Funding systems and programs

Abstract

To provide businesses with appropriate funding for their future sales and to improve convenience for users. [Solution] The funding system comprises a reception unit that receives funding applications from businesses operating business entities, and a calculation unit that calculates the amount of funding based on both word-of-mouth information about the business entity obtained from a website or social networking service and sales information of the business entity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a funding system and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a system for providing funds based on the predicted sales value of a store or the like has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In such a funding system, it is preferable to calculate the funding amount by predicting sales with as high accuracy as possible, provide funds to the business operator at an appropriate amount, and improve the convenience for the user.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a funding system and a program that can provide funds to a business operator at an appropriate amount in funding for the future sales of a store and improve the convenience for the user.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] (1) One aspect of the present invention is a funding system including a reception unit that receives an application for funding from a business operator who manages a business entity, and a calculation unit that calculates a funding amount based on both word-of-mouth information about the business entity obtained from a website or a social networking service and sales information of the business entity. (2) In one aspect of the present invention, in the funding system described in (1) above, the calculation unit predicts the future sales of the business entity based on the content of the word-of-mouth information and corrects the amount of funding based on the prediction result. (3) In one aspect of the present invention, in the funding system described in (1) above, the calculation unit predicts the future sales of the business entity based on the length of the word-of-mouth text indicated by the word-of-mouth information, and corrects the amount of funding based on the prediction result. (4) In one aspect of the present invention, in the funding system described in (1) above, the calculation unit notifies the business operator that an increase in the funding amount can be expected if the funding amount calculated based on both the word-of-mouth information and the sales information is greater than the funding amount calculated based only on the sales information of the word-of-mouth information and the sales information. (5) One aspect of the present invention is a program for causing a computer to perform the following actions: to receive applications for funding from businesses operating business entities, and to calculate the amount of funding to be provided based on both word-of-mouth information about the business entity obtained from a website or social networking service and sales information of the business entity. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide businesses with appropriate amounts of funding for their future sales, thereby improving convenience for users. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of the device configuration of the funding system according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of the functional configuration of the fund provision management device of this embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of the operation flow (part 1 and part 2) of the funding system of this embodiment. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of funding framework information in this embodiment. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of the input screen for funding conditions in this embodiment. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of a screen for inputting funding conditions when notification is given that the funding limit has been increased according to this embodiment. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of the application details display screen of this embodiment. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of the deposit account candidate screen in this embodiment. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of the application completion screen for this embodiment. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of the examination status display screen of this embodiment. [Figure 11] This figure shows an example of the operation flow (part 3) of the funding system of this embodiment. [Figure 12] This figure shows an example of the deposit information display screen of this embodiment. [Figure 13] This figure shows an example of the operation flow (part 4) of the funding system of this embodiment. [Figure 14] This figure shows an example of the withdrawal confirmation screen in this embodiment. [Figure 15] This figure shows an example of the correspondence between the amount received and the amount withdrawn in a funding agreement according to this embodiment. [Figure 16] This figure shows an example of the withdrawal completion screen in this embodiment. [Figure 17] This figure shows an example of the device configuration of a funding system in the first modified example of this embodiment. [Figure 18] This figure shows an example of the device configuration of a funding system in a second modified example of this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The funding system 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are merely examples, and the embodiments to which the present invention is applied are not limited to the embodiments described below. In all the drawings for explaining the embodiments, those having the same function are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations are omitted. In addition, "based on XX" as used in the present application means "at least based on XX", and includes cases where it is based on another element in addition to XX. Further, "based on XX" is not limited to the case where XX is directly used, and includes cases where it is based on something obtained by performing operations or processing on XX. "XX" is an arbitrary element (for example, arbitrary information).

[0010] [Embodiment] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the device configuration of the fund provision system 1 of the present embodiment. The fund provision system 1 includes a user terminal device 10, a fund provision management device 20, and a user information server 30.

[0011] The fund provision system 1 of the present embodiment provides an amount corresponding to a part of the future sales of a store to a user based on an application from the user who operates one or more stores. In the present embodiment, the user is also referred to as a user of the fund provision service, an applicant for a fund provision contract, or simply a user. <00001​​​​​​​The display unit 11, for example, is equipped with a liquid crystal display and displays various images. In the following description, the display of an image by the display unit 11 is also referred to as presenting an image to the user. The control unit 12, for example, is equipped with a touch panel and detects user operations.

[0014] The user terminal device 10 includes an arithmetic unit 100 and a storage unit 150. The arithmetic unit 100 includes, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), and operates based on programs and data stored in the storage unit 150, providing various functions. The storage unit 150 is composed of, for example, a hard disk drive or semiconductor memory (flash memory, RAM, ROM), and stores various types of information, such as programs and data read by the arithmetic unit 100. The storage unit 150 may also be implemented by a virtual storage device, such as a cloud server, located outside the user terminal device 10.

[0015] The fund management device 20 is a computer device operated by the organization (for example, a funding company) that operates the fund provision system 1.

[0016] The fund provision management device 20 comprises a calculation unit 200 and a storage unit 250. The arithmetic unit 200 includes, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), and operates based on programs and data stored in the storage unit 250, providing various functions.

[0017] Figure 2 shows an example of the functional configuration of the fund provision management device 20 of this embodiment. The calculation unit 200 of this embodiment includes, as its functional units, a reception unit 201, a calculation unit 202, a proposal unit 203, an account selection unit 204, a confirmation unit 205, a fund provision processing unit 206, and a display control unit 207.

[0018] The storage unit 250 is composed of, for example, a hard disk drive or semiconductor memory (flash memory, RAM, ROM), and stores various types of information, such as programs and data read by the arithmetic unit 200. The storage unit 250 may also be implemented by a virtual storage device, such as a cloud server, located outside the fund management device 20.

[0019] Returning to Figure 1, the user terminal device 10 and the fund management device 20 described above can communicate with each other via network NT1. Network NT1 includes the internet, WAN (Wide Area Network), LAN (Local Area Network), public lines, provider equipment, dedicated lines, wireless base stations, etc.

