DE102008035699A1 - Method for applying bonus point program e.g. American express membership reward, of vendor, involves communicating and exchanging data by mobile phone with server of vendor and/or reader for reading or scanning data i.e. customer data - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves performing a bonus point program using a mobile phone of a customer or mobile phone in combination with a portable electronic and/or readable data medium e.g. memory stick. The mobile phone is provided with a point managing program for the bonus point program. Data is communicated and exchanged by the mobile phone with a server of a vendor and/or reader for reading or scanning data i.e. customer data, provided by a customer for purchasing goods that are associated with a bonus point e.g. multiplication factor bonus point. An independent claim is also included for a mobile phone comprising a bonus managing program.

Description

The The invention relates to methods of applying a bonus point program at least one provider, such as Amex Membership Rewards (Classic), bahn.bonus, DeutschlandCard, HappyDigits, Payback, stop & win, Webmiles and Miles & More, where a customer participates and this a bonus point account at least one of the providers has.

Of the Customer usually has the possibility of having one Bonus card, which he submits to the respective cashier before the cashier Points on his specially for to collect and manage this bonus card created account. It are z. B. above provider.

For Payback, the application is described as follows:
Payback is a free bonus point program. The partner companies are your partners in everyday life. When shopping in the supermarket or while refueling around the corner - as a Payback member you will be rewarded for your daily errands with Payback points. Collecting the points is easy: You shop at a local Payback partner. At the cash register, you will show your Payback card, which will then be read in and payback points will be added to your account. On the internet, simply enter your customer number when purchasing online. Every payback point is worth 1 cent. From 1,000 points you can redeem your points in: attractive premiums, cash, Miles & More miles or a donation to UNICEF.

For Happy Digits the description is:
With only one card HappyDigits participants can earn bonus points, the so-called digits, when shopping, making a phone call or booking a package holiday. And regardless of whether you personally shop locally or ordered by phone, catalog or online.

The Digits can in attractive premiums Redeemed become. The bonus card can also to MasterCard without annual fee and extended to the calling card.

Now it is the case that the customers usually carries several bonus cards at the same time, which is very annoying for him, because the wallet is too full and he has to repeatedly pick out the right bonus card among the many. He also collects points and does not have a quick overview of how many points he has now accumulated in which of his many accounts. If he wants to redeem these points, he must log in on the homepage of the respective provider via the card PIN or he receives bonus catalogs, which he can look at. Here he now has the opportunity to fill in an attached form and send it. He can also learn about the balance on the phone. For this, however, a complex process is necessary, such as by means of an SMS:
Writing an SMS: Write an SMS with the word "ACCOUNT", a space and your 16-digit card number. Please refrain from entering further letters, numbers or special characters!
Sending an SMS: Send the SMS without area code to XXXXX. This number applies to all mobile networks.

• 1. Der Kunde ist immer auf einen Computer oder auf den lästigen langen Postweg angewiesen.
• 2. Er hat keinen direkten schnellen Zugriff auf seine Konten, wodurch ein Gefühl der Ohnmacht entsteht.
• 3. Viele Kunden schließen sich diesen Verfahren nicht an, da sie nicht kontrolliert werden möchten, sondern selber kontrollieren möchten.

This method of interrogating account balance is cumbersome and time-consuming for many people. Other disadvantages are:

• 1. The customer is always dependent on a computer or the annoying long post.
• 2. He has no direct quick access to his accounts, creating a sense of powerlessness.
• 3. Many customers do not join this process because they do not want to be controlled, but want to control themselves.

From this the task is to give the customer the feeling that he has greater control and thus stronger Power over owns himself and his bonus points?

Of the The invention is therefore based on the object to develop a method thanks to that a customer and participant of the bonus point programs that feeling It can be conveyed that the customer has greater control and thus stronger power over himself and has his bonus points.

