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  System and method for influencing customer behaviorUSPTO Application #: 20060293953Title: System and method for influencing customer behavior Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method of influencing customer behavior. The customer is offered a price-per-unit (PPU) discount for fuel as a reward for performing a predefined action. A point-of-sale (POS) system at a merchant determines that the customer performed the predefined action, and stores the PPU discount and a customer identifier in a Discounts-Earned database. When the customer initiates a subsequent purchase of fuel, at the merchant or a different retail fueling merchant, a fuel dispenser controller retrieves the PPU discount from the database, discounts the posted price of the fuel by the PPU discount, and causes the dispenser to dispense fuel to the customer at the reduced price. A redeemed discounts calculator multiplies the PPU discount by the number of units purchased in the fueling transaction, and a clearing mechanism allocates the redeemed discount between the merchant and the retail fueling merchant. (end of abstract)
Agent: Steven W. Smith - Dallas, TX, US Inventor: G. Randy Nicholson USPTO Applicaton #: 20060293953 - Class: 705014000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Data Processing: Financial, Business Practice, Management, Or Cost/price Determination, Automated Electrical Financial Or Business Practice Or Management Arrangement, Distribution Or Redemption Of Coupon, Or Incentive Or Promotion Program The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060293953. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/225,693 filed Sep. 13, 2005, which is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/158,674 filed Jun. 22, 2005, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to automated retail systems and methods. More particularly, and not by way of limitation, the invention is directed to a system and method for influencing customer behavior by providing an incentive to the customer in the form of a price-per-unit (PPU) discount on fuel as a reward for demonstrating the desired behavior. [0003] As used herein, the term "vendor" refers to the manufacturer of a specific product or the supplier of specific services. The term "merchant" refers to the store where the products are purchased, such as grocery stores, convenience stores, gasoline service stations, unattended fueling stations, and the like. A point-of-sale (POS) terminal may be a terminal inside the store, or may be an island-card-reader (ICR) implemented within a fuel dispenser. [0004] Financial card authorization networks charge merchants a fee for processing credit and debit card transactions. The network fee for processing credit card transactions is higher than the fee for processing debit card transactions. Therefore, from the merchant's perspective, it is desirable to encourage customers to use debit cards rather than credit cards. Additionally, many cards are dual-mode" cards, which can be used as either a debit or a credit card. Merchants also find it desirable to encourage customers to use their dual-mode cards as debit cards rather than credit cards. [0005] To achieve this objective, the POS system must be able to identify a card as being a credit-only card, a debit-only card, or a dual-mode card when it is swiped at the payment terminal. Currently, many POS systems make this identification by requesting the customer to select either Credit or Debit when beginning the transaction. This approach, however, may result in the customer selecting a mode of payment that is not valid for the particular card. If the customer makes an invalid selection, an additional transaction fee may be incurred. In any event, there is no incentive for the customer to select Debit instead of Credit. [0006] Some financial card authorization networks maintain a Bank Identification Number (BIN) File that contains card information that provides additional insight into whether the cards in a particular range of cards are credit-only, debit-only, or dual-mode cards. However, there are several problems with using the BIN File. First, the BIN File is extremely large and cannot be sent directly to the POS terminal. Instead, the network host computer generally sends the BIN File to the merchant's host computer periodically (for example, once a week). When a transaction is initiated and the customer selects Debit or Credit, the merchant's POS system dials out to the merchant's host and retrieves the information from the BIN File for the card swiped by the customer. A second problem is that the BIN File is not always accurate. One reason for this is that the BIN File is generally a best guess approximation by the network host based on actual transactions processed over time. Another reason is that card issuers do not cooperate (for competitive reasons) to provide BIN range information to each other, so the information is often incomplete. Card issuers may also be reluctant to share this information because they do not necessarily want the customer to choose debit because this reduces their transaction fee revenue. In any event, once again, there is no incentive for the customer to select Debit instead of Credit. [0007] The issuers of credit and debit cards also have programs to encourage consumers to utilize the issuers' cards when making purchases. Conventionally, these programs have consisted of giveaways of promotional merchandise, low interest rates on unpaid balances and balance transfers from other cards, and cash back at the end of the year (usually 1-2 percent) on purchases made throughout the year. Some manufacturers such as automobile manufacturers have established affinity-type relationships with card issuers to issue credit cards with a manufacturer's logo on the face of the card. Use of such cards results in cash back awards good only on purchases of the associated manufacturers' products. Similarly, some merchants have established affinity-type relationships with card issuers to issue credit cards with a merchant's logo on the face of the card. Use of such cards results in cash back awards good only on purchases within the associated merchant's stores. The manufacturers' programs and the merchants' programs are generally less effective than conventional cash back programs because of the limitations placed