WO2020099495A1

WO2020099495A1 - A method and a system for communicating a lead between an affiliate computer system and a client computer system

Info

Publication number: WO2020099495A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/081191
Authority: WO
Inventors: Troels Morten Rosted CHRISTENSEN
Original assignee: Paperbucketmdb Aps
Priority date: 2018-11-16
Filing date: 2019-11-13
Publication date: 2020-05-22

Abstract

A method and a system for communicating a lead between an affiliate computer system and a client computer system using an exchange computer system. According to the method and system, a filter rule is defined for the transfer of leads and the leads are transferred from the affiliate to the client in the exchange computer system. Accordingly, the transfer takes place in a common system based on a filter agreed by the client and the affiliate.

Description

A METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR COMMUNICATING A LEAD BETWEEN AN AFFILIATE

COMPUTER SYSTEM AND A CLIENT COMPUTER SYSTEM

The present disclosure relates to a method and a system for communicating a lead between an affiliate computer system and a client computer system using an exchange computer system, wherein the lead represents information related to a consumer.

BACKGROUND

The lead market today is expanding . This is a market where leads, meaning lists of identities of potential consumers, are sold or exchanged from an affiliate to a client.

Often, it is difficult to identify the criteria which are used for the transaction. Accordingly, both the affiliate and the client may have difficulties identifying the background for the transaction. As an example, the client may claim that some leads are missing vital data (example an email column without email addresses), or the client may claim that some of the leads are not new leads, and that they have been received from the affiliate in a previous transaction . An example of missing vital data could be if a phone number is not complete, or if an address in a lead is non-existing .

It may also be difficult for the affiliate to keep track of the leads which have been sent to a client, and which of many clients they have been sent to. The EU GDPR regulation restricts the availability of data and may complicate the task of keeping track of leads and may increase the risk of repetitive transmission of identical leads to the same client.

Today, there are several systems configured for sending leads from A to B. As an example, e- mail communication may be used as the means of transport for transferring a file from A to B. Also various social media have the ability to transfer leads. Messenger, taken as an example, has FTP server capability and controls different API's between 2 systems which can interact and transfer leads.

Since all leads may not be relevant for a specific client, the existing systems and methods usually include API's by which a selection process may be carried out. This, however, is expensive and requires maintenance and extensive programming . Further, each time a new ruleset is needed, or each time a new set of leads is to be transferred, a new API typically needs to be programmed . The programming process is often expensive and/or complicated and/or slow and sometimes even risky. Additionally, the known systems are typically insecure and require expensive integration work for setting up a relationship between an affiliate and a client.

SUMMARY

It is an object of embodiments of the disclosure to provide a method and a system for communicating a lead between an affiliate computer system and a client computer system using an exchange computer system . It is a further object to allow the client and affiliate to communicate selected leads based on a common set of rules. It is a further object to allow clients and affiliates to communicate leads without transferring leads externally, i .e. outside one single database. It is a further object to enable deletion of confident data while ensuring that data is not exchanged more than one time between an affiliate and a client.

In accordance with the above mentioned objects, the present disclosure provides a method comprising : defining a database structure in the exchange computer system, the database structure comprising an affiliate exchange base configured to contain leads owned by the affiliate and accessible by the affiliate computer system, the database structure further comprising a client exchange base configured to contain leads owned by the client and accessible by the client computer system ;

defining at least one of:

o an affiliate filter defining rules desired by the affiliate to be applied upon

exchange of leads from the affiliate exchange base to the client exchange base;

o a client filter defining rules desired by the client to be applied upon exchange of leads from the affiliate exchange base to the client exchange base;

conducting a selection of leads in the affiliate exchange base based on at least one of the affiliate filter and the client filter, and

- transferring the selected leads from the affiliate exchange base to the client exchange base.

Since the affiliate exchange base and the client exchange base are both contained in the exchange computer system and accessible by the affiliate and the client respectively, data can be exchanged without external communication of data. Since the leads are selected based on one of the affiliate filter and the client filter, the transfer may take place without the affiliate or the client having direct access to the transferred data and without interference between the affiliate and the client.

