and present to the customer than aggressive marketing incentives.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

computer usable program code for displaying disincentive marketing messages to the undesirable customer, wherein a disincentive marketing message comprises uncompetitive product pricing and undesirable product offers.

18. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the computer usable code for initiating the aggressive marketing disincentives targeted to the undesirable customer further comprises:

computer usable program code for creating a negative ambiance in an area of the retail facility associated with the customer, wherein creating the negative ambiance is accomplished by performing at least one of shining lights in an area of the retail facility occupied by the customer, playing subliminal messages over a sound system, wherein the subliminal messages encourage the customer to leave the retail facility, playing music over the sound system, wherein the music is designed to encourage the customer to leave, and adjusting a temperature in an area of the retail facility to an uncomfortable temperature, wherein the uncomfortable temperature is at least one of a temperature that is colder than a predetermined temperature, higher than a predetermined comfortable temperature, and a humidity that is higher than a predetermined comfortable humidity level.

19. A data processing system for managing a level of marketing directed towards a customer using a risk assessment score, the data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications system connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes computer usable program code; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the computer usable program code to retrieve a risk assessment score for a customer associated with a retail facility, wherein the risk assessment score is at least based upon appearance and behavior of the customer inside the retail facility;

compare the risk assessment score to a threshold score to determine whether the customer is an undesirable customer;

identify the customer as the undesirable customer in response to a determination that the risk assessment score is greater than an upper threshold score, and generate aggressive marketing disincentives targeted to the undesirable customer, wherein the aggressive marketing disincentives comprise providing information to a set of employees associated with the retail facility that the customer is the undesirable customer and directing the set of employees to avoid offering assistance unless assistance is requested by the customer.

20. The data processing system of claim 19 wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable program code to identify the customer as the undesirable customer and initiating the aggressive marketing disincentives in response to a determination that the risk assessment score is greater than the upper threshold score, wherein the aggressive marketing disincentives are intended to decrease an amount of time the customer spends shopping in the retail facility.

21. The data processing system of claim 19 wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable program code to identify the customer as a moderately desirable customer in response to a determination that the risk assessment score is less than the upper threshold score and greater than a lower threshold score and initiate moderate marketing incentives targeted to the customer, wherein moderate marketing incentives comprises marketing incentives that are cheaper to generate and present to the customer than aggressive marketing incentives.

22. The data processing system of claim 19 wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable program code to create a negative ambiance in an area of the retail facility associated with the customer, wherein creating the negative ambiance is accomplished by performing at least one of shining lights in an area of the retail facility occupied by the undesirable customer, playing subliminal messages over a sound system, wherein the subliminal messages encourage the undesirable customer to leave the retail facility, playing music over the sound system, wherein the music is designed to encourage the undesirable customer to leave, and adjusting a temperature in an area of the retail facility to an uncomfortable temperature, wherein the uncomfortable temperature is at least one of a temperature that is colder than a predetermined temperature, higher than a predetermined comfortable temperature, and a humidity that is higher than a predetermined comfortable humidity level.

23. A system for managing a level of marketing directed towards a customer using a risk assessment score, the system comprising:

a risk assessment engine, wherein the risk assessment engine retrieves a risk assessment score for a customer associated with a retail facility and compares the risk assessment score to a threshold score to determine whether the customer is an undesirable customer, wherein the risk assessment score is at least based upon appearance and behavior of the customer inside the retail facility; and

a disincentives generating engine, wherein the disincentives generating engine generates aggressive marketing disincentives targeted to the undesirable customer in response to the risk assessment score indicating that the customer is the undesirable customer, wherein the aggressive marketing disincentives comprise providing information to a set of employees associated with the retail facility that the customer is the undesirable customer and directing the set of employees to avoid offering assistance unless assistance is requested by the customer.