Claims:We Claim:
1. A prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system comprising a technology block 1 adapted to co-act with a communication media 2 provided at retail shops or showrooms of a company, a server 3, adapted to communicate with the communication media 2, being provided such that to store info about the system 1, retail shops / showrooms and users of a prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card, a card reader 5 being provided at the retail shops / showrooms to read info from prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card and convey the same to the system 1 so as to debit and / or credit money from / to the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card.

2. The prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication media comprises a computer and / or a smart phone.

3. The prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the server is provided on a cloud environment.

4. A process for issuing and using a prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card comprising; (a) registering a user and issuing a prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card, (b) recharging / top up the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card and updating the same with the loyalty amount, (c) debiting / crediting the amount from / to the card upon using the card to purchase of products and updating the card with balance amount and loyalty amount, if any, and (d) issuing net settlement report, at each of the above steps a, b, and c, about the amount due / payable on / to a retailer.

5. A process for issuing and using a prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card as claimed in claim 4, wherein step of registration and issuance of card comprises entering information about the user in the system and uploading documents of KYC handed over by the user to the retailer, verifying the information and issuing the card, linking the card with the user upon receiving payment for recharge and card, if any, selecting pre-paid or post-paid card option so as complete registration of the user.

6. The process for issuing and using a prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card as claimed in claim 4, wherein the information about the user are verified with the help of a PIN generated by the system and sent to the user.

7. The process for issuing and using a prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card as claimed in claim 4, wherein the step of recharging / top up of the card comprises swiping the card and entering the amount of cash, in the system, received from the user, updating the card with the actual amount and loyalty amount and issuing an SMS to the user about the recharge / top-up amount.

Description
PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system. Particularly this invention relates to a novel loyalty card system provided with a unique assistance pattern for use the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card by the customers / users for the entire range of products and services.
Background of the Invention
The Indian food and grocery sector or Fast Moving Consumer Good (FMCG) market is mostly (95 percent) lies in the unorganized sector of neighborhood Kirana stores (mom and pop). They are very close to the heart of retail customers due to various functional, psychological and sociological benefits. Consequently, relationships and loyalties are strong between Kirana stores and customers as they are formed on closeness, trust, commitment and satisfaction. This poses a big challenge to the modern retail formats for acquiring and retaining loyal customers.
Therefore, to lure the customer loyalty programmes / schemes have been introduced by the business houses. One of such scheme is known as Pure Point Based Programmes, wherein customers earn points on all purchases and after accumulating a considerable amount of points they become eligible for discounted items or special promotional products. For example, “My Starbucks” loyalty card has similar features and offer products that customers love to get for free e.g. free coffee or baked goods, which eventually creates a sense of added value among its customers with every purchase they make with the company.
Another loyalty programme is known as Pure Lifestyle Programmes, wherein a specific group of customers is targeted (e.g. women, youth, etc.) and offered highly targeted deals. Such programs are designed to cater to a small but intensely loyal demographic and reward the customers to be able to build a sense of bonding and association with the brand e.g. cellular network companies like Vodafone and Airtel offer free night calling to its young customers.
Yet another loyalty programme is known as Tier Based Affinity Programmes, which includes different tiers in its design so that members can upgrade their level through continued patronage, accumulated reward points or by paying a nominal membership fee. In addition, members have the freedom to decide how to approach their reward choices i.e. redeeming their points or moving up to the next tier. In this type of programme, customers are tiered based on their spending and are offered gifts, free products and privileges accordingly e.g. Club card offered by Star Bazaar is a tiered programme.
Still another loyalty programme is known as Community-Based Programmes, which is meant to connects with established communities and groups within a localised area. Members of these programmes can use their membership for discounts on products/services that their group members are most likely to purchase. These programmes allow customers to forge new communities around the use of a product, thus establishing the brand‘s social connectivity. Such loyalty programmes strength lies in their ability to bond like-minded people together in a specific community resulting into rewarding the group members as a whole with increased reward points e.g. cellular network company, Vodafone, allows users of their network to form groups with discounts on both member-to-member and general communication in which discounts become deeper with joining of more members in the group.