[0020] Furthermore, the user terminal device 10 or the user information server 30 may also have some of the functions of the fund management device 20 described below.

[0021] The user information server 30 is configured, for example, as a cloud server and manages various types of user information.

[0022] In one example of this embodiment, the user utilizes a sales settlement system 2 and a reception management system 40 at the store. For example, the sales settlement system 2 comprises a settlement server 50 and a store terminal device 60. The settlement server 50 and the store terminal device 60 are connected by a network NT2. The store terminal devices 60 are, for example, placed in each store. For example, if a user operates k stores (where k is a natural number), then k store terminal devices 60, from store terminal device 60-1 to store terminal device 60-k, are connected to the sales settlement system 2. In the following description, when the k devices from store terminal device 60-1 to store terminal device 60-k are not distinguished, they are collectively referred to as store terminal devices 60. This sales settlement system 2 records, for example, a log of cash deposits for each store (i.e., a log of sales amounts for each store) when the price of goods is paid by cashless payment.

[0023] In the sales settlement system 2 of this embodiment, the transaction account of the financial institution into which the store's sales proceeds are deposited is linked to each store terminal device 60. For example, a store operated by a user may occupy multiple floors of a building, with a store terminal device 60 installed on each floor. In this case, a trading account is linked to each store terminal device 60 installed on each floor, i.e., each floor. Furthermore, a user may operate multiple types of businesses, such as restaurants, retail stores, and service providers like hotels and beauty salons. In this case, a separate transaction account is linked to each store terminal device 60 installed in each store, i.e., each store individually.

[0024] In this embodiment, the transaction accounts linked to each store, the store terminal devices 60 (payment terminals) installed at each store, and the payment accounts linked to the payment terminals are collectively referred to as payment methods. These payment methods are linked to identification information that identifies the user (for example, the user ID of sales settlement system 2). In other words, in this embodiment, multiple payment methods are linked to identification information that identifies the user.

[0025] The reception management system 40 is configured, for example, as a cloud server and manages the reception of customers who visit the store. Managing customer reception includes, for example, managing the queue for reception using numbered tickets.

[0026] The fund provision system 1, the sales settlement system 2, and the reception management system 40 can communicate with each other via the network NT3. The user information server 30 of the fund provision system 1 acquires logs recorded by the sales settlement system 2. These logs contain information on the sales amount for each user's store terminal device 60 (i.e., payment terminal). In the following description, the information on the sales amount for each user's store will also be simply referred to as "sales information."

[0027] Furthermore, the fund management device 20 acquires logs recorded by the reception management system 40. These logs include reception information for each store. The reception information includes the time of arrival (the time a numbered ticket was issued), which is the time a customer arrived at the store, and the time of reception, which is the time the customer was registered. From the time of arrival and the time of reception, the number of customers and the store's turnover rate can be calculated. Therefore, the reception information includes one or more of the number of customers or the turnover rate of the store (i.e., the business entity). The number of customers is, for example, the number of customers in a day. The store's turnover rate is calculated by multiplying the number of customers in a day by the number of seats.

[0028] The funding system 1 of this embodiment provides funds to users, collects funds from users, and collects fees in the following four stages. (i) Setting of funding framework (b) Acceptance and review of applications for funding (h) Provision of funds (ii) Deduction from sales proceeds

[0029] The funding system 1 of this embodiment can simultaneously enter into multiple funding contracts C for the sales of a single business entity (for example, a store). The following explanation will be divided into two cases: one where there are no other funding contracts C in operation, and another where there are other funding contracts C in operation. Furthermore, the business entity may be described as either a "facility" or a "store." In other words, "facility" and "store" are examples of business entities.

[0030] [Operation Flow of Funding System 1] Figure 3 shows an example of the operation flow (part 1 and part 2) of the funding system 1 of this embodiment.

[0031] [(i) Setting of funding framework] Step S311: The user information server 30 provides sales information to the fund provision management device 20. Step S211: The fund provision management device 20 obtains sales information from the user information server 30.

[0032] Step S411: The reception management system 40 provides reception information to the fund provision management device 20. Step S212: The fund provision management device 20 obtains reception information from the reception management system 40.

[0033] Step S213: The fund management device 20 calculates the fund allocation limit FL (also referred to as the fund allocation amount) based on both sales information and reception information. The fund management device 20 uses a predetermined algorithm to make future sales forecasts for each store based on both the sales information and reception information for each user store. The fund management device 20 calculates the fund allocation limit FL for each store based on the sales forecast results. The fund management device 20 stores the calculated fund allocation limit FL as fund allocation limit information 301 in the storage unit 250.

[0034] Sales information includes past sales performance. Reception information includes past performance data for one or more of the following: customer count or turnover rate. Additionally, reception information includes performance data for one or more of the following for this month (i.e., the most recent): customer count or turnover rate.

[0035] The calculation unit 202 compares one or more of the following with the past and the current month based on the reception information: customer count or turnover rate. If one or more of the customer count or turnover rate for this month has increased (or decreased) compared to the past, the calculation unit 202 predicts that this month's sales will increase (or decrease). The calculation unit 202 multiplies the sales forecast based solely on sales information by a predetermined percentage corresponding to the percentage increase or decrease in one or more of the customer count or turnover rate, and uses this value as the future sales forecast. As described above, the calculation unit 202 corrects the funding limit calculated based on sales information using the application information. The algorithm used to correct the funding limit calculated based on sales information using the application information may be an algorithm other than the one described above.

[0036] In another example, the calculation unit 202 of the fund management device 20 calculates a correlation (such as a correlation coefficient) between one or more past customer numbers or turnover rates and past sales performance. Based on the calculated correlation, the calculation unit 202 predicts this month's sales from one or more of this month's customer numbers or turnover rates.

[0037] Therefore, the calculation unit 202 calculates the amount of funding based on both the reception information obtained from the business entity's reception management system 40 and the business entity's sales information.

[0038] In the following explanation, the upper limit of the FL (Funding Limit) for a particular store is also referred to as the store-specific upper limit FL1. In other words, the fund management device 20 calculates the store-specific upper limit FL1 based on sales information.

