System, method, and computer program product for allowing access to a promotion
A system, method, and computer program product are used to control access to promotions is disclosed. The system, method and computer program product control access to promotion information through receiving a partial account number of a cardholder at a customer service system that stores the promotion information, comparing the received partial account number to previously-stored information to produce a verification result, and controlling access to the promotion information based on the verification result. Use of a partial account number (e.g., just the BIN number) allows a card issuer (or their agent) to verify a card holder's eligibility for a promotion, without the need for the card holder to submit and personably-identifiable information.
1 . A method for controlling access of a cardholder to promotion information, comprising:
(a) receiving a partial account number of the cardholder at a customer service system that stores the promotion information;
(b) comparing the received partial account number to previously-stored information to produce a verification result; and
(c) controlling access to the promotion information based on the verification result;
wherein the partial account number is not personably-identifiable information.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises:
using a cardholder first portion of a telephonic system to transmit the received partial account number and a second portion of the telephonic system to perform the receiving step.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein step (c) comprises:
connecting the cardholder to a customer service representative if step (b) is successful; and
transmitting a message to the cardholder if step (b) is unsuccessful.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the partial account number is input via a telephonic device.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises:
using a network to receive the partial account number.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the partial account number is input via a computer input device.
7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein step. (c) comprises:
providing the cardholder with access to the promotion information if step (b) is successful; and
denying the cardholder access to the promotional information if step (b) is unsuccessful.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising using the BIN number portion of an account number as the partial account number.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the stored information comprises a range of partial account numbers associated with a predetermined card membership level.
10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising using a portion of the account number designating a card membership level as the partial account number.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the promotion information includes at least one of: experience promotion information; and offer promotion information.
12 . A system for controlling access to promotion information, comprising:
an input device that receives a partial account number;
a verification device that receives the partial account number from the input device and compares the partial account number to a database of approved partial account numbers to produce a verification result therefrom; and
a controller capable of allowing access to the promotion information and initiating transmission of a message, based on the verification result.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the input device is a telephonic device.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller allows access to the promotion information by connecting the telephonic device to a customer service system if the verification is successful.
15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller initiates the transmission of the message by connecting the telephonic device to a prerecorded message system in order to indicate the verification was unsuccessful.
16 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the input device is an input portion of a computer system.
17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the controller allows access to the promotion information by connecting the computer system to a promotion information web page from a partial account number input web page if the verification was successful.
18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the message is displayed on a partial account number input web page and indicates the verification was unsuccessful.
19 . A computer program product for controlling access to promotion information, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein, said control logic comprising:
first computer readable program code means for receiving a partial account number of a cardholder at a customer service system that stores the promotion information;
second computer readable program code means for comparing the received partial account number to previously-stored information to produce a verification result; and
third computer readable program code means for controlling access to the promotion information based on the verification result.