JP3042639U - Customer service equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] In large stores such as supermarkets,
I want to improve the service to customers by using communication devices. SOLUTION: A call switch 2 is provided on each display shelf in a store.
0 (# 1 to # 39) is provided. The determination circuit 50 connected to each switch 20 determines which switch is turned on, and wirelessly outputs an audio signal including the switch number, the installation location, or the product type from the antenna 55. Employees carry the specified low power radios 60 to 63 and receive the audio signals thereof. Then, the location of the switch that is turned on is known from the voice, the location is immediately visited, the request from the customer is heard, and the necessary service is performed.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

[Technical field to which the invention belongs]

 The present invention relates to a customer service device in a store such as a supermarket.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 A supermarket has a large store area because it sells a large amount of various products. On the other hand, in order to reduce labor costs, the number of persons involved in the store should be minimized. In addition, there are cases in which the number of people is extremely small so that there is no person in the store other than the person in charge of the cash register.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 As the number of people decreases, the service to customers declines. Customers have various demands, such as asking questions about how to cook, asking where to find what they want, and how to use the items for sale. If there are no related parties in the store, these requirements cannot be fulfilled, and even if there are related parties, it is difficult to meet the demands even if they are far away. There are ways to reduce the number of people, but economic efficiency cannot be ignored and there are limits.

An object of the present invention is to provide a customer service device that can respond to a request from a customer by actively using communication.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The present invention provides a calling voice including a plurality of paging switches installed near a customer aisle in a display shelf or a product storage area in a store and a switch number or a switch installation place or a product type of a switch in which the plurality of paging switches are turned on. A means for generating a signal, a transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting this voice signal, and a receiver for carrying the voice signal wirelessly transmitted from this transmitting means, carried by a person involved in the store, and generating a voice to inform the wearer And a customer service device including :.

Further, the present invention relates to a plurality of call switches installed in a store shelf in a store or near a customer aisle in a product storage area, and a plurality of call switches connected to each other by lead wires. A means for generating a calling voice signal including a switch number, a switch installation place, or a product type, an antenna for wirelessly transmitting this voice signal, and a person who is involved in the store, receives the voice signal from this antenna, and then the carrier carries it. Disclosed is a customer service device including: a specific low-power radio that generates a sound through a speaker or an earphone to inform the user.

Further, the present invention provides a plurality of call switches installed near a customer aisle in a display shelf in a store or a product storage area, and a switch number or a switch installation of the switches turned on among the plurality of call switches. A means for generating a calling voice signal including a place or a product type, a hand microphone, a transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting one of the voice signal from the generated hand microphone and the above-mentioned calling voice signal, and store personnel. Disclosed is a customer service device including: a reception unit that is carried and that receives a wirelessly transmitted voice signal from the transmission unit and that generates a voice to notify a carrier.

Further, the present invention relates to a plurality of call switches installed in a store shelf in a store or in the vicinity of a customer passage in a product storage area, and a plurality of call switches connected to each other by lead wires. A means for generating a calling voice signal including a switch number, a switch installation place or a product type, a hand microphone, and a transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting one of the voice signal from the generated hand microphone and the calling voice signal. Disclosed is a customer service device including: a specified low power radio that is carried by a person involved in a store, receives a voice signal from the antenna, and outputs a voice through a speaker or an earphone to notify the wearer.

Further, the present invention discloses a customer service device in which the means for uttering the voice signal and the antenna are installed in a control room.

[0010]

[Embodiment of the invention]

 FIG. 1 is a view showing an arrangement example in a large-scale supermarket to which the present invention is applied and an example of installation of a call switch. The supermarket store 1 has a door 2 serving as a doorway for customers, a plurality of cash registers 3 to 6, various display shelves 7 to 17, a customer aisle 11 and a sorting machine 21, 22, 23 for the customer's item sorting and bag inserting work. have. On the display shelves 7 to 17, fresh foods such as vegetables, dried foods, meats, fish and shellfish, daily miscellaneous goods and the like are arranged and arranged.

In FIG. 1, one or a plurality of calling switches 20 (# 1 to # 39) for calling are installed on various row shelves 7 to 17, a part of a cash register and a work desk. The number of call switches will be set according to the length of the display shelves, and according to the type of items placed on the display shelves. The location of installation depends on the length of the display shelf, both ends and the vicinity of the center, and if it depends on the type of item, the sorting position of that type. In any case, the installation location and the number of installations should be determined according to the size of the store and the type and quantity of the exhibits.