[0039] Figure 4 shows an example of the funding limit information 301 in this embodiment. The funding limit information 301 stores the user ID, store ID, account ID, and store-specific maximum funding limit FL1, which are associated with each store.

[0040] A user ID is information that identifies an individual user. For example, a user ID is information associated with the login name for funding system 1. User ID:U001 is the user ID that identifies the first user. User ID:Un(n is a natural number) is the user ID that identifies the nth user (i.e., the nth user).

[0041] A store ID is information that identifies an individual store. Store ID: SP101 is the store ID that identifies the first store for the first user. Store ID: SPnm (where m is a natural number) is the store ID that identifies the m-th store for the n-th user (i.e., the m-th store).

[0042] An account ID is information that identifies the deposit account for the funds being provided. In the fund provision system 1 of this embodiment, each deposit account is associated with a store terminal device 60 (i.e., a payment terminal).

[0043] In one example of this embodiment, the user operates multiple business entities. In this case, the identification information that identifies each of the multiple business entities is linked to the user ID (identification information) that identifies the user. Each of these multiple entities is linked to a specific deposit account. In other words, the account ID is information that identifies the deposit account linked to each of these multiple entities. Furthermore, the deposit account and the trading account may be the same account. In this case, the account ID serves as both the information identifying the deposit account and the information identifying the trading account.

[0044] As an example of this embodiment, the per-store maximum funding limit FL1 for store ID: SP101 (i.e., the first store of the first user) is per-store maximum funding limit FL1-101 (300,000 yen). Note that the amount of per-store maximum funding limit FL1 is merely an example. The maximum fund allocation limit FL1 for store ID: SP102 (i.e., the first user's second store) is FL1-102 (200,000 yen). The maximum fund allocation limit FL1 for store ID: SP103 (i.e., the first user's third store) is FL1-103 (200,000 yen). Similarly, the per-store maximum funding limit FL1 for the store with store ID:SPnm (i.e., the mth store of the nth user) is per-store maximum funding limit FL1-nm.

[0045] As mentioned above, the per-store maximum funding limit FL1 is set based on the sales information of each store. Sales figures may differ between stores operated by the same user. As a result, even between stores operated by the same user, the per-store maximum funding limit FL1 may have different values. For example, the per-store maximum funding limit FL1 for store ID: SP201 (i.e., the second user's first store) is per-store maximum funding limit FL1 - 201 (400,000 yen). The per-store maximum funding limit FL1 for store ID: SP202 (i.e., the second user's second store) is per-store maximum funding limit FL1 - 202 (500,000 yen).

[0046] Furthermore, store sales may fluctuate depending on the type of store, season, weather, economic conditions, and the surrounding environment of the location. The fund provision management device 20 may be configured to update the store-specific maximum fund provision limit FL1 by reacquiring store sales at predetermined timings.

[0047] In addition to the example above, the timing for updating the store-specific maximum funding limit FL1 may also be configured to be calculated each time a user applies for funding, based on sales information for a period prior to that point.

[0048] In this embodiment, the fund provision management device 20 includes a calculation unit 202. This calculation unit 202 calculates a combined fund provision limit, i.e., a combined upper limit fund provision limit FL1A, which is the sum of the predetermined fund provision limits for each of the multiple business entities.

[0049] In the example shown in Figure 4, the first user (User ID: U001) operates three stores: the first store (Store ID: SP101), the second store (Store ID: SP102), and the third store (Store ID: SP103). The maximum funding limit FL1 for each store is 300,000 yen for the first store, 200,000 yen for the second store, and 200,000 yen for the third store. In this case, the combined maximum funding limit FL1A, which is the sum of the maximum funding limits FL1 for the stores operated by the first user (i.e., the stores linked to the first user's User ID: U001), is 700,000 yen. In this example, the calculation unit 202 calculates the combined limit, assuming that the combined maximum funding limit FL1A for the first user (user ID: U001) is 700,000 yen.

[0050] [(b) Acceptance and review of applications for funding] Step S121: Returning to Figure 3, the user operates the user terminal device 10 to apply for funding. The user terminal device 10 notifies the funding management device 20 that the user has applied for funding.

[0051] Step S221: The receiving unit 201 of the fund provision management device 20 receives a fund provision application from a user. As described above, the user ID (identification information) of a user is linked to multiple business entities (for example, store IDs).

[0052] In other words, the reception unit 201 accepts applications for funding from users who possess identification information linked to multiple business entities.

[0053] In other words, reception desk 201 accepts applications for funding from businesses operating as entities.

[0054] Step S222: The fund provision management device 20 notifies the user terminal device 10 of the total limit calculated in step S212 (i.e., the total upper limit fund provision limit FL1A).

[0055] The proposal unit 203 of the fund provision management device 20 makes a fund provision proposal to the user based on the calculated total limit (i.e., the total upper limit fund provision limit FL1A). The fund provision proposal includes, for example, displaying the fund provision condition input screen P1 on the display unit 11 of the user terminal device 10.

[0056] Step S122: The user terminal device 10 receives the combined maximum fund provision limit FL1A from the fund provision management device 20. The user terminal device 10 displays the fund provision condition input screen P1, which includes the received combined maximum fund provision limit FL1A, on the display unit 11.

[0057] Figure 5 shows an example of the funding conditions input screen P1 of this embodiment. The funding conditions input screen P1 includes a store combined funding conditions display field P11, a usage amount selection field P12, a withdrawal rate selection field P13, and an application button P14.

[0058] The Store-Combined Funding Conditions Display Section P11 shows the funding conditions when funding is provided based on the user's current selections in the Funding Amount Selection Section P12 and the Withdrawal Rate Selection Section P13. The funding conditions include the amount of fees associated with the funding, and the simulation results of the withdrawal amount and timing.

[0059] For example, the combined store funding conditions display field P11 shows the combined upper limit funding amount FL1A (for example, 700,000 yen) calculated in step S213.

