1. Optimized Customer Service

The Apple Store located just minutes away from Starmount’s offices here in Austin is constantly packed with people. Especially on a hallmark day like today with the release of the iPhone 4, customer service has to be rock solid. Not only can a store associate demonstrate product and answer questions, but they also have the ability to search inventory and close the sale all in the same spot where you might have first walked in to tinker with a new toy. For a retailer like Urban Outfitters, this personalized service will be extended to quickly and easily help their customers find items, clothing and shoe sizing, and more. No longer will customers be obligated to wait in line at the register to find or pay for an item. Personalizing how store associates interact with customers will set the in-store experience apart and truly optimize the many touch points where service is advantageous in the purchase decision process.

2. Mobility = Efficiency

The point of decision in the purchase process can vary greatly for a retailer. Based on varying buying habits, the decision to purchase could be made long before the customer walks into the store, perhaps through their own research online. Or it could be made at the register. Across this spectrum lies many opportunities to assist in the purchasing process. Mobile POS brings the ability to do just that. Need to find an item? Want a price look-up? Interested in buying a gift card? Easily done wherever the associate and customer are on the store floor. Going mobile allows for tremendous efficiency gains for retailers.

3. Low-cost Access Point

With all of the functionality the mobile POS device will enable, it provides a low-cost access point to easily manage transactions beyond the fixed-based check-out line. Transaction modifications (ie. discounts), tender authorization, and receipt management will be delivered via an Apple iPod touch for the Urban Outfitters solution. The long-term cost advantage could pay major dividends.

Customer service, efficiency and cost. With Starmount’s long history in providing retail clients systems integration, support, and development, we’re excited to be working with Urban Outfitters on this product. After featuring a functioning prototype at Oracle Retail CrossTalk this week, we’ll keep our blog readers posted on the progress. Stay tuned…If you are interested in learning more about our products and services, please feel free to give us a call.

In addition to new projects, an ideal application of this solution would be for a project with the goal of retooling an existing Enterprise Java Beans (EJBs) architecture. In many EJB applications the line between business logic and persistence layer is blurred across session beans and entity beans, making it difficult to isolate those parts of the application architecture. The application server also tends to become an integral part of the application rather then an enabling technology making if difficult to port the application to another technology or even update to a newer version of the application server. This solution clearly isolates the persistence layer of the application, eliminating the need for entity beans and allows business logic to be encapsulated in Spring based services or traditional session beans.

The enabling technologies for this solution are JPA (Java Persistence API) and Hibernate. JPA and Hibernate handle the bulk of the work by generating a set of model classes (or Data Transfer Objects DTOs) and a set of DAO’s (Data Access Objects). The classes generated by the JPA/Hibernate tools form a working persistence layer, however the names of the classes and variables are based on the database table and column names. Anyone familiar with the ARTS schema will know that those names are not easily readable. The labor intensive part of this process is to rename all the classes and variables as well as references to them. One very beneficial characteristic of the ARTS schema is that the meta data for the tables and columns contains a value in the Remarks column that contains an ideal name that can be used to rename the classes and variables from their ARTS names. The renaming process is handled by a set of Starmount Systems custom Java classes.

The entire process is described in detail here.

• Use HibernateToolTask to generate the base classes from the schema.
  • Download http://downloads.jboss.org/hibernate/caveatemptor/jpwh-gettingstarted-070401.zip.
  • The README.txt in the helloworld-reverse directory will show general instructions on using the utility.
  • Customize the build scripts and configuration files to work with the target database.
  • After the ant script completes a set of model and DAO java classes will exist.
• Run the Starmount Systems Domain cleanup scripts to convert the ARTS class names and variables into readable names. The scripts are too lengthy to post here but they are available by request. Contact the author, Greg Bondy at gbondy@starmountsystems.com. This is what the scripts will do:
  • The model class and all of the attributes are renamed from the ARTs name to a proper variable name.
  • A DAO interface is generated.
  • The DAOJpa classes are renamed from the ARTs name to a proper class name.
  • A DAO TestNG testcase is generated.

