Touchless Car Wash POS Checkout Using Customer Mobile Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current car wash Point of Sale (POS) systems are costly, require significant labor, lead to low throughput, and increase the risk of infectious transfer due to frequent customer interaction with physical terminals, causing customer dissatisfaction and reduced sales.
Innovation Solution
A touchless POS system using customer devices such as smartphones for selection and payment, minimizing interaction with physical terminals and employing a cloud-based backend to manage transactions and control wash equipment, reducing the need for on-site hardware and labor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If automated checkout terminals are used, then labor costs are reduced, but equipment cost and transaction time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows customers to autonomously complete the entire checkout process using their personal mobile devices. Customers scan QR codes, select wash services, make payments, and receive confirmation without any employee assistance or automated terminal interaction. This eliminates the need for expensive automated checkout infrastructure while maintaining labor reduction benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the checkout functionality from physical terminals and relocates it to customers' personal mobile devices. By moving the interface to the customer's device, the system eliminates the need for expensive on-site automated terminal equipment while maintaining the automation benefits.
2Loss of time
If multiple lanes are added to reduce wait time, then customer satisfaction improves, but equipment cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter of transaction processing speed by enabling customers to complete checkout operations faster using their familiar mobile devices. This reduces the time each customer occupies a lane, thereby reducing wait times without adding physical lanes or infrastructure.
3Ease of operation
If physical terminals are used, then transactions can be completed, but risk of infectious transfer increases
Solution Approach 1:
The customer's personal mobile device serves as an intermediary between the customer and the car wash service. All interactions occur through the mobile device interface rather than direct contact with physical terminals or employees, eliminating the transmission of pathogens through shared surfaces or close contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the interaction interface from shared physical terminals and relocates it to the customer's personal mobile device. This removes the medium through which infectious transfer could occur, as each customer uses their own device that does not contact other surfaces or people.
4Ease of operation
If manned POS terminals are used, then customer assistance is available, but labor cost and throughput limitations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system empowers customers to independently complete all transaction steps using their mobile devices, eliminating the need for employee assistance while increasing throughput. Customers can proceed through the checkout process at their own pace without waiting for employee availability, thereby removing the bottleneck that limits productivity in manned terminal systems.
5Extent of automation
If automated terminals are used, then labor cost is reduced, but fraudulent device implementation risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the transaction interface from vulnerable on-site automated terminals and relocates it to the customer's personal mobile device. This eliminates the physical terminals that could be compromised by fraudulent devices, as the authentication and payment processes occur within the customer's secured mobile environment rather than on shared public hardware.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for use with a car wash is provided having wash equipment and a site module. The site module is configured to send and receive signals with the wash equipment. The system further has a gate and at least one sign comprising a graphical code. The at least one sign is provided in front of the gate, and the at least one graphical code is configured to be scanned by a customer device to indicate the location of the customer device. The system is configured to send and receive signals with an application on the customer device. The site module is also configured to receive the desired property of the wash, and the site module is configured to provide commands to the one or more wash equipment to initiate the wash based on the desired property of the wash.