In FIG. 1, four display shelves 7 and 10 are installed, two display shelves 8 and 9 are installed, and five shelves 12 to 17 are installed. Further, the call switches 20, # 33, # 34, and # 37 to # 39 are also installed at the cash registers 4 and 6 and the desks 21 to 23, respectively. The call switch 20 is installed so as to be easily understood by the customer and within reach of the customer. It is either ON or OFF. When ON, the customer's request is transmitted to the person in charge at the store by communication, and when OFF, communication is stopped. Here, the request of the customer is not the voice or the instruction content of the customer. The customer simply turns on the nearby call switch 20, and the communication device finds the number (or installation position) of the terminal switch that is turned on, and wirelessly communicates the actual voice or artificial voice corresponding to the number. It sends it to the person in charge of the store through the road, identifies the switch position that was turned on, sends the person concerned to that position, and grasps the customer's request.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the communication device of the present invention. The call switch 20 (# 1 to # 39) is connected to the call switch determination circuit 50 via the lead wire C. The determination circuit 50 determines which switch 20 (# 1 to # 39) is ON. If it is ON, a certain voltage is generated, and if it is OFF, the voltage becomes zero, so that the switch that is ON is determined. If there are two or more switches that are turned on at the same time, select the switch that is turned on first. Alternatively, it is possible to determine the switches that are turned on at the same time by devising the circuit configuration.

The memory 51 is a memory that stores audio data. Examples of audio data include the following. (Example 1) "There is a call at the location of switch No. 1, so please go immediately." (Example 2) "There is a call at the place of fresh food, so please go immediately." (Example 1), Either of (Example 2) may be used. The voice as in this example may be directly recorded, but a voice code forming the above sentence may be held as data and a voice signal may be formed from this voice code. Alternatively, in (Example 1), in “No. 1” (Example 2), audio data without “perishable food” is prepared, and the number “1” or “No. 2” determined by the determination circuit 50 is set. It is also possible to embed this voice data and synthesize it. For items such as "perishable food products", the relationship between the switch number and the sales arrangement product may be recorded, the corresponding sales arrangement product name may be read from the switch number, and embedded in the voice data and synthesized. .

FIG. 1 shows a circuit that implements such embedded synthesis. That is, a voice code such as "No. 1" or "perishable food" is prepared in the memory 51, and the synthesizing circuit 52 synthesizes the voice code with the discrimination switch number (or the sales product corresponding to the number). , (Example 1) or (Example 2).

The control unit 53 performs discrimination output between the voice input from the hand microphone 56 and the synthetic voice signal output of the synthesis unit 52. The handheld microphone 56 is a microphone provided in a management room or the like, and is used by the store manager to inform an employee or a customer. For example, there is information on employee turnover, information on in-store information for customers, and information on business hours. The call from the customer when the call switch is turned ON and the voice input from the hand microphone on the store side may be issued in different time zones or may be overlapped. In the former case, the sound of the hand microphone 56 may be sent out as it is via the transmitting section 54 and the antenna 55, but in the latter case, different sounds overlap each other, resulting in a meaningless output (or a difficult-to-hear sound). Therefore, in the latter case, it is necessary to prioritize one of them and send the other afterwards. The control unit 53 performs this processing.

The transmission unit 54 and the antenna 55 are devices called a specific low power radio (sometimes called a transceiver). This radio is capable of wireless communication with weak radio waves (for example, the maximum reach is several hundred meters), and is a radio that anyone can operate freely without a radio communication license. The transmission unit 54 receives the output of the control unit 53 (either the voice output from the handheld microphone 56 or the synthesized voice output from the synthesis unit 52) and wirelessly transmits it via the antenna 55.

The determination circuit 50, the memory 51, the synthesizing circuit 52, the control unit 53, the transmission unit 54, and the antenna 55 are preferably installed at a management room or a place where a manager is resident. Therefore, the call switches # 1 to # 39 and the discriminating circuit 50 are connected by the lead wires having a length of several meters to several tens of meters.

On the other hand, the store employees and service personnel should be individually provided with specific low-power radios. Employees usually work at product storage areas and at the loading and unloading sites of products, and are not in aisle 11. In some cases, there is only one service person, but it is not possible to follow all the aisles in the store. Therefore, we decided to give each of these employees and service personnel a specific low-power radio so that they could quickly go to the location of the switch that was turned on.

The receivers 60 to 63 and the antennas 64 to 67 in FIG. 2 constitute such a specific low power radio device. The audio signals from the antenna 55 are received by the antennas 64 to 67 of the receiving units 60 to 63. As a result, each employee can know the calling switch number making a call and the installation position of the switch via earphones, etc., and can immediately rush to the place of the calling customer. In addition, when the display shelf to be in charge of the employee is defined, the transmitting unit 54 uses a dedicated audio signal for the corresponding employee receiving unit (for example, distinguishing the receiving unit of the employee by frequency). Should be sent. Alternatively, a voice signal including the name of the relevant employee may be transmitted.

