Systems, methods, and programs for providing employee benefits services.

Abstract

To promote the appropriate use of welfare services by users belonging to organizations. [Solution] A service provision server 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention is connected to a group terminal 20 and a user terminal 30 via a communication network NW, and provides welfare services to users (employees of a company) using the user terminal 30, supporting employee welfare within the company. The service provision server 10 controls the purchase procedure of a product that involves the use of welfare points in a category based on setting information for the category associated with the product, thereby enabling the proper use of welfare points via the setting information.

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for providing welfare services to support welfare in an organization. <>

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, employees of a company have used privilege points with a defined usage period for welfare services provided within that usage period (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below). In such welfare services, typically, an employee can use points to select a desired menu from a number of predefined menus, and for example, purchase predefined goods (including services).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003] <>

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the conventional welfare services as described above, some menus that are popular among many employees may be intensively used, while such popular menus may not be in line with the company's personnel strategy. Therefore, it is desired to realize a mechanism that promotes appropriate use of welfare services by employees.

[0005] One object of an embodiment of the present invention is to promote appropriate use of welfare services by users belonging to an organization.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A system according to one embodiment of the present invention is a system for providing welfare services to support welfare in an organization, comprising one or more computer processors, wherein the one or more computer processors perform the following: a process for managing product information for each of a plurality of products, each associated with at least one of a plurality of categories; a process for managing setting information set for each of the plurality of categories; and a process for controlling the purchase procedure of a specific product by a user belonging to the organization, which involves the use of welfare points held by the user in the first category, based on the setting information for a first category associated with a specific product included in the plurality of products.

[0007] A method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a method for providing welfare services that support welfare in an organization, which is performed by one or more computers and comprises the steps of: managing product information for each of a plurality of products, each of which is associated with at least one of a plurality of categories; managing setting information set for each of the plurality of categories; and controlling the purchase procedure of a specific product by a user belonging to the organization, which involves the use of welfare points held by the user in the first category, based on the setting information for a first category associated with a specific product included in the plurality of products.

[0008] A program according to one embodiment of the present invention is a program for providing welfare services to support welfare in an organization, and causes one or more computers to execute: a process for managing product information for each of a plurality of products, each associated with at least one of a plurality of categories; a process for managing setting information set for each of the plurality of categories; and a process for controlling the purchase procedure of a specific product by a user belonging to the organization, which involves the use of welfare points held by the user in the first category, based on the setting information for a first category associated with a specific product included in the plurality of products. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] Various embodiments of the present invention promote the appropriate use of welfare services. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram showing the configuration of a network including a service provision server 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A diagram illustrating the information managed by user information table 1511. [Figure 3] A diagram illustrating the information managed by company information table 1512. [Figure 4] A diagram illustrating the information managed by product information table 1513. [Figure 5] A diagram illustrating the information managed by category setting information management table 1514. [Figure 6] A diagram illustrating shopping screen 50. [Figure 7] A diagram illustrating the details of the individual display area 561. [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates the details of the individual display area 561 when the corresponding product is a product from an external e-commerce site. [Figure 9] A diagram illustrating the purchase procedure screen 60. [Figure 10] A flowchart illustrating the processes that the service provider server 10 executes in response to the start of the product purchase procedure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or similar components may be denoted by the same reference numerals. Other objects of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent by referring to the entire specification.

[0012] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a network including a service provision server 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the service provision server 10 is connected to a group terminal 20 and a user terminal 30 via a communication network NW such as the Internet. In Figure 1, only one group terminal 20 and one user terminal 30 are shown, but the service provision server 10 is connected to multiple group terminals 20 and user terminals 30. The service provision server 10 provides welfare services to users using the user terminal 30, supporting welfare benefits within organizations such as companies. The group terminal 20 is used by administrators who manage welfare benefit systems (such as personnel in the management department of an organization), and the user terminal 30 is used by employees who receive welfare benefits. The service provision server 10 is also connected to an external system 200 that provides external services outside of the welfare benefit service. The service provision server 10 is an example of a device that implements all or part of the system of the present invention. In this embodiment, organizations include not only companies but also universities, local governments, and labor unions.

[0013] First, the hardware configuration of the service provision server 10 will be described. The service provision server 10 is configured as a general-purpose computer and, as shown in Figure 1, includes a computer processor 11, main memory 12, input / output interface 13, communication interface 14, and storage (memory device) 15. These components are electrically connected via buses and the like (not shown).

[0014] The computer processor 11 is composed of a CPU, GPU, FPGA, or a circuit including these, and reads various programs stored in storage 15, etc., into the main memory 12 and executes various instructions contained in the program. The main memory 12 is composed of, for example, DRAM.

