JP2002083126A - Point management system and its method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To sum up and manage points obtained in a plurality of shops without possession of a plurality of point recording cards dedicated for respective shops. SOLUTION: This system is constructed of a management device 1 storing the points according to a customer ID in a database 11 and managing them and a service terminal 3, which is connected to the management device 1 via the Internet 2 and provided with an inputting means 32 inputting a unique code representing a point given to use in each affiliated shop and the customer ID and a communication means 31 transmitting the input code and customer ID to the management device 1. The management device 1 is provided with a point processing means 14 recording the points matching the transmitted code as points for use of the customer at each affiliated shop on the basis of the customer ID and processing the code corresponding to the point as the processed code and a retrieving means 15 returning the points stored for each customer by request based on the customer ID from a client terminal 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a point management system and a point management system in which, when a member uses a member store, points according to sales, advertisements, mail distribution, and the like are collected and managed as points earned by the member. About the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, many stores, such as department stores and shopping centers, provide point services as one of customer services. As is well known, the point service is a service for cumulatively giving a customer an amount of points corresponding to a transaction amount for each transaction, and providing a prize in exchange for a predetermined number of points.

[0003] In general, the validity period of point services generally implemented is determined. If the validity period is determined to be, for example, one year from April 1 to March 31 of the following year, a prize is provided in exchange for points accumulated during the validity period. In this case, the point whose validity period has passed is invalidated.

[0004]

In such a point service, points obtained by customers are generally added to a point recording card in order. Since the point service is a service provided by each store to acquire customers, each customer is issued a point record card dedicated to that store for each store used. Therefore, the customer owns many point record cards by himself, and must carry the point record cards of all the stores where he / she uses the shopping.

When such a conventional point recording card is used, it is necessary to search for a point recording card for each store from a large number of point recording cards when paying at a cash register. In addition, in the case of point recording cards with a fixed expiration date, each point recording card usually has a different expiration date, and it is extremely difficult to manage the expiration dates of many owned point recording cards. Have difficulty.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a point management system and a point management method for totalizing and managing points acquired at a plurality of stores without possessing a plurality of point recording cards dedicated to each store.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a management device for storing and managing points for use of each member store providing a point service in a database based on a customer ID previously assigned to each customer, and a management device. The service terminal is connected via a communication line and is installed at each member store. The service terminal inputs a unique code indicating a point given to each use of each member store and a customer ID. And a means for transmitting the input code and the customer ID to the management device. The management device assigns a point corresponding to the transmitted code to the point of use of each member store of the customer based on the customer ID. Communication with a means for recording in the database as a The request based on the customer ID from a terminal connected through the line is obtained and means for returning the points accumulated for each customer.

Thus, the customer inputs the code printed on the point ticket distributed for each use of each member store and the customer ID given in advance, and transmits the code to the management device to transmit the code to the management device. The points stored in the database are recorded and accumulated as points for the affiliated stores, and the points accumulated in the database can be referenced based on the customer ID from a terminal connected to the management device via a communication line. That is, the customer owns one common customer ID for each member store, so that it is possible to manage the points obtained by using all the member stores for each member store. Further, since the code for the point once recorded is processed as added, the point is not added repeatedly by this code.

Here, the code indicating the point given to each use of each member store may be obtained by encrypting information for identifying each member store and information indicating the point to be added. desirable. By analyzing such an encrypted code by the management device, the analyzed points are recorded in the database as points for the member store to which the points are assigned based on the customer ID. In addition, since the code is encrypted, it is possible to prevent points from being added by incorrectly inputting the code.

Here, in the present invention, the points given to the customer can be given to the customer by distributing a point ticket or the like in which a code corresponding to this point is printed using alphanumeric characters, bar codes, or the like. At this time, the customer brings the point ticket etc. to the service terminal and directly inputs the code displayed in alphanumeric characters on the point ticket using an input device such as a touch panel or a keyboard provided in the service terminal, or By reading the barcode displayed on the point ticket using a reading device such as a barcode reader provided in the service terminal, the code can be input, so that any service terminal can record the points in the database. It becomes possible.

