System and method for providing personalized customer assistance using a financial card having an rfid device

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a method of providing personalized customer service is provided. The method includes receiving purchase information from purchases made from a merchant using a financial card affiliated with the merchant. The financial card has an associated financial account and an RFID device coupled thereto. The RFID device stores identification data identifying the customer and/or the financial account. The purchase information includes an identification of items purchased during the purchases. The method further includes causing the received purchase information to be stored in storage separate from the card as purchase history information associated with the financial account. The method includes reading the identification data from the RFID device using an RFID reading device, identifying the financial account based on the identification data, and retrieving from storage the stored purchase history information. The method further includes providing personalized service to the customer tailored to the purchase history information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for providing personalized customer service, comprising:
 a purchase information processor of a merchant system that receives purchase information from a financial card provider system, wherein the purchase information is from one or more purchases made from a particular merchant using a financial card affiliated with the particular merchant and provided to a customer by a financial card provider associated with the financial card provider system, the financial card provider being distinct from the merchant, the financial card having an associated financial account, the financial card having a wireless communication device coupled thereto, the wireless communication device storing identification data identifying the financial account;   a reading device of a merchant system operable to read the identification data from the wireless communication device; and   a purchase information management processor of a merchant system that:
 determines one or more additional items to be purchased 
 generates personalized service data based on the purchase information, wherein the personalized service data comprises an offer for a financial incentive tied to the financial account if the one or more additional items are selected; and 
 provides the offer to the customer via an electronic visual interface of the merchant system. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the financial card is a credit card and the financial account is a credit card account. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the purchase information includes an identification of items purchased during the one or more purchases. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a financial reward processor of a merchant system that determines a number of loyalty points to be awarded to the financial account based on the purchase information. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the purchase information management processor generates the personalized service data based on a purchase history, and a number of loyalty points associated with the financial account. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more additional items are based on the purchase information, a purchase history, and a number of loyalty points associated with the financial account. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the offer is an offer provided by the financial card provider system based on an identified merchant competitor. 
     
     
         8 . A system for providing personalized customer service, the system comprising a financial card issuer system, the financial card issuer system including:
 a financial card issuing system that provides a customer financial card having a wireless communication device coupled thereto, the financial card being affiliated with a particular merchant and having an associated financial account, the wireless communication device storing identification data identifying the financial account;   a purchase history information database that receives purchase information from a merchant system associated with the particular merchant; and   a communication interface that transmits the purchase information to at least one processor associated with the merchant system to allow the merchant to provide personalized service to the customer, wherein providing personalize service to the customer comprises:
 determining, at the merchant system, one or more additional items to be purchased; and 
 upon receiving the identification data from the wireless communication device, generating, using the at least one processor associated with the merchant, one or more additional items for the customer and providing an offer for a financial reward tied to the financial account if the one or more additional items are selected to the customer via an electronic visual interface associated with the merchant system. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the financial card is a credit card and the financial account is a credit card account. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the financial card is only used to make purchases from the particular merchant. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the financial card is affiliated with the particular merchant and is also used to make purchases from one or more other merchants; and
 the financial card issuer system further comprises a financial incentives module that offers the customer a financial incentive for making purchase from the particular merchant using the financial card as compared to making purchases from the one or more other merchants using the financial card.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the electronic purchase information comprises one or more purchases made at the merchant system using the financial card, the purchase information including an identification of items purchased during the one or more purchases. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a financial rewards processor that determines a number of loyalty points to be awarded to the financial account based on the purchase information. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more additional items are based on the purchase information, purchase history information, and a number of loyalty points associated with the financial account and wherein the financial reward is a reward offered by the financial card provider and based on an identified merchant competitor. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the communication interface transmits the purchase information to the at least one processor associated with the merchant system to allow the merchant to provide the personalized service to the customer tailored to purchase history information associated with the financial account. 
     
     
         16 . A system, comprising:
 a merchant computer system, having a processor; and   a non-transitory computer readable medium coupled to the merchant computer system, the computer readable medium comprising a program operable, when executed by the processor, to:
 electronically receive purchase information from a financial card provider system, wherein the purchase information is from one or more purchases made from a particular merchant using a financial card affiliated with the particular merchant and provided to a customer by a financial card provider, the financial card having an associated financial account, the financial card storing identification data identifying the financial account; 
 read the identification data from the financial card using a reading device after the customer has selected one or more items to be purchased; and 
 provide personalized service to the customer, wherein providing personalized service to the customer comprises:
 determining one or more additional items to be purchased; 
 generating a financial reward tied to the financial account if the one or more additional items are selected; and 
 providing the financial reward to the customer via an electronic visual interface associated with the merchant computer system. 
 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a number of loyalty points to be awarded to the financial account based on the purchase information. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the purchase information includes an identification of items purchased during the one or more purchases. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to provide personalized service to the customer tailored to purchase history information associated with the financial account. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more additional items are based on the purchase information, purchase history information, and a number of loyalty points associated with the financial account and wherein the financial reward is a reward offered by the financial card provider and based on an identified merchant competitor.