[0060] When a user changes their selection in the usage amount selection field P12 or the withdrawal rate selection field P13, the display content in the store combined funding conditions display field P11 is immediately updated to reflect the changes. In the example in Figure 5, the store combined funding conditions display field P11 shows the funding conditions when the usage amount is set to "700,000 yen" and the withdrawal rate is set to "25%".

[0061] In this embodiment, "withdrawal" refers to the process where, when the sales proceeds from the store are deposited into the user's account from the sales settlement system 2 contracted by the user, the organization operating the fund provision system 1 deducts a portion of the deposited amount as a fee for providing the funds. Here, the fee for providing the funds includes the amount recovered from the funds provided and a fee for providing the funds. In other words, the amount deposited into the user's deposit account is the amount after the withdrawal (i.e., the amount after the amount recovered from the funds and the fee have been deducted) of the sales proceeds from the store.

[0062] The P12 section for selecting the amount to be used presents options for the amount of funding to be received (i.e., the amount to be used). In the example shown in the diagram, four options are presented: 50,000 yen, 200,000 yen, 350,000 yen, and 700,000 yen.

[0063] The receiving unit 201 of the fund provision management device 20 accepts an amount selected from among several candidate amounts as the fund provision amount.

[0064] The spending amount selection field on page 12 should always display the maximum amount available at that time. If the user does not select the maximum amount, the difference between the maximum amount and the amount selected by the user will be considered the "unused amount."

[0065] In addition, depending on the type and number of stores operated by the user, the combined maximum funding limit FL1A may be excessive. In this case, the proposal unit 203 may propose funding using the lesser of the combined maximum funding limit FL1A calculated by the calculation unit 202 and the predetermined maximum funding limit as the maximum funding amount.

[0066] In other words, the proposal unit 203 may be configured to make proposals for funding based on a combined limit (for example, a combined upper limit funding limit FL1A) and a predetermined upper limit for funding. With the fund provision management device 20 configured in this way, when the fund provision limits for multiple business entities are combined, the risk of the fund provision amount becoming excessive and the withdrawal not being carried out smoothly can be reduced.

[0067] The fund provision management device 20 calculates the available amounts based on the unused portion of the combined maximum fund provision limit FL1A. For example, if the unused portion of the combined maximum fund provision limit FL1A is 700,000 yen, the available options will be the unused amount (700,000 yen), half the unused amount (350,000 yen), the minimum amount to be used (50,000 yen), and the median between half the amount and the minimum amount (200,000 yen).

[0068] The withdrawal rate selection field P13 is a field that presents options for the withdrawal rate. In this embodiment, the "withdrawal rate" is the percentage deducted from the store's sales amount as funding costs. In other words, the "withdrawal rate" is a value represented by (funding costs / store's sales amount). For example, if the withdrawal rate is 25%, the funding costs are an amount equivalent to 25% of the store's sales amount.

[0069] In the example shown in the figure, the fund management device 20 displays two options for the withdrawal rate: "25%" and "70%". The withdrawal rate options can be arbitrarily set by the fund provider, or the withdrawal rate options can be calculated each time based on the expected sales of the store, which are estimated based on past sales information. For example, the fund management device 20 calculates the withdrawal rate at which the maximum amount of the amount of use (e.g., 700,000 yen) presented in the amount of use selection field P12 will be withdrawn within a predetermined period (e.g., 3 months) as the first option (e.g., 70%). The fund management device 20 also calculates the withdrawal rate at which the maximum amount of the amount of use (e.g., 700,000 yen) presented in the amount of use selection field P12 will be withdrawn within a predetermined period longer than the above period (e.g., 12 months) as the second option (e.g., 25%).

[0070] If the withdrawal rate is high, a large portion of the sales amount will be deducted to recover the funds received, which carries the risk of significantly reducing the amount deposited into the store's account as sales. On the other hand, there is the advantage of being able to reduce the fees associated with providing funds, so for stores with a certain level of business stability, choosing a high withdrawal rate can be very beneficial. Conversely, for stores that are not yet financially stable, or when using the service during off-season periods when sales are low, choosing a low withdrawal rate to secure the amount of sales deposited (although this will result in a longer withdrawal period and thus a higher total amount of fees) can be very beneficial.

[0071] The application button P14 is an operation image that accepts the user's operation to confirm the funding conditions (amount to be used and withdrawal rate) and submit the application. When the display control unit 207 detects the user's operation on the application button P14, it displays the application details screen P2 on the display unit 11 of the user terminal device 10.

[0072] Furthermore, if the fund provision management device 20 calculates the fund provision limit based on both the reception information and the sales information, and this limit is greater than the fund provision limit calculated based on the sales information alone, it may notify the user that the fund provision limit has increased because the reception information was used in the sales forecast.

[0073] Figure 6 shows an example of the funding conditions input screen P1a when notification of an increase in the funding limit according to this embodiment is given. In the funding conditions input screen P1a, a pop-up P15 is displayed superimposed on the funding conditions input screen P1 shown in Figure 5.

[0074] Pop-up P15 contains text P151 and a close button P152. Text P151 displays a message informing the user that their funding limit has increased as a result of using the application information in the sales forecast. Text P151 includes the amount of the increase in the funding limit due to using the application information in the sales forecast. This increase is the difference between the funding limit calculated based on both the application information and the sales information and the funding limit calculated based on the sales information alone. The close button P152 is an operation image that accepts the operation to close the pop-up P15.

[0075] Therefore, if the amount of funds provided calculated based on both the reception information and the sales information is greater than the amount of funds provided calculated based only on the sales information, the calculation unit 202 notifies the business operator (user) that an increase in the amount of funds provided can be expected.

[0076] Furthermore, the method of notifying users that their funding limit has increased due to the use of their application information in sales forecasting is not limited to a pop-up. Instead of a pop-up, text or the increased amount may be displayed in the store-wide funding conditions display field P11 on the funding conditions input screen P1. Alternatively, users may be notified of the increase in their funding limit due to the use of their application information in sales forecasting by receiving an email.

[0077] Figure 7 shows an example of the application details display screen P2 of this embodiment. The application details display screen P2 is a screen that displays the details of the user's application for funding. The application details display screen P2 includes a total withdrawal amount display field P21, a deposit account selection field P22, a withdrawal schedule display field P23, and an application confirmation operation button P24.

[0078] The withdrawal amount display field P21 is where the total withdrawal amount is shown. The withdrawal amount includes the amount of funds provided (i.e., the amount used) and the fees for providing the funds. The withdrawal amount display field P21 shows the total withdrawal amount and its breakdown (i.e., the amount used and the fees).

[0079] The deposit account selection field P22 is where users select a deposit account. Selecting a deposit account means choosing which of the deposit accounts linked to the user's store will receive the funds.

[0080] When the deposit account selection field P22 is operated, the display control unit 207 displays the deposit account candidate screen P221 on the display unit 11 of the user terminal device 10.

[0081] Figure 8 shows an example of the deposit account candidate screen P221 of this embodiment. The deposit account candidate screen P221 displays deposit accounts (i.e., deposit accounts for each store) based on the account ID of each store linked to the user ID. In this example of the embodiment, the deposit account candidate screen P221 displays a field showing the deposit account of the first store (first deposit account field P2211), a field showing the deposit account of the second store (second deposit account field P2212), and a field showing the deposit account of the third store (third deposit account field P2213).

[0082] The user selects the deposit account from the list of deposit accounts displayed on the deposit account candidate screen P221 to receive the funds (i.e., the account to which the funds will be deposited).

[0083] The account selection unit 204 selects the deposit account specified by the user from among the candidate deposit accounts for the fund recipient displayed on the application confirmation screen, and uses that as the deposit account for the fund recipient.

[0084] Returning to Figure 7, the withdrawal schedule display section P23 shows the dates on which withdrawals will be made. The start date of withdrawals, the end date of withdrawals, the withdrawal rate, the initial withdrawal amount, and the scheduled date of the initial withdrawal are displayed. The figure shows an example of the display when there are no other funding contracts C in place.

[0085] This example shows that the first withdrawal occurs after a specified period has elapsed from the date of application for funding. The specified period may be defined in funding agreement C. For example, funding agreement C stipulates that the specified period is 12 business days from the day following the date of application for funding. In this example, it shows that the first withdrawal occurs 12 business days after the day following the date of application for funding.

[0086] As described above, a direct debit refers to the process in the sales settlement system 2 where a fund provider deducts an amount corresponding to the amount of funds they have provided from the sales of a business entity (e.g., a store) operated by the user. The user's trading account will then receive the remaining amount after the amount corresponding to the fund provider has been deducted from the sales of the business entity (e.g., a store). The display control unit 207 displays the withdrawal schedule in the withdrawal schedule display field P23.

[0087] Furthermore, as shown in the figure, the display control unit 207 displays the withdrawal schedule in a calendar format showing the dates for each day of the week. The display control unit 207 can display various formats of withdrawal schedules in the withdrawal schedule display field P23.

[0088] The application confirmation button P24 is an image of the operation performed by the user when confirming the application for funding. The application confirmation button P24 is performed by the user when the user accepts the contents shown on the application details display screen P2.

[0089] Step S123: When the user terminal device 10 detects a user action on the application confirmation button P24, it displays the application completion screen P3.

[0090] Figure 9 shows an example of the application completion screen P3 of this embodiment. The application completion screen P3 includes an application completion display field P31, a next application selection button P32, and a close button P33.

[0091] The application completion display section P31 is where information indicating that the funding application process has been completed is displayed. The "Next Application Selection" button (P32) is an image showing the operation performed when submitting another funding application. The close button P33 is an operation image used when you want to end the application process without submitting any other funding applications.

[0092] Furthermore, when the user terminal device 10 receives an operation from the user to accept the contents shown on the application details display screen P2, it transmits information to the fund provision management device 20 indicating that the fund provision conditions have been finalized.

[0093] Step S223: The receiving unit 201 of the fund provision management device 20 receives the application for fund provision. Specifically, the receiving unit 201 receives information transmitted from the user terminal device 10 in step S123 indicating that the fund provision conditions have been finalized.

[0094] The confirmation unit 205 confirms the application based on the application operation on the confirmation screen.

[0095] When the funding management device 20 accepts a funding application, the user terminal device 10 displays the application status screen P4 on the display unit 11.

[0096] Figure 10 shows an example of the review status display screen P4 of this embodiment. The review status display screen P4 includes an application details display field P41 and a status display field P42. The application details display field P41 is a field that shows the details of the funding conditions applied for. The status display field P42 is a field that shows what stage the review and payment procedures have progressed to.

[0097] [(h) Provision of funds] Figure 11 shows an example of the operation flow (part 3) of the funding system 1 of this embodiment. Step S231: If the funding application is approved, the funding management device 20 processes the deposit to the account specified by the user (for example, the deposit account selected in the deposit account selection field P22).

[0098] Therefore, the Funding Processing Unit 206 receives funds by purchasing future sales information of the business entity.

[0099] Step S232: The fund management device 20 notifies the user terminal device 10 of the deposit result. Step S131: When the user terminal device 10 receives a notification of the deposit result from the fund management device 20, it displays a screen indicating that a notification of the deposit result has been received (for example, the deposit information display screen P5).

[0100] Figure 12 shows an example of the deposit information display screen P5 of this embodiment. The deposit information display screen P5 includes a deposit status display field P51 and a deposit account display field P52. The deposit status display section P51 shows the name of the store providing the funds, the deposit amount D, and that the transaction has progressed and the deposit has been completed. The deposit account information section on page 52 displays the name of the financial institution, branch name, account number, and other details of the deposit account.

[0101] [(ii) Deduction from sales proceeds] Figure 13 shows an example of the operation flow (part 4) of the funding system 1 of this embodiment. Step S341: The user information server 30 provides the fund management device 20 with sales information from the stores to which funds are provided. Step S241: The fund provision management device 20 obtains sales information from the user information server 30.