Transfer of data may be carried out easily with individual rule sets. In one example, an affiliate wants to transfer leads on a specific day and to a specific client. For that purpose, a specific affiliate filter defined by the affiliate, and the filter is applied to each lead in the affiliate exchange base. Subsequently, the leads are transferred to the client exchange base in a so called data-dump.

The method and system according to this disclosure provides an easy solution which requires only a single integration of all data. The data could be imported e.g. from a CRM system, and subsequently be exchange between the affiliate and the client in an automatic process based on the filters and without API programming.

For each new integration of an affiliate or a client, no more insecure filtering must be defined, and if a new affiliate or client needs to be integrated in the method or system, it can be implemented easily since both the affiliate and the client works in one common database structure of the exchange computer system.

The disclosure thereby provides a method, where both sender and receiver may exchange leads based on a transparent filter, i.e. a filter which both parties may review.

The disclosure also removes the complicated process of integration, replacing it with an environment, where a user, even a non-programmer, may exchange data and create new exchange points in a secure way, still having filters and rules on data and, very relevant within EU's new GDPR regulations.

In accordance with the method, the affiliate may enter leads into the affiliate exchange base of the exchange computer system. If the client seeks to acquire leads from the affiliate, one or both of the affiliate and the client may define a filter with rules to be applied for the transfer.

As an example of such a rule, the affiliate may specify that only leads having certain characteristics should be released to the client, or the client may specify that leads having a certain characteristics should be received. In a next step, the number of selected leads could be counted by the exchange computer system. The count could be used for documenting the transaction towards the affiliate and/or the client.

In one embodiment, the exchange computer system is configured to apply a transaction payment to be transferred from the client to the affiliate in return for the transfer of leads. This will allow the system to operate in a dynamic way without user interaction. Each time a lead fulfils the requirement set out by the rule and applied by the filter, the lead is transferred to the client, and payment is transferred in the opposite direction to the affiliate e.g. without user interaction.

One problem in the existing solutions is that they do not operate with one common and transparent filter which can be accessed by both the affiliate and the client. In the existing solutions, it is not possible to operate with a common filter, or to add a filter both from the affiliate and the client. Further, it is not possible to delete leads, should it be needed by GDPR, and still keep track of previously exchanged leads.

The method may further comprise comparing the affiliate filter and the client filter by use of a computer system, and generating in the exchange computer system, based on the comparison, a common filter defining rules desired by both the affiliate and by the client, and wherein the election of leads in the affiliate exchange base is based on the common filter.

The common filter may e.g. express common entities in the affiliate filter and in the client filter. In one example, the affiliate filter specifies two different characteristics, A and B. These two characteristics should exist in a lead before the lead is transferred. The client filter may, on the contrary, specify two other characteristics, B and C, which should exist in a lead before it is transferred. In this case, the common filter may specify characteristic B, and only leads having this characteristic are transferred.

The exchange computer system may be configured for communicating the common filter to both the client computer system and the affiliate computer system, and it may be configured to receive a confirmation from each of these computer systems as a prerequisite for triggering the selection of leads and transferring the leads to the client exchange base.

The method may comprise communicating the common filter from the exchange computer system to the affiliate computer system and to the client computer system; and receiving an acceptance at the exchange computer system from the affiliate computer system and the client computer system. In this process, the common filter may form a contract between the client and the affiliate, and it may include an instrument of payment, e.g . defining how much each lead should cost.

In one example, the common filter defines a filter data string or a plurality of data strings, where each data string defines a characteristic for the leads. In one example, the filter defines that leads to be transferred must have a telephone number, or that they should have an address of a specific nationality.

The data strings may be normalised prior to the comparing . The process of normalising the data string may be carried out in the exchange computer system, and it may include the step of searching for the data string in a normalisation database. If the data string is not found, it could be an indication of an error. In one example, it may be due to a wrong spelling, or due to the selection of a characteristic for the leads which is not defined in the affiliate exchange base.

