Method and apparatus for storing retail performance metrics

• US 6,970,810 B1
• Filed: 07/31/2000
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Matsko, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haftz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Doren, B. Van
• Application Number:
  US09/629,170
• Time in Patent Office: 1,947 Days
• Field of Search: 377/6, 382/2, 705/16, 705/8, 705/9, 705/10, 705/11, 235/377, 702/182, 702/187
• US Class Current: 702/187
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/14 Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit data transmission in general H04L; telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/00 Alarm indicators, e.g. bells

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of and apparatus for storing a retail performance metric. The retail performance metric is determined by recording the time the system waited for and received an input. The retail performance metric type is determined as a function of the input received by the system. A retail performance metric is recorded as a function of the time the system waited for an input and the retail performance metric type and is recorded separately from the specific event causing the RPM.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating the performance of a cashier operating a point of sale (POS) station, comprising the steps of:

receiving computer data indicative of an event occurring at the POS station, wherein the event occurring at the POS station is a scanner reading a bar code, a scale weighing an item, or the cashier pressing a key on the POS station;

recording an entry record into memory of the POS station in response to the computer data received, the entry record including a time stamp;

determining a retail performance metric and a retail performance metric type based on the computer data received at the POS station;

associating the retail performance metric record with the entry record;

recording a retail performance metric record including the retail performance metric and the retail performance metric type during a transaction, the retail performance metric including the time elapsed waiting for and receiving the computer data;

repeating the steps of receiving computer data for a second event during the transaction, determining a retail performance metric for the second event, associating the retail performance metric record for the second event with the entry record, and recording the retail performance metric record for the second event during the transaction; and

utilizing the recorded retail performance metric records in evaluating the performance of the cashier operating the POS station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the entry record includes an entry identifier field and the recording the retail performance metric record step comprises adding the entry identifier field value of the entry record associated with the retail performance metric to the retail performance metric record.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the retail performance metric record comprises an entry identifier field, a type field, and a time field.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the type field comprises an RPM type and/or a time type category.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the entry record and the retail performance metric record are written to the same transaction log.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the entry record is recorded in a transaction log and the retail performance metric record is recorded in the same transaction log.

7. A computer implemented system for evaluating the performance of a cashier operating a point of sale (POS), comprising:

a processor for receiving and transmitting data; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having stored therein sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of;

receiving input indicative of an event occurring at the POS station wherein the event occurring at the POS station is a scan operation, a weighing operation, a key operation, or a tender operation;

recording an entry record in response to the input received, the entry record including a time stamp;

determining a retail performance metric (RPM) and a retail performance metric type based on the input received at the POS station;

associating the RPM record with the entry record;

recording a retail performance metric record including the retail performance metric and the retail performance metric type during a transaction, wherein the retail performance metric including the time elapsed waiting for and receiving the input;

repeating the sequences of instructions of receiving an input for a second event, determining a RPM record for the second event, associating the RPM record for the second event with the entry record, and recording a retail performance metric record for the second event; and

utilizing the recorded retail performance metric records in evaluating the performance of the cashier operating the POS.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the memory further includes sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to record the entry record including an entry identifier field and to record the retail performance metric record by adding the entry identifier field value of the entry record associated with the retail performance metric to the retail performance metric record.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the retail performance metric record comprises an entry identifier field, a type field, and a time field.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the type field comprises an RPM type and/or a time type category.

11. The computer implemented system of claim 7 wherein the entry record is recorded in a transaction log and the retail performance metric record is recorded in the same transaction log.

12. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to evaluate the performance of a cashier operating a point of sale (POS) terminal by performing the steps of:

receiving an input indicative of an event occurring at a POS station, wherein the event occurring at the POS station is a scan operation, a weighing operation, a key operation, or a tender operation;

recording an entry record in response to the input received, the entry record including a time stamp;

determining a retail performance metric and a retail performance metric type based on the input received at the POS station;

associating the retail performance metric record with the entry record;

recording a retail performance metric record including the retail performance metric and the retail performance metric type during a transaction, the retail performance metric including the time elapsed waiting for and receiving the input;

repeating the steps of receiving an input for a second event, determining a retail performance metric for the second event, associating the retail performance metric record for the second event with the entry record, and recording a retail performance metric record for the second event; and

utilizing the recorded retail performance metric records in evaluating the performance of the cashier operating the POS station.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the entry record and the retail performance metric record are written to the same transaction log.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the entry record includes an entry identifier field and the recording the retail performance metric record step comprises adding the entry identifier field value of the entry record associated with the retail performance metric to the retail performance metric record.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the retail performance metric record comprises an entry identifier field, a type field, and a time field.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the entry record is recorded in a transaction log and the retail performance metric record is recorded in the same transaction log.

17. A method for evaluating the performance of a cashier operating a point of sale (POS) station, the method comprising:

recording an entry record into memory of the POS station at the beginning of a transaction, the entry record having a timestamp;

receiving at least two events within a time period of the transaction, one event having scanner information in response to the cashier scanning a first item with a scanner, the other event having weight information in response to the cashier using a scale to weigh a second item;

capturing individual timing information for at least two retail performance metrics, one retail performance metric having the amount of time spent scanning the first item, the other retail performance metric having the amount of time spent weighing the second item, each retail performance metric having a product identifier;

associating each retail performance metric record with the entry record; and

storing the at least two retail performance metrics for utilization in evaluating the performance of the cashier operating the POS station.