[0102] Step S242: The fund management device 20 calculates the amount to be withdrawn in advance from the store's sales amount before depositing the funds into the store (i.e., the withdrawal amount WD). The withdrawal amount WD is calculated by multiplying the total sales amount, which is the sum of the sales amounts from multiple stores, by the withdrawal rate described above. For example, if the total sales amount for a predetermined period (e.g., 5 days) is 1 million yen and the withdrawal rate is 25%, the withdrawal amount WD for the total sales amount for that period is calculated to be 250,000 yen.

[0103] More specifically, the fund provision processing unit 206 of the fund provision management device 20 obtains the amount of funds provided (i.e., the deposit amount D1) in the fund provision contract C that the user has entered into. The calculation unit 202 calculates the total amount of withdrawals WD that have been withdrawn during the withdrawal period of the funding agreement C (i.e., the withdrawn amount RA). The Funding Processing Unit 206 obtains the total amount of withdrawals WD that have been withdrawn during the withdrawal period of Funding Agreement C (i.e., the withdrawn amount RA).

[0104] In other words, the funding processing unit 206 obtains the amount of funding based on a combined limit, which is the sum of the funding limits for multiple business entities linked to the identification information that identifies the user. In this context, "business entities" refer to restaurants, beauty salons, retail stores, accommodation facilities, medical facilities, etc. However, as mentioned above, even if it is the same business entity (for example, a store), if multiple payment terminals are installed and different accounts are assigned to each payment terminal, it may be determined that they are "different business entities (for example, stores)" if the accounts are different. In the case where transaction accounts are linked to each store, as in the example of this embodiment, the fund provision processing unit 206 obtains the fund provision amount based on the combined fund provision limit which is the sum of the fund provision limits for each of the multiple stores operated by the user. The Funding Processing Unit 206 obtains the amount deducted from the business entity's sales that corresponds to the amount of funds provided.

[0105] The calculation unit 202 calculates the outstanding balance corresponding to the amount of funds provided, based on the acquired deposit amount D1 and the withdrawn amount RA. For example, the calculation unit 202 calculates the outstanding balance as (deposit amount D1 - withdrawn amount RA).

[0106] Step S243: The fund management device 20 notifies the sales settlement system 2 of the withdrawal amount WD. The sales settlement system 2 deposits the withdrawal amount WD from the store's sales amount to the operator of the fund provision system 1 (for example, the fund provision company), and deposits the remaining balance into the user's designated account on the user terminal device 10.

[0107] In this embodiment, "deposit" may refer to a transfer of money itself, such as a transfer between accounts, or it may refer to a transfer of a right equivalent to money, such as the transfer of monetary claims in cashless payments.

[0108] Step S141: The display control unit 207 of the fund provision management device 20 causes the withdrawal confirmation screen P6, which shows the withdrawal amount WD and the remaining withdrawal amount, to be displayed on the display unit 11 of the user terminal device 10.

[0109] Figure 14 shows an example of the withdrawal confirmation screen P6 of this embodiment. The withdrawal confirmation screen P6 includes the current withdrawal information section P61 and the future withdrawal information section P62. The current withdrawal information section P61 displays the current withdrawal amount WD.

[0110] The upcoming withdrawal information section on page 62 will display the remaining withdrawal amount, the estimated number of remaining withdrawals based on the store's sales performance, and the timing of the withdrawal completion.

[0111] The display control unit 207 may also be configured to display the debited amount for each of the multiple business entities.

[0112] Figure 15 shows an example of the correspondence between the deposit amount D and the withdrawal amount WD in the funding agreement C of this embodiment. In this example, the user of the funding applied for funding in March of a certain year. Based on this application for funding, funding agreement C was concluded. Funding of deposit amount D1 was provided to the combined maximum funding limit FL1A of the user's store. In this example, of the combined maximum funding framework FL1A, the combined funding framework FL2A is an unused funding framework FL.

[0113] Furthermore, the funding agreement C may be made in units of the amount of funding to be provided, or it may be made without specifying an amount, by specifying the "period" for which future receivables will be transferred, for example, "transferring the user's sales (future receivables) for two years from the application date in a lump sum." In the case of a contract that specifies the period for which future receivables will be transferred, if settlement is completed before the end of the period, the future receivables for the remaining period may be returned to the user at the time of settlement completion. As mentioned above, when the transfer period for future receivables is specified in advance, the funder can refer to the sales forecast for the contract period, making it easier to set an upper limit on the amount of funds to be provided within a range that allows for smooth settlement within the contract period.

[0114] In the example shown in the diagram, the withdrawal amount WD is calculated by multiplying the sales revenue SA for each month from April onward by the withdrawal rate specified by the user. The cumulative value of the withdrawal amount WD up to a certain month is the withdrawn amount RA. When the withdrawn amount RA matches the deposit amount D1, the withdrawal for the funding agreement C is completed.

[0115] Although I have omitted the explanation to avoid making it complicated, in reality, a "fee" is incurred for funding under this embodiment. In other words, the amount deducted from the sales amount is the amount of funds provided to the user plus the fee. Therefore, to accurately rephrase the above statement regarding the deducted amount RA, the part that says, "When the deducted amount RA matches the deposit amount D1, the deduction for funding agreement C is completed," should be changed to, "When the deducted amount RA matches the total amount of deposit amount D1 + (the fee that the user must pay) the deduction for funding agreement C is completed."

[0116] In this diagram, withdrawals are shown occurring monthly, but the timing and frequency of withdrawals are not limited to this. For example, withdrawals may occur every 5 days (the so-called "five-tenth day") or every 10 days. Furthermore, the timing of withdrawals may differ from one financial institution to another, or from one type of financial institution to another (for example, city banks, regional banks, second-tier regional banks, credit unions, etc.).

[0117] Step S244: Returning to Figure 13, when the fund management device 20 determines that the withdrawal has been completed, it notifies the user terminal device 10 that the withdrawal has been completed. Step S142: The user terminal device 10 displays the withdrawal completion screen P7 on the display unit 11.

[0118] Figure 16 shows an example of the withdrawal completion screen P7 in this embodiment. The withdrawal completion screen P7 includes information indicating that the withdrawal of the deposit amount D1 based on the funding agreement C has been completed.

