Abstract:
Systems and methods for identifying a customer include storing account information, the account information including one or more associated phone numbers and an account number, the account number having a last 4-digit portion, receiving a phone number, comparing the phone number to the account information of various account holders to determine whether the phone number matches an associated phone number, prompting the user to input 4 digits if there is a match, and comparing the received 4 digits to the respective 4-digit portion to identify the customer.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/778,805, filed on Mar. 13, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for providing predictive customer experience. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0003]    Currently, it is difficult to easily identify customers that do not provide their account number when communicating with a provider. For example, without a 16-digit credit card account number, it is difficult to easily identify a credit card account customer over the phone and/or using an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) unit. If an account number is not provided, there is a significant risk that the customer will be routed to the incorrect department. These and other drawbacks exist. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0004]    Systems and methods for identifying a customer include storing account information, the account information including one or more associated phone numbers and an account number, the account number having a last 4-digit portion, receiving a phone number, comparing the phone number to the account information of various account holders to determine whether the phone number matches an associated phone number, prompting the user to input 4 digits if there is a match, and comparing the received 4 digits to the respective 4-digit portion to identify the customer. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    Various embodiments of the present disclosure, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in the several Figures of which like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary system for providing a predictive customer experience, according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  depicts a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method for abbreviated identification according to an embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  depicts a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method for abbreviated identification according to an embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  depicts a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method for abbreviated identification according to an embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5A  depicts a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method for fraud routing according to an embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5B  depicts a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method for fraud routing according to an embodiment of the disclosure; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  depicts a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method for high value service routing according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0013]    The following description is intended to convey a thorough understanding of the embodiments described by providing a number of specific exemplary embodiments and details involving systems and methods for providing a predictive customer experience. It should be appreciated, however, that the present disclosure is not limited to these specific embodiments and details, which are exemplary only. It is further understood that one possessing ordinary skill in the art, in light of known systems and methods, would appreciate the use of the invention for its intended purposes and benefits in any number of alternative embodiments, depending on specific design and other needs. A financial institution and system supporting a financial institution are used as examples for the disclosure. The disclosure is not intended to be limited to financial institutions only. 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  depicts an exemplary embodiment of a system  100  for providing a predictive customer experience, according to various embodiments of the disclosure. As referred to herein, by way of example, a predictive customer experience may refer to an experience where a customer&#39;s request is routed to a customer service agent that is most likely to assist the customer based on the customer&#39;s account status. For example, a customer may communicate with a service provider, such as a financial institution, via a phone channel, online and/or mobile channel or in person. A predictive customer experience would ensure that the customer in that channel is routed to the customer service most likely to respond to the customer&#39;s needs. Where a customer&#39;s account number is long or otherwise difficult to remember, the customer may not be easily identifiable. As described herein, the predictive customer experience may use abbreviated identification to more easily identify that customer and appropriately route that customer. 
         [0015]    A predictive customer experience may also attempt to identify high value service customers and route those customers to customer services specifically targeted for high value service clients. For example, a high value service customer may be multi-product and/or high spend customers. Accordingly, where the customer is a financial institution customer, a high value service customer may be a customer with a credit card, bank account, retirement account, and/or other financial services accounts and/or a customer who meets certain spending thresholds (e.g., $1000/month on a credit card). In exemplary embodiments, a high value service customer may attempt to abort an IVR system, for example, and fail to identify themselves. The predictive customer experience would attempt to identify the high value service customer and route them to the high value service agents instead of the core customer service center. 
         [0016]    A predictive customer experience may also attempt to identify customers using fraud case data to determine whether a customer has an open fraud case and route that customer to a fraud queue. Fraud cases may refer to cases relating to fraudulent transactions, identity fraud/theft and/or fraudulent payments. The predictive customer experience could use the fraud case data to determine the particular type of fraud case and route the customer to the correct customer service agent. 
         [0017]    System  100  may include various network-enabled computer systems, including, as depicted in  FIG. 1  for example, a financial institution  101  and a user device  107 . Financial Institution  101  may include account database  102  which may store account information, account processor  103 , interactive voice response unit (IVR)  104 , web services  105  which may include online and mobile web services, and agent desktop services  106 . 
