QUEUE EARLY WARNING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method of deploying rostered staff in a service region in which required staff numbers for a particular function depend upon demand for that function at a selected time, the method including the steps of;
- determining the number of persons entering at least one area in the region;
calculating the estimated time each person will spend in that area dependant upon selected factors;
predicting future demands for staff for a selected portion of time ahead, anddeploying staff to meet the predicted demandwhereby the required number of staff can be supplied to the service region in time to cater for the predicted demand.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for rostering staff in a service region such as a supermarket (10) in which required staff numbers for a checkout (16), for instance, depends upon demand for that function at a selected time. The method including the steps of determining (18, 30) the number of persons entering at least one area in the region (12, 14), calculating the estimated time each person will spend in that area dependant upon selected factors and predicting future demands for staff for a selected portion of time ahead. The required number of staff can then be supplied to the checkout in time to cater for the predicted demand or redeployed to another area.
17 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A method of deploying rostered staff in a service region in which required staff numbers for a particular function depend upon demand for that function at a selected time, the method including the steps of;
-
determining the number of persons entering at least one area in the region; calculating the estimated time each person will spend in that area dependant upon selected factors; predicting future demands for staff for a selected portion of time ahead, and deploying staff to meet the predicted demand whereby the required number of staff can be supplied to the service region in time to cater for the predicted demand. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method of rostering staff in a supermarket in which required staff numbers for a cash register or checkout function depend upon the amount of persons requiring the cash register or checkout function at a particular time, the method including the steps of;
-
determining the number of persons entering the supermarket or at least one area in the supermarket; calculating the estimated time each person will spend in the supermarket or that area dependent upon selected factors; predicting demands for staff numbers for a cash register or checkout function for a selected portion of time into the future based upon the estimated time each person will spend; and displaying the required numbers to allow management to take any required action; whereby the required number of staff can be supplied to the cash register or checkout function in time to cater for the predicted demand. - View Dependent Claims (13)
-
-
14. An early warning system for supermarket checkout management comprising;
-
a traffic counting system to determine numbers of persons entering the supermarket; a computing system to calculate the expected residence time in the supermarket of the persons entering the supermarket dependent upon selected factors and to predict the time until those persons will reach a checkout; a display arrangement to indicate the required staff numbers at a checkout for a selected period of time into the future based upon the calculated expected residence time; whereby supermarket checkout management can roster staff to cater for the predicted numbers going forward in time. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification