Telecommunications credit management system and method

Abstract

A system and method for a telecommunications service provider for managing credit information relating to telecommunications customers and the credit process. The credit management system has a credit information manager, credit limit manager, credit decision support and credit rules engine. The credit management system communicates with external systems such as external credit information providers, accounting systems, electronic commerce systems and business partners. The credit rules engine applies rules to information gathered from such sources to calculate internal credit scoring and credit limits.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A credit management system for managing information relating to credit of a telecommunications customer comprising: 
 a credit information manager, said credit information manager managing information relating to a credit limit and credit scoring of said telecommunications customer;    a credit limit manager, said credit limit manager managing credit limit master data and calculating open and used credit for said telecommunications customer;    credit decision support, said credit decision support performing analyses of accounting information relating to said telecommunications customer; and    a credit rules engine, said credit rules engine applying credit rules to generate internal scoring and internal credit limits from information input into said credit management system.    
     
     
         2 . A credit management system as in  claim 1 , wherein said information input comprises external credit scoring.  
     
     
         3 . A credit management system as in  claim 1 , wherein said information input comprises said accounting information.  
     
     
         4 . A credit management system as in  claim 3 , wherein said accounting information comprises sales volume information, dunning information, and payment history information.  
     
     
         5 . A credit management system as in  claim 1 , wherein said information input comprises customer profession and age information.  
     
     
         6 . A method of automatically performing a credit check relating to a telecommunications customer, said method being designed to be run on a computerized platform and comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining an external credit scoring from at least one external credit information provider;    obtaining information relating to said telecommunications customer from at least one source;    applying a credit scoring rule to said external credit scoring and said information to calculate an internal credit limit; and    storing said internal credit limit.    
     
     
         7 . A method of automatically performing a credit check as in  claim 6 , wherein said applying a credit scoring rule step comprises calculating an internal credit scoring prior to calculating said internal credit limit and utilizing said internal credit scoring to calculate said internal credit limit.  
     
     
         8 . A method of automatically performing a credit check as in  claim 7 , further comprising the step of storing said internal credit scoring.  
     
     
         9 . A method of automatically performing a credit check as in  claim 6 , wherein said information relating to said telecommunications customer comprises accounting information.  
     
     
         10 . A method of automatically performing a credit check as in  claim 9 , wherein said accounting information comprises sales volume information, dunning information and payment history information.  
     
     
         11 . A method of automatically performing a credit check as in  claim 6 , wherein said information relating to said customer comprises profession and age information.  
     
     
         12 . A method of automatically updating a telecommunications customer's credit scoring, said method being designed to be run on a computerized platform and comprising the steps of: 
 receiving an updated external credit scoring from at least one external credit information provider;    storing said updated external credit scoring;    retrieving updated accounting information;    calculating a new internal credit scoring based upon said updated external credit scoring and said updated accounting information; and    storing said new internal credit scoring.    
     
     
         13 . A method of automatically updating a telecommunications customer's internal credit scoring as in  claim 12 , further comprising the step of requesting said updated external credit scoring from said at least one external credit information provider.  
     
     
         14 . A method of automatically updating a telecommunications customer's internal credit scoring as in  claim 13 , further comprising the steps of: 
 determining if said internal credit scoring is still valid;    determining if said customer is active; and    if said customer is not active, adding said customer to an inactive list and not updating said customer's internal credit scoring.    
     
     
         15 . A method of automatically updating a telecommunications customer's internal credit scoring as in  claim 14 , wherein if said customer is not active, erasing a stored credit limit and credit scoring for said telecommunications customer.  
     
     
         16 . A method of automated credit limit monitoring for a telecommunications customer, said method being designed to be run on a computerized platform and comprising the steps of: 
 receiving accounting information, said accounting information collectively providing an indication of exposure for said telecommunications customer;    calculating a total exposure from said accounting information;    determining if said total exposure is within a predetermined level of said credit limit or higher;    if said total exposure is within a predetermined level of said credit limit or higher, triggering an event for follow-up, and updating credit scoring and credit limit for said telecommunications customer.    
     
     
         17 . A method of automated credit limit monitoring as in  claim 16 , wherein said accounting information comprises data relating to open items, and unbilled and billed but not posted items.  
     
     
         18 . A method of automated credit limit monitoring as in  claim 16 , further comprising the step of setting a new validity date for said updated credit scoring and credit limit.  
     
     
         19 . A method of automated exposure monitoring for monitoring credit exposure of a telecommunications service provider, said method being designed to be run on a computerized platform and comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining accounting information relating to a telecommunications customer;    calculating an accounting information total;    determining if said accounting information total exceeds a credit limit of said telecommunications customer;    if said accounting information total does exceed said credit limit, triggering an event.    
     
     
         20 . A method of automated exposure monitoring as in  claim 19 , wherein said event comprises storing said accounting information total.  
     
     
         21 . A method of automated exposure monitoring as in  claim 19 , wherein said event comprises storing a difference between said accounting information total and said credit limit.  
     
     
         22 . A method of automated exposure monitoring as in  claim 19 , wherein said method is run upon said telecommunications customer accessing a service.  
     
     
         23 . A method of automated exposure monitoring as in  claim 22 , wherein said accessing a service comprises placing a new call.  
     
     
         24 . A method of automated exposure monitoring as in  claim 22 , wherein if said accounting information total does not exceed said credit limit, said service is provided.  
     
     
         25 . A method of automated exposure monitoring as in  claim 22 , wherein said event comprises suspending said service.  
     
     
         26 . A method of automated exposure monitoring as in  claim 19 , wherein said method is run upon said telecommunications customer placing a new order.  
     
     
         27 . A method of automated exposure monitoring as in  claim 26 , wherein if said accounting information total does not exceed said credit limit, said new order is approved.  
     
     
         28 . A method of automated exposure monitoring as in  claim 26 , wherein said event comprises declining said new order.  
     
     
         29 . A method of automated exposure monitoring as in  claim 19 , wherein said method is run periodically.  
     
     
         30 . A method of automated exposure monitoring as in  claim 19 , wherein said accounting information comprises data relating to open items, and unbilled and billed but not posted items.  
     
     
         31 . A method of automated exposure monitoring as in  claim 19 , wherein a plurality of different systems may provide said accounting information.  
     
     
         32 . A method of automatically preparing a credit checklist for a telecommunications service provider, said method being designed to be run on a computerized platform and comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining information from an accounts receivable system;    obtaining information from a billing system; and    taking information relating to a predetermined volume of telecommunications customers, critical telecommunications customers' information, and suspicious telecommunications customers' information and preparing a report therefrom.    
     
     
         33 . A method of automatically preparing a credit checklist as in  claim 32 , wherein said predetermined volume comprises a predetermined percentage of said telecommunications customers.