         [0018]    As referred to herein, a network-enabled computer system and/or device may include, but is not limited to: e.g., any computer device, or communications device including, e.g., a server, a network appliance, a personal computer (PC), a workstation, a mobile device, a phone, a handheld PC, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a thin client, a fat client, an Internet browser, or other device. The network-enabled computer systems may execute one or more software applications to, for example, receive data as input from an entity accessing the network-enabled computer system, process received data, transmit data over a network, and receive data over a network. The one or more network-enabled computer systems may also include one or more software applications to enable the creation and provisioning of an account holder&#39;s mobile budget application. 
         [0019]    The components depicted in  FIG. 1  may store information, including account information, in various electronic storage media, such as, for example, account database  102 . Electronic information, files, and documents may be stored in various ways, including, for example, a flat file, indexed file, hierarchical database, relational database, such as a product database created and maintained with software from, for example, Oracle® Corporation, Microsoft® Excel file, Microsoft® Access file, or any other storage mechanism. 
         [0020]    The components depicted in  FIG. 1  may be coupled via one or more networks, such as, for example, network  108 . Network  108  may be one or more of a wireless network, a wired network or any combination of wireless network and wired network. For example, network  108  may include one or more of a fiber optics network, a passive optical network, a cable network, an Internet network, a satellite network, a wireless LAN, a Global System for Mobile Communication (“GSM”), a Personal Communication Service (“PCS”), a Personal Area Network (“PAN”), D-AMPS, Wi-Fi, Fixed Wireless Data, IEEE 802.11b, 802.15.1, 802.11n and 802.11g or any other wired or wireless network for transmitting and receiving a data signal. 
         [0021]    In addition, network  108  may include, without limitation, telephone lines, fiber optics, IEEE Ethernet 902.3, a wide area network (“WAN”), a local area network (“LAN”), or a global network such as the Internet. Also network  108  may support an Internet network, a wireless communication network, a cellular network, or the like, or any combination thereof. Network  108  may further include one network, or any number of the exemplary types of networks mentioned above, operating as a stand-alone network or in cooperation with each other. Network  108  may utilize one or more protocols of one or more network elements to which they are communicatively coupled. Network  108  may translate to or from other protocols to one or more protocols of network devices. Although network  108  is depicted as a single network, it should be appreciated that according to one or more embodiments, network  108  may comprise a plurality of interconnected networks, such as, for example, the Internet, a service provider&#39;s network, a cable television network, corporate networks, and home networks. 
         [0022]    In various exemplary embodiments, an account holder may be associated with a user device  107 . An account holder may be any individual or entity that desires to conduct a financial transaction, including receiving customer service, relating to one or more accounts held at one or more financial institutions. Also, an account holder may be a computer system associated with or operated by such an individual or entity. An account may include any place, location, object, entity, or other mechanism for holding money or performing transactions in any form, including, without limitation, electronic form. An account may be, for example, a credit card account, a prepaid card account, stored value card account, debit card account, check card account, payroll card account, gift card account, prepaid credit card account, charge card account, checking account, rewards account, line of credit account, credit account, mobile device account, an account or service that links to an underlying payment account already described, or mobile commerce account. A financial institution may be, for example, a bank, other type of financial institution, including a credit card provider, for example, or any other entity that offers accounts to customers. An account may or may not have an associated card, such as, for example, a credit card for a credit account or a debit card for a debit account. The account may enable payment using biometric authentication, or contactless based forms of authentication, such as QR codes or near-field communications. The account card may be associated or affiliated with one or more social networking sites, such as a co-branded credit card. Although the example described herein relates to a financial institution, the inventive concepts herein may be applied to other customer service providers that receive customer service requests via phone, online, mobile, and agent channels, for example. 
         [0023]    As used herein, the term mobile device may be, for example, a handheld PC, a phone, a smartphone, a PDA, a tablet computer, or other device. The mobile device may include Near Field Communication (NFC) capabilities, which may allow for communication with other devices by touching them together or bringing them into close proximity. Exemplary NFC standards include ISO/IEC 18092:2004, which defines communication modes for Near Field Communication Interface and Protocol (NFCIP-1). For example, a mobile device may be configured using the Isis Mobile Wallet™ system, which is incorporated herein by reference. Other exemplary NFC standards include those created by the NFC Forum. 
         [0024]    As described in reference to  FIG. 1 , financial institution  101  may provide an account holder with one or more financial accounts. The financial account may be associated with the account holder&#39;s one or more mobile devices. The mobile device may be configured to act as a method of payment at a POS location (not shown) using, for example, NFC or any other mobile payment technology. When an account holder uses his mobile device at a POS location to perform a financial transaction, the financial transaction may be charged to the mobile payment account. For example, the account holder may use the device in lieu of a credit card to make a purchase merchant. The purchase would then be charged to the mobile payment account associated with the account holder device  107 . The mobile payment account may be stored in a mobile payment account database at financial institution  101 . The account may be a traditional credit card account where the account holder uses a credit card, rewards card, debit card, or similar method of payment to purchase goods and services from one or more merchants  107 . 