It is preferable that the service terminal of the present invention is provided with a means for outputting a coupon for redeeming the points accumulated for each customer. This allows the customer to connect to the management device from the service terminal and output the accumulated points as a coupon.

Further, in the point management method of the present invention, a unique code indicating a point given to a customer for each use of each member store that provides a point service and a customer ID previously assigned to each customer are input. Then, a point corresponding to the input code is recorded in the database as a point for each use of each customer's affiliated store based on the customer ID, the code for the recorded point is processed as added, and the request based on the customer ID is processed. Output the points accumulated for each customer.

Thus, the customer inputs the code and the customer ID given to each use of each member store, and is recorded and stored in the database as points for the used member store, and stored in the database. The obtained points can be referred to based on the customer ID.

[0014]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a point management system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the point management system shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, a point management system according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed in a management center that integrally manages points given to each customer by each member store such as a department store or a shopping center that provides a point service. Management device 1, which is installed in each member store and connected to a communication line such as the Internet 2.
And a client terminal 4 of each customer connectable to the management device 1 via a communication line such as the Internet 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the management apparatus 1 includes a database 11 for storing information on each customer and member store, such as a customer master, a member store master, a coupon voucher master, a point voucher master and a point table, which will be described later. Internet 2
Communication means 12 for communicating with the service terminal 3 and the client terminal 4 via the communication means 12; code analysis means 13 for analyzing a point corresponding to the code based on the code input via the communication means 12; Point processing means 14 for performing processing such as registration of points analyzed by the database 11 into the database 11, and the service terminal 3
Database 11 upon request from the client terminal 4 or the like.
And a search unit 15 for searching the inside and outputting a search result.

It is assumed that the management device 1 has at least a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a storage device, and a communication device (all not shown), and is connected to the Internet 2 via the communication device. The database 11 is constructed in a storage device. Also, the storage device has a communication unit 1
2. A processing program for executing the code analyzing means 13, the point processing means 14, and the searching means 15 is stored. By executing these processing programs under the control of the CPU, the functions of the respective means 12 to 15 are improved. Is achieved.

The customer master stored in the database 11 includes customer ID, name, address,
The telephone number, facsimile number, gender, date of birth, e-mail address, and whether or not information distribution by e-mail is desired are recorded. The customer registered in the customer master is given a membership card shown in FIG. FIG.
A member number corresponding to the customer ID is printed in alphanumeric characters A and a bar code B on the member card shown in FIG.

The member store master includes member store ID, business type, store name, address, telephone number, facsimile number, e-mail address, the number of points to be given to the customer per visit, and 1 for each member store. The number of points given to the customer for each e-mail distribution is recorded.

The coupon ticket master records the member store ID of the member store that issues the coupon ticket, the number of unit points output as the coupon ticket, the content of the service provided by the coupon ticket, and the like.

The point ticket master includes a point ticket number as a unique code indicating points to be given, the number of points to be given, the expiration date of the point ticket, the member store ID of the member store to which the point ticket is distributed, In addition, an added state or an added state of points or the like is recorded. The point ticket number is obtained by encrypting information such as a member store ID for identifying each member store and information indicating the number of points to be given. This point ticket number is
It is printed with the alphanumeric characters A and the barcode B on the point ticket shown in FIG.

In the point table, for each customer ID of each customer, the member store ID of each member store to which points are given, the date and time, and the type of points (points issued as coupons, visit points, purchase points) , E-mail points), the number of points (a negative value for points issued as coupons), point ticket numbers, and the like.

The code analyzing means 13 searches the point ticket master in the database 11 based on the point ticket number inputted and transmitted by the service terminal 3 or the client terminal 4, and analyzes the points corresponding to the point ticket number. I do.

The point processing means 14 converts the points analyzed by the code analysis means 13 into points in the database 11 as points for each use of each member store of the customer based on the customer ID inputted and transmitted together with the point ticket number. Record in the point table. At this time, the point processing means 14 performs processing (updates the point ticket master in the database 11) assuming that the point ticket number for the recorded points has been added.