[0119] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which a reception management system 40 for managing the reception of customers visiting the store is used by a business entity (store), and the reception information provided by the reception management system 40 is used to calculate the amount of funds provided. However, this is not limited to this example. A system that manages not only the reception of customers visiting the store but also the reception of reservations may be used as the reception management system. Alternatively, a system that manages the reception of reservations (reservation management system) may be used as the reception management system. In other words, a system that manages one or more of the reception of customers visiting the store and the reception of reservations may be used as the reception management system.

[0120] When a reception management system is used to manage both walk-in customers and reservations, the reception management system may provide reception information, including reservation information, to the fund provision management device 20. If the reception information includes reservation information, the calculation unit 202 of the fund provision management device 20 may calculate the amount of funds provided based on both the reception information including reservation information and the business entity's sales information. For example, it is predicted that sales will increase (decrease) if the number of reservations is high (low).

[0121] Furthermore, the reservation management system may also be a website (reservation platform) that serves as a platform for accepting reservations for stores. The reservation platform may be provided by a business other than the operator. If the reservation platform is provided by a business other than the operator, a linkage is made in advance for the fund management device 20 to access user information (reservation information) on the reservation platform. Such linkage may be, for example, ID linkage or data linkage. Alternatively, the fund management device 20 may obtain reservation information from the reservation platform by scraping. It is preferable that if one or more of the user ID or password is changed on the reservation platform, the details of the change are notified to the fund management device 20.

[0122] As described above, the funding system 1 comprises a reception unit 201 and a calculation unit 202. Reception room 201 accepts applications for funding from businesses operating as entities. The calculation unit 202 calculates the amount of funding based on both the reception information obtained from the business entity's reception management system 40 and the business entity's sales information.

[0123] With this configuration, the funding system 1 according to this embodiment can perform sales forecasts with higher accuracy and calculate the amount of funding to be provided compared to a system based solely on sales information, thereby enabling the provision of appropriate funding to businesses.

[0124] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which reception information is used along with sales information to calculate the amount of funding provided, but this is not the only example. Store shift information or customer review information may also be used along with sales information to calculate the amount of funding provided. The following describes some variations of these examples.

[0125] Figure 17 shows an example of a fund provision system 1 according to the first modification of this embodiment. The configuration of the fund provision system 1 is the same as that shown in Figure 1. In the first modification, the user utilizes the store's sales settlement system 2 and the shift management system 70. The fund provision system 1, the sales settlement system 2, and the shift management system 70 can communicate with each other via the network NT3.

[0126] The shift management system 70 is configured, for example, as a cloud server and manages store shifts. Shift management involves, for example, managing the attendance of store staff (full-time employees, part-time employees, etc.).

[0127] The fund management device 20 acquires logs recorded by the shift management system 70. These logs include shift information for each store. The shift information includes the scheduled working hours, actual working hours, and hourly wage of staff at each store. The number of shifts, or the change in the number of shifts over time, can be calculated from the shift information. Therefore, the shift information includes one or more of the number of shifts or the change in the number of shifts over time. The change in the number of shifts over time refers to, for example, the increase or decrease in the number of shifts in the current month compared to the previous month.

[0128] In the first modified example, the calculation unit 202 of the fund management device 20 compares the number of shifts between the previous month and the current month, for example, based on shift information. The calculation unit 202 predicts that sales for this month will increase (or decrease) if the number of shifts has increased (or decreased) compared to the previous month. An increase in the number of shifts is considered to indicate that the store is busier. The calculation unit 202 multiplies the sales forecast based solely on sales information by a predetermined percentage corresponding to the rate of increase or decrease in the number of shifts, and uses this value as the future sales forecast.

[0129] In another example, the calculation unit 202 calculates, for example, the correlation (correlation coefficient, etc.) between past shift counts and past sales performance. Based on the calculated correlation, the calculation unit 202 predicts this month's sales from this month's shift count.

[0130] As described above, the calculation unit 202 corrects the funding limit calculated based on sales information using shift information. The algorithm used to correct the funding limit calculated based on sales information using shift information may be an algorithm other than the one described above.

[0131] Therefore, the calculation unit 202 calculates the amount of funding based on both the shift information obtained from the business entity's shift management system 70 and the business entity's sales information. With this configuration, the funding system 1 according to the first modified example can perform sales forecasts with higher accuracy and calculate funding amounts compared to systems based solely on sales information, thus enabling the provision of appropriate funding to businesses.

[0132] Furthermore, similar to the embodiment described above, if the calculation unit 202 calculates the amount of funding based on both shift information and sales information and the amount of funding calculated based on sales information alone, it may notify the business operator that an increase in funding is expected. In that case, similar to the embodiment described above, for example, a pop-up indicating the notification will be superimposed on the funding condition input screen P1.

[0133] Figure 18 shows an example of a fund provision system 1 according to a second modification of this embodiment. The configuration of the fund provision system 1 is the same as that shown in Figure 1. In the first modification, the user utilizes the store's sales settlement system 2 and the web server 80. The fund provision system 1, the sales settlement system 2, and the web server 80 can communicate with each other via the network NT3.

[0134] Web server 80 is configured, for example, as a cloud server and provides various web pages. These web pages include, for example, websites containing customer reviews and store ratings, or social networking services (SNS).

[0135] The fund management device 20 obtains customer review information from web pages provided by the web server 80. The fund management device 20 may also obtain customer review information from web pages by scraping. The customer review information includes text or numerical values ​​indicating evaluations and impressions of the store. For example, the customer review information may include posts about the store on review websites or social media. The customer review information may also include the evaluation value of the store on websites where reviews and store ratings are posted (for example, a rating out of 5 points).