If the data string is not found in the normalisation database, the exchange computer system may be configured to amend the filter data string to match a data string in the normalisation database, e.g. based on a "best possible match" between the data string and those data strings being available in the normalisation database. The amended data string will be included in the common filter, and the client and the affiliate will therefore have a chance of correcting the data string before the selection and transfer of leads take place.

The method may further include a step of defining a hash conversion rule. In this process, a first hash identifier is defined by applying the hash conversion rule to a first lead in the affiliate exchange base or in the client exchange base. The conversion rule could be according to SHA-0, SHA-1, SHA-2, MD4 and MD5. Once the hash is defined, the selected lead could be deleted while the first hash identifier is preserved in the database in replacement for the deleted lead . In one example, this may bring the system in compliance with rules specifying that data which identifies persons or entities of a specific territory should be deleted after a certain period of time.

At a later point in time, a second lead in the affiliate exchange base or in the client exchange base could be compared with the deleted lead by providing for the second lead a second hash identifier by use of the same hash conversion rule. If the second hash identifier is the same as the first hash identifier, it is an indication, or even a proof, that the same lead has existed but was deleted. In this case, the lead may not have to be transferred to the client exchange base, since it was already transferred previously and for some reason deleted . This may be specified in the filter which is applied for the transfer. To comply with national rules, the hash conversion rule may specifically be configured to prevent reverse definition, i.e. to prevent that the lead is re-defined based on the hash. Such hash conversion rules exist in the art.

The affiliate filter, the client filter, and/or the common filter may include instructions to filter out leads in the affiliate exchange base when a hash identifier for that lead exists already in the client exchange base, and as a result, the amount of exchanged leads may be reduced.

In this setup, the exchange computer system acts as an automatic broker which ensures a fair trade of data and ensures that only relevant data is transferred and paid for.

The second lead could be exchanged between the affiliate exchange base and the client exchange base if the second hash is not identical to the first hash. In this case, it is a potentially relevant lead for the client.

The method may include the process of identifying in a login process the identity of the client and the identity of the affiliate. The login procedure may include traditional input of login name and a password, and the login process may be a prerequisite for the client to access the client exchange base and for the affiliate to access the affiliate exchange base. The identification procedure may be used e.g. for allowing only the authorised client or affiliate to define or amend the client or affiliate filter.

A plurality of identical client exchange bases may be defined for a plurality of clients, and each client may have individual access to one of the plurality of client exchange bases by login and password.

Correspondingly, a plurality of identical affiliate exchange bases may be defined for a plurality of affiliates, and each affiliate may have individual access to one of the plurality of affiliate exchange bases by login and password.

The transfer of data based on the filter may take place continuously or intermittently, e.g. with a certain frequency where the one or more affiliate exchange bases are scanned with the filter and data is transferred to the one or more client exchange bases.

A notification structure may be defined and configured to receive data in response to transfer of data from the affiliate exchange base to the client exchange base. The notification structure may, in one embodiment, be an entity in the client exchange base, e.g. an integer. By the input of data in the notification structure, the client may be notified about the new data which have been transferred from the affiliate exchange base to the client exchange base. The notification structure may be configured to receive data which describes the transaction which took place, e.g . including information specifying the amount of leads which have been transferred from the affiliate exchange base to the client exchange base, and/or the type of leads, or the level of compliance between the lead and the filter.

An independent structure may be defined for logging data which are transferred from the affiliate exchange base to the client exchange base. This may keep track of the transactions taking place between the affiliate and the client, and it could be used e.g. for executing payment for the leads, or simply for documentation. The independent structure could be defined such that it is unreachable for clients and affiliates. In one embodiment, the independent structure could be accessible by at least one of the affiliates and the client upon both parties consent. Accordingly, the affiliate filter and/or the client filter may contain information related to the independent structure.

The independent structure could e.g. be configured to log data transfer between the affiliate exchange base and the client exchange base and to log content of a filter which is applied for the exchange.