[0015] The input / output I / F 13 includes various input / output devices for exchanging information with an operator or the like. The input / output I / F 13 includes, for example, information input devices such as a keyboard, a pointing device (e.g., a mouse, a touch panel, etc.), a voice input device such as a microphone, and an image input device such as a camera. Further, the input / output I / F 13 includes an image output device such as a display and a voice output device such as a speaker.

[0016] The communication I / F 14 is implemented as hardware such as a network adapter, various communication software, or a combination thereof, and is configured to enable wired or wireless communication via a communication network NW or the like.

[0017] The storage 15 is constituted by, for example, a magnetic disk or a flash memory. The storage 15 stores various programs including an operating system and various data. For example, the storage 15 has various tables 151 for managing various information for providing welfare services. Further, for example, the storage 15 stores a server-side program 40 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The program 40 is a program for causing the service-providing server 10 to function as all or part of a system for providing welfare services. At least a part of the server-side program 40 may be configured to be executed in the group terminal 20 or the user terminal 30 via a group terminal-side program 42 or a user terminal-side program 44 described later.

[0018] In the present embodiment, the service-providing server 10 can be configured using a plurality of computers each having the hardware configuration described above. For example, the service-providing server 10 can be constituted by one or a plurality of server devices.

[0019] The service provider server 10 configured in this way can be configured to function as both a web server and an application server. In this case, it performs various processes in response to requests from the group terminal program 42 installed on the group terminal 20 or the user terminal program 44 installed on the user terminal 30, and transmits screen data (e.g., HTML data) and control data, etc., corresponding to the results of the processing, to the group terminal 20 or the user terminal 30. The group terminal 20 or the user terminal 30 then outputs a web page or other screen based on the received data.

[0020] Next, the hardware configuration of the group terminal 20 will be described. The group terminal 20 is configured as a general-purpose computer and, as shown in Figure 1, includes a computer processor 21, main memory 22, input / output interface 23, communication interface 24, and storage (memory device) 25. These components are electrically connected via buses and the like (not shown).

[0021] The computer processor 21 is composed of a CPU, GPU, FPGA, or a circuit including these, and reads various programs stored in storage 25, etc., into the main memory 22 and executes various instructions contained in the programs. The main memory 22 is composed of, for example, DRAM.

[0022] The input / output interface 23 includes various input / output devices for exchanging information with the operator, etc. The input / output interface 23 includes, for example, information input devices such as keyboards and pointing devices (e.g., mice, touch panels, etc.), audio input devices such as microphones, and image input devices such as cameras. Furthermore, the input / output interface 23 includes image output devices such as displays and audio output devices such as speakers.

[0023] Communication I / F24 is implemented as hardware such as network adapters, various communication software, and combinations thereof, and is configured to enable wired or wireless communication via a communication network NW, etc.

[0024] The storage 25 is composed of, for example, a magnetic disk or flash memory. The storage 25 stores various programs, including the operating system, and various data. The programs stored in the storage 25 can be downloaded and installed from an application market or the like. The storage 25 also stores the group terminal-side program 42 described above. This program 42 is configured as a web browser or other application (for example, an application for a group of welfare services) and, as described above, can be configured to execute at least a part of the server-side program 40.

[0025] In this embodiment, the group terminal 20 may be configured as a smartphone, tablet terminal, wearable device, or personal computer, etc.

[0026] A person in charge of an organization operating the organization terminal 20 configured in this way can use the welfare services (organizational management functions) provided by the service provider server 10 by communicating with the service provider server 10 via the organization terminal-side program 42 installed on the storage 25, etc.

[0027] Next, the hardware configuration of the user terminal 30 will be described. The user terminal 30, like the group terminal 20 described above, is configured as a general-purpose computer, and as shown in Figure 1, it comprises a computer processor 31, main memory 32, input / output interface 33, communication interface 34, and storage (memory device) 35, with each of these components electrically connected via a bus or the like (not shown).

[0028] The storage 35 stores the user terminal-side program 44 described above. The program 44 is configured as a web browser or other application (for example, an application for users of welfare services), and as described above, it may be configured to execute at least a portion of the server-side program 40.

[0029] In this embodiment, the user terminal 30 may be configured as a smartphone, tablet device, wearable device, or personal computer, etc.

[0030] Users (such as company employees) operating the user terminal 30 configured in this way can utilize the welfare services provided by the service provider server 10 by communicating with the service provider server 10 via the user terminal-side program 44 installed on the storage 35, etc.

[0031] Next, the functions of the service provision server 10 configured in this way will be described. As shown in Figure 1, the computer processor 11 of the service provision server 10 is configured to function as a management function control unit 112 and a service provision control unit 114 by executing instructions contained in a program loaded into the main memory 12 (for example, at least a part of the server-side program 40).