Still another loyalty programme known in the art is known as Coalition Programmes, which are used by businesses to share operating costs, to generate new sources of revenues (i.e. sell points to partners) and to maximise impact on customer’s everyday lives. Thus, such type of loyalty programme forges relationship among several brands or companies, and is implemented to drive purchase behavior and increase the value that customers perceive to get with their purchases. For instance, the US grocery store chain, Kroger utilizes its Kroger Plus programme to award discounts on food items and goods, and the purchases made in the stores also accumulate fuel points that can be used to get cheaper petroleum at Kroger or Shell gas stations. In addition, these fuel points disappear at the end of the month, encouraging customers to act on the limited offer. Coalition programmes demonstrate strong brand penetration through multiple levels and types of businesses. A small business that manages to lock such a partnership grows the value of its brand, while increasing visibility and potential footfall through these programmes. Although, these partnerships are complicated to set up and maintain both legally and logistically, yet the profits usually pay off in the end.
A further loyalty programme known in the art is known as Hybrid Programmes, which mixes the benefits of two or more programmes to lure the customers. Sometimes, loyalty programmes take longer time than other promotions to get the desired results therefore, discontinuing to sink in costs into such a programme becomes a prudent decision for the company. Alternatively, this also provides them with the option to partner up with other businesses for hybrid programmes and generate interest in their brand even for the people who shop for a completely unrelated product.
Patent No. US8620738B2, teaches about a system loyalty program, comprising: at least one processor; and memory storing a database comprising a plurality of merchant globally unique identifiers (GUIDs), a plurality of account identifiers, a plurality of commodity identifiers, and a plurality of incentives for a plurality of loyalty programs, each of the GUIDs corresponding to a respective merchant and associated with at least one of the loyalty programs, each GUID to be used for a plurality of transactions of the respective merchant, each of the account identifiers corresponding to a respective account, and each of the commodity identifiers corresponding to a respective commodity; wherein the memory further stores instruction to instruct at least one processor to: subsequent to storing the GUIDs, receive a notice of a first transaction between a first merchant and a first consumer for a first commodity, wherein the notice includes characterizing the first transaction by a first account identifier of the plurality of account identifiers associated with an account of the first consumer, and a first commodity identifier of the plurality of commodity identifiers corresponding to the first commodity; determine whether the received contains a first GUID of the plurality of GUIDs for the first merchant; in response to a determination that the first data does not contain the first GUID, derive the first GUID using the received data; identify a first incentive of the plurality of incentives by matching the received with loyalty data stored in the database for the plurality of loyalty programs, the matching using the first GUID, the first account identifier, and the first commodity identifier; and form a transmission identifying the first incentive and addressed to at least one of the first merchant and the first consumer.
Patent No. US8701989B2, teaches about a network-based system for displaying loyalty program information on a payment card, the payment card having a processing device coupled to at least one display screen, said system comprising: a memory device for storing loyalty data; and a computer device in communication with the memory device, the computer device configured to: receive a loyalty program request message including payment card identification data associated with the payment card; determine that the payment card is registered in a loyalty program based at least in part on the payment card identification data; electronically generate a loyalty program response message that includes loyalty program update data; and transmit the loyalty program update data, directly or indirectly, to the payment card for displaying as loyalty program information on the at least one display screen.
UP patent no. US9224154B2 teached about a method of providing payment card-linked offers based on a single loyalty program account of a user that is associated with a plurality of payment card numbers related to the user, the method being implemented by a computer having one or more physical processors programmed by one or more computer program instructions to perform the method, the method comprising: storing, by the computer, an association of a single loyalty program account that is related to the user and a plurality of payment card numbers that are related to the user, wherein the plurality of payment card numbers comprise a first payment card number that identifies a first payment card account of the user and a second payment card number that identifies a second payment card account of the user; receiving, by the computer, the first payment card number in association with a first transaction; identifying, by the computer, the single loyalty program account based on the first payment card number; identifying, by the computer, a first reward based on the single loyalty program, wherein the first reward comprises a first discount off a first total amount associated with the first transaction; causing, by the computer, the first reward to be provided by deducting the first discount from the first total amount to generate an adjusted total amount and transmitting a payment request to a third party payment processor that includes the adjusted total amount; receiving, by the computer, the second payment card number in association with a second transaction different from the first transaction; identifying, by the computer, the single loyalty program account based on the second payment card number; identifying, by the computer, a second reward based on the single loyalty program; and causing, by the computer, the second reward to be provided.
