Web-based e-Token system for Grocery stores and Malls
Purpose & Benefits:
There was a recent warning issued by WHO that COVID-19 may last longer than anticipated even if the vaccine comes. Hence the government may have to introduce lockdowns in different parts of the country depending on the size of the outbreaks.
The initial measures taken by the government in the present lockdown, to streamline the needs of law-abiding citizens have certain administrative limitations and it defeats the purpose of social distancing, which is the main weapon in the fight of COVID-19. Lockdowns will not be successful unless ques are eliminated wherever possible.
As many decisions are taken by the authorities at short notice, it is extremely difficult for law-abiding citizens to plan their activities in lockdowns.
We suggest a Web-based eToken system for Grocery stores and Malls (also Clinics wherever waiting time is significant and social distancing is difficult to maintain) specifically for metro cities like Mumbai and Pune (we still do not know many cities will get added to the list in future).
The single most advantage of this Web-based eToken system for Grocery stores and Malls is that the queues can be avoided at grocery stores and citizens can step out of their home when the system alerts them.
Salient features of this e-Token system:
Select grocery stores may voluntarily register or authorities may direct chosen stores to function partially and/or fully as per this proposed system.
This is an electronic queuing system designed to eliminate physical queues at grocery stores registered on the app. It generates and manages a queue of customers electronically. This is an extension of e-Token systems implemented at various banks and customer service centres of many companies.
This system allows grocery stores to function for longer durations.
Design:
The e-Token system has three main components -
o Customer view
o Grocer view
o System view
The functioning of each of these views is described below:
Customer view
1. Registration with basic details- name and contact number
2. Customer selects a store(s) to register in an electronic queue.
3. Customers must input their preferred time slots in the system. (a view of taken as well free slots would be available.).
4. S/he is informed about the existing length of the queue and expected waiting time for a given store.
5. Customers can remove him/herself from the queue if the waiting time is high.
6. Receives alerts on mobile when their turn comes up.
7. In the case of clashing of slots (within two stores), the customer can choose where to go.
Grocer view
1. Registration with basic details – Type of store, Address, number, name.
2. Declaration of time slots for physical queue/ electronic queue
3. Grocer manages the queue by removing tokens that do NOT turn up at their allocated time slots.
System view
1. Manages incoming requests based on set criteria – collecting data, forming lists and sorting lists into AM/PM timings.
2. Sends alerts on mobile at specified no. of intervals.
3. In case of the removal of a token from the list, send an alert to the next customer irrespective of their slot.
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