[0032] The management function control unit 112 is configured to perform various processes related to the control of the management functions of welfare services. For example, the management function control unit 112 transmits screen data and control data for various screens related to management functions to the group terminal 20 or user terminal 30, performs various processes in response to user input via the screens output on the group terminal 20 or user terminal 30, and transmits screen data and control data corresponding to the results of those processes to the group terminal 20 or user terminal 30. The management functions controlled by the management function control unit 112 include, for example, login processing (user authentication) and management of various master information.

[0033] The service provision control unit 114 is configured to perform various processes to control the provision of welfare services. For example, the service provision control unit 114 transmits screen data and control data for various screens used to provide welfare services to the group terminal 20 or user terminal 30, performs various processes in response to user input via the screens output on the group terminal 20 or user terminal 30, and transmits screen data and control data corresponding to the results of those processes to the group terminal 20 or user terminal 30.

[0034] In this embodiment, the management function control unit 112 is configured to manage product information for each of a plurality of products. In this embodiment, each product includes a service and is associated with at least one of a plurality of categories. A category can also be defined as information such as attributes that classify a product, and may be defined as, for example, use and genre. Product information is managed in a specific table included in various tables 151, for example.

[0035] Furthermore, the management function control unit 112 is configured to manage the setting information set for each of the multiple categories. The setting information is managed, for example, in a specific table included in the various tables 151.

[0036] In this embodiment, the service provision control unit 114 is configured to control the user's purchase procedure for the product, which involves the use of the user's welfare points in the category associated with the product, based on setting information for the category associated with the product. Welfare points can also be described as virtual and electronic value for using welfare services. If the product is a rental or lease service for goods, the purchase procedure for the product can also be described as the procedure for purchasing the rental or lease service for goods.

[0037] Thus, the service provider server 10 in this embodiment controls the purchase procedure for the product, which involves the use of welfare points in that category, based on the setting information for the category associated with the product. This makes it possible to optimize the use of welfare points via the setting information. In other words, the service provider server 10 promotes the appropriate use of welfare services by employees.

[0038] In this embodiment, the setting information for categories may be set for each organization. That is, the setting information may be configured to be set for a combination of category and organization. In this case, the setting information may be registered and updated based on information entered by the organization's representative via a screen output on the organization terminal 20. Alternatively, the registration and updating of such setting information may be performed by the welfare service provider in response to a request from the organization. This configuration makes it possible to set the setting information for categories according to the characteristics of the organization (e.g., the company's human resources strategy).

[0039] For example, since the types of employee benefits offered vary from company to company in terms of HR strategy, a company that encourages remote work may want to include remote work-related products as products offered through its employee benefits service, while a company that encourages working in the office may not want to include such products. Also, some companies may prioritize skill development, while others may want to focus on childcare support. By allowing each organization to set its own category settings, it is possible to address these diverse employee benefit needs that differ from organization to organization.

[0040] In this embodiment, the setting information for categories may be set for each group that the organization has. Groups include, for example, departments and business offices. In other words, the setting information may be configured to be set for each combination of a category and each of the multiple groups that the organization has. In this case, when the service provision control unit 114 controls the purchase procedure for a product, it may be configured to control the purchase procedure for the product based on the setting information for the combination of the group to which the user belongs and the category associated with the product. This configuration makes it possible to set the setting information for categories according to the characteristics of the groups that the organization has, for example, by setting it so that departments related to overseas business have a greater incentive to use English conversation services.

[0041] In this embodiment, the service provision control unit 114 may be configured to determine whether or not a product can be purchased based on setting information for the category, product information for the product, and the usage status of the welfare points held by the user when controlling the product purchase procedure. The usage status of the welfare points held by the user is managed, for example, in a specific table included in various tables 151. For example, if the welfare points held by the user that can be used for the category of a product are insufficient to meet the quantity of welfare points required to purchase a particular product, it is determined that the product cannot be purchased. This configuration makes it possible to determine whether or not a product can be purchased based on setting information for the category, product information, and the usage status of welfare points.

[0042] In this embodiment, the setting information for a category includes various types of information that can be set for a category. For example, the setting information includes whether or not products associated with the category (related products) can be purchased. In this case, when the service provision control unit 114 controls the product purchase procedure, it may be configured to allow the purchase of products for which the category has been set to allow the purchase of related products, while not allowing the purchase of products for which the category has not been set to allow the purchase of related products. For example, the service provision control unit 114 may be configured to proceed with the purchase procedure of a purchasable product selected by the user from among a plurality of purchasable products, and these purchasable products include products for which the category has been set to allow the purchase of related products, but do not include products for which the category has not been set to allow the purchase of related products. For example, products that have been set to be purchasable based on the setting information for a category are displayed on the product selection screen for the user to select a product, while products that have not been set to be purchasable are not displayed on the product selection screen. Such a configuration makes it possible to control the purchaseability of products on a category-by-category basis.