In US patent no. US8788278B2 teaches about a money transfer system capable of providing discounted fee money transfer transactions, including: point of entry ports to communicate transaction information with points of entry; a promotion database including information representative of promotions, including promotions pricing, and promotion commission share burdens of the point of entry operator, and wherein the information representative of promotions includes information representative of promotions available only to loyalty program members; a customer database including information representative of customers' transaction histories and customers' loyalty identifiers for customers that are members of a loyalty program; a pricing database including base transaction pricing; a commission database including information representative of base commissions paid to operators of the points of entry; an analytics port to communicate marketing information with a marketing analytics system; and a transaction processing system connected to the point of entry ports, promotion database, customer database, pricing database and analytics port, wherein the transaction processing system is configured to: update the promotion database as a function of the marketing information; receive money transfer transaction requests, wherein at least some of the requests include loyalty identifiers identifying the customers as loyalty program members; determine whether any received loyalty identifiers are valid; determine based on information in the promotion database whether requested transactions are entitled to promotions, including whether the requested transaction is entitled to any loyalty program promotions; determine transaction pricing information as a function of the base transaction pricing in the pricing database and the promotions pricing in the promotion database that are associated with transactions determined to be entitled to promotions; provide the transaction pricing information to the point of entry ports associated with the transactions to enable the transaction pricing information to be communicated to the associated points of entry; compute and store data representative of the point of entry operator's commission as a function of the base commission and the promotion commission share burden; generate and store commission reports representative of computed point of entry operator commissions; processing the transaction, including determining whether the transaction was completed; update the customer database as a function of transaction information, including whether the transaction was entitled to a loyalty program promotion; and provide transaction information to the analytics port.
Patent no. 201741027579 discloses "customer loyalty program card-mobile first" which is a computing device-implemented method that organizes customer database and authorize the frequent customers with issuing unique identity first card that helps customer engagement with purchase of products and more specifically, to a system and method of offering service to frequent customers and more particularly, to a system and method for transferring, in real time, repeat value added services (5) such as "discounts" "pick up and drop" "white glove offerings" as a part of engagement with sale of products. Any customer can add Loaner/Standby device offerings in their short requirement.
Patent no. 201817015203 teaches about a comprehensive systemic customer loyalty program comprising a method includes establishing a loyalty point’s account for an account holder. The account holder may be allowed to access value held in the loyalty point’s account via a transaction authorized and cleared through a payment account system.
There are disadvantages associated with the conventional loyalty programmes. One of the disadvantages is that conventional loyalty programmes can’t be utilized by all members of a single family i.e. only individual are targeted.
Another disadvantage associated with the conventional loyalty programmes is that the loyalty benefits are provided only on some few products at a retail outlets.
Yet another disadvantage associated with the conventional loyalty programmes is that such programmes are provided during lifespan of a customers, only.
Still another disadvantage associated with the conventional loyalty programmes is that conditional benefits are provided which are not beneficial to the users in the long run.
OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system which obviates the disadvantages associated with the conventional loyalty programmes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system which is useful to purchase entire range and products at the branded outlets.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system which is usable by entire family.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system wherein the loyalty benefit is given precisely when the member pay to the programme.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system which provides assurance of the assistance to the nominee of the card holder in case of death or permanent disability due to accident.
STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
According to this invention there is provided a novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system comprising a system 1 adapted to co-act with a computer 2 provided at retail shops or showrooms of a company, a server 3, adapted to communicate with the computer 2, being provided such that to store info about the system 1, retail shops / showrooms and users of a prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card, a card reader 5 being provided at the retail shops / showrooms to read info from prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card and convey the same to the system 1 so as to debit and / or credit money from / to the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card.
Further, according to this invention there is provided a process of issuing a novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system comprising; (a) registering a user and issuing a prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card, (b) recharging / top up the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card and updating the same with the loyalty amount, (c) debiting / crediting the amount from / to the card upon using the card to purchase of products and updating the card with balance amount and loyalty amount, if any, and (d) issuing net settlement report, at each of the above steps a, b, and c, about the amount due / payable on / to a retailer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
A novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 – illustrates a block diagram of a novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system,
Figure 2 – illustrates a process block diagram to register a user and issue a novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card,
Figure 3 – illustrates a block diagram to register a user and issue of a novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card,
Figure 4 – illustrates a block diagram to load an amount if loyalty is given on recharge of the novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card,
Figure 5 – illustrates a block diagram to load a loyalty amount provided on using the novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card for purchasing purposes,
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system, is herein described with numerous specific details so as to provide a complete understanding of the invention. However these specific details are exemplary details and should not be treated as the limitation to the scope of the invention. Throughout this specification the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises or comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusions of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusions of any other element, integer or step or group of elements, integers or steps.
