Technology identifying fastest checkout lanes comes to metro – KCCI Des Moines

DES MOINES, Iowa

The Valley West Hy-Vee store in West Des Moines introduced new technology this week to help its customers choose the quickest checkout lane.

With the new Feloh system, shoppers can look for the green light indicating the line has one person in it, at most.

I hate guessing how long each line is going to take and committing to a certain line, and then regretting not picking the other lane, shopper Nola Morris said.

But customers wont need a birds-eye view anymore to spot the fastest-moving lane.

We have sensors above every register that are detecting how many people, how many carts, how many items are in each line, said Jacob Richards, founder of the Omaha-based company IndaFlow.

The light turns yellow, then orange as the checkout wait grows longer.

If we start seeing light indicators turning yellow or orange, that is our cue to starting calling up help, store director Brian Bieker said. Sometimes, it might be making sure we get a bagger on that check lane.

A small sensor mounted on the ceiling above each register takes all the guesswork out of the equation.

You can definitely tell which lane is open and which lane is not open because before, you couldnt really tell, shopper Liann Mork said.

Its so great. You dont have to think or count how many groceries that the person in front of you has, Morris said.

Feloh uses object recognition technology, similar to the technology used for Googles self-driving car, to track customers and wait times, which managers then use to help schedule cashiers more efficiently.

Creating conveniences for our customers is of the utmost importance, and that includes providing shorter checkout wait times, said Jen Kopriva, district vice president of Hy-Vees north-central region, in a statement. We are excited to debut this technology in the Des Moines market with a goal of moving our customers through checkout faster so they can continue with their day.

The Valley West Hy-Vee is the only store in the metro using Feloh. Hy-Vee locations in Omaha, Nebraska and Council Bluffs are expected to start using the new checkout lights later this month.

WEBVTT You don't need a birds eye view any more to spot the quickest check out lane. NOLA MORRIS 20:21 I HATEGUESSING HOW LONG EACH LINE ISGOING TO TAKE AND COMMITTING TO A CERTAIN LINE AND THEN REGRETTING NOT PICKING THE OTHERLINE. Valley West HyVee can that for you with its new Feloh system. JACOB RICHARDS/INDAF LOW 1:50 WEHAVE SENSORS ABOVE EVERYREGISTER THAT ARE DETECTING HOW MANY PEOPLE, HOW MANY CARTS, HOWMANY ITEMS ARE IN EACH LINE AND THEN WE USE A GREEN, YELLOW AND ORANGE LIGHT TO SHOW CUSTOMERSWHICH LINE IS SHORTEST. Customers should look for the green light... That means there is one person in line at most.19:02 OH RED LIGHT OVER THERE The light turns yellow then orange as the check out waitgrows.BRIAN BIEKER/HYVEE 7:35 IF WE START SEEING LIGHT INDICATORS TURNING YELLOW OR ORANGE THAT OUR CUE TO START CALLING UP HELP. SOMETIMES IT MIGHT BE WEGET A BAGGER ON THAT CHECK LANE.This little sensor mounted on the ceiling, above everyregister, takes all the guess work out of the equationLIANN24:35 YOU CAN DEFINITELY TELL WHICH ONE IS OPEN BECAUBEFORE YOU COULDN'T REALLY TELL NOLA 20:38 ITS SO GREAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO THINK OR COUNT HOWMANY GROCERIES THAT THE PERSONIN FRONT OF YOU HAS. Feloh uses object recognition technology,similar to google's self- driving car, to track customers and wait times. And managers canuse that information to helpschedule cashiers moreefficiently. 18:46 THANK YOU,

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Technology identifying fastest checkout lanes comes to metro - KCCI Des Moines