Accelerometer-Based Product Handling Detection for Retail CRM
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Solution Overview
Problem
Customer relationship management (CRM) systems in retail settings are underutilized, primarily limited to data collection and transaction processing, failing to leverage their full potential for enhancing customer interactions and sales.
Innovation Solution
A customer-product interaction driven CRM method and system that uses accelerometers to detect product orientation and duration of customer handling, triggering CRM actions such as messages to mobile devices or sales representatives based on predefined thresholds, to enhance customer engagement and sales opportunities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If CRM systems are limited to data collection and transaction processing in retail settings, then system complexity is reduced, but customer engagement and sales opportunities are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monitoring function into product-level accelerometers that independently detect handling events, process data locally, and communicate with the CRM system. This distributes complexity from the central CRM system to individual product units, enabling expanded functionality without proportionally increasing central system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces accelerometers as intermediary devices between the customer interaction and the CRM system. These sensors act as mediators that capture physical handling data and translate it into digital signals for CRM processing, enabling new functionality while maintaining a clear separation between sensing and data management layers.
2Measurement precision
If accelerometers are affixed to product units to detect customer handling, then customer interaction monitoring is improved, but product unit complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual tracking methods with accelerometer-based automatic detection. The mechanical/physical action of customer handling is directly converted into digital measurement data through the accelerometer, eliminating the need for manual observation or complex mechanical tracking mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses accelerometers, which are standard components already widely available in consumer electronics, to perform the specialized function of customer interaction monitoring. This universal component serves multiple purposes including motion detection, handling verification, and engagement tracking, reducing overall system complexity despite enhanced functionality.
3Productivity
If real-time CRM actions are triggered based on product handling duration, then customer engagement is improved, but data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-defines threshold values for handling duration that trigger CRM actions. By establishing these thresholds in advance rather than calculating complex decision logic in real-time, the system reduces processing requirements while maintaining effective customer engagement. The accelerometer data is compared against pre-set thresholds, enabling rapid decision-making with minimal computational overhead.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables more effective customer interaction monitoring and engagement, increasing the likelihood of purchases by proactively targeting customers with relevant information or sales interactions, thereby improving sales and customer relationship management in retail environments.
Implementation Method 1
detecting an orientation change of a unit of a product so as to indicate the unit being held by a customer, for instance based upon data values read from an accelerometer affixed to the unit of product
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for customer-product interaction driven CRM. In an embodiment of the invention, the method includes detecting an orientation change of a unit of a product so as to indicate the unit being held by a customer, for instance based upon data values read from an accelerometer affixed to the unit of product. The method also includes timing a duration in which the unit is held by the customer, and in response to the duration exceeding a threshold period of time, executing a CRM action in a CRM application with respect to the product and customer. In this regard, as an example the CRM action can be a message transmitted to a mobile device associated with the customer, or as another example, the CRM action can be a message transmitted to a sales representative geographically proximate to the customer.