on use of the cash back award. [0008] With existing affinity-type relationships, the reward does not occur at the time or point of purchase. Instead, the reward is posted to the customer's credit card account and appears on the customer's monthly account statement. The reward may appear as a monetary credit, or may appear as points, which the customer can redeem when the cumulative total surpasses defined threshold levels. Thus, the reward is not immediate, and the customer must take additional steps to redeem the reward. [0009] Many merchants are also implementing systems to increase the security of financial transactions occurring in their stores. For example, increased security is provided by registering biometric information for customers and checking this information against a current customer's information to verify the identity of the customer. Many customers, however, are reluctant to provide such information or do not want to take the time to provide the information. [0010] Merchants such as grocery stores, convenience stores, and gasoline service stations generally sell goods inside the store in addition to selling fuel. These merchants generally realize a higher profit percentage on inside sales than they do on fuel. Therefore, it is desirable from the merchant's perspective to provide an incentive for customers who purchase fuel to also come into the store and purchase goods inside. [0011] What is needed in the art is a system and method that overcomes the disadvantages of existing systems and methods by providing a customer with an incentive to demonstrate certain desirable behaviors. The present invention provides such a system and method. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0012] In one aspect, the present invention is a computer-implemented method of influencing customer behavior. The method includes offering the customer a price-per-unit (PPU) discount for fuel as a reward for performing a predefined action; determining that the customer performed the predefined action; and awarding the PPU discount for fuel to the customer. The predefined action may be any action that is rewarded with a PPU discount for fuel. For example, the predefined action may include performing a debit-type financial transaction rather than a credit-type transaction at a merchant; purchasing at least one product or service at a merchant utilizing a prepaid cash card; purchasing at least one product or service at a merchant utilizing a credit card that is subject to an affinity-type agreement between the merchant and an issuer of the credit card; purchasing more than a threshold amount of products or services at a merchant; purchasing more than a threshold amount of fuel, purchasing at least one in-store product or service at a merchant who also sells fuel; participating in a customer survey; or participating in a program to enhance security of financial transactions. [0013] In another aspect, the present invention is a system for influencing a customer to perform a desired action by awarding the customer a PPU discount for fuel as a reward for performing the desired action. The system includes means for determining that the customer performed the desired action; and computer-implemented means for awarding the PPU discount for fuel to the customer. The means for determining that the customer performed the desired action may be a point-of-sale (POS) system at a merchant, and the computer-implemented means for awarding the PPU discount may be a fuel dispenser controller for dispensing fuel to the customer in a subsequent fueling transaction. The dispenser controller has access to the customer's PPU discount and reduces a posted price for the fuel by an amount equal to the PPU discount. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] The invention will be better understood and its numerous objects and advantages will become more apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following drawings, in conjunction with the accompanying specification, in which: [0015] FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating the steps of an embodiment of a method of awarding a PPU discount for fuel in exchange for a customer's selection of a debit-type financial transaction; [0016] FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating the steps of an embodiment of a method of redeeming and clearing the PPU discount for fuel in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; [0017] FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram of an embodiment of the system of the present invention; and [0018] FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating the steps of another embodiment of a method of awarding a PPU discount for fuel in exchange for a customer's selection of a debit-type financial transaction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS [0019] The present invention provides an incentive to a consumer to select Debit as the mode of payment for a financial transaction by awarding the customer a price-per-unit (FPU) discount on fuel if the customer performs a debit-type transaction rather than a credit-type transaction. The invention also makes it easier for the customer to select Debit by eliminating one of the steps that the customer is currently required to perform. When the customer swipes a card, the POS system accesses the BIN File in the merchant's host computer and determines whether the card is a credit only, debit only, or dual-mode card. If the card is identified as being credit only, the transaction is automatically initiated as a credit-type transaction. If the card is identified as being debit only, the terminal displays the message "Enter PIN". Thereafter, the transaction is completed as a debit-type transaction. If the card is identified as a dual-mode card, or if the mode of the card cannot be determined from the BIN File, the terminal displays the message "Enter PIN or Press Credit". This message eliminates the need for the preliminary message "Press Debit or Credit", followed by the additional message "Enter your PIN" if Debit was selected. Continue reading... Full patent description for System and method for influencing customer behavior Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this System and method for influencing customer behavior patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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