JP5473164B2 - Stage management device and stage management program - Google Patents

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a stage management apparatus and a stage management program.

  A service is known in which a customer's stage is determined according to the monthly purchase amount of the customer, and a privilege corresponding to this stage is provided to the customer.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-326662

  If the purchase amount for one month of the customer satisfies the stage up condition, the stage of the customer is raised, and if the purchase amount of the customer satisfies the stage down condition, the stage of the customer is lowered.

  If a customer has purchased more than usual in a certain month, the stage will go up once, but if the customer makes a purchase as usual in the following month, the stage will go down easily and he will purchase more than usual. The period during which the benefits associated with is provided to customers will be shortened.

  Under these circumstances, stage management that can provide services more attractive to customers has been desired.

The stage management apparatus according to the embodiment includes a storage device, a determination unit, and first and second update units. The storage device stores stage management data representing customer identification information for identifying a customer and stage identification information for identifying each of a plurality of staged stages in association with each other. The determination unit determines the service use record by the customer identified by the customer identification information for each of the first evaluation period and the second evaluation period longer than the first evaluation period. The first update means includes stage identification information represented in the stage management data in association with customer identification information for identifying a customer whose usage results determined by the determination means for the first evaluation period satisfy a pull-up condition. When the highest stage among the plurality of stages is not represented, the stage management data is updated so that the stage identification information is changed to one for identifying the next stage. The second update means includes stage identification information represented in the stage management data in association with customer identification information for identifying a customer whose usage record determined by the determination means for the second evaluation period satisfies a reduction condition. When the lowest stage of the plurality of stages is not represented, the stage management data is updated so that the stage identification information is changed to one for identifying the next stage.

The block diagram of the POS server which concerns on one Embodiment. Structure diagram of stage management data. The flowchart of CPU in FIG. The flowchart of CPU in FIG.

  An example of the embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a point-of-sale (POS) server will be described as an example of the stage management device.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a POS server 1 according to this embodiment.

  The POS server 1 constructs a POS system 100 together with a plurality of terminals 2 and a management terminal 3.

  The POS server 1 can communicate with each of the plurality of terminals 2 and the management terminal 3 via the communication network 4. The communication network 4 is typically the Internet, but various other networks such as an in-house communication network and a PSTN (public switched telephone network) can be used.

  The POS server 1 includes a so-called store server provided in the same store where the POS terminal 2 is installed, and a headquarters that summarizes a plurality of stores including the same store where the POS terminal 2 is installed. So-called headquarters server. The POS server 1 aggregates sales data generated by each POS terminal 2 and manages data used by each POS terminal 2. The POS server 1 further manages the customer stage.

  Here, an overview of services provided by the POS system 100 will be described.

  Each customer is associated with one of a plurality of stages depending on the purchase amount of the customer. And each privilege is provided with respect to a customer according to the stage matched. In addition, although what kind of privilege is provided at each of the plurality of stages is arbitrary, it is general that a higher level is provided at a higher level. For example, it is assumed that the discount is a discount service and the discount rate varies depending on the stage.

  The POS server 1 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 11, a read-only memory (ROM) 12, a random-access memory (RAM) 13, an auxiliary storage device 14, and a communication device 15. The CPU 11, ROM 12, RAM 13, auxiliary storage device 14, and communication device 15 are connected to the bus 16.

  The CPU 11 performs processing to realize the various operations described above based on the operating system, middleware, and application program stored in the ROM 12 and RAM 13.

  The ROM 12 stores the above operating system. The ROM 12 may store the above middleware and application programs. The ROM 12 may store data that is referred to when the CPU 11 performs various processes.

  The RAM 13 stores data to be referred to when the CPU 11 performs various processes. Further, the RAM 13 is used as a so-called work area for storing data temporarily used when the CPU 11 performs various processes. The RAM 14 may store the above middleware and application programs.