[0043] Furthermore, the service provision control unit 114 may be configured to control the display of products based on category settings and the usage status of welfare points held by the user when controlling the product purchase procedure. For example, on the product selection screen for users to select products, products that can be purchased using only welfare points and products for which welfare points are insufficient are displayed in different ways (distinguishable) based on category settings and the usage status of welfare points. This configuration enables the display of products based on category settings and the usage status of welfare points.

[0044] Furthermore, for example, the setting information may include the value per unit quantity of welfare points. In this case, the service provision control unit 114 may be configured to proceed with the purchase procedure for the product, using the quantity of welfare points required for purchase, which is determined based on the value of the product (e.g., price) and the value per unit quantity of welfare points set for the category associated with the product. For example, for the first category, the value per welfare point is set to 1 yen, while for the second category, the value per welfare point is set to 3 yen. This configuration makes it possible to set the value per unit quantity of welfare points for each category.

[0045] Furthermore, for example, the configuration information includes the quantity of welfare points available to the user during a specific period. In this case, the service provision control unit 114 may be configured to control the user's purchase procedure involving the use of welfare points in a given category, so as to stay within the range of the quantity of welfare points available to the user during a specific period set for that category. For example, the quantity of welfare points available per year for the first category may be set to 1000 points, while the quantity of welfare points available per year for the second category may be set to 2000 points. This configuration makes it possible to set the quantity of welfare points available to the user during a specific period for each category.

[0046] Furthermore, category-specific welfare points (welfare points usable only for products in the corresponding category) may be awarded to the user. In other words, the service provision control unit 114 may be configured to award a quantity of category-specific welfare points to the user that can be used by the user during a specific period, manage the quantity of category-specific welfare points held, and, when controlling the purchase procedure, control the purchase procedure for the product that involves the use of welfare points of a category associated with the product so that it is within the range of the quantity of welfare points held for that category. The user may also be able to pay for any shortfall in welfare points with other payment methods (such as a credit card). The specific period can also be called the validity period of the welfare points, and the welfare points are awarded to the user, for example, at the start of that period. This configuration enables the awarding of category-specific welfare points and the management of their quantity.

[0047] In this embodiment, the goods may include a first type of goods provided to the user by a welfare service provider through the welfare service, and a second type of goods provided to the user by a provider of an external service provided by an external system 200 through the external service. The external service may include, for example, an e-commerce service, and can also be said to be a service connected to the welfare service. In this case, when the service provision control unit 114 controls the purchase procedure for a product, if the product is of the second type, it may be configured to transmit purchase procedure information regarding the purchase procedure for that product to the external service (external system 200). The purchase procedure information may include, for example, information identifying the product to be purchased, the quantity to be purchased, and product delivery information (e.g., delivery address and delivery date and time). This configuration makes it possible to expand the types of goods that can be purchased using welfare points.

[0048] In this case, at least a portion of the product information for the second type of product may be obtained from an external service. For example, the management function control unit 112 periodically obtains at least a portion of the product information (e.g., inventory information) from the external system 200 that provides the external service. This configuration makes it possible to update product information in cooperation with an external service.

[0049] In this embodiment, multiple categories may be associated with a product, and in this case, the product purchase procedure may be controlled based on some or all of the multiple setting information set for the multiple categories. For example, when the service provision control unit 114 controls the product purchase procedure, if a first category and a second category are associated with the product, it may be configured to control the product purchase procedure involving the use of welfare points in the first category and / or the second category, based on the setting information for the first category and / or the setting information for the second category. Such a configuration makes it possible to handle the purchase of products associated with multiple categories.

[0050] In this case, the amount of welfare points to be used may be set for each of the multiple categories set for the product. For example, the service provision control unit 114 may be configured to set the amount of welfare points to be used in the first category and the amount to be used in the second category according to predetermined rules when controlling the purchase procedure for a product associated with a first category and a second category. For example, the amount of welfare points to be used in each category may be set automatically (for example, use in the first category takes precedence) or set manually by the user. This configuration makes it possible to set the amount of welfare points to be used in each category when purchasing a product associated with multiple categories.

[0051] Next, a specific example of one aspect of the service provision server 10 of this embodiment having such functions will be described. In this example, the welfare service is provided to users who are employees belonging to a company.

[0052] First, in this example, we will explain the information managed by each table included in the various tables 151. Figure 2 illustrates the information managed by the user information table 1511 in this example. In this example, the user information table 1511 manages information about company employees as users of welfare services, and as shown in the figure, it manages information such as a "User ID" that identifies an individual user, a "Company ID" that identifies the company to which the user belongs, an "Employee ID" that identifies the user as an employee within that company, "Basic Information" including name, department, address, contact information, etc., "Number of Welfare Points for Category 1" which is the number of welfare points for Category 1 that the user has to purchase products in Category 1, "Number of Welfare Points for Category 2" which is the number of welfare points for Category 2 that the user has, "Number of Welfare Points for Category 3" which is the number of welfare points for Category 3 that the user has, and "Card Information" which is information about credit cards.

