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Walk-Away Installations

Terminology​

  • POG (Planogram) – A visual representation of product placement in stores.
  • Asset – The cabinet or equipment where the camera is installed.
  • Playbook – The management interface used for tracking and assigning assets.
  • Tenant – A specific account or environment where assets are assigned.

Routes​

RouteDescription
ARetrofit Install of Camera in the Field
BRetrofit Camera installed in Factory or Warehouse
CCabinet pre-fitted with camera (mostly powered) and OEM is responsible for management

Walk-Away Install (B/C)​

What is it?​

The ability to have factory/warehouse-fitted cameras deployed in the field easily with the following expectations:

  • Camera is installed in a factory/warehouse.
  • For battery cameras: Camera is activated in a warehouse (preferred) or factory (discouraged).
  • The user does not need to take action in the field – they can just drop off the asset.
  • For battery cameras: Cellular mode must be activated as close to deployment as possible.

What is it not?​

  • Completely error-free – GPS locations may not always be accurate due to environmental factors. Some locations/validations may be required in a small percentage of cases.
  • Completely "no-touch" – Cellular mode for battery-operated cameras must be activated at some point, and testing "should" be performed at least once.

Background​

Rationale​

  • The current retrofitting process in stores is challenging.
  • Installation takes 5-10 minutes and often requires multiple retries to establish connectivity.
  • Installers may lack technical expertise, and distributors may not have personnel comfortable with installations.
  • Retailers sometimes resist in-store disruptions as they can annoy customers.
  • The lengthy installation process draws unnecessary attention, raising privacy concerns.
  • A streamlined process of quickly installing the device and offloading the rest to a remote team will improve efficiency, adoption, and scalability.

Walk-Away Installation Process​

Here is the text with bold formatting removed:

  1. Device is paired to asset and switched on (factory/warehouse or in-field).
  2. Device remains in low depletion mode with no photos during this "physical installation."
  3. Before dispatch to Store, device cellular mode is activated.
  4. Movement detection: Analyze pings for movement away from known locations.
  5. Stability check: If device is stable in an unknown location for 2 days, trigger a photo command.
  6. Device enters photo capture mode.
  7. Alert client/reps via email.
  8. Client/reps access Playbook to manage priority cabinet events.
  9. Client/rep reviews received images and current location.
  10. Client/rep assigns an outlet from the preloaded list of close/probable outlets.
  11. CoolR generates a store-level POG based on SKUs in the first image.
  12. Client/rep approves proposed POG or assigns a saved POG.
  13. Asset is online once location and POG are assigned.
  14. If the asset moves to an unknown location, and stabilizes for 2 days, an alert is triggered for location and POG reset.

Walk-Away Installation – Visualized​

  1. Premap warehouses where assets are likely to be.
  2. Before dispatch, cabinets are optionally tested.
  3. For battery cameras, cellular mode is activated using a mobile or desktop app.
  4. No commands are sent while the asset is in a known location.
  5. If the asset moves away from a known location, and is stable for 2 days, trigger a photo command.
  6. When new photos are received, alert the client/rep to assign location and POG.
  7. Once assigned, the asset goes online in Playbook.

Walk-Away Installation Benefits & Risks​

Benefits​

✅ Unlocks the opportunity to scale.
✅ Enables thoughtful installation in a controlled factory/warehouse environment.
✅ Removes frustration from in-store installations for distributors/reps/retailers.
✅ Increases adoption by retailers.
✅ Manages asset relocation using the same process.
✅ Simplifies retrofit installations.
✅ Enables OEM camera installations via the same method.
✅ Allows remote management by reps.

Risks​

⚠️ Connectivity may be unknown before installation.
⚠️ Some assets require an additional activation process.
⚠️ Deployment locations may lack signal, making tracking impossible.

Walk-Away Installation – Alerts​

  • Email notifications sent to clients/reps for new locations needing attention.
  • Within Playbook, users access the Operations Page > Alert Overview tab.
  • Highest priority: Configure asset alerts.
  • Users can:
    • View details and photos from the asset.
    • Assign location from a list of nearby outlets.
    • Accept a proposed POG or assign an approved POG.

Workflow:​

  1. Navigate to "Playbook" > "Alert Overview."
  2. Search for "Location Mismatch" alert.
  3. Locate asset (search by serial number).
  4. Assign location:
    • Select from Nearby Locations (sorted by distance).
    • Search by location name/code.
    • Confirm assignment:
      "You have selected |LocationName| to assign to |AssetSerial|. Do you want to continue?"
    • Alert automatically closes.
    • Auto-Commands execute based on asset type.
  5. If no appropriate location is found, alert remains "New."

Process​

  1. Factory/Warehouse Install (VistaZ only)
  2. Activation/Validation before dispatch
  3. Field Install
  4. Automated Install Notifications
  5. Planogram Assignments

Factory/Warehouse Install​

Considerations​

  • Factory Install:
    • OEMs use different serial numbers from asset serial numbers.
    • Camera/asset tenants should differ from customer tenants.
    • Managing distributor assignments.
  • Warehouse Management:
    • Battery recharges before seasonal deployments.

Factory Install Options​

OptionAssociate OnlyAssociate & ValidateCustom Method
Available in Web App✅❌❌
Available in Mobile App❌✅❌
Automatically creates asset✅✅❌
Requires connectivity❌✅❌
Validates device functionality❌✅❌
Recommended for Factory Install✅⚡ Optional⚡ Acceptable
Recommended for Warehouse Install⚡ Optional✅ Recommended❌ Not Recommended

Activation/Validation Before Dispatch​

Purpose​

  • Ensure units are validated before field deployment.
  • Validate:
    • Camera functionality
    • Connectivity
    • Correct asset-camera pairing
    • Asset setup in CoolR environment

System Requirements​

  • Validation Tool (Mobile/Desktop App)
  • Wizard for Route A/B, TBD for Route C

Challenges​

  • Poor warehouse connectivity.
  • Limited access to mobile/web tools.
  • Unpacking/repacking feasibility.