The search means 15 searches the point table in the database 11 according to a request based on the customer ID input and transmitted by the service terminal 3 or the client terminal 4, and outputs, for example, points accumulated for each customer as a search result. .

The service terminal 3 includes a communication unit 31 for communicating with the management device 1 and the like via the Internet 2, a touch panel (not shown) as a device for inputting alphanumeric characters, and a bar code reader as a bar code reading device. Input means 32 for inputting a point ticket number, a customer ID, etc. by means of 5 or the like; a point inquiry means for making an inquiry request for accumulated points in the management device 1 based on the customer ID inputted by the input means 32 and acquiring the accumulated points 33, and a coupon ticket output unit 34 for outputting the points acquired by the point inquiry unit 33 as a coupon ticket by the coupon ticket issuing machine 6 or the like.

It is assumed that the service terminal 3 has at least a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a storage device, and a communication device (all not shown), and is connected to the Internet 2 via the communication device. The storage device stores processing programs for executing the communication means 31, the input means 32, the point inquiry means 33, and the coupon ticket output means 34, respectively.
Each of the means 31 to 3 is executed under the control of the PU.
4 functions are realized.

The point ticket number and the customer ID input by the input means 32 are transmitted to the management apparatus 1 via the Internet 2 by the communication means 31, analyzed by the code analysis means 13, and transmitted to the database 11 by the point processing means 14. be registered. The point inquiry request by the point processing means 34 is transmitted to the management device 1 via the Internet 2 by the communication means 31 and the search means 1
5, the database 11 is searched. The search result is returned to the service terminal 3 via the Internet 2 by the communication means 12, and is displayed on a display device (not shown), and the coupon ticket output means 34 outputs the coupon ticket.

The client terminal 4 is connected to the Internet 2
Communication means 41 for communicating with the management device 1 and the like via the Internet, and WWW (World) connected to the Internet 2
HTML transferred from Wide Web server
(HyperText Markup Language)
e) WWW that decodes the document and performs processing according to the content
A browser (hereinafter, referred to as “browser”) 42 is provided.

It is assumed that the client terminal 4 has at least a CPU (central processing unit), a storage device, and a communication device (all not shown), and is connected to the Internet 2 via the communication device. In the storage device, processing programs for executing the communication unit 41 and the browser 42 are stored. By executing these processing programs under the control of the CPU, each unit 4 is executed.
1, 42 functions are realized.

When connecting to the management apparatus 1 by the browser 42, the management apparatus 1 functions as a WWW server and operates together with the client terminal 4 as a client server system. At this time, the browser 42 displays the management device 1
A function similar to that of the service terminal 3 is realized by decoding and processing an HTML document transferred from the service terminal 3. That is, a point ticket number, a customer ID, and the like can be input by the client terminal 4 and transmitted to the management device 1.
It is possible to register and inquire points.

In the point management system having the above configuration, the customer first performs a membership registration. Member registration is
This can be performed by the management device 1 installed in the management center, the service terminal 3 or the client terminal 4 installed in each member store. The information of the registered customer is recorded in the customer master of the database 11 of the management device 1, and a membership card shown in FIG. 3A is issued to the customer.

Then, when the customer purchases a product at each member store, the member store sends the product according to the purchase contents as shown in FIG.
Will be delivered. The point ticket is issued in advance for each store on the management center side and distributed to each store. The customer registers the points in the database 11 of the management device 1 from the service terminal 3 or the client terminal 4 using the point ticket.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a screen for logging in to the management device 1. Usually, the service terminal 3 displays an advertisement or the like for introducing the member store. When the service terminal 3 connects to the management device 1, a login screen shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the service terminal 3. The customer inputs the membership number by passing the membership card shown in FIG. 3A through the barcode reader 5 provided in the service terminal 3, or
Alternatively, the member number is directly input to the input field 51 in the login screen using a touch panel or the like. The input member number is transmitted to the management device 1, and the database 11 is searched to perform authentication.

