Using the runner

Runners help you move products from the stockroom to the sales floor, to a sales associate who is serving a shopper or to refill the sales floor.

You can benefit from using the Runner when you display multiple units of SKUs of a specific product style on the sales floor, and shoppers can pick the products and purchase without assistance. You can then use the Runner to submit Replenishment requests to replenish the purchased products on the sales floor.

On the other hand, if you display only 1 SKU of a specific product style on the sales floor, then you can use the Runner to submit Try On requests, as an associate will need to help the shopper enable the purchase.

Runners in a retail store are responsible for delivering products to the sales floor fast, ensuring a smooth shopping experience for customers and an increase in conversion.

Prerequisites

note

The Runner functionality is supported from Associate App v1.36.0.

You can configure the Runner functionality using the Associate App Configuration API.

To enable the Runner functionality, set release_toggles > runner_enabled to true.

Configuring the push notifications for runners

If you want to be notified about the updates on the runner requests, configure the push notification settings before starting to use runners.

To enable push notifications, use the Associate App Configuration API to set release_toggles > push_notifications to true.

1. Login to NewStore Associate App.

2. Tap Settings > Notification Settings > Runner Notifications.

   • Enable New Task Submitted to be notified when an associate submits a new task.

   • Enable Task Accepted to be notified when an associate accepts a new task.

   • Enable Task Completed to be notified when your task is marked as complete.

   • Enable Product Exception to be notified when a product is not available.

   • Enable Note Added to be notified when a new note is added by the Runner or sales associate.

   The notification setting for this feature is turned on by default.

On this screen, you can enable or disable the runner notifications depending on your role. For example, stockroom associates who run the products to the sales floor after a runner request is created should turn on the notifications for the new tasks submitted. However, the sales associate who submitted the runner request would be interested to receive notifications when the request is accepted or completed, and when a product is unavailable.

note

The runner push notifications work along with the iOS notification settings and the users will be notified in or outside Associate App based on their device notification configurations.

Using the Runner in Associate App

As a sales associate and a runner, you can manage runner tasks in Associate App.

Adding runner tasks

To add a runner task:

1. You can scan or type product's identifying code or search the product from the catalog.

2. You can check the stock on hand and shipping availability.

   • To decide to place an endless aisle order, if there is no stock on hand, or
   • To decide to request the products from the stock room, if there is stock on hand

3. When there is stock on hand, you can request the product by tapping Add to Runner option on the Product Details page in Associate App. The default quantity that appears is 1 and you can change it, if needed. You can also request for multiple products to be added to the runner request.

4. Tap More or the side menu and go to Runner to see a runner task with the products that you added now.

5. Select the type as Try On or Replenishment. Runners will bring the products to the sales associate for Try On and will refill the racks and shelves for Replenishment.

6. Change the quantity, if needed.

7. Add a note, if needed.

8. Submit the runner task.

Fulfilling runner tasks

To fulfill a runner task:

1. Access the Runner from the More or side menu on the right.

   The Runner menu shows the runner tasks in an ascending order with the following information:

   • Type of the request, Try On or Replenishment
   • Name of the sales associate who placed the request
   • Time of the request
   • Status of the request (Pending or In Progress)

2. A Runner can select a task and tap to view its details. The requested products are listed, displaying:

   • the product images
   • the names of the product
   • the colors and sizes
   • quantity

3. Tap Accept Task.

4. If the product is missing, it is marked as unavailable with an icon on the Runner request itself. So the sales associate can identify all products that cannot be found. However, if a user finds the unavailable product, the product can be marked as available.

5. After locating the products, a Runner can complete the task by tapping Complete Task.

Communicating about a runner task

The Runner can communicate with the sales associate who has raised the runner request, if notifications are turned on in the app.

During a runner request, the Runner creates a new note for the sales associate, and the sales associate who created the request is notified. Similarly, the sales associate can respond to the Runner by adding another note and the Runner is notified.

You can either type the note or use the microphone icon on the keyboard to dictate the note.

All users in the store can view notes on Runner requests, including notes entered for completed runner requests via applicable filters.