Referring to the drawings, particularly figure 1, a block diagram of a novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system is shown. The prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system, according to the present invention, comprises a technology block 1 adapted to co-act with a communication media, for example, a computer and / or a smart phone 2 provided at the retail shops or showrooms of a company. A server 3, adapted to communicate with the communication media 2, is provided on a cloud environment 4 such that to store info about the technology block 1, retail shops / showrooms and users of a prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card. A card reader 5 is provided at the retail shop / showroom to read info from prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card and convey the same to the technology block 1 so as to debit and / or credit money from / to the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card.
The card reader 5 and communication media 2 are provided at the company store / retail shop to read the card, reconcile the amount with the transaction amount and deduct the money from the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card. The server 3 is provided to store all kinds of information, relating to the retailers, that is, company’s store / retail shop, prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card user balance and transaction detail, etc. Information about the rules to deduct / debit money from the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card, add / credit money to the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card and also to generate loyalty reward points / amount and add these loyalty reward points to the respective prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card are also stored in the server 3.
According to an embodiment, the enterprise (a company which provides prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system) select the store and deploy the required hardware and software at the retailer’s place (company store or retail shop). A unique login ID and password is allocated to each selected retailer and an account is opened by the retailer at the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system, which is maintained by the enterprises after advance payment deposited by retailer / merchant for the purpose of recharge the customer’s card. The customers is registered at the retailers place and issued a prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card or token through the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system. The customers get his / her card recharge as and when required and purchase the goods / items at the retailers place or through the enterprise portal. Each transaction of the system is recorded and matched. Each transaction of retailers is settled through the settlement process of the system in a time period of transaction day plus one day. Further, the enterprise decides about the prepaid loyalty system, postpaid loyalty system, loyalty on purchase, and loyalty on recharge, unique assistance on death / permanent disability, eligibility for unique assistance, physical card or virtual card.
In addition a portal and mobile application also provided to check the balance, recharge the card and checking the transaction and recharge detail for the particular time period of each customer.
According the present invention the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card is useful to purchase entire range of FMCG products, (garments, food, medicines and even pay bills, for example, electricity bill or services of professional and is usable by any / all members of a family. The system is also scalable and can be implemented in any type of industry, business, retail chain, medium and large enterprises that intends to provide loyalty services to his customers. Also, the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card provides the benefits on recharge amount and instant purchase and post purchase benefits which are of more value than the value of even purchase made by an individual.
Referring to figure (2), the process of registration of a user, issuance of a prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card and use of the said card is shown. The process comprises; (a) registering a user with the system and issuance of the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card. (b) Recharging the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card with the amount as desired by the user and updating the same with the loyalty amount, if any. (c) Debiting / crediting the amount from / to the card upon using the card to purchase of products and updating the card with balance amount and loyalty amount, if any, and (d) A net settlement report is issued, at each of the above steps a, b, and c, about the amount due / payable on / to a retailer.
Referring to figure 3, a block diagram to register a user and issuance of a novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card is shown. The user / customer, in block (i), walks in a company store / retail shop (Retailer) and hands over the details / information like name, mobile number, email id and a KYC proof to the Retailer. The Retailer, in block (ii), enters the above mentioned details, relating to the user, first top up / recharge amount, etc., in the system of the present invention with the help of a computer / smart phone and a prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card is prepared and issued to the customer. The information about the user are stored and linked with the unique user ID in the server, in block (iii), and a PIN number is generated by the system and sent to the user on his/her registered mobile number for use for the verification of the information. The information are then verified by entering the PIN number, in block (iv) and the card is activated in block (v) and is ready for use. The card is preloaded with an amount, for example, Rs. 1000/- paid in advance by the customer to the retailer for the first recharge on the card and the card is linked to that customer in the system with prepaid or postpaid option. The customer subsequently pays cash towards card fees, if any, to the Retailer.
The Retailer pays the amount in advance, through banking channel, to the Enterprises for the purpose of activation / recharge the customers' cards. The Enterprise maintain the account of each Retailer and debit the amount as per the first recharge on the card from Retailer account opened in prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system.
