Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1
1 SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BUSINESSES TO COLLECT PERSONALITY
2 INFORMATION FROM THEIR CUSTOMERS
3
4
6
7
8
9 CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
11 This PCT Patent Application and claims the benefit of Provisional
Patent
12 Application No. 61/530,926, filed September 2, 2011; Regular Patent
Application
13 No. 13/478,817, filed May 23, 2012, which issued as U.S. Patent No.
8,788,307 on
14 July 22, 2014; Regular Patent Application No. 13/688,942, filed November
29, 2012;
Regular Patent Application No. 13/837,684, filed March 15, 2013, which issued
as
16 U.S. Patent No. 8,954,343 on February 10, 2015, and Regular Patent
Application No.
17 14/338,082, filed July 22, 2014, wherein all of the present inventors
were joint
18 inventors in these earlier applications. The teachings of these
applications and
19 patents are incorporated herein by reference to the extent that they do
not conflict
with the teachings herein.
21
22
23
24
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
26
27
28 1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
29 The present invention relates generally data processing, including
those
related to business practices. Specifically, the present invention relates to
a system
31 and method that allows product and services providers to gain insight
into the
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1 personalities of their customers for the purpose of better satisfying
their wants and
2 needs.
3
4 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Product and service providers are always striving to perform in such a manner
6 as to better please their customers or clients (along with potential
customers and
7 clients, hereinafter, collectively referred to as "customers"). These
improved
8 customer satisfaction efforts can include various techniques that
businesses use to
9 strive to learn more about their individual customers ¨ the theory being
that "the
better businesses know their customers, the better they can serve them."
11 These techniques for learning more about their customers can include
the
12 monitoring of customer or consumer behaviors and the keeping of a
careful database
13 of all the information that customers give to them or that the
businesses assemble
14 from outside information sources, including the answers to survey
questions that
many businesses will ask their customers to complete regarding the customers'
level
16 of satisfaction with a business' products/services, and its customer
service activities.
17 Such techniques for learning more about a business' individual
customers
18 have historically not included any significant attempts to assess the
individual
19 personalities of their customers. The reasons for this situation are
many. For
example, an individual's personality is currently measured by traditional
assessments
21 such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and Holland Themes
personality
22 inventories. These assessments, while generally regarded as accurate,
are not easily
23 translated into formats accessible through current non-textual, digital
technology
24 (mobile devices, tablets, etc.) because these assessment tools are text
based and rely
on the basic reading skills and comprehension levels of those being assessed.
26 Personality assessment information, assuming it could somehow be
efficiently
27 collected, would seemingly be of great value to businesses since it is
widely accepted
28 that a detailed knowledge of one's personality can, in many instances,
be predictive
29 of one's behavior in various situations, including the choices or
preferences that one
will exhibit in various retail or consumer situations.
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1 It
seems reasonable that if businesses had information on the personalities of
2 their customers, such businesses could probably do a better job of
developing for
3 their customers those products and services that would be predicted to
give them the
4 most satisfaction. Thus, there is a need for new methods and systems
that will enable
businesses to efficiently assess the personalities of their customers.
6
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1 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
2
3 Recognizing the need for the development of new methods and systems
that
4 will enable businesses to improve their customer satisfaction levels by
efficiently
assessing the personalities of their individual customers, the present
invention is
6 generally directed to satisfying this need.
