Systems for Store Associate Management in a Store

• US 20090265210A1
• Filed: 04/21/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sunrise R&D Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Kroger Company
• Inventors: Jordan, Michael Aaron, Bonner, Brett Bracewell, Jones, Titus Arthur, Hjelm, Christopher Todd, Perkins, Dion Brent
• Application Number:
  US12/427,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20090265210A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/086 using security domains

Abstract

Described herein is a system for managing at least one store associate in the operation of a store through wireless electronic communication through a communication network between a manager and at least one store associate. The manager uses a manager'"'"'s communication device and the at least one store associate uses an associate'"'"'s communication device to communicate through the communication network. The store associate is provided a list of orders to perform and the manager receives data on the manager'"'"'s communication device pertaining to the performance of the list of orders created on the associate'"'"'s communication device, wherein the manager uses said data to evaluate the job performance of the at least one store associate.

Claims

1. A system for managing the completion of orders in a retail environment, comprising:

a. A store having store personnel on duty within said store;

b. A communication network for electronic communication by said store personnel about said store;

c. At least one of said store personnel having a manager'"'"'s communication device; and

d. At least one of said store personnel having an associate'"'"'s communication device;

whereby said store personnel communicates through said communication network to assign and complete a list of orders to be completed in said store.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said store personnel comprises at least one manager and at least one store associate subordinate to said at least one manager.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said at least one manager creates said list of orders on said manager'"'"'s communication device and said manager'"'"'s communication device transmits said list of orders to said associate'"'"'s communication device through said communication network.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said at least one store associate begins performing an order from said list of orders.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said at least one store associate completes said order from said list of orders, creates a completion signal on said associate'"'"'s communication device and sends said completion signal from said associate'"'"'s communication device through said communication network to said manager'"'"'s communication device.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said manager manually or electronically corroborates store associate'"'"'s performance of said order, from said list of orders.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said associate task device creates a list of orders and transmits said list of orders to said manager'"'"'s communication device and said associate'"'"'s communication device through said communication network, said list of orders being transmitted in preparation for said at least one store associate'"'"'s completion of the list of orders.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said at least one store associate completes an order from said list of orders, creates a completion signal on said associate'"'"'s communication device and sends said completion signal from said associate'"'"'s communication device through said communication network to said manager'"'"'s communication device.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said manager manually or electronically corroborates said store associate'"'"'s performance of said order from said list of orders.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said manager receives the real-time location about the at least one store associate and wherein said manager uses said real-time location about said at least one store associate to corroborate said store associate'"'"'s performance of said order from said list of orders.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein said at least one store associate chooses an order from said list of orders to accept by creating an acceptance signal such that said associate'"'"'s communication device is equipped with a timer and wherein said timer is triggered to start recording time when said store associate transmits said acceptance signal from said associate communication device.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said timer stops recording time when said at least one store associate creates a completion signal on said associate'"'"'s communication device, and transmits said completion signal from said associate'"'"'s communication device through said communication network to said manager'"'"'s communication device such that said timer creates the total time of performance, and wherein said associate'"'"'s communication device transmits said total time of performance through said communication network to said associate task device and said manager'"'"'s communication device.

13. A system for managing at least one store associate in a store, comprising:

a. A store having at least one store personnel on duty within said store;

b. A communication network for electronic communication by said at least one store personnel, wherein said communication network is positioned about said store;

c. At least one of said store personnel having a manager'"'"'s communication device, said manager'"'"'s communication device having

i. A first memory for storing computer readable code;

ii. A first mechanism for creating a list of orders wherein said list of orders is to be conducted by said at least one store associate;

iii. A first transmission device for transmitting said list of orders to said communication network; and

d. At least one of said store personnel having an associate'"'"'s communication device, said associate'"'"'s communication device having

i. A second memory for storing computer readable code;

ii. A second mechanism for creating a list of orders wherein said list of orders is to be conducted by said at least one store associate;

iii. A second transmission device for transmitting said list of orders to said communication network;

whereby said store personnel having said manager'"'"'s communication device communicates through said communication network to assign a list of orders to the at least one of said store personnel having an associate'"'"'s communication device, and said at least one of said store personnel having an associate'"'"'s communication device completes the list of orders in said store.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said store personnel comprises at least one manager and at least one store associate subordinate to said at least one manager.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said at least one store associate completes said order from said list of orders, creates a completion signal on said associate'"'"'s communication device and sends said completion signal from said associate'"'"'s communication device through said communication network to said manager'"'"'s communication device.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said at least one manager manually or electronically corroborates the at least one store associate'"'"'s performance of said order from said list of orders.