System and Method for Increasing the Effectiveness of Customer Contact Strategies

a customer contact and marketing system technology, applied in the field of marketing system and method, can solve the problems of low rfm, low roi, and inability to improve the average response rate of direct marketing in the industry, and achieve the effect of maximizing the roi of the promotional plan

US20080015936A1Inactive Publication Date: 2008-01-17IBM CORP
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Patent Type
Applications(United States)
Current Assignee / Owner
Publication Date
2008-01-17
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

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Abstract

A method, and system for increasing the efficiency of customer contact strategies is disclosed. Customers are analyzed based upon historical criteria; a promotional plan (a group of promotion events implemented or to be implemented over a particular time period) is analyzed to determine the effect of each promotion event on the other promotion events in the promotional plan; and, based on this analysis, the optimal promotion stream (a specific subset of the promotional plan to be sent to customers or a group of similar customers) is determined so as to maximize the ROI of the promotional plan as a whole.
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Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 401,935, filed Mar. 27, 2003, which is a continuation of, and claims priority to, U.S. application Ser. No. 09 / 398,921, filed Sep. 16, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,567,786, issued May 20, 2003.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates generally to a marketing system and method, and in particular, to a system and method for increasing the effectiveness of customer contact strategies. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Direct marketing involves advertising to customers at a location other than the point of sale. Catalogs, first-class mail, telemarketing, and e-mail are some examples of direct marketing techniques that are currently utilized to promote the sale of goods or services.

[0004] Direct marketers today face challenges that are far different than those with which the industry contended during its explosive growth over the last twenty years. Among the...

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Embodiment Construction

[0040]FIG. 2 illustrates a computer environment 20 in which the process of the present invention may be executed. The system 20 includes a central processor unit (CPU) 24, memory 26 and user interface 22. The CPU 24 may comprise one or more data processors configured in a PC, work station, main frame, network or other conventional apparatus. The user interface 22 may comprise traditional equipment such as a monitor and printer for displaying information for the user and keyboard and mouse for inputting information, as well as other peripherals such as scanner, voice recognition systems and touch screens. The system 20 can be configured to accommodate a traditional user interface and it is anticipated to be compatible with future interfaces as well. The system can further be configured as a network of computers in a known manner.

[0041] Memory 26 is operatively connected to CPU 24. Memory 26 contains a program or series of programs to instruct the system 20 to perform the process of ...