7 According to the present invention, a personality-assessment computer
8 program product (i.e., a computer readable, non-transitory, storage
medium and
9 instructions thereon for use in conjunction with a computer device of the
type having
a processor and an image viewer) that enables a business to increase their
customer
11 satisfaction levels, sales, profits, etc. based on the business having
achieved an
12 improved capability to predict the wants and needs of their customers as
a result of
13 the business having used this personality-assessment product to assess
the
14 personalities of their individual customers includes: (a) a plurality of
personality
traits, (b) a plurality of photographic images for viewing by a customer,
wherein a
16 plurality of the identified personality traits are ranked and assigned
to each of the
17 photographic images based on the psychological content of the respective
18 photographic image, whereby a customer who chooses to be associated with
a
19 particular one of the images can from a psychological perspective be
assessed to
possess the assigned personality traits, (c) a selection-enabling, user
interface for use
21 by each of the customers and which has a configuration adapted to use an
image
22 viewer to individually present to each customer a digital version of
each of the
23 photographic images, (d) a selection-identifying, user interface for use
by each of the
24 customers and which has a configuration adapted to use an input device
to allow each
of the customers to identify with which of the photographic images each of the
26 customers elects to be associated, (e) a plurality of personality types
into which a
27 customer is categorized based upon the behavior that is expected to be
exhibited by a
28 customer that is categorized into one of the plurality of personality
types, wherein
29 each of the personality types is differentiated by the specific set of
personality traits
that is associated with each of the personality types, and (f) a first
algorithm having a
31 configuration adapted to, utilizing the photographic images with which
the customer
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1 elects to be associated and the related plurality of identified
personality traits that are
2 ranked and assigned to each of the photographic images, categorize the
customer into
3 one of the plurality of personality types.
4 Thus, there has been summarized above (rather broadly and
understanding
5 that there are other preferred embodiments which have not been
summarized above)
6 the present invention in order that the detailed description that
follows may be better
7 understood and appreciated.
8
9
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1 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
2
3 FIG. 1 is a flow diagram representation of a preferred embodiment of
the
4 present invention in the form of a method for enabling a business to
increase their
customer satisfaction levels, sales, profits, etc. based on the business
having achieved
6 an improved capability to predict the wants and needs of their customers
as a result of
7 the business having used this method to assess the personalities of their
individual
8 customers.
9 Table I provides a representative list of the dichotomous personality
traits
identified and used by the present invention.
11 Table II provides a representative list of representative subject or
issue areas
12 that are assessed by the present invention and where one's preferences
in these are
13 used to guide the customer service, etc. decisions of a business that is
utilizing the
14 present invention.
Table III provides a representative listing of personality categories that
could
16 be used by the present invention and the personality traits associated
with each of
17 them.
18 FIGS. 2(a) ¨ 2(c) provide representative images which could be used
by the
19 present invention.
FIG. 3 provides an example of an image to which has been applied the
21 personality trait scoring or assignment process of the present
invention.
22
23
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1 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
2
3 Before explaining at least one embodiment of the present invention in
detail, it
4 is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application
to the details of
construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the
following
6 description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of
other
7 embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also,
it is to be
8 understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for
the purpose
9 of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
The present invention seeks to enable businesses to improve their customer
11 satisfaction levels, sales, profits, etc. by exhibiting the ability to
better predict the
12 wants and needs of their customers as a result of having achieved a
greater
13 understanding of their customers via personality assessments of them. To
understand
14 better how a business can utilize personality assessments of their
customers to
improve its business results, consider the example of a website developer who
is
16 tasked with the assignment of improving the satisfaction levels of
customers who
17 interact with a business' website. Because of the knowledge of one's
preferences that
18 a personality assessment provides, the website developer can utilize
this information
19 to tailor the experiences that personality-assessed customers experience
when they
visit the website by providing them with customized content, recommendations,
etc.
21 based on a knowledge of their preferences.
22 The present invention provides a means that businesses can use to
efficiently
23 assess the personalities of their individual customers. Alternatively,
the present
24 invention can be considered to be a unique user or application
programming interface
that a business can use to improve their customers' levels of satisfaction
with their
26 products or services (hereinafter referred to collectively as
"products').
27 The personality assessment techniques of the present invention
differs from
28 previous methods in that they rely on individuals' interactions and
responses to
29 photographic images. These images are tied to personality traits and
types, which are
combined to generate unique personality assessments for each user.