The stated object is achieved by the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments are represented by the features of the appended subclaims. In particular, the stated problem is solved by the method steps:
Carrying out the bonus point program by means of a mobile phone of the customer or by means of the mobile phone in combination with a portable electronically and / or readable data medium such as memory stick, MP3 player or bonus card, for example Payback Card, Happy-Digits Card or Germany Card wherein the mobile telephone has a point management program for the bonus point program, and
Communication and data exchange by means of the mobile phone with a server of the at least one provider and / or a reader for reading or scanning of data, such as customer data for purchase by the customer intended goods, the goods associated bonus points, promotion bonus points, bonus points and / or multiplication factors to bonus points ,

Consequently It is suggested that the application by means of the mobile phone of the customer or by means of the mobile phone in combination with a electronically readable and / or readable bonus card, like Payback-Card, Happy-Digits-Card or Germany-Card, that takes the mobile phone a point management program for has the bonus point program and that to carry out the Bonus point program based on the point management program a communication of the mobile phone with a server of at least a provider and / or a reader for reading or scanning of data, in particular assigned bonus points, desired Products, promotions or profits.

The As an example, bonus cards can be credit cards in their function and / or money cards to be extended. Of course, the cards can also others Wear user-specific names.

The Process can be specified with further process steps. The interspersed in the description illustrations, each on to enter a specific procedural document, make schematic each a mobile phone with a display to display the respective Process step in the form of a command input, a program step in the program of the point management program and / or an output a specific program step of the point management program.

• 1. Der Kunde tätigt ganz normal seinen Einkauf und geht mit den gesammelten Produkten zur Kasse.
• 2. Der Kunde öffnet sein Punkteverwaltungsprogramm auf dem Handy und wählt den gewünschten Anbieter, der Partner des Kaufhauses ist, in dem er sich gerade befindet. (1)

In a first advantageous development, there are the following method steps:

• 1. The customer makes his normal shopping and goes with the collected products to checkout.
• 2. The customer opens his point management program on the phone and selects the desired provider who is the partner of the department store in which he is currently located. ( 1 )

This must be sufficiently marked at each cash register in the respective department stores be.

Has he selected his provider, he calls the point z. For example, "customer code".

• 3. Am Ende des Einkaufs erhält der Kunde, wie sonst auch, seinen Kassenbon und zusätzlich direkt eine Bestätigungs-SMS vom Server des Anbieters, darüber, dass die Punkte des Einkaufs gutgeschrieben wurden.

The display shows the barcode which contains exactly the information normally stored on the Payback card. ( 2 ) Now the customer holds his mobile phone for the first time with the display down over the barcode scanner. This now reads all the information that the provider needs. This replaces the constant reading in and carrying around the bonus card.

• 3. At the end of the purchase, the customer, as usual, receives his receipt and in addition directly a confirmation SMS from the provider's server, that the points of the purchase have been credited.

("The points have been credited to your account.") In addition, all data on the phone will be updated (score, score in EURO, date of last purchase, place of last purchase, amount of the last purchase). ( 3 and 4 )

In a variant of the method, a barcode can be output on a receipt or display of a cash register that can be photographed by the mobile phone or mobile phone. After that or before, the software, the point management program, can be called up. For this purpose, the method steps may be:
Scanning data preferably stored in a bar code or a transponder, in particular assigned bonus points, of selected goods by means of a reading device at a checkout of a department store, shop or sales stand and / or by means of a mobile reading device,
Issuing a barcode on a receipt, on a display of the cash register or a display of the mobile reader,
Reading or photographing the barcode by means of the mobile phone,
Converting the scanned bar code by means of the point management program into specific data suitable for communication with the server of the provider,
Log in to the server of the respective provider using the point management program and transfer the specific data,
Credit the bonus points to the account of the customer at the provider.

In a third variant of the method, the usual bonus card can be used to read in customer-specific data in the cash register or in the mobile reader: These data and the selected goods can then be sent to the server of the respective provider. By means of the point management program, an automatic update of the bonus points in the customer's point account with the provider can ensue. This results in the following method steps:
Scanning data preferably stored in a bar code or a transponder, in particular assigned bonus points, of selected goods by means of a reading device at a checkout of a department store, shop or sales stand and / or by means of a mobile reading device,
Reading the bonus card into the cash register or into the mobile reader,
Transfer of the bonus points with data from the bonus card to a server of the respective provider,
Sending a signal from the provider's server to the mobile phone for updating a score by means of the point management program on the mobile phone.