  The auxiliary storage device 14 is, for example, a hard disk drive or a solid state drive (SSD), and stores data used when the CPU 11 performs various processes and data generated by the processes in the CPU 11. The data stored in the auxiliary storage device 14 includes stage management data. The auxiliary storage device 14 may store the above middleware and application programs.

  The application program stored in the ROM 12, the RAM 13 or the auxiliary storage device 14 includes a stage management program. The stage management program is described so as to cause the CPU 11 to execute processing to be described later.

  As the POS server 1, for example, a general-purpose server computer device can be used as basic hardware. At this time, the POS server 1 may be realized by installing the above-described stage management program in advance in a computer device, or may be recorded on a removable recording medium such as a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, an optical disk, or a semiconductor memory. Alternatively, the above-described stage management program may be distributed via a network, and the stage management program may be appropriately installed in a computer device.

  The communication device 15 communicates with the POS terminal 2 and the management terminal 3 via the communication network 4.

  FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of the stage management data.

  Stage management data may include a plurality of data records. Each data record includes information regarding each item of customer number, stage, purchase price (before 1 month), and purchase price (before 2 months). The information of the item of customer number represents a number determined for identifying the customer. The information of the stage item represents the stage of the customer identified by the customer number included in the same data record. The information of the item of purchase price (before 1 month) represents the purchase price in the previous month of the customer identified by the customer number included in the same data record. The information on the item of purchase price (before 2 months) represents the purchase price in the month of the month before the customer identified by the customer number included in the same data record.

  Next, the operation of the POS server 1 configured as described above will be described.

  General processing in the POS server 1 such as totaling sales data and managing data used in the POS terminal 2. It may be performed in the same manner as an existing POS server. The POS server 1 is characterized by operations related to stage management, which will be described in detail below.

  3 and 4 are flowcharts of the CPU 11. The CPU 11 executes each process shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 based on a stage management program stored in the ROM 12, RAM 13, or auxiliary storage device 14. Each process shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 may be described in one stage management program, or each process may be described in an individual stage management program.

  In response to a request from the management terminal 3 to start the evaluation period changing process, the CPU 11 starts the process shown in FIG. Note that the CPU 11 may also start the process shown in FIG. 3 when the POS terminal 2 requests the start of the evaluation period change process.

  In steps Sa1 to Sa3, the CPU 11 waits for any of a termination request, a request for changing the up evaluation period, and a request for changing the down evaluation period. When the management terminal 3 transmits change request information including information indicating a period specified by the user as an up evaluation period (hereinafter referred to as a specified period), the communication network 4 transfers the change request information to the POS server 1. In the POS server 1, the communication device 15 receives the change request information and stores it in the RAM 13 or the auxiliary storage device 14. In response to this, the CPU 11 proceeds from step Sa2 to step Sa4.

  In step Sa4, the CPU 11 checks whether or not the specified period is equal to or shorter than the down evaluation period represented by the down evaluation period information already stored in the RAM 13 or the auxiliary storage device 14. If YES is determined here, the CPU 11 proceeds from step Sa4 to step Sa5.

  In step Sa5, the CPU 11 updates the up-evaluation period information whose specified period is already stored in the RAM 13 or the auxiliary storage device 14 so as to represent the specified period.

  In step Sa6, the CPU 11 sends a completion response. Specifically, the CPU 11 generates response information for notifying that the update is completed, and controls the communication device 15 so as to send the response information to the management terminal 3 to the communication network 4. After that, the CPU 11 returns to the standby state of steps Sa1 to Sa3.

  By the way, if it determines with NO in step Sa4, CPU11 will progress to step Sa7.

  In step Sa7, the CPU 11 makes an error response. Specifically, the CPU 11 generates response information for notifying that the designated period cannot be set as the up evaluation period because the designated period is less than the down evaluation period, and sends this response information to the management terminal 3. The communication device 15 is controlled so as to be transmitted to the communication network 4. After that, the CPU 11 returns to the standby state of steps Sa1 to Sa3.

