Automated Promotion Approval System Using Predefined Criteria
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for generating promotions require manual approval from city planners, which can delay negotiations with merchants and may not prioritize the quality of promotions, as sales representatives are incentivized to close deals rather than maximize promotion value.
Innovation Solution
An automated system that allows sales representatives to generate and approve promotion structures independently by using a structure database to analyze and score promotion options, determining if they meet predefined criteria for automatic approval, including price, value, margin, fine print, and expiration dates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual approval from city planners is required for promotion structures, then promotion quality can be controlled, but negotiation efficiency with merchants deteriorates due to delays
Solution Approach 1:
The approval process is segmented into two paths: automatic approval for promotions meeting predefined criteria, and manual review only for those that don't. This segmentation allows most negotiations to proceed efficiently without city planner intervention, while still maintaining quality control through the manual review path for exceptional cases.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary evaluation of promotion structures against predefined approval criteria before city planner review is needed. By pre-assessing promotions and identifying those that automatically qualify, the system eliminates unnecessary delays in the approval process while maintaining quality standards.
2Productivity
If sales representatives are incentivized to close deals, then negotiation speed improves, but promotion quality deteriorates as they may not maximize promotion value
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides automated feedback to sales representatives about whether their proposed promotion structures meet approval criteria. This immediate feedback loop allows representatives to adjust their proposals in real-time, ensuring quality standards are met while maintaining negotiation momentum and speed.
Solution Approach 2:
Sales representatives use the automated approval system to self-evaluate and self-correct their promotion proposals before submission. This self-service approach empowers representatives to maintain quality standards independently, reducing reliance on manual review while preserving negotiation efficiency.
3Productivity
If automated approval system is implemented, then negotiation efficiency improves, but complexity of the approval system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses predefined parameters and criteria for automatic approval, transforming the qualitative judgment process into a quantitative parameter-based evaluation. This parameterization simplifies the automation logic while maintaining approval quality, as the system only needs to check whether promotion structures meet specific parameter thresholds rather than performing complex qualitative assessments.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are disclosed to improve the process of generating promotions. The method includes identifying a promotion structure for approval, the promotion structure defining a promotion to be displayed via a promotion and marketing service and determining whether the promotion structure satisfies automatic approval requirements, the automatic approval requirements including one or more parameters relating to the promotion structure. The method further includes in an instance in which the promotion structure satisfies the automatic approval requirements, automatically approving the promotion structure for display via the promotion and marketing service, and in an instance in which the promotion structure does not satisfy the automatic approval requirements, indicating that the promotion structure cannot be automatically approved. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also provided.