[0053] In this example, a company awards employees welfare points categorized by type. In this example, the categories used to classify products indicate their intended use, and specifically, three categories are pre-defined: Category 1, corresponding to "Learning"; Category 2, corresponding to "Health"; and Category 3, corresponding to "Other." Note that the number and types of these categories are illustrative examples, and various other categories may be set in other examples of this embodiment. For example, as categories indicating the target products for welfare services such as learning and health mentioned above, various categories such as childbirth and childcare, babysitting and housekeeping services, and various tests (genetic testing, etc.) can be set. Furthermore, product attributes such as whether they are purchased or rented, whether they are subject to reimbursement or not, and whether they are taxable or tax-exempt may also be set as categories.

[0054] Figure 3 illustrates the information managed by the company information table 1512 in this example. In this example, the company information table 1512 manages information about companies and, as shown in the figure, manages information such as "basic information" including company name, address, and contact information, and "point grant timing" indicating the timing (month and day) when welfare points are granted, associated with a "company ID" that identifies individual companies. In this example, the validity period of welfare points is one year, but in other examples of this embodiment, various other periods may be set as the validity period.

[0055] Figure 4 illustrates the information managed by the product information table 1513 in this example. In this example, the product information table 1513 manages information about products that are purchased by users of the welfare service. As shown in the figure, it manages information such as "basic information" including the product name and description, "price", "stock information", "category ID" that identifies the associated category, "external e-commerce site ID" that identifies the e-commerce site if the product is delivered by an external e-commerce site, and "external e-commerce site product ID" that identifies the product on the e-commerce site if the product is delivered by an external e-commerce site. In this way, the product information table 1513 manages product information for products delivered by the welfare service provider (first type of product) and products delivered by the provider of an external e-commerce site (second type of product). The stock information for products on the external e-commerce site is updated periodically based on information obtained from the corresponding external system 200.

[0056] Figure 5 illustrates the information managed by the category setting information management table 1514 in this example. In this example, the category setting information management table 1514 manages the setting information set for each category and, as shown in the figure, associates it with a combination of a "company ID" that identifies an individual company and a "category ID" that identifies an individual category. It manages information such as "purchase availability" indicating whether products in this category can be purchased, "number of points awarded" which is the number of points awarded at the time welfare points are awarded, and "point exchange rate" which indicates the exchange rate of welfare points (currency (Japanese yen) value per point). Thus, in this example, the setting information for each category is set for each company and category combination (for each company). This information is registered by a company representative, and specifically, it is registered based on information entered via the screen output on the group terminal 20.

[0057] In this example, at the time when employee benefits points are awarded, as set by each company, a quantity of employee benefits points categorized by type, also set by each company, is awarded to the user as an employee of that company. At the same time, employee benefits points awarded in the previous year expire. In conjunction with the awarding and expiration of employee benefits points, the number of employee benefits points held for the corresponding user in categories 1 to 3 is updated in the user information table 1511.

[0058] The above explains the information managed by each table in this example. Next, we will explain the processes executed by the service provider server 10 and the screens displayed on the user terminal 30 in this example.

[0059] Figure 6 illustrates a shopping screen 50 displayed on a user terminal 30. For example, when a user logs in to a welfare service provided by a service server 10 and selects a menu item to purchase a product, this screen 50 is displayed. As shown in the figure, the shopping screen 50 includes a cart button 52 for checking the contents of a virtual shopping cart, a category selection area 54 for selecting a category of product to display, and a list display area 56 for displaying a list of products.

[0060] The category selection area 54 displays the text "All," "Learning," "Health," and "Other." When "All" is selected in area 54, all products are displayed. When "Learning" is selected in area 54, products associated with the first category are displayed; when "Health" is selected, products associated with the second category are displayed; and when "Other" is selected, products associated with the third category are displayed.

[0061] In this example, in the category selection area 54, text corresponding to categories for which the user's company has set the purchase of products as unavailable (determined by referring to the purchase availability status in the category setting information management table 1514) is disabled (may be hidden), and the user cannot select it.

[0062] The list display area 56 has multiple individual display areas 561, each corresponding to an individual product, arranged in two columns vertically. The displayed individual display areas 561 can be switched by flicking or sliding up or down. In the list display area 56, products in categories that are set as unavailable for purchase by the user's company are excluded from display (not shown), even if "All" is selected in the category selection area 54.