The method may comprise the step of activating selected client exchange bases and deactivating deselected client exchange bases, and restricting access to the deactivated client exchange bases. A client could be allowed to activate a client exchange base, e.g. in response to payment for the received leads.

In a second aspect, the disclosure provides a system for communicating a lead between an affiliate and a client, the system comprising an affiliate computer system, a client computer system, and an exchange computer system, the exchange computer system comprising a database structure comprising an affiliate exchange base configured to contain leads owned by the affiliate and accessible by the affiliate computer system by a remote access communication structure, the database structure further comprising a client exchange base configured to contain leads owned by the client and accessible by the client computer system .

The system comprises a user interface configured for remote access via the remote access communication structure and allowing : the affiliate, by use of the affiliate computer system to define an affiliate filter defining rules desired by the affiliate to be applied upon exchange of leads from the affiliate exchange base to the client exchange base; and the client, by use of the client computer system to define a client filter defining rules desired by the client to be applied upon exchange of leads from the affiliate exchange base to the client exchange base.

The exchange computer system comprises: a filter defining processor configured to read the client filter and the affiliate filter, and to define a common filter based on common entities in the affiliate filter and client filter,

a database query system configured to define a database query based on the common filter and to extract data from the affiliate exchange base by conducting a database query in the affiliate exchange base based on the database query; and a data exchange processor configured to insert the extracted data into the affiliate exchange base.

The exchange computer system may particularly comprise a hash code generation processor which is configured to generate a hash code based on a lead.

The exchange computer system may be configured to select leads in the client exchange base, to generate a hash code for the selected leads by use of the hash code generation processor, and to delete the selected leads. Accordingly, the system may facilitate that leads can be deleted without loosing a record of the leads which have been owned by the client. This may be beneficial e.g. in relation to the GDPR requirements.

Each lead could be provided with a time stamp, e.g. indicating the time and date when the lead was generated and/or the time and date when the lead was received by the client. The exchange computer system could be configured to select the leads based on the time stamp, e.g. such that leads of a certain age are hashed and deleted. This may again improve compliance with the GDPR requirements.

The exchange computer system could be configured to generate a hash code by use of the hash code generation processor for leads in the affiliate exchange base, and to compare that hash code with hash codes in the client exchange base. Accordingly, one of the filters may indicate that no leads are to be transferred for which there is already an existing lead in the client exchange base and/or for which there is a hash in the client exchange base.

Generally, the system may be configured for any of the steps mentioned relative to the first aspect of the disclosure. LIST OF DRAWINGS

In the following an embodiment of the system will be described in further details with reference to the drawing in which :

Fig . 1 illustrates schematically, a system according to this disclosure; and

Fig . 2 illustrates a block diagram with functions of the system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The following describes the exchange system, wherein the filters and the exchanged leads exist. Fig. 1 illustrates a system according to the present disclosure. In this system, the client has a client exchange defined in a database system. The client exchange is connected to the exchange system which is again connected to three different affiliates, each having their own affiliate exchange bases in the database system. Each exchange of leads in the exchange system has a flow. The flow is illustrated in Fig. 2.

A client may exchange leads with an affiliate based on one or more filters specifying one or more rules. The filter specifies when to send a lead and when not to send a lead .

The affiliate A may also exchange leads with affiliate B. This will change the status of affiliate B to be a client, at least with respect to affiliate A.

All exchanges are controlled by the filter.

When a client and an affiliate connect by use of the exchange computer system, they may each see the filter for accepting leads in the specified exchange for receiving leads for this affiliate, thus making the acceptance of leads 100% transparent.

The affiliate is not authorized to change a filter which is defined by a client, and the client's criteria for accepting leads from the affiliate is therefore known to the affiliate but not open for change.

The affiliate will get a notice, should client change a filter for the exchange of leads with a specific affiliate. THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS IN STEPS

In the following the word :

"Wash" means an upgrade of 1 or more contact details on a lead, example to update phone numbers on a list of leads.

"Client" will be the buyer of leads or services of leads.