         [0025]    As described in reference to  FIG. 1 , account processor  103  may be configured to receive and process requests on behalf of the financial institution from the account holder&#39;s mobile device via network  108  and/or from the IVR  104 , web services  105  and agent desktop services  106 , for example. 
         [0026]    Account database  102  may store account information. Although depicted herein as a singular database, account database may include one or more databases. Account information may include, for example, personal information relating to a customer, such as a name, address, age, social security number and/or the like. Account information also may include a phone number associated with the account holder, an account number and other unique identifiers that may identify the account holder. For example, an account number may be a 16-digit credit card account number. Account information may also include information that may identify an account holder as a high value service customer. Account information also may include fraud case data which may describe any open fraud cases (e.g., fraudulent transactions, identity theft, and fraudulent payments and/or the like) associated with an account holder. 
         [0027]    IVR  104  may include computer systems that allow customers to interact with a financial institution&#39;s host system via a telephone keypad or by speech recognition, after which the customer can service inquiries by following the IVR dialogue. IVR systems can respond with prerecorded or dynamically generated audio to further direct users on how to proceed. IVR applications can be used to control almost any function where the interface can be broken down into a series of simple interactions. A call center associated with financial institution  101  may use IVR system  104  to identify and segment callers. The ability to identify customers allows financial institution services, for example, to be tailored according to a customer profile. The caller can be given the option to wait in the queue, choose an automated service, or request a callback, for example. The IVR system may obtain caller line identification (CLI) data from the network to help identify or authenticate the caller. Caller line identification may refer to a telephone service, available in analog and digital phone systems, including voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) applications, that transmits a caller&#39;s number to the called party&#39;s telephone equipment, such as IVR  104 , during the ringing signal, or when the call is being set up but before the call is answered. Where available, caller ID can also provide a name associated with the calling telephone number. The information made available to the called party may be displayed on a telephone&#39;s display, on a separately attached device, or be processed by an attached computer with appropriate interface hardware (e.g., IVR  104 ). Similarly, IVR  104  may utilize automatic number identification (ANI). ANI may refer to a feature of telephony intelligent network services that permits subscribers to display or capture the billing telephone number of a calling party. In the United States it is part of Inward Wide Area Telephone Service (WATS). 
         [0028]    Web services  105  may refer to web-related services offered by financial institution  101 , including, without limitation, online account servicing and mobile account servicing. By way of example, web services  105  may include the hardware and software for provision of a web site on behalf of financial institution  101  and/or the hardware and software for provision of a mobile application on behalf of financial institution  101 . Where web services are used to provide a predictive customer experience, a MAC address associated with a user device  107 , for example, may be used to identify a user in lieu of caller line information (as described below). 
         [0029]    Agent desktop services  106  may refer to services offered by a financial institution agent using a desktop. By way of example, agent desktop services  106  may include the hardware and software for provision of an agent desktop that may allow an agent to provide customer service to a customer. Agent desktops may be deployed in, for example, financial institution branches and/or call centers. 
         [0030]      FIG. 2  depicts a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method for abbreviated identification according to an embodiment of the disclosure. This exemplary method is provided by way of example. The method  200  shown in  FIG. 2  can be executed or otherwise performed by one or more combinations of various systems. The method  200  as described below may be carried out by the system for providing a predictive customer experience as shown in  FIG. 1 , by way of example, and various elements of that system are referenced in explaining the method of  FIG. 2 . Each block shown in  FIG. 2  represents one or more processes, methods, or subroutines in the exemplary method  200 . 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , abbreviated identification may utilize the customer&#39;s automatic number identification (ANI), CLI or other telephone number identification information in conjunction with a database of account/phone number relationships to identify a caller that is believed to be calling so that the financial institution can identify the user using the last 4 digits of the user&#39;s account number. In other words, a financial institution can provide a predictive customer experience based on the combination of the customer&#39;s phone number (as retrieved from the ANI, for example) and the last four digits of the customer&#39;s account number (instead of requiring the customer to input the full 16-digit account number into the IVR). As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , using method  200 , a customer may call into an IVR, and if ANI call data is available, use only last 4 digits of the customer&#39;s account to identify the customer. If, for example, ANI information and the 4-digit combination are not available, the customer may be identified using the full 16-digit account number, for example. 