[0063] Figure 7 illustrates the details of the individual display area 561. As shown in the figure, the individual display area 561 displays information such as an image, product name, description, inventory information, and the number of welfare points required for purchase of the corresponding product, and has an exchange rate object 562 that displays information about the point exchange rate set for the category associated with the product (managed in the category setting information management table 1514). The object 562 displays the point exchange rate as a multiplier to the base rate of "1 point = 1 yen". For example, if the point exchange rate set for the corresponding category is "1 point = 3 yen", the exchange rate object 562 will display "Point conversion 3 times". If the point exchange rate is not the base rate, the individual display area 561 will also display the number of welfare points that would be awarded if the base rate were applied (8980 points in the example in Figure 7), in addition to the number of welfare points that would be awarded if the actual point exchange rate were applied (4490 points in the example in Figure 7). The number of employee benefit points required for purchase is calculated based on the product price (managed in product information table 1513) and the point exchange rate set for the category associated with that product.

[0064] Figure 8 illustrates the details of the individual display area 561 when the corresponding product is a product from an external e-commerce site. In this case, as shown in the figure, an external e-commerce site object 563 is placed to display the name of the corresponding external e-commerce site. Through this object 563, the user can learn that the corresponding product is a product delivered by a specific external e-commerce site.

[0065] When the individual display area 561 is selected, a screen displaying detailed information about the corresponding product is displayed, and the user can add the corresponding product to a virtual shopping cart through this screen.

[0066] Figure 9 illustrates a purchase procedure screen 60 that is displayed in response to the selection of the cart button 52 on the shopping screen 50. This screen 60 is for proceeding with the purchase of items in the shopping cart, and as shown in the figure, it has a product information display area 61 that displays information about the items in the cart, a shipping address setting area 62, a shipping date and time setting area 63, a payment method setting area 64, and an order confirmation button 66. The information displayed in the product information display area 61 includes the quantity of the items to be purchased.

[0067] The shipping destination setting area 62 is an area for setting the shipping destination for a product and has a change button 621. The user's address (managed in the user information table 1511) is initially set as the shipping destination. When the change button 621 is selected, a screen (not shown) for changing the shipping destination is displayed, and the user can change the shipping destination for the product through this screen.

[0068] The delivery date and time setting area 63 is an area for setting the delivery date and time of a product, and has a change button 631. The earliest available delivery date and time at that time is initially set for the delivery date and time. When the change button 631 is selected, a screen (not shown) for changing the delivery date and time is displayed, and the user can change the delivery date and time of the product through this screen.

[0069] The payment method setting area 64 is an area for setting the payment method for the goods and has a change button 641. When the change button 641 is selected, a screen (not shown) for changing the payment method is displayed, and the user can change the payment method for the goods through this screen.

[0070] In this example, users can choose from three payment methods for the product: "Employee Benefits Points Only," "Credit Card Only," or "Employee Benefits Points and Credit Card." If "Employee Benefits Points and Credit Card" is selected, the number of employee benefit points to be used is set by the user, and the remaining amount of the product price is set as the payment amount by credit card.

[0071] When the order confirmation button 66 is selected, the product purchase procedure begins. Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating the processes that the service provider server 10 executes in response to the selection of the order confirmation button 66 (i.e., the start of the product purchase procedure). First, the service provider server 10 executes the payment process as shown in the figure (step S100).

[0072] During payment processing, for payments made using employee benefits points, the category-specific employee benefits points corresponding to the product category are used. Specifically, in the user information table 1511, the number of employee benefits points held for the first category, the number of employee benefits points held for the second category, and the number of employee benefits points held for the third category are updated to reflect the number of employee benefits points corresponding to the category of the purchased product. If there are multiple products in the shopping cart that belong to different categories, the category-specific employee benefits points corresponding to each product's category are used.

[0073] Furthermore, for payments made by credit card, the payment processing is carried out via credit card, specifically by sending an authorization request to the system of the corresponding credit card company.

[0074] Next, the service provider server 10 performs the delivery process for regular products that are not products from external e-commerce sites (step S110). In the delivery process for regular products, delivery of the products is arranged according to the delivery address and delivery date and time specified by the user. If the items in the shopping cart consist only of products from external e-commerce sites and do not include regular products, the delivery process in step S110 is skipped.

[0075] Next, the service provider server 10 transmits purchase procedure information for products on an external e-commerce site (step S120). Specifically, the purchase procedure information includes product information (product ID on the external e-commerce site and quantity to be purchased), delivery address, and delivery date and time, which are transmitted to the external system 200 that provides the corresponding external e-commerce site (identified by referring to the external e-commerce site ID in the product information table 1513). Upon receiving the purchase procedure information, the external e-commerce site processes the purchase of the product with the welfare service provider as the purchaser, and the delivery information for the product is set to the delivery address and delivery date and time specified by the user. The price of the product is paid to the external e-commerce site by advance payment from the welfare service provider.