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1 The present invention allows the developers of web content to embed
into
2 their applications a visual method of personality assessment that can be
customized to
3 suit the unique needs of the developer's company and its unique customer
or user
4 base. Each personality assessment generated by the present invention
utilizes a
specific number of images; each having an associated number of personality
traits
6 that are measured based on the users response to the image. These traits
can be
7 grouped so as to characterize those assessed into different personality
types (Inventor,
8 Visionary, etc.).
9 The present invention 1 develops novel psychology-based, profiles for
the
io customers of a business that utilizes the present invention. These
profiles contain a
11 novel identification of a customer's personality traits 10. These
personality traits 10
12 are based on the clinical knowledge that many personality traits are
ubiquitous, and
13 exist to varying degrees in each individual. Consequently, sets of
personality traits or
14 dichotomous personality traits have been selected in order to measure
the degree to
which one who is being assessed with the present invention possesses distinct
traits.
16 Specific sets of these traits are considered to be predictive of an
individual's behavior
17 and preferences.
18 While individuals' behaviors can vary greatly, the inventors of the
present
19 invention maintain that, for the purposes of enabling a business to know
how to
optimally serve a customer, it is possible to classify people's behavior into
certain
21 general personality categories or types 12. Furthermore, the present
invention
22 maintains that each of these personality categories can be best
understood or defined
23 in terms of the personality traits 10 that are associated are ascribed
to each of them.
24 For the purpose of enabling a business to know how to optimally serve
a
customer, the present invention seeks to assess people or customers so as to
be able to
26 categorize them into one of the herein defined personality categories.
This
27 assessment process involves the use of the present invention's software
that can
28 transform a customer's personal computer, with its image viewer and
input device,
29 into a unique customer interface that enables an assessment of the
customer's
personality.
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1 The process or method of the present invention, see FIG. 1, begins by
a
2 business or user of the present invention showing or giving one of their
customers a
3 tutorial overview of the steps in this invention's personality assessment
process. A
4 customer profile is then developed that entails a psychology-based,
personality
categorization of the customer that includes a specific set of personality
traits 10 that
6 is informative of how the customer is predicted to make selection
decisions regarding
7 various subjects, issues or topics.
8 The present invention invites a customer or potential customer
(hereinafter
9 "customer") to play with or utilize the image viewer on the customer's
computer to in
order to individually present to each customer a digital version of each of a
plurality
11 of photographic images 16; thereby allowing the image viewer to perform
as a
12 selection-enabling, user interface 14. The software of the present
invention then
13 allows the use of the input device on the customer's computer to perform
as a
14 selection-identifying, user interface 15 which enables a customer to
identify with
which of the plurality photographic images the customer elects to be
associated, i.e.,
16 the customer is directed to select "me (i.e., the customer associates
him/her-self with
17 the image)" or "not me" as he/she views each of the photographic images.
18 A business using the present invention would typically utilize a
website of the
19 business to provide their customers access to the present invention. A
customer then
uses his/her computer device (e.g., desktop computer, mobile device or
personal
21 digital assistant that has a video screen and a processor or data
processing
22 capabilities) to access the intern& and the business' website to begin
the present
23 invention's personality assessment process.
24 Unbeknownst to the customer, the images he/she views have assigned to
them
a ranking or scoring 18 for personality traits in various subject, issue or
topic areas -
26 i.e., personality traits and preferences in various subject areas are
ascribed to each of
27 the images according to whether one who possess a specific personality
trait would
28 be psychologically predicted, upon considering one of the images, to
associate
29 himself or herself with the considered image. See Tables I and II for
representative
lists of the personality traits and various subject, issue or topic areas that
are assessed
31 by the present invention.
