Geolocation-Based Customer-Employee Interaction Platform
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Solution Overview
Problem
The in-store shopping experience for customers is inefficient due to lack of engagement with knowledgeable employees, generic buying processes, and inadequate post-purchase support, leading to frustration and a shift towards online shopping.
Innovation Solution
A platform that uses geolocation to connect customers with employee experts through a smart application, enabling communication channels for product inquiries, purchases, and post-purchase support, allowing customers to interact with employees via GUIs on network-connected devices, even after leaving the store.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If customers call the store to get questions answered by employees, then customer service is provided, but the process is time-consuming and inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a website and mobile application as intermediary platforms between customers and employees. These digital intermediaries enable customers to submit questions and receive responses without direct phone calls, streamlining the communication process and reducing time loss while maintaining service quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows customers to prepare and submit their questions in advance through the website or mobile app before visiting the store. This preliminary action enables employees to prepare responses ahead of time, reducing the time customers wait for answers during their store visit.
2Reliability
If customers visit the store to get questions answered, then they receive personalized service, but the process requires customer travel and time commitment
Solution Approach 1:
The digital platform serves as an intermediary that delivers reliable, personalized service remotely. Customers can interact with employees through the website or mobile app without traveling to the store, maintaining service quality while eliminating travel time and commitment requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Customers can conduct their product research and question submission in advance through the digital platform before deciding to visit the store. This preliminary interaction allows them to gather necessary information remotely, reducing the need for extended in-store visits and travel time.
3Ease of operation
If the store provides comprehensive product information online, then customer convenience is improved, but customers still need to call for specific questions
Solution Approach 1:
The website and mobile application serve multiple functions: displaying comprehensive product information, collecting customer questions, and facilitating direct communication with employees. This multi-functional platform consolidates various communication channels into a single system, improving ease of operation without increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges product information display and customer communication functions into a single integrated digital platform. Instead of requiring separate systems for information access and employee communication, the website and mobile app combine these functions, reducing the complexity of multiple communication channels while maintaining comprehensive service.
Data Source
AI summary
Facilitating connections between a customer and an employee of a business is described. Once the customer is within a proximity of a business, the customer can choose to interact with an employee of the business. The customer can select a product or section of the business and post a request or question. In response, an employee with expertise in the subject matter of the request or the question, can chose to respond to the customer. Thus, the customer can get help prior to entering the store. In addition, the customer can request the employee to facilitate the purchase of a product via the system described herein and leave the product in a pick-up area. After the interaction is complete, the customer can reopen the conversation at a later time with the same employee. As such, the system enables better customer engagement, a better buying experience, and a better post-purchase experience.