In one embodiment, the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card, with unique assistance pattern is provided to the applicant / customer for providing assistance on certain pre condition based environments. The eligibility criteria is predefined. The system for assistance works in the backend, and an acknowledgement to the customer is send for coverage for such unique assistance when the system automatically check the customer is eligible for such assistance.
Referring to figure 4, a block diagram to load an amount, if loyalty is given on recharge of the novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card, is shown. As per the present invention the user / customer, in block (a), walks in the store and hands over the activated card and cash to retailer to recharge the card. The retailer, in block (b), swipes the card through the card reader 5 and enters the amount in the system, equal to the amount of cash received from the customer, using the computer 2. The top up amount along with the loyalty amount, as applicable, is updated, in block (c) in the card and user / customer receives a SMS from the server 3, in block (d), regarding the amount credited by the system / server 3 of the prepaid / postpaid loyalty card system. A receipt is also provided by the retailer to the user / customer regarding such payment received for recharging the card or top up amount. The retailer pays the amount in advance, through banking channel, to the enterprises for the purpose of activation / recharge the customers' cards. The enterprise maintain the account of each retailer and debit the amount as per the first recharge on the card from retailer account opened in prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system.
According to an option and in case of postpaid card a limit is assigned by the Enterprise for a particular card and the said limit is reflected in the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system. According to an option the amount of recharge / top up is loaded on the card using both mode i.e. online or offline and the cash amount for recharge and loyalty amount automatically transfer at the time of recharging the card and the cash back or loyalty information are sent to the registered mobile number of the user / customer. All the information of such transaction including loading amount on the card and loyalty amount are saved in the server 3, automatically.
Referring to figure 5, a block diagram to use the novel prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card for loyalty given on purchase is shown. According to the present invention, in block (1), the customer walks in the company’s store or retail shop and buys the products / goods as desired and hands over the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card to the retailer for the payment through the card for the goods purchased by the customer. The retailer, in block (2), swipe the card and the amount of goods purchased is debited from the card. The system calculate the royalty amount, in block (3) and updates the card, in block (4) with the balance amount and the royalty amount or points, as applicable. The card system provides report to the Enterprise as to how much amount is due to each retailer in a real time manner and the Enterprise transfers the amount to retailer’s account, that is, portal account used for loyalty card in system in a time period of transaction day plus one day.
According to an embodiment following functions are also performed by the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system;
A. The prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card fees and commission, if any, payable to the retailer for selling / loading the card are separately accounted for.
B. The prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card is charged online through banking and internet payment options, in that case the amount comes directly to system provider (enterprise).
C. According to an option, the prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system provider (Enterprise) provides assistance to the nominee of the card holder in case of death or permanent disability due to accident is caused to the card holder or any other pre-defined causality occurs.
i. On the death or causality with the customer (card holder), the loyalty is to be verified.
ii. Eligibility criteria for the payment of assistance is to be verified.
iii. Payment to the nominee or customers is provided in case of causality.
The system also provides a net settlement report regarding the above points, A, B and C of the amount due / payable to retailer.
i. The retailers collect the money from the card holder / user for the top up.
ii. The card top up amount may be deducted by the system provider either from the retailer’s account or retailer deposits the amount in the account of the system provider or enterprise.
iii. The purchase transaction done by the card holder is paid by system provider.
iv. A set off of each day transactions is also adjusted and balance to the parties is also paid.
v. The system provider has defined a specific process for retailer (company store owner or retailer shop owner) to generate Account.
• Under this process the retailer requests for an account with the system provider,
• The system provider (enterprise) provides an Unique Merchant ID to the retailer,
• This Unique Merchant ID and Login ID / Password enables the retailer to initiate prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card issuing process,
• The retailer is thus allowed to, access details related to Fund and Card (Issuance / Recharge), through this account, online login and is able to issue new prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card or recharge it.
Also, prepaid / postpaid cum loyalty card system of the present invention has the following advantages;
• The loyalty benefits the entire family of the customers.
• The customers are more attached.
• Lifetime relationship can be maintained.
• More easier to understand for a common man
• Easy to implement for a brand or chain or entrepreneurs.
• Immediate as well as long term loyalty benefits
Certain features of the invention have been described with reference to the example embodiments. However, the description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the example embodiments as well as other embodiments of the invention, which are apparent to the persons skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, are deemed to lie within the spirit and scope of the invention.