  When the management terminal 3 transmits change request information including information indicating a period specified by the user as a down evaluation period (hereinafter referred to as a specified period), the communication network 4 transfers the change request information to the POS server 1. In the POS server 1, the communication device 15 receives the change request information and stores it in the RAM 13 or the auxiliary storage device 14. In response to this, the CPU 11 proceeds from step Sa3 to step Sa8.

  In step Sa8, the CPU 11 confirms whether or not the specified period is equal to or longer than the up evaluation period represented by the up evaluation period information already stored in the RAM 13 or the auxiliary storage device 14. If YES is determined here, the CPU 11 proceeds from step Sa8 to step Sa9.

  In step Sa9, the CPU 11 updates the down evaluation period information whose specified period is already stored in the RAM 13 or the auxiliary storage device 14 to represent the specified period.

  In step Sa10, the CPU 11 sends a completion response. Specifically, the CPU 11 generates response information for notifying that the update is completed, and controls the communication device 15 so as to send the response information to the management terminal 3 to the communication network 4. After that, the CPU 11 returns to the standby state of steps Sa1 to Sa3.

  By the way, if it determines with NO in step Sa8, CPU11 will progress to step Sa11.

  In step Sa11, the CPU 11 makes an error response. Specifically, the CPU 11 generates response information for notifying that the specified period cannot be set as the down evaluation period because the specified period is less than the up evaluation period, and sends this response information to the management terminal 3. The communication device 15 is controlled so as to be transmitted to the communication network 4. After that, the CPU 11 returns to the standby state of steps Sa1 to Sa3.

  If it is confirmed in step Sa1 that the end of the evaluation period changing process is requested from the management terminal 3, the CPU 11 ends the process shown in FIG.

  As described above, the up evaluation period and the down evaluation period are arbitrarily determined according to a user instruction. However, the down evaluation period is longer than the up evaluation period.

  As described above, the CPU 11 functions as a third update unit and a fourth update unit.

  In the present embodiment, the up evaluation period and the down evaluation period can be set to, for example, one month, two months, or three months.

  When the predetermined stage update timing is reached, the CPU 11 repeatedly executes the process shown in FIG. 4 for each of the data records included in the stage management data. In the present embodiment, the end of every month is set as the stage update timing.

  In step Sb1, the CPU 11 calculates the purchase amount for the current month. Specifically, the CPU 11 calculates the purchase amount in the current month of the customer identified by the information of the customer number item in the data record to be processed.

  In step Sb2, the CPU 11 sets 0 to the variable n.

  In step Sb3, the CPU 11 confirms whether or not the purchase amount for the current month is equal to or greater than a predetermined normal amount. If YES is determined here, the CPU 11 proceeds from step Sb3 to step Sb4.

  In step Sb4, the CPU 11 checks whether or not the variable n matches the numerical value Pup. Here, the numerical value Pup is a numerical value corresponding to the up evaluation period represented by the up evaluation period information stored in the RAM 13 or the auxiliary storage device 14. Specifically, the CPU 11 sets Pup to “1” if the up evaluation period is 1 month, “2” if it is 2 months, and “3” if it is 3 months. If NO is determined here, the CPU 11 proceeds from step Sb4 to step Sb5.

  In step Sb5, the CPU 11 increases the variable n by one.

  In step Sb6, the CPU 11 checks whether or not the purchase amount n months ago is equal to or larger than the normal amount. Specifically, the CPU 11 checks whether or not the amount indicated by the item of purchase price (n months ago) in the data record to be processed is equal to or greater than the normal amount. If YES is determined here, the CPU 11 returns from step Sb6 to step Sb4, and performs the processing after step Sb4 again.

  If the variable n coincides with the numerical value Pup, the CPU 11 proceeds from step Sb4 to step Sb7. That is, when the up-evaluation period is one month, if the purchase amount for the current month is equal to or greater than the quota amount, and when the up-evaluation period is two or three months, the most recent two months including the current month or If the three month purchase amount is equal to or greater than the norm amount, the CPU 11 proceeds to step Sb7.

