Methods and systems for retail customer referral compensation programs
AssigneeMotherlode Network
InventorsJ. Benjamin Tyler, Kenneth D. Roland, Thomas Thornton, DelMar P. Williams, Kevin F. Baadsgaard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to business methods and systems for retail marketing, and specifically to retail customer referral compensation programs for using performance driven criteria to award production points for determining a referring customer's position in a performance driven floating compensation structure and matching bonus plan in a retail marketing organization.
Claims18
A method, performed by one or more processors of a computer system, for providing a performance driven floating compensation structure for compensating customers enrolled in a multi-level marketing plan based on a position in which a customer is placed within the performance driven floating compensation structure, the method comprising:
- generating, by the one or more processors, a performance driven floating compensation structure that includes a plurality of positions arranged hierarchically in a plurality of levels, wherein at least one level includes fewer positions than a layer immediately below the level in the performance driven floating compensation structure, the performance driven floating compensation structure for arranging customers enrolled in a multi-level marketing plan based on performance of the customers in the program;
- associating, by the one or more processors, a compensation formula with each position in the performance driven floating compensation structure, wherein the compensation formula for at least one position in one level of the performance driven floating compensation structure is different than the compensation formula for at least one position in a second level of the performance driven floating compensation structure, and wherein a compensation formula for a position at a higher level yields a higher compensation amount than a compensation formula for a position at a lower level;
- accessing, by the one or more processors and for each of a plurality of customers in the multi-level marketing plan, a number of production points earned by the customer during a first production period, the production points being earned at least partially by one or more of the following:
- enrolling another customer into the multi-level marketing plan;
- enrolling another customer into an auto-purchase program;
- or
- attending a training event or activity;
- placing, by the one or more processors, each customer in the performance driven floating compensation structure based on the number of production points earned by the customer during the first production period such that customers having earned a higher number of production points in the first production period are placed at higher levels in the hierarchy than customers having earned a lower number of production points in the first production period;
- calculating, by the one or more processors and for each customer in the performance driven floating compensation structure, a compensation amount to be paid to the customer for performance during the first production period, the compensation amount being calculated based on:
- the compensation formula associated with the position in the performance driven floating compensation structure to which the customer was assigned based on the number of production points earned by the customer during the first production period;
- and
- an amount of sales generated by the customer during the first production period;
- accessing, by the one or more processors and for each of a plurality of customers, a number of production points earned by the customer during a second production period;
- and
- repositioning, by the one or more processors, each customer in the performance driven floating compensation structure based on the number of production points earned by the customer during the second production period such that customers having earned a higher number of production points in the second production period are placed at higher levels in the hierarchy than customers having earned a lower number of production points in the second production period, and such that customers receive a compensation amount for sales generated during the second production period based on the compensation formula of the position in the performance driven floating compensation structure to which the customers were repositioned.
One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors perform a method for providing a performance driven floating compensation structure for compensating customers enrolled in a multi-level marketing plan based on a position in which a customer is placed within the performance driven floating compensation structure, the method comprising:
- generating, by the one or more processors, a performance driven floating compensation struture that includes a plurality of positions arranged hierarchically in a plurality of levels, wherein at least one level includes fewer positions than a layer immediately below the level in the performance driven floating compensation structure, the performance driven floating compensation structure for arranging customers enrolled in a multi-level marketing plan based on performance of the customers in the program;
- associating, by the one or more processors, a compensation formula with each position in the performance driven floating compensation structure, wherein the compensation formula for at least one position in one level of the performance driven floating compensation structure is different than the compensation formula for at least one position in a second level of the performance driven floating compensation structure, and wherein a compensation formula for a position at a higher level yields a higher compensation amount than a compensation formula for a position at a lower level;
- accessing, by the one or more processors and for each of a plurality of customers in the multi-level marketing plan, a number of production points earned by the customer during a first production period, the production points being earned at least partially by one or more of the following:
- enrolling another customer into the multi-level marketing plan;
- enrolling another customer into an auto-purchase program;
- or
- attending a training event or activity;
- placing, by the one or more processors, each customer in the performance driven floating compensation structure based on the number of production points earned by the customer during the first production period such that customers having earned a higher number of production points in the first production period are placed at higher levels in the hierarchy than customers having earned a lower number of production points in the first production period;
- calculating, by the one or more processors and for each customer in the performance driven floating compensation structure, a compensation amount to be paid to the customer for performance during the first production period, the compensation amount being calculated based on:
- the compensation formula associated with the position in the performance driven floating compensation structure to which the customer was assigned based on the number of production points earned by the customer during the first production period;
- and
- an amount of sales generated by the customer during the first production period;
- accessing, by the one or more processors and for each of a plurality of customers, a number of production points earned by the customer during a second production period;
- and
- repositioning, by the one or more processors, each customer in the performance driven floating compensation structure based on the number of production points earned by the customer during the second production period such that customers having earned a higher number of production points in the second production period are placed at higher levels in the hierarchy than customers having earned a lower number of production points in the second production period, and such that customers receive a compensation amount for sales generated during the second production period based on the compensation formula of the position in the performance driven floating compensation structure to which the customers were repositioned.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.