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1 A preferred embodiment of traits for the present invention is a set
of at least
2 forty, and more preferably ninety five pairs of key traits, where each
positive trait has
3 a corresponding negative trait (e.g., passion vs. apathy), thus, there
can be one
4 hundred and ninety total traits. Other empirically tested personality
indexes, such as
5 The "Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator," also measure dichotomous traits
resulting in
6 sixteen possible outcomes/variables. The forty seven pairs of dichotomous
traits in
7 the present invention can result in a considerably more definitive
psychological
8 assessment of an individual that that which can be obtained using Meyers-
Briggs
9 indicators.
10 For example, an initial set of images 16 could consist of at least
fifty and,
11 more preferably, one hundred images designed to measure and collect data
on a
12 customer's personality in various subject areas ¨ including preferred
communication
13 style, career interests, preferences for travel, recreational activities
and hobbies, etc.
14 Each of these images 16 will usually have five to ten, ranked
personality traits
10 assigned to or "scored to' or "tagged to" it. With every "me" or "not me"
16 response to each image, personality trait data is collected that will
eventually lead to
17 the categorization of the individual into one of a plurality of
personality categories
18 12. See Table III for a representative listing of such personality
categories 12 and the
19 personality traits 10 associated with each of them.
Utilizing this "scoring" 18 or "means for scoring for ascribing personality
21 traits and preferences to the images," the sum of a customer's
associations with the
22 images is used by a first algorithm 20 or algorithmic process of the
present invention
23 to yield an identification of a set of personality traits and
preferences that best
24 characterizes or categorizes the customer's personality and preferences
on various
subject matters. There are many relatively simple, well known algorithms that
can
26 perform this function (e.g., define the categorization of one's
personality in terms of
27 set of personality traits that were most often "selected" or "not
selected" in
28 responding "me" or "not me" to the images the customer viewed and to
which were
29 scored various personality traits).
For example, with regard to categorizing one's personality, if we have 100
31 images that are each scored with 7 personality traits, a user will, in
viewing and
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1 responding 'me" or "not me" to these images, be effectively making 700
personality
2 trait selections. If there are only 50 pairs of personality traits, the
average number
3 that any trait would be selected is 7. However, some of the traits could
unknowingly
4 be selected 35 or more times while others are selected only 2 to 3 times.
Rank
ordering these traits in terms of how many times they were selected will give
one a
6 simple criteria or first algorithm for identifying a set of personality
traits that best
7 characterizes or categorizes the customer's personality.
8 Since there are many, well-known algorithmic processes or algorithms
that
9 can distinguish between the alternative personality categories into one
may be
io categorized and also discern an individual's preferences, these
algorithmic processes
11 will not be discussed further herein. All such well-known, first
algorithmic processes
12 are considered to come within the scope of the present invention.
13 After the completion of this initial image viewing or slider
assessment, a
14 customer's personality is usually found to be best or most accurately
characterized by
not just one specific personality category 12, but by a blend of such
categories. For
16 example, assume the present invention is operating with seven defined
personality
17 categories, A ¨ G. In this instance, it would be possible to categorize
a customer who
18 is being evaluated as being categorized into a category that is a blend
of the seven
19 categories ¨ this could be quantified by defining the % to which a
customer's
personality is assessed to lie in each of the seven categories, and wherein
the sum of
21 these seven percentages equals 100%. Research using the present
invention has often
22 shown that it is usually only necessary to use two, of an available
seven or more,
23 categories to adequately characterize the personality of most
individuals.
24 The carousel of images 16 of the present invention is a unique
application of
existing technology to improve the classic personality assessment process.
This
26 carousel is unique itself. In a preferred embodiment, it is a customer
interface by
27 which a series of pre-defined but randomly selected images are displayed
such that:
28 (i) a user utilizes an input device, such as a mouse or a finger on a
touch screen,
29 to go forward or back in the array of images, and (iii) with each image,
the user
selects (or deselects) whether such image is representative of that person's
likes or
31 dislikes by selecting "me" or "not me." See FIGS. 2(a) ¨ 2(c).