[0136] In the second modified example, the calculation unit 202 of the fund provision management device 20 predicts that future sales will increase (decrease) as the length of the text of the reviews indicated by the word-of-mouth information increases (decreases). The calculation unit 202 multiplies the sales forecast based solely on sales information by a predetermined percentage corresponding to the length of the text, and uses this value as the future sales forecast. Therefore, the calculation unit 202 predicts the future sales of the store based on the length of the text of the reviews indicated by the word-of-mouth information and adjusts the amount of funds provided based on the forecast result. However, on word-of-mouth websites, there are cases where the rating is simply high, but the content of the reviews is thin or no content is provided. In other words, in such cases, it is considered that sales will not increase simply because the rating is high.

[0137] In another example, the calculation unit 202 predicts the store's future sales based on the evaluation values ​​indicated by the word-of-mouth information and adjusts the amount of funding based on the prediction results. In another example, the calculation unit 202 predicts the store's future sales based on the content of the reviews indicated by the word-of-mouth information and adjusts the amount of funding based on the prediction result. The calculation unit 202 recognizes the content of the reviews based on natural language processing and predicts that sales will increase (or decrease) if the content of the reviews is positive (or negative). Therefore, the calculation unit 202 predicts the store's future sales based on the evaluation of the store indicated by the word-of-mouth information and adjusts the amount of funding based on the prediction result. Furthermore, the calculation unit 202 may predict the store's future sales based on one or more of the length of the review text indicated by the review information, the evaluation indicated by the review information, and the evaluation value indicated by the review information, and adjust the amount of funding based on the prediction result.

[0138] Therefore, the calculation unit 202 calculates the amount of funding based on both word-of-mouth information about the business entity obtained from a website or social networking service (SNS) and sales information of the business entity. With this configuration, the funding system 1 in the second modified example can perform sales forecasts with higher accuracy and calculate funding amounts compared to systems based solely on sales information, thus enabling the provision of appropriate funding to businesses.

[0139] Furthermore, similar to the embodiments described above, if the calculation unit 202 calculates the amount of funding based on both word-of-mouth information and sales information to be greater than the amount of funding calculated based only on sales information, it may notify the business operator that an increase in funding can be expected. In that case, similar to the embodiments described above, for example, a pop-up indicating the notification will be superimposed on the funding conditions input screen P1.

[0140] Furthermore, multiple pieces of information may be combined and used for sales forecasting. Along with sales information, for example, two or more of the above-mentioned reception information, shift information, and word-of-mouth information may be combined to calculate the amount of funding provided. For example, a value obtained by multiplying the sales predicted from sales information alone by a predetermined weighted value obtained by a predetermined percentage calculated from each of the multiple pieces of information may be used as a future sales forecast. In particular, a value obtained by multiplying the sales predicted from sales information alone by the average value of a predetermined percentage calculated from each of the multiple pieces of information may also be used as a future sales forecast.

[0141] Furthermore, sales forecasts may utilize a variety of information, not limited to the information mentioned above. For example, the forecast of deposits may use reservation platform information, sales information (payment information), point of sale (POS) information, attendance information (shift information), and account information. Reservation platform information indicates reservations made through the reservation platform. Sales information (payment information) is obtained from the payment server 50, as described in this embodiment. POS information is obtained from the store terminal device 60 if the store terminal device 60 has POS functionality. Attendance information (shift information) is obtained from the shift management system 70. Account information is obtained from, for example, the accounting system. The accounting system is configured as, for example, a cloud server and manages deposits and withdrawals to and from trading accounts. The accounting system includes an application for accounting management. The accounting system may also be an API (Application Programming Interface) provided by a financial institution such as a bank.

[0142] For forecasting expenditures, information such as rent information, salary information, purchase information, and POS information may be used. Rent information is information indicating the payment of rent for the store and is obtained from the user information server 30 or the rent management system that manages rent. Salary information is information indicating the wages paid to employees and is obtained from the shift management system 70. Purchase information is information indicating purchases to the store and is obtained from the purchase management system that manages purchases. POS information, which includes information indicating inventory management, is obtained from store terminal devices that have POS functionality.

[0143] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and design modifications and the like are also included within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, a computer program to implement the functions of each of the above-mentioned devices may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program recorded on this recording medium may be loaded into a computer system and executed. The term "computer system" here may include hardware such as an operating system and peripheral devices.

[0144] Furthermore, "computer-readable recording media" refers to writable non-volatile memory such as flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, ROMs, and flash memory, portable media such as DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs), and storage devices such as hard disks built into computer systems. Furthermore, "computer-readable recording media" also includes volatile memory (such as DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory)) within computer systems that act as servers or clients when programs are transmitted via networks such as the Internet or communication lines such as telephone lines, which retain programs for a certain period of time.

[0145] Furthermore, the above program may be transmitted from a computer system that stores the program in a memory device or the like to another computer system via a transmission medium or by transmission waves within the transmission medium. Here, the "transmission medium" used to transmit the program refers to a medium that has the function of transmitting information, such as a network (communication network) like the Internet or a communication line (communication line) like a telephone line. Furthermore, the above program may be intended to implement only a portion of the functions described above. It may also be a so-called differential file (differential program) that can implement the aforementioned functions in combination with programs already recorded in the computer system. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0146] 1...Funding System, 201...Reception Department, 202...Calculation Department

Claims

1. A reception department that accepts applications for funding from businesses operating as entities, A calculation unit that calculates the amount of funding based on both word-of-mouth information about the business entity obtained from a website or social networking service and sales information of the business entity, A funding system equipped with these features.

2. The calculation unit predicts the future sales of the business entity based on the content of the word-of-mouth information, and adjusts the amount of funding based on the prediction result. The funding system according to claim 1.

3. The calculation unit predicts the future sales of the business entity based on the length of the word-of-mouth text indicated by the word-of-mouth information, and adjusts the amount of funding based on the prediction result. The funding system according to claim 1.

4. The calculation unit notifies the business operator that an increase in the amount of funding can be expected if the amount of funding calculated based on both the word-of-mouth information and the sales information is greater than the amount of funding calculated based only on the sales information. The funding system according to claim 1.

5. On the computer, We accept applications for funding from businesses operating as entities, The amount of funding to be provided is calculated based on both word-of-mouth information about the said business entity obtained from a website or social networking service and sales information of the said business entity, A program to execute.

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