  In step Sb7, the CPU 11 checks whether or not the current stage is the highest stage. Specifically, the CPU 11 checks whether or not the stage represented by the stage item information in the data record to be processed is the highest stage among a plurality of stages determined in stages. If NO is determined here, the CPU 11 proceeds to step Sb8.

  In step Sb8, the CPU 11 updates the information on the item of the stage in the data record to be processed to one that represents the next higher stage. Thereafter, the CPU 11 proceeds to step Sb14. If it is determined NO in step Sb6, the CPU 11 proceeds from step Sb6 to step Sb14 without executing step Sb8. In other words, when the up-evaluation period is one month, if the purchase amount for the current month is less than the normal amount, and when the up-evaluation period is two or three months, the most recent two months including the current month or If any of the three month purchase amounts is less than the norm amount, the CPU 11 does not move up the stage.

  When the determination is NO in step Sb3, the CPU 11 proceeds to step Sb9.

  In step Sb9, the CPU 11 checks whether or not the variable n matches the numerical value Pdown. Here, the numerical value Pdown is a numerical value corresponding to the down evaluation period represented by the down evaluation period information stored in the RAM 13 or the auxiliary storage device 14. Specifically, the CPU 11 sets Pdown to “1” if the down evaluation period is one month, “2” if it is two months, and “3” if it is three months. If NO is determined here, the CPU 11 proceeds from step Sb9 to step Sb10.

  In step Sb10, the CPU 11 increases the variable n by one.

  In step Sb11, the CPU 11 checks whether or not the purchase amount n months ago is less than the normal amount. Specifically, the CPU 11 checks whether or not the amount indicated by the item information of the purchase amount (n months ago) in the data record to be processed is less than the normal amount. If YES is determined here, the CPU 11 returns from step Sb11 to step Sb9, and performs the processing subsequent to step Sb9 again.

  If the variable n matches the numerical value Pdown, the CPU 11 proceeds from step Sb9 to step Sb12. That is, when the down evaluation period is one month, if the purchase amount for the current month is less than the normal amount, and if the down evaluation period is two or three months, the most recent two months including the current month or If the purchase amount for three months is less than the normal amount, the CPU 11 proceeds to step Sb12.

  In step Sb12, the CPU 11 checks whether or not the current stage is the lowest stage. Specifically, the CPU 11 checks whether or not the stage represented by the stage item information in the data record to be processed is the lowest stage among a plurality of stages determined in stages. If NO is determined here, the CPU 11 proceeds to step Sb13.

  In step Sb13, the CPU 11 updates the stage information included in the data record to be processed to one that represents the next stage. Thereafter, the CPU 11 proceeds to step Sb14. If it is determined as NO in step Sb11, the CPU 11 proceeds from step Sb11 to step Sb14 without executing step Sb13. In other words, when the down evaluation period is one month, if the purchase amount for the current month is equal to or greater than the normal amount, and when the down evaluation period is two or three months, the most recent two months including the current month or If any of the three month purchase amounts is equal to or greater than the norm amount, the CPU 11 does not lower the stage.

  In step Sb14, the CPU 11 updates the purchase amount information included in the data record to be processed. Specifically, the CPU 11 rewrites the information of the item of purchase amount (before 2 months) with the information of the item of purchase amount (before 1 month) in the data record to be processed, and further represents the purchase amount of the current month calculated in step Sb1. Update the item of purchase amount (1 month before). Thereafter, the CPU 11 ends the process shown in FIG.

  As described above, the CPU 11 functions as a determination unit, a first update unit, and a second update unit.

As described above, in the POS server 1, it is possible to set the down evaluation period longer than the up evaluation period. Then, if you set long down evaluation period than up evaluation period, as compared to the frequency with which the stage is up, the stage can be Rukoto reduce the frequency to down. As a result, it is possible to provide a privilege related to a stage that has been raised based on a relatively short-term purchase price over a relatively long period.

