Service point management system for use in sales promotion services

Abstract

A service point management system employs a computer for managing points issued to each customer who receives service according to the points. A point issue unit issues points to the customer according to transactions performed by the customer. A point accumulation unit calculates and accumulates the issued points. A point notification unit notifies the customer of point information. A customer identification unit identifies the customer according to customer identification data entered through a customer or store terminal. The point notification unit notifies the customer identified by the customer identification unit of the customer's cumulative point information before the customer carries out transactions.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A point management system employing a computer for managing points issued to each customer who receives service according to the issued points, comprising: 
 point issue means for issuing the points to the customer according to transactions performed by the customer;    point accumulation means for calculating and accumulating the issued points of a current transaction and issued point of a previous transaction;    point notification means for instantaneously notifying the customer of cumulative point information comprising the issued points; and    customer identification means for identifying the customer according to customer identification information;    wherein the point notification means includes service contents storage means for storing a list of types of services and corresponding points, reads data corresponding to the type of service selected by the customer out of the storage means, and instantaneously notifies the customer of the read data through a terminal, wherein a number of the customer's cumulative points may be redeemed for a number of the types of services.    
     
     
         2 . A point management system employing a computer for managing points issued to each customer who receives service according to the issued points, comprising: 
 point issue means for issuing the points to the customer according to transactions performed by the customer,    point accumulation means for calculating and accumulating the issued points;    point notification means for instantaneously notifying the customer of cumulative point information comprising the issued points; and    customer identification means for identifying the customer according to customer identification information;    wherein the point notification means includes service contents storage means for storing a list of services and corresponding points, selects a range of services available for the cumulative points of the customer, and instantaneously notifies the customer of the selected services through a terminal, wherein a number of the customer's cumulative points may be redeemed for a number of the types of services.    
     
     
         3 . The point management system according to  claim 1 , wherein the point accumulation means displays a colored striped line thereof and reduces the length of the striped line according to the decrease in points.  
     
     
         4 . The point management system according to  claim 3 , wherein the point information includes target points and corresponding electronic services.  
     
     
         5 . The point management system according to  claim 3 , wherein the pint information includes services corresponding to the customer's cumulative points provided by the point accumulation means.  
     
     
         6 . The point management system according to  claim 3 , wherein the point information includes the customer's cumulative points, or a shortage of points with respect to target points registered or specified by the customer.  
     
     
         7 . The point management system according to  claim 3 , wherein the point information includes the validity of the customer's cumulative points.  
     
     
         8 . The point management system according to  claim 7 , wherein the point issue means issues points for each transaction while changing points or point calculation rates allocated for commodities at random within a predetermined range.