In this way, the customer could even always understand where he spent how much money when and so can better budget with his money, etc. This can help the household calculator, which could also be integrated into this program. ( 5 ) The fact that a connection between the provider's server and the customer's mobile phone has to be established again and again so that the data on the customer's mobile phone updates can be used by mobile service providers to work with companies (Payback, Happy Digits, etc.). To conclude contracts. Here one can set oneself as a portable radio company either on only one partner / offerer or on several. The provider z. B. Payback can take over the connection costs of the customer, so that this no further costs incurred by the resulting connection.

In order to the customer always has an accurate overview of all his accounts of different providers has, because usually is You can also become a member of several bonus point programs he has an extra for this to install developed software, the z. B. names such as "Pointcheck", "Pointchecker" o could. Especially for this new point management system developed software forms the centerpiece The idea.

you In this way, the consumer can have a clear management of his monthly expenses (see previous page), points and maybe even offer several bonus point programs. In collaboration with Payback, Happy Digits, etc. could the development of this software z. B. be implemented by Vodafone.

A Another variant of the process is the redemption of bonus points of the Account of the customer with the provider. If the customer wants to redeem the points, must he is not here on already fixed premiums, which he maybe even do not want to buy, set. The accumulated points are converted into euros and can be so at purchase of any product deducted from the price of it (voucher procedure).

Example process - redeem the points:

• 1. The customer goes to checkout with the desired product, opens his point management program on the phone and selects the desired provider who is the partner of the department store in which he is currently located. ( 6 ) This must be sufficiently marked at each cash register in the respective department stores. If he has selected his provider, he calls the point z. For example, "customer code". The barcode appears on the display and contains exactly the information normally stored on the Payback card (name, address, etc.). Now the customer holds his mobile phone for the first time with the display down over the barcode scanner. This now reads all the information that the provider needs. This replaces the constant reading in and carrying around the bonus card. (Same procedure as for collecting points (mentioned above)). ( 7 and 8th ) Thus, a connection with the server of the provider can be made by means of the mobile phone. By means of the mobile phone, information about the amount of points that the customer wishes to redeem can be transmitted to the server of the provider. The server can record and store this information. He can transmit further information, such as name of the buyer, customer number at the provider, display of points to be read, in the form of a barcode to the mobile phone of the customer. The barcode, in which, for example, information about the customer, the amount to be read stored, can appear on the display of the mobile phone. The barcode can optionally be used as a digital coupon.
• 2. The cashier now scans all products: While the cashier now scans the products, the customer selects on his phone, also in the menu of the same provider the point z. For example, "redeem points" (is in the same list as the item "Customer Code"). Here he learns his current score and the amount that corresponds to this score in EURO. He can also choose how many of his points he wants to redeem. ( 9 ) By clicking on the item z. For example, "Convert Digits", the phone connects to the provider's server. ( 10 )

First, the phone sends the information about the amount of points that the customer wants to redeem to the server. This server takes this information, stores it and sends information (such as name of the buyer, customer number, number of points to be redeemed, etc.) in the form of a barcode to the customer's mobile phone. This barcode, which now stores all the important information about the customer, the amount to be redeemed, etc., appears on the display of the mobile phone. The customer can now use and redeem this barcode as a digital coupon. ( 11 )

If the cashier has now scanned all the products, the customer now has his cell phone, with the display facing down, over the bar hold code scanner. This reads the barcode and sends information to the server of the provider. Here, the points that have been redeemed are deducted from the current score and the current status is saved. ( 12 )

The server sends here again a confirmation SMS to the customer ("redemption of points successfully completed!" New score, new score in EURO). ( 13 )

Herewith the purchase is complete.

Preferably the program progresses, which require no further input, are carried out automatically. Preferably, the individual program steps, that of an input require by the customer, by a specific request preferably displayed on the display initiated for input and triggered with the input. These Prompt may, as previously mentioned by way of example, be: "customer code", "specific Customer data "," points Redeem "etc. Preferably the entry is made by the customer using the keyboard of the mobile phone. Alternatively or in addition can be provided that the request for input and / or to the activity the customer with the mobile phone, such as the photographing the barcode from the receipt, acoustically via the loudspeaker of the mobile phone and / or input acoustically via the microphone of the mobile phone done.