[0076] In this example, a user who is an employee of a company can purchase various products using employee benefit points on the employee benefit service provided by the service server 10. This reduces the burden on the user compared to, for example, a case where an employee pays for employee benefit expenses upfront and is reimbursed later. The amount equivalent to the amount used by the user with employee benefit points is paid to the employee benefit service provider by the company to which the user belongs. The amount equivalent to the amount used by the user with a credit card is paid to the employee benefit service provider (as a merchant) by the credit card company.

[0077] In the example above, one category was assigned to each product, but it is also possible to assign two or more categories to a single product. For example, if a product has both a first category and a second category, the user may be able to purchase the product using both the welfare points for the first category and the welfare points for the second category. In this case, the number of welfare points used for each category is set according to predetermined rules, for example, automatically set to a predetermined ratio, or set individually by the user.

[0078] In the example above, users can choose from "employee benefit points only," "credit card only," or "employee benefit points and credit card" as payment methods for goods. However, each company may set whether or not to allow payment methods other than employee benefit points, such as credit cards. Also, if the payment method is employee benefit points only, the list display area 56 of the shopping screen 50 may exclude products in categories for which the user does not possess employee benefit points, and / or products that cannot be purchased with the number of employee benefit points the user possesses (products for which employee benefit points are insufficient). Furthermore, only for products from external e-commerce sites, payment by credit card for the price of the product (even if it is the amount for which employee benefit points are insufficient) may be allowed, and the credit card payment processing may be handled by the external e-commerce site. In this case, as part of the product purchase procedure information, the payment amount (the price of the product, or the amount after deducting the amount of employee benefit points used from that price) is transmitted to the external system 200 that provides the external e-commerce site.

[0079] In the example described above, products that can be purchased using only the employee benefits points held by the user and products for which the employee benefits points are insufficient (products requiring personal payment via credit card) may be displayed in a way that allows for distinction. For example, in the list display area 56 of the shopping screen 50, the individual display area 561 displays products that can be purchased using only employee benefits points in the first manner, while products for which the employee benefits points are insufficient are displayed in the second manner (for example, by placing an object indicating that the employee benefits points are insufficient). Also, for example, in the payment method setting area 64 of the purchase procedure screen 60, the price of the product being purchased is displayed in the first manner (for example, the first color) if it can be paid for using only employee benefits points, while the price of the product cannot be paid for using only employee benefits points is displayed in the second manner (for example, the second color). Whether or not a product can be purchased using only employee benefits points is determined based on a comparison between the number of employee benefits points required to purchase the product and the number of employee benefits points held for the category associated with the product.

[0080] In the example above, an e-commerce site was used as an example of an external service providing goods, but various other services such as English conversation services and coaching services can also be applied as external services.

[0081] In the example above, the number of employee benefit points held per category is managed, but the employee benefit points themselves could be common across categories, and an annual usage limit could be set for each category.

[0082] In the example described above, the setting information for each category is set for the company and the combination of categories. However, in other examples of this embodiment, the setting information for each category may be set for each group (departments and offices, etc.) that the company has and the combination of categories. In this case, the user information table 1511 manages the groups to which each user belongs.

[0083] As described above, the service provision server 10 according to this embodiment controls the purchase procedure for the product, which involves the use of welfare points in that category, based on the setting information for the category associated with the product. This makes it possible to optimize the use of welfare points via the setting information. In other words, the service provision server 10 promotes the appropriate use of welfare services by users belonging to an organization.

[0084] In other embodiments of the present invention, some or all of the functions of the service provision server 10 in the above-described embodiments are implemented by the service provision server 10 and the group terminal 20 or user terminal 30, or can be implemented by the group terminal 20 or user terminal 30.

[0085] The processes and procedures described herein can be implemented by software, hardware, or any combination thereof, in addition to those explicitly described herein. For example, the processes and procedures described herein can be implemented by implementing the logic corresponding to those processes and procedures on a medium such as an integrated circuit, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, or magnetic disk. Furthermore, the processes and procedures described herein can be implemented as computer programs corresponding to those processes and procedures and executed by various types of computers.

[0086] Even if a process or procedure described herein is described as being performed by a single device, software, component, or module, such process or procedure may be performed by multiple devices, multiple software programs, multiple components, and / or multiple modules. Furthermore, the software and hardware elements described herein can also be realized by integrating them into fewer components or by decomposing them into more components. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0087] 10 Service Provider Servers 11 Computer Processors 112 Management Function Control Unit 114 Service Provision Control Unit 15 Storage 1511 User Information Table 1512 Company Information Table 1513 Product Information Table 1514 Category Setting Information Management Table 20 Group Terminals 30 User terminals 40 Server-side programs 42. Group Terminal Program 44 User terminal-side programs 50 Top screen 60 Shopping screen

Claims

1. A system comprising one or more computer processors for providing welfare services to support the welfare of an organization, wherein the one or more computer processors are: A process for managing product information for each of multiple products, each of which is associated with at least one of multiple categories, A process for managing the configuration information set for each of the aforementioned multiple categories, Based on the setting information for a first category associated with a specific product included in the plurality of products, the system performs a process to control the purchase procedure of the specific product by the user, which involves the use of welfare points held by the user belonging to the organization in the first category. system.