         [0032]    As illustrated in block  201 , a customer may call a financial institution, which may answer using an interactive voice response unit (IVR). For example, a customer may call using a mobile device, voice over IP application, landline or the like, and an IVR may answer the call on behalf of the financial institution. In block  202 , the financial institution may determine whether ANI is available in the call data. If so, method  200  may proceed to block  203 . If not, method  200  may proceed to block  208 . 
         [0033]    In block  203 , a financial institution may determine whether the ANI passes an ANI anti-spoofing check. In so doing, the financial institution may determine whether the ANI has been spoofed or misrepresented. If the ANI passes the anti-spoofing check, method  200  may proceed to block  204 . If not, method  200  may proceed to block  208 . 
         [0034]    In block  204 , the financial institution may determine whether any ANI matches to accounts in the financial institution database. To make this determination, the financial institution may search account records to determine whether one or more records is associated with the ANI. If there is a match, method  200  may proceed to block  205 . If not, method  200  may proceed to block  208 . 
         [0035]    In block  205 , the financial institution may determine whether there are two plastics with the same last 4 digits. For example, if there are two account records associated that have the same last 4 digits, the financial institution, via, for example, an IVR, may prompt the customer to input the last 4 digits to correctly identify the plastic associated with the call. In block  207 , the IVR may present one of the scripts illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4  to the customer. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other similar scripts may be presented. 
         [0036]    In block  208 , the financial institution may require 16 digit identification and resort to standard call flow if ANI 4 digit identification cannot be accomplished. 
         [0037]      FIGS. 3 and 4  depict flow diagrams  300  and  400 , respectively, each illustrating exemplary methods for abbreviated identification according to embodiments of the disclosure. As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , various sample dialogs may be used for abbreviated identification. 
         [0038]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  depict a flow diagram  500  illustrating an exemplary method for fraud routing according to an embodiment of the disclosure. This exemplary method is provided by way of example. The method  500  shown in  FIG. 5  can be executed or otherwise performed by one or more combinations of various systems. The method  500  as described below may be carried out by the system for providing a predictive customer experience as shown in  FIG. 1 , by way of example, and various elements of that system are referenced in explaining the method of  FIG. 5 . Each block shown in  FIG. 5  represents one or more processes, methods, or subroutines in the exemplary method  500 . 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the exemplary method  500  may utilize fraud case data to identify customers with open fraud cases and route them to the appropriate fraud queue within the financial institution call center, for example. For example, method  500  may enable detection of the correct type of fraud case and transfer the customer to an agent that handles that type of fraud case. 
         [0040]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , in block  501 , a customer calls and successfully authenticates itself to, for example, the financial institution. 
         [0041]    In block  502 , the financial institution uses, for example, the authentication information or other account information to determine whether a fraud ID transaction case is opened. If yes, method  500  may proceed to block  503 . If no, method  500  may proceed to block  504 . 
         [0042]    In block  503 , the financial institution may assume business as usual (BAU) and direct the call to the IVR. 
         [0043]    In block  504 , the financial institution may determine whether there is a fraud identity associated with the call. If yes, method  500  may proceed to block  505 . If no, method  500  may proceed to block  509 . 
         [0044]    In block  509 , the financial institution may determine whether the customer&#39;s card is working. If yes, method  500  may proceed to block  506 . If no, method  500  may proceed to block  507 . 
         [0045]    In block  506 , a message associated with a card that is not working may be presented. 
         [0046]    In block  507 , a message associated with a card working may be presented. 
         [0047]    In block  508 , the call may be routed to the fraud identity center or team. 
         [0048]    In block  509 , the financial institution may determine whether a priority score associated with the customer is greater than a threshold amount, such as, for example,  950  as shown in  FIG. 5 . If yes, method  500  may proceed to block  522 . If no, method  500  may proceed to block  510 . 
         [0049]    In block  510 , the financial institution may assume business as usual (BAU) and direct the call to the IVR. 
         [0050]    In block  511 , the financial institution may determine whether the call is self-service eligible. If yes, method  500  may proceed to block  512 . If no, method  500  may proceed to block  523 . 
         [0051]    In block  512 , the financial institution may determine whether a toll free number (TFN) associated with fraud was dialed. If yes, method  500  may proceed to block  513 . If no, method  500  may proceed to block  514 . 