When the authentication is completed normally, a main menu screen (not shown) is displayed on the service terminal 3. At this time, the management device 1 adds the visit point to the point table of the database 11 based on the customer ID corresponding to the member number. The main menu screen displays menus such as “shop / service information”, “event information”, and “point information” for providing various services. When "point information" is selected from this menu, the service terminal 3 displays a point information menu screen shown in FIG. On the menu screen of the point information, menus such as “point inquiry”, “point addition”, “issuance of coupon”, “point statistics (for store)” and the like are displayed.

In FIG. 5, when “point addition” is selected, a point addition screen shown in FIG. 6 is displayed on the service terminal 3. The customer inputs the point ticket number by passing the point ticket shown in FIG. 3B through the barcode reader 5 provided in the service terminal 3, or directly inputs the point ticket number into the input field 52 using a touch panel or the like. The entered point ticket number is transmitted to the management device 1.

In the management device 1, based on the transmitted point ticket number, the code analyzing means 13 searches the point ticket master in the database 11 and analyzes points corresponding to the point ticket number. The analyzed points are recorded in a point table in the database 11 by the point processing means 14. At this time, the point processing means 14 treats the point ticket number for the recorded points as having been added, thereby preventing double addition of points by the same point ticket number.

When the point addition is completed normally, a point addition result screen (not shown) is displayed on the service terminal 3. On the point addition result screen, a banner advertisement or the like of the member store is displayed, and when the customer clicks on the banner advertisement and browses the advertisement content, the management device 1 displays the customer ID corresponding to the member number. Is added to the point table of the database 11 based on the

Returning to FIG. 5, when “issuing a coupon” is selected, a coupon issue screen shown in FIG. 7 is displayed on the service terminal 3. The coupon ticket issuance screen displays the customer ID corresponding to the member number and the member store ID of the member store.
, A point table in the database 11 is searched, and the accumulated points of the logged-in customer in the affiliated store are acquired and displayed on the coupon ticket issue screen.

Further, in the coupon ticket issuance screen, a list of coupon tickets that can be issued by the accumulated points is acquired from the coupon ticket master and displayed. The customer selects a desired coupon from among them, and the coupon is output by the coupon output unit 34. At this time, the points issued as a coupon are recorded in the point table. That is, the points to be returned as coupons are managed in the point table for each member store.

According to the point management system of this embodiment, the customer assigns a common customer ID to each member store.
By owning one, the points earned through the use of all the member stores can be managed for each member store. That is, the member card on which the member number shown in FIG. 3A is displayed can be used in common at all the member stores, and based on the point ticket shown in FIG. 3B distributed at each member store. The service terminal 3 can accumulate points for use of each member store in the database 11 of the management device 1.
In other words, the customer can use the points acquired in a plurality of stores without having a plurality of point recording cards dedicated to each store.

Returning to FIG. 5, when "point inquiry" is selected, a point inquiry screen shown in FIG. On the point inquiry screen, the types of points and common points (purchased points, visiting points, advertising points, e-mail points) at each affiliated store of the logged-in customer, accumulated points and points issued as coupons (issued points) ) Is obtained from the point table and displayed.

Here, an e-mail point is defined as an electronic mail distributed from each member store to a customer registered in the customer master of the database 11 as having a desire to distribute information by e-mail, regularly or irregularly. The points are given to the customer, and the number of points to be given to the customer per one e-mail distribution registered in the member store master is added. The accumulated points are the sum of purchase points, store visit points, advertisement points, and e-mail points.

Returning to FIG. 5, "point statistics (for store)"
When is selected, the point statistics search screen shown in FIG. The “point statistics (for store)” menu shown in FIG. 5 is displayed only when logging in as a member store ID of each member store or a manager of the management device 1 instead of a customer.

According to the point statistics search screen shown in FIG. 9, the type of business of each member store, the name of the store, the name of the customer (user), gender, age, address (district), time of visit, point type, statistical period, It is possible to search the point table in the database 11 by arbitrarily specifying a search condition from among monthly points, usage amount, number of visits, number of mails, and number of advertisement clicks.

FIG. 10 shows the result of point statistical search. On the point statistic search result screen, purchase points, visit points, advertisement points, e-mail points, accumulated points, and issued points of each customer for use of each member store are acquired from the point table and displayed. Also, on this point statistics search result screen, the transition of points for each point type for each member store on a monthly basis is graphically displayed.