"Affiliate" is the partner of the client, that either sells leads to the client OR washes the leads.

"Filter" is a set of rules to filter leads. Example a filter could be not to send or receive leads from zip-code=3400. Or it could be ONLY to accept lead with zip-code=3400. Or it could be only to accept/send leads with valid emails in column "email l".

"Sender" is either the client or the affiliate. Since leads are sent between the two parties, a sender may be any one of the two.

"Receiver" is either the client or the affiliate. Since leads are send between the two parties, a receiver may be any one of the two.

"Affiliate compute r system": a computer system owned and/or operable by the affiliate.

"Affiliate exchange base": a database or partition of a database dedicated to the affiliate and accessible from the affiliate computer system.

"Client computer system": a computer system owned and/or operable by the client.

"Client exchange base": a database or partition of a database dedicated to the client and accessible from the client computer system .

"Exchange" is a special part of the database owned by the receiver, i.e. either a special part of the affiliate exchange base or the client exchange base. Exchange is associated with a filter, and it is capable of receiving leads from a specified sender.

"Flow" is a ruleset for sending leads. A flow contains a segment-rule, for what leads to transfer, a destination exchange and a filter. Example with the filter could be a time-filter meaning that leads with the same phone number should not be sent to the same destination exchange within a specific time frame, e.g. 40 days or 60 days.

"Hash" means a result of a string after being in a hash function. Example of hash functions are SHA-0, SHA-1, SHA-2, MD4,MD5, etc. "Signature column" means a column used for hashing in a flow. Example if a flow to an exchange contains of name, address and phonel, then the signature column could be phonel. Each time leads are send in this flow, the signature column rule knows, what column to hash to compare for data sent before. In this way, an affiliate may have a digital signature of leads previously sent to a client, but without having the actual data. This enable deletion of the data.

The washing process in steps

1) Affiliate and client agree to a column to check for. It can be a phone number column, a personal number, or an email etc.

2) Each time data is sent to the partner, that column is hashed and saved. 3) Next time the affiliate wants to send leads, the same column is hashed and checked up for hashes in the saved table. If that hashes are alike, there is a match, and the rows are removed.

4) The data, now washed for duplicates of data send before, is sent to the client.

In this way the affiliate does NOT process any of the client's old data, should the client or law regulate this. The leads can, however still be filtered for duplicates sent previously to the client.

Claims

1. A method for communicating a lead between an affiliate computer system and a client computer system using an exchange computer system, wherein the lead represents information related to a consumer, the method comprising : defining a database structure in the exchange computer system, the database structure comprising an affiliate exchange base configured to contain leads owned by the affiliate and accessible by the affiliate computer system, the database structure further comprising a client exchange base configured to contain leads owned by the client and accessible by the client computer system ;

defining at least one of:

exchange of leads from the affiliate exchange base to the client exchange base;

conducting a selection of leads in the affiliate exchange base based on at least one of the affiliate filters and the client filter, and

- transferring the selected leads from the affiliate exchange base to the client exchange base in the system .

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising counting in the exchange computer system a number of leads which are transferred from the affiliate exchange base to the client exchange base.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising comparing the affiliate filter and the client filter by use of a computer system, and generating in the exchange computer system, based on the comparison, a common filter defining rules desired by both the affiliate and by the client, and wherein the election of leads in the affiliate exchange base is based on the common filter.

4. The method according to claim 3, comprising : communicating the common filter from the exchange computer system to the affiliate computer system and to the client computer system; and

receiving an acceptance at the exchange computer system from the affiliate computer system and the client computer system .

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the common filter defines a filter data string, and wherein data strings in the leads are compared with the filter data string, and wherein leads are selected based on the comparison.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the data string is normalised prior to the comparing, the normalisation comprising searching for the data string in a normalisation database; and if the data string is not found in the normalisation database, amending the filter data string to match a data string in the normalisation database.