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1 Each image 16 may also have a written or spoken title or another
2 communication means (e.g., a recording image of music or other types of
sound, or
3 both a written and verbal message) affixed to or associated with it. This
means or
4 message seeks to help to clarify for the customer the nature of the image
and the
activity, experience, quality, etc. which the viewing or consideration of the
image is
6 attempting to determine whether the customer "will" or "will not" elect
to be
7 associated with the image.
8 The present invention can potentially establishes a dynamic new
relationship
9 between a business and its customers. By determining their customers'
personality
traits 10 in various subject areas (e.g., hobbies, outside interests,
recreational
11 activities), the communications platform of the present invention can
serve as an
12 improved means for enabling a business to better serve their customers.
13 The present invention 1 can also be considered as a turnkey inquiry
system
14 that enables businesses to better serve their customers based on their
assessments of
their customers' personality traits and preferences in various subject areas.
It is
16 configurable in such a way that it is available both as a mobile
application on any
17 smart phone and as an online web application.
18 It should be noted that the tagging or scoring aspect of the present
invention is
19 unique in that these personality traits and preference are not disclosed
to the
customer. The benefit of this is that a customer cannot in any way bias this
21 identification of his/her personality traits.
22 The system of the present invention can be implemented using a number
of
23 technologies. These include the use of various webpages on a website,
cloud-based
24 service platform, mobile application, software service or similar
communication
means that is maintained to publicize a business's use of the present
invention.
26 Special software applications of the present invention can be created to
run on
27 various computing devices (e.g., smart phones) that can be used by the
present
28 invention in providing its service of enabling a business to assess the
personalities of
29 their customers. Mobile platforms prove to be especially effective for
utilizing the
unique interface of the present invention because they end up providing faster
31 assessments of customers' personalities.
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1 To implement the present invention, there are certain key background
steps or
2 tasks that must be accomplished, these include:
3 (a) identifying a plurality of personality categories or types 12
into which an
4 individual may be categorized based upon the temperament and behavior
that is
predicted for the individual,
6 (b) identifying and establishing a set of personality traits 10 that
are configured
7 such that a specific set of these personality traits categorizes an
individual into one of the
8 plurality of personality categories and are predictive of how an
individual who possesses
9 a subset of these personality traits is most likely to behave in
different situations and
iii make selection decisions as they relates to choosing between an array
of available
11 experiences, etc.
12 (c) compiling a collection of images 12 that are representative of an
array of
13 experiences; note that the use of the term images should be given its
broadest
14 definition so as to include not just static, visual images, but also
videos that may or
may not have sound and even recording images of music and other types of sound
or
16 writings joined to these images,
17 (d) scoring each of these images 12 by assigning to each ranked
personality
18 traits and preferences in various subject areas based, from a
psychological viewpoint,
19 on whether a user viewing the image would or would not be likely to
identify with or
to elect to participate-in the experience or activity represented in the
image. See FIG.
21 3 for an example of an image to which has been applied personality trait
scoring,
22 (e) providing a means or image viewer or user interface 14 for an
individual
23 to view these images and identify with which of these images the
customer elects to
24 be associated, and then establishing, based upon the customer's
identified
associations and the scoring of the images, personality traits in various
subject areas
26 for the customer, and
27 (f) identifying a first algorithm that is configured to utilize these
elected
28 associations of an individual to categorize the individual into one of
the personality
29 categories established and defined by the present invention.
In seeking to obtain the most informative and accurate personality
31 assessments, it often proves useful to ask a customer to view more than
the initial set
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1 of images. For example, in assessing a customer's preferences in various
subject
2 areas, image packets or slider presentations have been developed which
are especially
3 configured to assess and measure what a customer is looking for in a
particular type
4 of product.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the
present
6 invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily
occur to
7 those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the
exact construction
8 and operation shown and described herein. Accordingly, all suitable
modifications
9 and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the
invention that are
set forth in the claims to the invention.
11
