Location Sensitive Queue Management Using Mobile Device Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Providers face challenges in managing surges and ebbs in online order and appointment volumes, leading to customer dissatisfaction due to long wait times, quality issues, and resource mismanagement, especially in environments like fast food restaurants and service venues.
Innovation Solution
A machine-implemented method using temporary transaction identification sequences (TIDs) downloaded onto mobile devices, repeatedly determining the device's location via wireless transmissions, and assessing separation from provisioning spots to decide on and inform customers about the commitment and timing of service delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the provider accepts more online orders to increase productivity, then the quantity of service increases, but the wait time for each customer increases and service quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by determining customer locations and predicting arrival times before finalizing order commitments. This allows the provider to prepare resources in advance while filtering out customers who will arrive too early or too late, ensuring that accepted orders can be fulfilled with minimal wait time and maintained service quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the commitment decision based on real-time customer location data and predicted arrival times. By continuously monitoring separation distance and timing, the system can adaptively accept or reject orders to maintain optimal service levels, preventing both excessive wait times and resource overload.
2Speed
If the provider commits to providing goods/services early to reduce customer wait time, then service speed improves, but the goods/services may decay in quality before pickup
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from continuous location tracking to dynamically adjust the commitment decision. By monitoring the customer's actual movement toward the provisioning spot and comparing it with predicted arrival time, the system can determine the optimal moment to commit to providing goods/services, ensuring they are ready just in time without decaying in quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary location assessment and arrival time prediction before making the commitment decision. This allows the provider to prepare goods/services at the optimal moment - not too early (which would cause quality decay) and not too late (which would cause wait time delays).
3Measurement precision
If the provider monitors customer location continuously to optimize service timing, then service precision improves, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system leverages the customer's own mobile device, which already has location capabilities (GPS, cellular triangulation), to provide the location data needed. This eliminates the need for complex provider-side tracking infrastructure, as the customer's device performs the location measurement service for itself and voluntarily shares the data with the provider.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device acts as an intermediary between the customer and the provider's location determination system. Instead of the provider directly implementing complex tracking infrastructure, the mobile device mediates by providing location data through wireless transmissions, simplifying the overall system architecture.
4Productivity
If the provider accepts all online requests to maximize business volume, then productivity increases, but resource mismanagement occurs and customer satisfaction decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary filtering of online requests by assessing customer location and predicted arrival time before accepting orders. This preliminary action allows the provider to commit only to requests that can be fulfilled with appropriate timing, preventing resource mismanagement and maintaining customer satisfaction while still maximizing viable business volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically evaluates each online request based on real-time location data and timing conditions. This dynamic assessment allows the provider to adaptively accept or reject requests to maintain optimal resource utilization and customer satisfaction levels, rather than using a static accept-all or reject-all approach.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to technology for determining locations of approaching recipients of online pre-requested or pre-ordered goods/services. Physical waiting queues and/or wait-lists are managed so that the goods/services will be provided without excessive wait times or unacceptably long wait lines or inferior quality in the provided goods/services. Resolution of location determination becomes finer and finer in one embodiment as the recipients get closer to the provisioning spot. If there is a change of plans, the recipients are notified ahead of time so as to avoid last minute surprises or disappointments.