  Further, in the POS server 1, since the user can arbitrarily set the up evaluation period and the down evaluation period, the frequency of raising the stage and the frequency of lowering the stage can be adjusted as desired by the user. In this embodiment, the up-evaluation period and the down-evaluation period can be matched, so that the same operation as in the past can be performed according to the user's request.

  Furthermore, in the POS server 1, since it is prohibited to make the up evaluation period longer than the down evaluation period, it is possible to prevent erroneous operations that are disadvantageous to the customer.

  This embodiment can be variously modified as follows.

  One or both of the up evaluation period and the down evaluation period may be fixed.

  The condition for raising the stage and the condition for lowering the stage may be anything.

  The usage record can be determined based on various information other than the purchase price, such as the usage time and the number of acquired points.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... POS server, 2 ... POS terminal, 3 ... Management terminal, 4 ... Communication network, 11 ... CPU, 12 ... ROM, 13 ... RAM, 14 ... Auxiliary storage device, 15 ... Communication device, 100 ... POS system.

Claims (6)

A storage device for storing stage management data representing customer identification information for identifying a customer and stage identification information for identifying each of a plurality of stages in stages;
A determination means for determining a service usage record by a customer identified by the customer identification information for each of a first evaluation period and a second evaluation period longer than the first evaluation period;
Stage identification information represented in the stage management data in association with customer identification information for identifying a customer whose usage results determined by the determination means for the first evaluation period satisfy a pull-up condition is included in the plurality of stages. A first updating means for updating the stage management data so as to change the stage identification information to one for identifying the next stage when the highest stage is not represented,
Stage identification information represented in the stage management data in association with customer identification information for identifying a customer whose usage record determined for the second evaluation period satisfies the reduction condition is included in the plurality of stages. A stage management apparatus comprising: a second updating unit configured to update the stage management data so that the stage identification information is changed to one for identifying the next stage when the lowest stage is not represented. A second storage device for storing first and second period information respectively representing the first and second evaluation periods;
A third updating unit that updates the second period information in response to an instruction from a user in a range in which the second evaluation period is equal to or longer than the first evaluation period represented by the first period information. The stage management apparatus according to claim 1 provided.   Fourth update means is further provided for updating the first period information in response to an instruction from a user in a range in which the first evaluation period is less than the second evaluation period represented by the second period information. The stage management apparatus according to claim 2. In the case where the first evaluation period includes a plurality of unit periods, the determination unit determines the usage record for each of the plurality of unit periods,
4. The first update unit according to claim 1, wherein the first update unit determines that the pull-up condition is satisfied when any of the usage results of the plurality of unit periods is equal to or greater than a threshold value. 5. Stage management device. In the case where the second evaluation period includes a plurality of unit periods, the determination unit determines the usage record for each of the plurality of unit periods,
The said 2nd update means determines with satisfy | filling the said reduction conditions, when all of each utilization track record of these several unit periods is less than a threshold value. Stage management device. A computer capable of accessing a storage device for storing stage management data representing customer identification information for identifying a customer and stage identification information for identifying each of a plurality of staged stages in association with each other;
A determination means for determining a service usage record by a customer identified by the customer identification information for each of a first evaluation period and a second evaluation period longer than the first evaluation period;
Stage identification information represented in the stage management data in association with customer identification information for identifying a customer whose usage results determined by the determination means for the first evaluation period satisfy a pull-up condition is included in the plurality of stages. A first updating means for updating the stage management data so as to change the stage identification information to one for identifying the next stage when the highest stage is not represented,
Stage identification information represented in the stage management data in association with customer identification information for identifying a customer whose usage record determined for the second evaluation period satisfies the reduction condition is included in the plurality of stages. A stage for functioning as each of the second updating means for updating the stage management data so as to change the stage identification information to one for identifying the next stage when the lowest stage is not represented Management program.

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