The operation by the service terminal 3 can be performed by the client terminal 4 of each customer. At this time, when connection is made from the client terminal 4 to the management device 1, an operation screen similar to that of the service terminal 3 described above is displayed by the browser 42 of the client terminal 4. Further, the member number of the member card and the point ticket number of the point ticket are directly input mainly from a keyboard or the like provided in the client terminal 4.

As described above, the customer records the point record for the use of each member store on the Internet 2 by the service terminal 3 or the client terminal 4 based on the point ticket distributed according to the use of each member store. It can be stored in the database 11 of the management device 1 via the management server 1. In other words, even if a member card is forgotten to be used and each member store is used, a point ticket is distributed at each member store, so that points can be recorded later by the service terminal 3 or the client terminal 4. It is.

In this embodiment, the management device 1
Programs for operating the service terminal 3 and the client terminal 4 as described above are ROM, C
It can be stored in various recording media such as a D-ROM, a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a floppy (registered trademark) disk. Therefore, it is possible to realize the management apparatus 1, the service terminal 3, and the client terminal 4 according to the present invention by causing various computers such as a personal computer or a workstation to read the recording medium storing the above-described program. .

[0050]

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) A unique code indicating a point given to a customer for each use of each member store and a customer ID are input, and points corresponding to the input code are entered based on the customer ID. Each member store is recorded in the database as a point for each use of the member store, the code for the recorded point is processed as added, and the points accumulated for each customer are output according to a request based on the customer ID. By having one common customer ID, the points acquired through the use of all the member stores can be managed for each member store, and a plurality of point record cards and the like dedicated to each store can be stored. It is possible to use the points acquired at a plurality of stores without possession.

(2) The code is obtained by encrypting the information for identifying each member store and the information indicating the point to be added, thereby preventing the code from being incorrectly inputted and the points being added. can do.

(3) The service terminal includes means for outputting a coupon for redeeming the points accumulated for each customer, so that the customer outputs the points accumulated from the service terminal as a coupon, and Services such as discounts and prizes can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a point management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the point management system shown in FIG.

3A is a schematic diagram of a membership card, and FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram of a point voucher.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a screen for logging in to a management device.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a menu screen for point information.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a point addition screen.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a coupon ticket issuance screen.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a point inquiry screen.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a point statistics search screen.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a point statistical search result.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Management apparatus 2 Internet 3 Service terminal 4 Client terminal 5 Barcode reader 6 Coupon ticket issuing machine 11 Database 12 Communication means 13 Code analysis means 14 Point processing means 15 Search means 31 Communication means 32 Input means 33 Point inquiry means 34 Coupon ticket output Means 41 Communication means 42 Browser

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G07G 1/12 321 G07G 1/12 321L

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A customer I in which points for each member store providing a point service are given in advance for each customer.
A management device that accumulates and manages in a database based on D, and a service terminal that is connected to the management device via a communication line and is installed in each of the member stores. Means for inputting a unique code indicating the point given to each use and the customer ID, and means for transmitting the input code and customer ID to the management device, the management device comprises: Means for recording in the database points corresponding to the transmitted code as points for each use of the customer at each of the member stores based on the customer ID, and processing the code for the recorded points as already added Means, and a request based on the customer ID from a terminal connected via the communication line. Point management system and means for returning the points accumulated for each customer. 2. The point management system according to claim 1, wherein the code is obtained by encrypting information for identifying each of the member stores and information indicating the points to be given. 3. The point management system according to claim 1, wherein said service terminal includes means for outputting a coupon for redeeming points accumulated for each customer. 4. Entering a unique code indicating a point given to a customer for each use of each member store providing a point service and a customer ID previously assigned to each customer, and corresponding to the entered code. The points to be recorded are recorded in the database as points for each use of the customer at each of the franchisees based on the customer ID, the code for the recorded points is processed as added, and each customer is requested by the customer ID. Point management method that outputs the points accumulated in the system.