U.S. patent application number 10/277349 was filed with the patent office on 2004-04-22 for system for sales optimization utilizing biometric customer recognition technique.
Invention is credited to Griner, Mark, Milgramm, Michael.
Application Number | 20040078260 10/277349 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32093264 |
Filed Date | 2004-04-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040078260 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Milgramm, Michael ; et
al. |
April 22, 2004 |
System for sales optimization utilizing biometric customer
recognition technique
Abstract
A system and method for sales optimization having a store
database storing information about past shopping experiences and
preferences of different customers, a business rules engine
connected to the store database, a biometric database containing
biometric data, a customer identification engine connected to the
biometric database; and a biometric detector detecting customer's
presence in the store. The biometric detector is connected to the
biometric database through the customer identification engine. The
customer identification engine identifies detected customers using
data stored in the biometric database. The system also includes at
least one sales representative terminal connected to the business
rules engine. When sales optimization tactic is determined, it is
conveyed from the business rules engine to the sales representative
terminal.
Inventors: |
Milgramm, Michael; (Valley
Steam, NY) ; Griner, Mark; (Lexington, MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Michael Milgramm
c/o Info Data Inc.
Suite 601
22 West 38th Street
New York
NY
10018
US
|
Family ID: |
32093264 |
Appl. No.: |
10/277349 |
Filed: |
October 22, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/7.29 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0201 20130101;
G06Q 30/0613 20130101; G06Q 30/02 20130101; G06Q 30/0237 20130101;
G06Q 30/0641 20130101; G06Q 30/0238 20130101; G06Q 30/0205
20130101; G06Q 30/0601 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/010 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/60 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A sales optimization system comprising: a store database storing
information about past shopping experiences and preferences of
different customers; a business rules engine connected to said
store database; a biometric database containing biometric data
connected to said store database; a customer identification engine
connected to said biometric database; and a biometric detection
means detecting customer's presence in the store, wherein said
biometric detection means is connected to said biometric database
through said customer identification engine and wherein said
customer identification engine identifies said detected customers
using data stored in said biometric database.
2. The sales optimization system according to claim 1 further
comprising at least one sales representative terminal connected to
said business rules engine.
3. The sales optimization system according to claim 2, wherein
sales optimization instructions are determined by said business
rules engine and are conveyed to said at lease one sales
representative terminal from said business rules engine.
4. The sales optimization system according to claim 1 further
comprising a visitors log storing data about customers detected by
said biometric detection means and identified by said customer
identification engine.
5. The sales optimization system according to claim 1, wherein said
biometric detection means is an in-store video camera.
6. The sales optimization system according to claim 1, wherein said
biometric detection means comprises a plurality of facial
recognition terminals.
7. A method for sales optimization comprising the steps of: storing
information about past shopping experiences and preferences of
different customers in a store database; storing customer biometric
data in a biometric database; detecting customer's presence in the
store by a biometric detection means; identifying said customer
using said customer biometric data stored in said biometric
database; determining sales optimizing tactic using said stored
information about past shopping experiences and preferences of the
identified customer and a predetermined set of business rules.
8. The method for sales optimization according to claim 7 further
comprising the step of conveying said sales optimizing tactic to at
least one sales representative.
9. The method for sales optimization according to claim 7 further
comprising the step of storing data about customers detected by
said biometric detection means and identified using said customer
biometric data.
10. The method for sales optimization according to claim 7, wherein
said biometric detection means is an in-store video camera.
11. The method for sales optimization according to claim 7, wherein
said biometric detection means comprises a plurality of facial
recognition terminals.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a field of sales
optimization. More specifically, the present invention relates to a
field of recognizing customers wants, interests, and preferences
and utilizing this information to direct sales force towards
creating personalized customers' shopping experience most conducive
for increased sales.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The traditional retail commerce is characterized by a
product offer by a large number of manufacturers to a mass market
of consumers via a range of intermediary retail channels (sellers).
The seller must utilize various methodologies, including
advertising, packaging, and pricing, to attract potential buyers.
Further, the seller assumes all risks and costs associated with
consummating a sale.
[0003] Often, various products are offered to customers at
department stores having a plurality of departments, each
department selling a particular range of products, for example
children apparel, women's shoes, etc. It is known in the art to
accumulate information about customers' shopping preferences, for
example through the use of credit cards. Preferred customers may
then be rewarded through various reward programs. However, these
reward programs may only influence a particular customer's shopping
experience after the purchase is already completed. Thus, these
reward programs are not very effective to influence a customer's
experience while he/she is in the process of making shopping
decisions.
[0004] Furthermore, it is recognized that customers go through
several stages of decision making process prior to making a
purchase. In order to influence customer's experience the seller
needs to understand the current stage of the buyer's decision
making. However, it has been noted that purchase history alone does
not provide enough insight into the ways buyers decide on their
purchases.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a sale
optimization system, which creates a personalized customer's
shopping experience targeted at influencing customer purchasing
decision to increase maximize sales.
[0006] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
sale optimization system utilizing a biometric customer recognition
technique.
[0007] It is a further object of the present invention to integrate
the customer optimization system with biometric technology to allow
sales representatives to identify customers on the floor of a
department store and target them with personalized offers and
messages.
[0008] In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, a system and method for sales optimization is provided,
having a store database storing information about past shopping
experiences and preferences of different customers, a business
rules engine connected to the store database, a biometric database
containing biometric data, a customer identification engine
connected to the biometric database; and a biometric detector
detecting customer's presence in the store. The biometric detector
is connected to the biometric database through the customer
identification engine. The customer identification engine
identifies detected customers using data stored in the biometric
database. The system also includes at least one sales
representative terminal connected to the business rules engine.
