These days we spend a bulk of our time on phones/tabs, so why not optimize that time to increase quality “Life” – being with your family, friends, pursuing sports/hobbies or even watching TV (Though I recommend more OffScreen time :)?
I often find myself asking my wife for the grocery list via email/ SMS while I’m driving back from work. Things are even more hectic for working moms who have to micromanage their minutes.
What if your local super-market/grocery/retail store gave you an app, which pre-populates the products that you bought last couple of times, highlights the on-sale items and relevant promotions/coupons, suggests products based on anniversaries and calendar events, in addition to the full inventory list of all items? And that’s not all, what if it also includes a section for you to suggest stocking products that are currently unavailable at the store? Here, all you got to do is, tap on the app, confirm the products in your shopping basket, specify your pick-up window time, set an alert in case you want to re-schedule – and voilà! Your shopping basket is ready to be picked up at the checkout counter! All you do is pay and carry it back home – makes sense?
Now, let’s explore the back-end process flow. The products are loaded in the StoreApp via the eCommerce platform with GeoLocators. Once, an order is processed, the information is fed into the global ERP system for data analysis and harvesting purposes. The ERP system’s delivery module passes the information to the local store’s automated stocking shelves (imagine vending machine racks/shelves being governed by system requirements instead of choices entered via keypad). Automated shelves collate your ordered items, pack and deliver them in a designated counter with the shopper’s name/QR code/bar code. Here, only the accountholder/shopper (via your mobile/keychain RFID) or the store designated person can move the package.
If you want to make it more efficient and customer friendly, have the delivery done via drive-through pick-up with a manned counter for trouble shooting.
Not just the Walmarts or Targets of the world, the Home Improvement stores and the Indian Big Bazzars/ Nature’s Baskets can also explore this. This way, not only the customers are spared from standing in shopping queues, the store’s target marketing and distributed delivery efficiency is also increased. I have kept the garden variety grocery ordering dot coms’ out of this scenario as they lack outlets/shops, where one could swap items in thirty seconds to two minutes. The intent here is “Touch Retail” with improved physical customer experience.
I welcome the readers to share their opinions and comments.
Published with permission.
