In-Store 'Runner' Software

At the larger and busier Apple stores, the company has installed software to speed the process of retrieving products from the rear stock area, and get it to the point-of-sale counter to complete the purchase. At smaller stores the Mac Specialist will retrieve the needed products from the stock room, which is usually a short walk from the retail floor. However, this software, dubbed "Runner," is Web-based is used at North Michigan Avenue, San Francisco and some other stores where it would be too time-consuming to have Mac Specialists leaving the retail floor to retrieve a customer's products.

So, they walk the customer thru all the options, APP, .Mac, ProCare, Office, printer, extra RAM, etc, then just punch in on a computer behind the sales counter the order. The specialist prints up an order for the customer and hands it to them, letting them know about how long it should take, and the specialist moves on to the next waiting customer while the first one browses the store while waiting. This order then pops up on the runners screen, and they grab everything together, bring it up to the waiting customer, and they're done. The stock update part shown just keeps a mac specialist from creating an order to fill that isn't available.

Hope this helps and gives you a little insight. This little app is only installed on BOH networked machines, like the ones behind the cashwrap and genius bar, so this guy must have gotten a sneak peek back there.

The runners handle RAM and software installs, and system set-ups in between taking out computers and other products.

Here are some screen shots of the software:

This status screen shows the time estimate for various tasks that might be requested by the Mac Specialists outfront, to the Inventory Control Specialsts in the stock area.

Here is one of the menu screens for the Mac Specialist to request a product.

Another menu from the system.

Self-explanatory status screen.

Preferences screen.