2. The aforementioned setting information is set for the combination of the category and the organization. The system according to claim 1.

3. The one or more computer processors further execute processes to manage the usage status of the welfare points held by the user. The process for controlling the purchase procedure includes determining whether or not the specific product can be purchased based on the setting information for the first category, the product information for the specific product, and the usage status of the welfare points held by the user. The system according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned setting information includes whether or not related products associated with the category can be purchased, The process for controlling the purchase procedure includes enabling the purchase of the specific product when it is set that the purchase of the related products is possible for the first category, and not enabling the purchase of the specific product when it is not set that the purchase of the related products is possible for the first category. The system according to claim 1.

5. The process for controlling the purchase procedure includes proceeding with the purchase procedure for the purchasable product selected by the user from among the multiple purchasable products included in the multiple products, The aforementioned multiple purchasable products include the specified product when the purchase of the related product is set to be possible for the first category, but do not include the specified product when the purchase of the related product is not set to be possible for the first category. The system according to claim 4.

6. The one or more computer processors further execute processes to manage the usage status of the welfare points held by the user. The process for controlling the purchase procedure includes controlling the display of the specific product based on the setting information for the first category and the usage status of the welfare points held by the user. The system according to claim 1.

7. The aforementioned configuration information is set for each of the multiple groups owned by the organization and the aforementioned category. The process for controlling the purchase procedure includes controlling the purchase procedure for the specific product based on the setting information for the combination of the first group to which the user belongs and the first category. The system according to claim 1.

8. The aforementioned setting information includes the value per unit quantity of the welfare points, The process for controlling the purchase procedure includes proceeding with the purchase procedure for the specified product, accompanied by the use of a quantity of the welfare points in the first category based on the value of the specified product and the value per unit quantity of the welfare points set for the first category. The system according to claim 1.

9. The aforementioned setting information includes the quantity of the aforementioned welfare points that the user can use during a specific period. The process for controlling the purchase procedure controls the purchase procedure of the specified product by the user, which involves the use of welfare points in the first category, so as to be within the range of the quantity of welfare points available to the user during the specific period set for the first category. The system according to claim 1.

10. The one or more computer processors further perform the following: grant the user a quantity of the category-specific welfare points available to the user during the specified period; and manage the quantity of the category-specific welfare points held by the user. The process for controlling the purchase procedure controls the purchase procedure of the specific product by the user, which involves the use of the welfare points in the first category, so as to be within the range of the quantity of welfare points held in the first category. The system according to claim 9.

11. The aforementioned plurality of products include a first type of product provided to the user through the welfare service and a second type of product provided to the user through an external service. The system according to claim 1.

12. The process for managing the product information includes obtaining at least a portion of the product information relating to the second type of product from the external service. The system according to claim 11.

13. The process for controlling the purchase procedure includes, if the specified product is of the second type of product, transmitting purchase procedure information relating to the purchase procedure of the specified product to the external service. The system according to claim 11.

14. The process for controlling the purchase procedure controls the purchase procedure of the specified product by the user involving the use of welfare points in the first category and / or the use of welfare points in the second category, based on the setting information for the first category and / or the setting information for the second category, when the specified product is associated with a second category in addition to the first category. The system according to claim 1.

15. The process for controlling the purchase procedure includes setting the quantity of welfare points to be used in the first category and the quantity to be used in the second category, according to predetermined rules. The system according to claim 14.

16. A method for providing welfare services that support welfare within an organization, which is performed by one or more computers, A process for managing product information for each of multiple products, each of which is associated with at least one of multiple categories, A step of managing the setting information set for each of the aforementioned multiple categories, The process includes controlling the purchase procedure of the specified product by the user, which involves the use of welfare points held by the user belonging to the organization in the first category, based on the setting information for the first category associated with a specified product included in the plurality of products. method.

17. A program for providing welfare services to support employee welfare within an organization, which is configured on one or more computers. A process for managing product information for each of multiple products, each of which is associated with at least one of multiple categories, A process for managing the configuration information set for each of the aforementioned multiple categories, Based on the setting information for a first category associated with a specific product included in the plurality of products, the system executes a process that controls the purchase procedure of the specific product by the user belonging to the organization, which involves the use of welfare points held by the user in the first category. program.

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