Some embodiments of the invention provide tools for promoting a user's financial well-being by encouraging positive financial behavior through timely feedback, counseling and instruction. For example, some embodiments of the invention may provide real-time (e.g., in response to a transaction being performed, or in response to the user indicating he/she is contemplating a transaction) useful analysis and advice designed to encourage the type of ongoing financial behavior that leads over time to financial well-being.

Certain example embodiments provide systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for monitoring homesharing activity. For example, certain embodiments may determine how well each resident, in a residential apartment complex, is performing in relation to homesharing. Some embodiments may provide a technology platform (referred to herein as a “scoring platform”) that generates a homesharing score based on how much money a resident is making, how long it takes the resident to respond to guest messages, the ratings the resident receives on short term rental websites, the resident's hosting status, and how much money each resident has made in relationship to how much a company makes on units that the company manages and subleases. This score may then be used to target specific residents to assist them in the areas in which they are considered to be underachieving.

A method of managing franchises using a credit-card payment system is provided. The method includes (a) inputting a goods selection or service use statement of a customer at a franchise to a franchise client to calculate an estimated payment amount, inputting member information of the customer to the franchise client, and transmitting the member information to a customer information server of a head office to request member authentication; (b) receiving, by the customer information server, a member authentication request signal for the customer, comparing the member authentication request signal with previously stored member information of the customer to perform authentication processing, and transmitting the result of authentication processing to the franchise client; (c) inputting credit-card payment information for the estimated payment amount to the franchise client, requesting a card company for payment approval, and receiving approval information; (d) outputting selection items for a satisfaction survey for service provided by the franchise through a sign pad connected to the franchise client; (e) when customer response data for the survey selection items is received from the sign pad, analyzing and statistically processing customer satisfaction evaluation information for the franchise according to the selection items, and storing the resultant customer satisfaction evaluation information in a database of the customer information server; and (f) switching the sign pad to a screen for obtaining a digital signature.

Distributed muster includes distributing to different mobile devices an identity of an assigned muster location of an ocean-going vessel, and associating each mobile device both with a corresponding passenger of the ocean-going vessel, and also with the assigned muster location. Thereafter, a timer initiates that defines a period during which a muster drill must be completed by all of the passengers and, in response, a message is transmitted to each mobile device that the muster drill has commenced. During the period, as each mobile device is sensed within a geographically defined area of a correspondingly assigned muster location, a record of the completion of the muster drill by the passenger associated with the sensed mobile device is recorded in the memory. As well, subsequent to a lapsing of the timer, a listing is displayed of any passenger not recorded as having completed the muster drill.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for determining a consumer's engagement with a brand of the business by tracking the consumer's activities in multiple platforms, such as social media platforms, content platforms, gaming platforms, other retailers, streaming video providers, service providers, etc. Method are described for probabilistically granting users variations of items that are otherwise being acquired. The granting may be random, but probabilities may be boosted based on the consumer's activities in the platforms.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for determining a consumer's engagement with a brand of the business by tracking the consumer's activities in multiple platforms, such as social media platforms, content platforms, gaming platforms, other retailers, streaming video providers, service providers, etc. Method are described for probabilistically granting users variations of items that are otherwise being acquired. The granting may be random, but probabilities may be boosted based on the consumer's activities in the platforms.

Techniques are disclosed for determining application experience of a user. One embodiment presented herein includes a computer-implemented method, which includes receiving, at a computing device, eye tracking data of a user interacting with at least a first page of an application. The computer-implemented method further includes determining, based at least on the eye tracking data, at least a current user experience regarding the first page. The computer-implemented method further includes predicting, based on evaluating the current user experience, that the user is likely to discontinue use of the application. The computer-implemented method further includes determining, based at least on the prediction, an intervention that reduces a likelihood of the user discontinuing use of the application, and interacting with the user according to the intervention.

A system for monitoring consumption of digital content by a user includes a display device, a memory circuit maintained on one or more non-transitory computer-readable media, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit identifies the progress of the user through the digital content presented on the display device. The digital content includes a collection of micro content blocks, the progress of the user being at least dependent on one or more of a plurality of predefined parameters. The processing circuit identifies a computer-executable progress score of the user based on the progress identified for the user and defines a computer-executable reward value for the user based on the progress score of the user upon successful achieving at least a defined level of the progress. The processing circuit allows the user to redeem the computer-executable reward value as an equivalent transactional amount upon submission of the progress.

A loyalty gamification server platform with a plurality of micro-services are provided. Custom-defined rules permit gamification elements to be integrated as enhancements into loyalty applications though interaction with the micro-services using a platform Application Programming Interface (API). Artifacts associated with rewards and status level of rewards are earned based on activities associated with transactions of a user in accordance with the rules. Social standing artifacts are also earned based on the same or different activities. In an embodiment, users form a community and a dashboard microservice permits each user's ranking relative to games, competitions, status, and social standing to be viewed relative to other users of the community as a dashboard presentation on a display of a transaction terminal or a user device.

A social network content recommendation system allows users to identify friends, recommend content to friends, and receive awards for influencing friends. Internet pages can be used to display rankings of recommended programs, user profiles and their awards, and dynamic chats relating to specific programs, such as television shows.