• 1. Der Kunde fühlt sich aufgrund einer erhöhten eigenen Kontrolle nicht mehr so stark kontrolliert.
• 2. Die Anbieter haben trotzdem den gleichen Nutzen wie vorher.
• 3. Die Anbieter kommen den Kunden entgegen noch stärkere Kundenbindung durch ein stärkeres Vertrauen seitens des Kunden.
• 4. Der Kunde ist flexibel.
• 5. Steigerung des Umsatzes der einzelnen Partnerunternehmen durch eine schnelle Abwicklung der Einlösung der Punkte.
• 6. Durch eine erhöhte Flexibilität und einfache Handhabung des Systems wird der Kunde sich stärker mit Punktesystemen und somit mit den Marken bzw. den Unternehmen beschäftigen.
• 7. Eine Ansammlung vieler verschiedener Bonuskarten wird verhindert.
• 8. Weitere Aktionen seitens des Anbieters (Payback, Happy Digits, etc...) können erfolgen. Zum Beispiel: Verdopplung des Punktestandes auf dem Konto durch einscannen des Codes auf Aktionsplakaten. Gewinnspielaktionen/”Schnitzeljagd durch's Kaufhaus”: Man stellt an unterschiedlichen Punkten Im Kaufhaus Displays auf denen Barcodes zu finden sind. Diese muss man alle aufsuchen, einscannen und erhält somit weitere Punkte, eine besondere Prämie oder Vervielfachung seines Kontostands oder seines nächsten Einkaufs in diesem Hause.
• 9. Druckkosten für die Anbieter für Coupons werden eingespart.
• 10. Es fällt weniger Altpapier an.
• 11. Der Kunde muss nicht mehr an seine Coupons denken, er trägt sein Handy immer bei sich.
• 12. Unterbringung von Produkt- oder Werbeinformationen in den Bestätigungs-Emails.

Advantages of the new method in its presented variants:

• 1. The customer does not feel so controlled anymore due to increased own control.
• 2. The providers still have the same benefits as before.
• 3. The providers meet the customer even stronger customer loyalty by a stronger trust on the part of the customer.
• 4. The customer is flexible.
• 5. Increasing the turnover of the individual partner companies through a quick settlement of the redemption of the points.
• 6. Increased flexibility and ease-of-use of the system will make the customer more involved with point systems and thus with the brands or companies.
• 7. An accumulation of many different bonus cards is prevented.
• 8. Further actions on the part of the provider (Payback, Happy Digits, etc ...) can be made. For example: Doubling the score on the account by scanning the code on action posters. Sweepstakes / "Treasure hunt through the department store": At various points in the department store displays on which barcodes can be found. You have to visit all of them, scan them in and get more points, a special bonus or multiplication of their account balance or their next purchase in this house.
• 9. Printing costs for the coupon providers are saved.
• 10. There is less waste paper.
• 11. The customer no longer has to think about his coupons, he always carries his cell phone with him.
• 12. Accommodate product or promotional information in the confirmation emails.

figure description

Collect the points

1 : Selection of the bonus program provider after opening the program

2 : Selection of the menu item "Customer code"> Customer code appears on the display

3 : Waiting phase during server connection: "Points will be credited to your account"

4 : Confirmation SMS: "The points have been credited to your account"

5 : Household calculator

redeem the points:

6 : Selection of the bonus program provider after opening the program

7 : Selection of the menu item "Customer Code"

8th : Customer code appears on the display

9 : Selection of the menu item "Redeem points" / Setting of the amount of points to be redeemed and display of the corresponding amount of money

10 : Waiting phase during server connection: "Points are converted"

11 : Coupon code appears on the display asking to hold it over the scanner.

• 1. Aufforderung das Display über Scanner zu halten.
• 2. Bestätigung „Einlösung erfolgt” erscheint im Display des Scanners.
• 3. Barcode-Scanner-Displayanzeige: „Vielen Dank für Ihren Einkauf!”

12 : Barcode Scanner Supervision:

• 1. Request to hold the display via scanner.
• 2. Confirmation "Redeeming" appears in the display of the scanner.
• 3. Barcode scanner display: "Thank you for your purchase!"

13 : Confirmation SMS: "Redeeming the points successfully completed!"