         [0052]    In block  513 , the financial institution may validate the customer&#39;s social security number (and/or date of birth), using for example, the IVR to prompt the customer and receive input. 
         [0053]    In block  514 , the financial institution may validate security information associated with a card of the customer. For example, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the financial institution may validate the card verification value (CVV 2 ) code. The financial institution may validate the CVV 2  using, for example, the IVR. 
         [0054]    In block  515 , the financial institution may, using for example the IVR, perform a fraud review and present a fraud review preface and introduction message to the customer. 
         [0055]    In block  516 , the financial institution may, using for example the IVR, inform the customer of certain transaction details. For example, the financial institution may present various transactions to the customer via, for example, the IVR. 
         [0056]    In block  517 , the financial institution determines whether the customer recognizes all of the transactions presented in block  516 . To make this determination, the financial institution may prompt the user via the IVR. If yes, method  500  may proceed to block  518 . If no, method  500  may proceed to block  521 . 
         [0057]    In block  518 , transaction status may be updated. For example, the financial institution may update an account associated with the user that the user recognizes all of the presented transactions and fraud therefore is unlikely. 
         [0058]    In block  519 , a fraud review closing (outro) message may be played to the customer via, for example, the IVR. 
         [0059]    In block  520 , method  500  may end. 
         [0060]    In block  521  transaction status may be updated. For example, the financial institution may update an account associated with the user that the user does not recognize all of the presented transactions and fraud therefore is likely. 
         [0061]    In block  522 , the call may be routed for further fraud processing. 
         [0062]    In block  523 , the financial institution may determine whether a case is still open. If yes, method  500  may proceed to block  524 . If no, method  500  may proceed to block  529 . 
         [0063]    In block  524 , the financial institution may determine whether a card (e.g., a credit or debit card) associated with the customer is still working. If yes, method  500  may proceed to block  525 . If no, method  500  may proceed to block  526 . 
         [0064]    In block  525 , the financial institution may determine whether a toll free number (TFN) associated with fraud was dialed. If yes, method  500  may proceed to block  526 . If no, method  500  may proceed to block  527 . 
         [0065]    In block  526 , an existing fraud agent introduction message may be provided to the customer. 
         [0066]    In block  527 , a new, card working fraud agent introduction message may be provided to the customer. 
         [0067]    In block  528 , the call may be routed for fraud transaction processing. 
         [0068]    In block  529 , the financial institution may determine whether a toll free number (TFN) associated with fraud was dialed. If yes, method  500  may proceed to block  530 . If no, method  500  may proceed to block  528 . 
         [0069]    In block  530 , a “no fraud” message may be provided to the customer via, for example, the IVR. 
         [0070]    In block  531 , the call may be sent back to customer service for business as usual IVR interaction. 
         [0071]    In block  532 , the financial institution&#39;s toll free number (TFN) associated with fraud matters may pick up a customer call, using, for example, an IVR. 
         [0072]    In block  533 , a fraud welcome message may be provided to the customer via, for example, the IVR. 
         [0073]    In block  534 , the customer may successfully authenticate to the financial institution. Method  500  may then proceed to block  511 . 
         [0074]      FIG. 6  depicts a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method for high value service routing according to an embodiment of the disclosure. This exemplary method is provided by way of example. The method  600  shown in  FIG. 6  can be executed or otherwise performed by one or more combinations of various systems. The method  600  as described below may be carried out by the system for providing a predictive customer experience as shown in  FIG. 1 , by way of example, and various elements of that system are referenced in explaining the method of  FIG. 6 . Each block shown in  FIG. 6  represents one or more processes, methods, or subroutines in the exemplary method  600 . 
         [0075]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the exemplary method  600  may utilize ANI and account/phone number relationships to determine if a customer that refuses or fails to provide identity in the IVR is a high value service customer. 
         [0076]    As shown in block  601 , a customer may call in from an ANI associated with a high value spend (HVS) account. As referred to herein, an HVS account may relate to a high spend small business, partnership cards, micro affinities, bank VIPs or multi-product customers of the financial institution or the like. In block  602 , a financial institution may use, for example an IVR to identify the customer. If successful, method  600  may proceed to block  603 . If unsuccessful, method  600  may proceed to block  604 . In block  603 , the call may be processed by, for example the IVR as business as usual. In block  604 , the call may be routed to an HVS queue. 
         [0077]    In the preceding specification, various preferred embodiments have been described with references to the accompanying drawings. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto, and additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing from the broader scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded as an illustrative rather than restrictive sense.