SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATIC ROUTINE PAYMENTS
According to an embodiment, a potential routine payment made for a routine service may automatically be identified based on payment history of a payment account. The potential routine payment may be suggested to a user of the payment account. With the user's permission, the potential routine payment may be designated as a routine payment. A schedule may be set up for the routine payment and payments may automatically be made from the payment account to a merchant providing the routine service based on the schedule. Further, the user may be reminded to receive the routine service based on the schedule. Follow-up reminders may be sent to the user when the routine payment has been made and the user has not visited the merchant to receive the routine service.
1 . A system for managing routine payments, the system comprising:
a hardware memory storing information about a payment account of a user, wherein the information comprises payment history to a same or similar merchant; and
one or more processors in communication with the memory and adapted to:
determine a potential routine payment based on the payment history;
designate the potential routine payment as a routine payment;
generate a schedule for the routine payment;
process the routine payment to a merchant when the routine payment is due based on the schedule; and
send a reminder notifying a user to visit the merchant after the payment is sent to the merchant.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the potential routine payment is determined from the purchase history based on factors comprising one or more of: repetition of similar payments to the merchant, frequency of similar payments to the merchant, and types of goods or services associated with payments.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the step of designating the potential routine payment as a routine payment comprises:
notifying the potential routine payment to the user;
requesting the user to designate the routine payment; and
setting up a routine payment profile for the routine payment based on user input from the user.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further adapted to:
send a notification to the merchant indicating that the routine payment is processed; and
receive a confirmation from the merchant when the user visits the merchant to receive a service or product associated with the routine payment.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more processors are further adapted to generate a follow-up reminder notifying the user to visit the merchant after the routine payment is made and the confirmation is not received.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more processors are further adapted to:
receive location data indicating a location of the user; and
send the follow-up reminder to the user when the user is in proximity of the merchant.
7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more processors are further adapted to:
receive calendar data indicating available time of the user; and
send the follow-up reminder to the user suggesting the user to visit the merchant during the available time.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further adapted to:
receive a service ready confirmation from the merchant indicating that the service associated with the routine payment is ready for the user; and
send the reminder to the user after receiving the service ready confirmation.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further adapted to:
receive a service schedule from the merchant;
receive a user schedule from the user; and
in response to sending the routine payment, schedule a service appointment at the merchant associated with the routine payment based on mutual available time indicated in the merchant's service schedule and the user schedule.
10 . A method for managing routine payments, the method comprising:
receiving a payment history associated with a user;
determining, electronically by a hardware processor of a service provider, a potential routine payment based on the payment history;
designating the potential routine payment as a routine payment;
generating a schedule for the routine payment;
processing, electronically by the hardware processor, the routine payment to a merchant when the routine payment is due based on the schedule; and
sending, electronically by the hardware processor to a user device, a reminder notifying the user to visit the merchant after the payment is sent to the merchant.
11 . The method of claim 10 , the potential routine payment is determined from the purchase history based on factors comprising one or more of: repetition of similar payments to the merchant, frequency of similar payments to the merchant, and types of goods or services associated with payments.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of designating the potential routine payment as a routine payment comprises:
notifying the potential routine payment to the user;
requesting the user to designate the routine payment; and
setting up a routine payment profile for the routine payment based on user input from the user.
13 . The method of claim 10 further comprising:
sending a notification to the merchant indicating that the routine payment is processed; and
receiving a confirmation from the merchant when the user visits the merchant to receive a service or product associated with the routine payment.
14 . The method of claim 13 further comprising generating a follow-up reminder notifying the user to visit the merchant after the routine payment is made and the confirmation is not received.
15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising:
receiving location data indicating a location of the user; and
sending the follow-up reminder to the user when the user is in proximity of the merchant.
16 . The method of claim 14 further comprising:
receiving calendar data indicating available time of the user; and
sending the follow-up reminder to the user suggesting the user to visit the merchant during the available time.
17 . The method of claim 10 further comprising:
receiving a service ready confirmation from the merchant indicating that the service associated with the routine payment is ready for the user; and
sending the reminder to the user after receiving the service ready confirmation.
18 . The system of claim 10 further comprising:
receiving a service schedule from the merchant;
receiving a user schedule from the user; and
in response to sending the routine payment, scheduling a service appointment at the merchant associated with the routine payment based on mutual available time indicated in the merchant's service schedule and the user schedule.
19 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a computer are adapted to cause the computer to perform a method comprising:
determining a potential routine payment based on the payment history;
designating the potential routine payment as a routine payment;
generating a schedule for the routine payment;
processing the routine payment to a merchant when the routine payment is due based on the schedule; and
sending a reminder notifying a user to visit the merchant after the payment is sent to the merchant.
20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the step of designating the potential routine payment as a routine payment comprises:
notifying the potential routine payment to the user;
requesting the user to designate the routine payment; and
setting up a routine payment profile for the routine payment based on user input from the user.