7. The method according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising defining a hash conversion rule;

providing a first hash identifier by applying the hash conversion rule to a first lead in the affiliate exchange or in the client exchange;

deleting the selected lead while maintaining the first hash identifier; and subsequently comparing a second lead in the affiliate exchange or in the client exchange with the deleted lead by:

providing for the second lead a second hash identifier by applying the hash conversion rule to the second lead, and

comparing the second hash identifier with the first hash identifier.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the second lead is exchanged between the affiliate exchange and the client exchange if the second hash is not identical to the first hash.

9. The method according to claims 7 or 8, comprising defining a hash configuration identifier which identifies a sub-content in the affiliate exchange base or in the client exchange base, communicating the hash configuration identifier between the affiliate and the client, and hashing the data sub-content identified in the HASH configuration identifier.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the hash configuration identifier is identified by receiving an identification from the affiliate computer system, an identification from the client computer system, and defining an overlap between the identification from the affiliate computer system and the identification from the client computer system.

11. The method according to any of claims 7-10, wherein the hash conversion rule comprises use of a computer implemented function in the exchange computer system, the computer implemented function being selected from a group consisting of SHA-0, SHA-1, SHA-2, MD4 and MD5.

12. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein both clients are identified in a login process with login and a password, the login process being a prerequisite for the client to access the client exchange base and for the affiliate to access the affiliate exchange base.

13. The method according to any of the preceding claims, comprising the step of defining a plurality of identical client exchange bases for a plurality of clients, each client having individual access to one of the pluralities of client exchange bases by login and password.

14. The method according to any of the preceding claims, comprising the step of defining a plurality of identical affiliate exchange bases for a plurality of affiliates, each affiliate having individual access to one of the pluralities of affiliate exchange bases by login and password.

15. The method according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising defining a notification structure configured to receive data in response to transfer of data from the affiliate exchange base to the client exchange base.

16. The method according to any of the preceding claims, comprising the step of defining an independent structure for logging data which are transferred from the affiliate exchange base to the client exchange base, the independent structure being defined such that it is unreachable for clients and affiliates.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the independent structure is configured to log data transfer between the affiliate exchange base and the client exchange base and to log content of a filter which is applied for the exchange.

18. The method according to any of the preceding claims, comprising the step of activating selected client exchange bases and deactivating deselected client exchange bases, and restricting access to the deactivated client exchange bases.

19. The method according to claim 18, comprising the step of allowing a client to activate a client exchange base.

20. A system for communicating a lead between an affiliate and a client, the system comprising an affiliate computer system, a client computer system, and an exchange computer system, the exchange computer system comprising a database structure comprising an affiliate exchange base configured to contain leads owned by the affiliate and accessible by the affiliate computer system by a remote access communication structure, the database structure further comprising a client exchange base configured to contain leads owned by the client and accessible by the client computer system; wherein the system comprises a user interface configured for remote access via the remote access communication structure and allowing : the affiliate, by use of the affiliate computer system to define an affiliate filter defining rules desired by the affiliate to be applied upon exchange of leads from the affiliate exchange base to the client exchange base;

the client, by use of the client computer system to define a client filter defining rules desired by the client to be applied upon exchange of leads from the affiliate exchange base to the client exchange base; and wherein the exchange computer system comprises: a filter defining processor configured to read the client filter and the affiliate filter, and to define a common filter based on common entities in the affiliate filter and client filter,

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the exchange computer system comprises a hash code generation processor which is configured to generate a hash code based on a lead .

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the exchange computer system is configured to select leads in the client exchange base, to generate a hash code for the selected leads by use of the hash code generation processor, and to delete the selected leads.

23. The system according to any of claims 20-22, wherein each lead is provided with a time stamp and wherein the exchange computer system is configured to select the leads based on the time stamp.

24. The system according to any of claims 20-23, wherein the exchange computer system is configured to generate a hash code by use of the hash code generation processor for leads in the affiliate exchange base, and to compare that hash code with hash codes in the client exchange base.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the exchange computer system is configured to transfer leads from the affiliate exchange base to the client exchange base only when the hash for the lead does not exist in the client exchange base.