Claims (14)

Method of applying a bonus point program at least one provider, such as Amex Membership Rewards (Classic), bahn.bonus, DeutschlandCard, HappyDigits, Payback, stop & win, Webmiles and miles and more, where a customer participates and a bonus point account at least one of the providers has, with the process steps: Perform the Bonus point program using a mobile phone of the customer or using the mobile phone in combination with a portable electronic readable and / or readable disk like memory stick, mp3 player or bonus card, for example, payback card, Happy-Digits-Card or Germany-Card, being the mobile phone a point management program for has the bonus point program, and Communication and data exchange by means of the mobile telephone with a server of the at least one provider and / or a reader for reading or scanning data, such as customer data, for purchase goods intended by the customer, bonus points assigned to the goods, Promotion bonus points, bonus points and / or multiplier factors to bonus points. Method according to claim 1 with the method steps: To scan preferably stored in a bar code or a transponder Data, in particular of assigned bonus points, of selected goods by means of a reading device at a checkout of a department store, shop or stall and / or by means of a mobile reader, Open the Point management program on the mobile phone and choice of the associated provider of the Bonus Points Program Retrieval of a vendor-specific, personal Customer codes or personal, preferably encrypted Customer data from a memory of the mobile phone or one Server of the associated provider Appearance of a barcode, a ring coding or the like on the display of the mobile phone containing the information contains on a standard payback card, Happy-Digits-Card or Germany-Card are stored, To scan of the barcode from the display of the mobile phone to the cash register or in the mobile reader and Credit the assigned bonus points to the account the customer at the provider. Method according to claim 1 with the method steps: To scan preferably stored in a bar code or a transponder Data, in particular of assigned bonus points, of selected goods by means of a reading device at a checkout of a department store, shop or stall and / or by means of a mobile reader, Output a barcode on a receipt, on a display of the cash register or a display of the mobile reader, read in or photographing the barcode by means of the mobile phone, Convert of the scanned barcode by means of the point management program into specific data for a communication with the server of the provider are suitable, log in by means of the point management program on the server of the respective Provider and transmission the specific data, Credit the bonus points to the Account of the customer with the provider. Process according to Claim 1, with the following process steps: To scan preferably stored in a bar code or a transponder Data, in particular of assigned bonus points, of selected goods by means of a reading device at a checkout of a department store, shop or stall and / or by means of a mobile reader, read in the bonus card in the cash register or in the mobile reader, Transfer the bonus points with data from the bonus card to a server of the respective provider, Sending a signal from the server of the Provider to the mobile phone to update a score using the point management program on the mobile phone. Method according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized that from the server of the provider an electronic signal, in particular An SMS is sent to the mobile phone of the customer in which about Crediting the bonus points on the account of the customer with the provider is reported and / or a current bonus score is transmitted becomes. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5 with the method step: Redeem from Bonus points using the stored on the customer's mobile phone Points management program. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that by means of the mobile phone, a connection with the server of the provider is made that transmitted by means of the mobile phone information about the amount of points that the customer wants to redeem the server, the server receives this information , stores and information, such as the name of the buyer, customer number at Anbie The barcode, in which, for example, information about the customer, the amount to be stored is stored, also appears on the display of the mobile phone and that the barcode is optionally used as a digital coupon , Method according to claim 7, characterized in that that the bar code representing the digital coupon means of the reader read at the cash register or the mobile reader. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that that the balance is paid immediately and / or offset against the goods which the customer wants to acquire or acquire at the same time. Method according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized that the customer by means of the bonus management program from a number from providers a desired one selects. Method according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized that the individual program steps of the point management program for the Bonus point program that requires input from the customer through a specific request preferably displayed on the display initiated for input and triggered with the input. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that that the input by the customer by means of the keyboard of the mobile phone and / or acoustically by means of the microphone of the mobile phone. Method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized that the request for input and / or activity of the customer with the mobile phone, such as photographing the barcode from the receipt, over a graphic message or a lettering on the display of the mobile phone and / acoustically via the speaker of the mobile phone. Mobile phone with a bonus management program at least one provider, such as Payback, Happy-Digits or Deutschland-Card, by means of which the method according to one of claims 1 to 13 feasible is.