When sales optimization tactic is determined, it is conveyed from
the business rules engine to the sales representative terminal. The
above and other objects, aspects, features and advantages of the
invention will be more readily apparent from the description of the
preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings and appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The invention is illustrated by way of example and not
limitation and the figures of the accompanying drawings in which
like references denote like or corresponding parts, and in
which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the sale optimization
system in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a store layout utilizing
the sale optimization system of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT AND THE
DRAWINGS
[0012] The preferred embodiment of the present invention is
generally shown in FIG. 1. In the preferred embodiment of the
present invention, the sale optimization system 10 preferably
includes a store database 20, which stores information about past
shopping experiences and preferences of different customers. Store
database 20 also contains data about different sales
representatives, store merchandise, special offers, layouts of the
store and its departments, etc. Store database 20 may also contain
rules in accordance with which a particular sales representative
may be asked to contact a particular customer, as described in
further detail below. Database 20 is connected to a biometric image
database 26, which contains biometric images and other information
about customers. Biometric image database 26 is connected to a
customer identification engine 24 performing the biometric
identification of customers. Identified customers are preferably
entered into a visitor log 28. A business rules engine 30 is
preferably provided in the present system to match identified
customers and sales representatives in accordance with their past
experiences and rules stored in the store database 20. Business
rules engine 30 is connected to sales representatives' individual
terminals 32, which receive instructions from engine 30. These
instructions may, for example, inform a particular representative
that he/she should approach a particular customer currently
shopping in the department or, alternatively, to stay away from a
particular customer, who refused sales assistance in the past and
typically prefers unassisted shopping. Individual terminals 32 can
be implemented as hand-held wireless devices. Face recognition is
the least intrusive type of biometric technology that can be easily
adopted in a retail environment. Modem department stores are
already equipped with a network of video cameras for security
purposes. The same security cameras may be enabled with face
recognition technology and used together with the provided sales
optimization system. As shown in FIG. 2, a store entrance camera 22
detects a customer's entrance into the store. Camera 22 is
preferably connected to customer identification engine 24, which is
in turn connected to the biometric image database. Thus, a customer
may be identified immediately upon his/her entrance into the store.
This customer's past purchase preferences may be immediately
accessed in the store database 20 and conveyed to an appropriate
sales representative's terminal 32 through the business rules
engine 30 in accordance with predetermined business rules. The
sales person can then approach the customer and deliver the offer
that is statistically predicted to be most effective based on the
customer's past behavior and behavior patterns observed during the
current visit.
[0013] Alternatively, customer identification may be performed at
the entrance to a particular department of a department store. In
this embodiment, department entry cameras 34 may be installed in
every department of a department store to detect entrance of
customers into the department. Each department may be further
equipped with exit cameras 36 detecting exit of a customer from the
department.
[0014] Additionally, a product display camera 38 may be installed
near a product display area for detecting customers facing this
display. This arrangement allows the system to measure time spent
by a particular customer in front of a specific product display.
All of the above measurements associated with particular customers
may be stored in the database 20 and conveyed to a particular sales
representative selected by the system to assist the customer via
one of terminals 32.
[0015] The above integration of biometrics with the sales
optimization system enables quantitative measurement of customers'
behavior in a retail store environment. For example, the system can
measure store visits by individual customers and time spent in the
store and department visits and time spent in a particular
department or in front of a particular display. The system further
allows measuring the effectiveness of communication between a sales
representative and a particular customer by identifying customers
approached by sales representatives and customers purchase behavior
afterwards. The variables collected using the provided system
enabled with biometric technology will allow to statistically model
customers wants, beliefs and decision making states based on
patterns of their in store behavior prior to making a purchase.
These variables will also enable an effective forecast of a sales
representative/customer interaction effectiveness at individual
customer and sales representative level. One possible approach to
assessing customer decision making state is based on the visit time
and purchase history. The longer the customer is in the department
without making purchasing decision, the more he might benefit from
help of a sales representative. Thus, the proposed system will
optimize present sales in contrast with currently available systems
which attempt to optimize future sales.
[0016] The provided system also allows to statistically model the
effectiveness of sales representatives. Once a particular customer
is approached by a particular sales representative and is
identified by the system, the history of the customer's assisted
and unassisted purchases may be compared to assess sales
representative's effectiveness in closing the sale, up-selling,
cross-selling, etc. Business rules governing decisions of the
business rules engine 30 for personalized sales messages and offers
incorporates customer decision making states evaluated in real time
by the customer behavior models. Offers and messages to be
delivered by the sales representatives selected in real time based
on predicted models for customer/sales representative's interaction
effectiveness. In the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, messages and offers are selected to maximize total
sales: .SIGMA.Estimated Unassisted Purchase.sub.i*Offer
Lift.sub.i*Sales Person Lift.sub.ij.fwdarw.max;
[0017] wherein i represents customers and j represents sales
representatives.
[0018] In use, during the first visit of a particular customer
after the system is installed, he/she is enrolled into the system
by entering the biometric data and storing it in the biometric
image database 26. The enrollment may be accomplished as part of
customer's check-out procedure. During the consequent visits, when
the enrolled customer enters the store or a department of the
department store, the system recognizes the customer and dispatches
his/her customer profile and personalized offers to a selected
sales representative. The selected sales representative approaches
the customer with selected offers. Regardless of the final purchase
decision of the customer, the sales representative enters data
about the transaction into the visitors log 28. Although the
invention herein has been described with reference to particular
embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are
merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the
present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous
modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that
other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit
and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended
claims.
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