According to the above-described present embodiment, a call is wirelessly sent to the corresponding switch and is transmitted to each employee. Each time, the employee can go to the location of the switch that was turned on and answer the customer's request.

The following alternative forms are also possible. (1) Since the transmitter 54 and the receivers 60 to 63 are wireless devices, both transmission and reception are possible. Further, although the synthesizing unit 52 synthesizes the voice and outputs the voice signal, there is an example in which the back sound is also synthesized and synthesized. (2) Although the wires between the switches # 1 to # 39 and the determination circuit 50 are wired, there is also a method of wirelessly transmitting. If it is wired, the work inside the store may be overwhelming, but if it is transmitted wirelessly, such work inside the store is unnecessary. There are also examples of using optical fibers even with wires. (3) Prepare a plurality of calling voice data in the memory 51, change the calling voice for each time or season, or prepare an employee's ID number and name, and combine them. There is also a way to combine them. (4) In addition, a lighting lamp may be installed near the switch and a method of clearly indicating that the switch is turned on may be combined. There is also a method in which lighting lamps are installed in correspondence with the switches # 1 to # 39 in a management room or the like in which the transmission unit 54 is present and the switch that has been turned on is clearly indicated. The explicit mechanism of these lamps depends on the type of switch. For example, if the switch turns off automatically immediately after turning it on, it does not make sense to turn on the lamp for a short time during the ON period. In that case, if it is turned on, a circuit is added so that the display is always displayed for a fixed time such as 5 seconds. On the other hand, if it is a switch that turns on when pressed and turns off only when pressed again, it is not necessary to add such a circuit. If the switch is turned on and the lamp is turned on as it is, the lighting is turned on. Will continue during the period. (5) In addition, instead of the specific low power radio device, there is also a method of giving a small telephone such as PHS to an employee. In such a case, the transmission unit 54 may employ a transmission method such as broadcast communication (simultaneous communication) or a general communication method such as communication that individually identifies employees.

[0023]

[Effect of the invention]

 At large stores such as supermarkets, it is not possible to reduce the number of employees on the store side. However, by using the service device of the present invention, even if the employee is not placed in the aisle of the store, the employee can immediately reach the place when the customer's call switch is turned on, and the customer's request I was able to answer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an arrangement example of display shelves in a supermarket and an installation example of a communication terminal switch for calling.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a customer service device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Store 2 Door 3-6 Cash Register 7-17 Display Shelf 11 Passage 20 Call Switch 21-23 Sorting Shelf 50 Discrimination Circuit 51 Memory 52 Synthesis Circuit 53 Control Unit 54 Transmitter 55 Antenna 60-63 Receiver 64-67 Antenna

Claims (5)

[Utility model registration claims] 1. A plurality of call switches installed near a customer aisle in a display shelf in a store or a product storage area, and a switch which is turned on among the plurality of call switches,
A means for generating a calling voice signal including a switch number, a switch installation place, or a product type, a transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting this voice signal, and a voice signal wirelessly transmitted from this transmitting means by a person involved in the store. A customer service device including: a receiving unit that receives the voice and generates a voice to notify the carrier. 2. A switch number or a switch of a plurality of call switches installed in a display shelf in a store or near a customer passage in a product storage area and connected to the plurality of call switches by lead wires and turned on in the call switches. Means for generating a calling voice signal including the installation location or product type, an antenna for wirelessly transmitting this voice signal, and a person who is carried by the store, receives the voice signal from this antenna, and outputs a voice to inform the wearer. A customer service device including a specific low power radio device generated through a speaker or an earphone. 3. A plurality of call switches installed near a customer aisle in a display shelf in a store or a product storage area, and a switch which is turned on among the plurality of call switches.
A means for generating a calling voice signal including a switch number, a switch installation place, or a product type; a hand microphone; and a transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting either the voice signal from the hand microphone that has occurred or the calling voice signal. A customer service device comprising: a reception means that is carried by a person involved in a store, receives a wirelessly transmitted voice signal from the transmission means, and generates a voice to notify the wearer of the voice signal. 4. A switch number or a switch of a plurality of call switches installed in a store shelf in a store or near a customer passage in a product storage area and connected to the plurality of call switches by lead wires and turned on in the call switches. A means for generating a calling voice signal including the installation location or product type, a hand microphone, a transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting either the voice signal from the generated hand microphone or the calling voice signal, and store personnel. A customer service device including: a specific low power radio that is carried, receives a voice signal from the antenna, and outputs a voice through a speaker or an earphone to notify the wearer. 5. The customer service device according to claim 2, wherein the means for uttering the voice signal and the antenna are installed in a control room.