Following this process, there is some manual cleanup work that has to be done. Most of the manual work is within the TestNG testcases and there is an additional script that automates most of that work.

The end result is a complete Spring enabled JPA/Hibernate persistence layer with a complete set of Model/DTO classes and a set of functional test cases to verify the implementation. The entire implementation can be completed by just a few developers in a matter of days. For anyone with a new or existing ARTS database schema this can be a great way to lay the foundation for an enterprise application that utilizes state of the art persistence technology and provides a well defined boundary between the server side business logic and the persistence layer.

From what I have been able to determine, there is no specific support in JPA to address this. There is a mechanism in OpenJPA but the locale is fixed so it can’t be changed dynamically at run time. With the lack of native JPA support for I18N, I decided to develop my own strategy for tackling the issue.

Given the two tables:

CREATE TABLE PRODUCT
(
	product_id integer NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY,
	sku integer NOT NULL
);

CREATE TABLE PRODUCT_I18N
(
	product_id integer NOT NULL ,
	locale char(5) NOT NULL ,
	description varchar(255),
	FOREIGN KEY(product_id) REFERENCES Product (product_id)
);

I created a Java model class called Product.java with the appropriate JPA annotations to map the variables to database columns.

@Entity
@Table(name="PRODUCT", uniqueConstraints = { })
public class Product implements Serializable {
	private static final long serialVersionUID = -5515140641967068961L;
	private Integer productId;
	private Integer sku;

	//Description of the product (I18N)
	private String locale;
	private String description;

	@Id
	@Column(name="PRODUCT_ID", unique=true, nullable=false, insertable=true, updatable=true)
	public Integer getProductId() {
		return this.productId;
	}

	public void setProductId(Integer productId) {
		this.productId = productId;
	}

	@Column(name="SKU", unique=true, nullable=false, insertable=true, updatable=true)
	public Integer getSku() {
		return this.sku;
	}

	public void setSku(Integer sku) {
		this.sku = sku;
	}

	@Transient
	public String getLocale() {
		return this.locale;
	}

	public void setLocale(String locale) {
		this.locale = locale;
	}

	@Transient
	public String getDescription() {
		return this.description;
	}

	public void setDescription(String description) {
		this.description = description;
	}
}

Note that the locale and description fields are marked as Transient. This is to prevent JPA from trying to use them when interacting with the database. These properties will be populated in the DAO. In my implementation there is also a ProductI18N class that maps the locale and description to the appropriate columns. I am not including an example because there is nothing out of the ordinary from a typical annotated model class.

The DAO class has some additional logic in each method to deal with the I18N values.

public class ProductDAO {
    @PersistenceContext
    private EntityManager entityManager;

    private ProductI18NDAO productI18NDAO;

    @Transactional
    public void persist(Product transientInstance) {
        try {
            entityManager.persist(transientInstance);
        } catch (RuntimeException re) {
            throw re;
        }

        // Save the localized description.
        ProductI18N productI18N = new ProductI18N(transientInstance.getProductId(),
        	transientInstance.getLocale(), transientInstance.getDescription());
        productI18NDAO.persist(productI18N);
    }

    @Transactional
    public void remove(Product persistentInstance) {
        // Remove all the localized descriptions.
        productI18NDAO.removeAllForProduct(persistentInstance.getProductId());

        try {
        	// The remove only works if the entity is first retrieved with getReference.
        	Product reference = entityManager.getReference(Product.class, persistentInstance.getProductId());
        	if (reference != null) {
                entityManager.remove(reference);
        	}
        } catch (RuntimeException re) {
            throw re;
        }
    }

    /**
     * The merge method will update an existing row.
     */
    @Transactional
    public Product merge(Product detachedInstance) {
        Product product;

        try {
        	product = entityManager.merge(detachedInstance);
        } catch (RuntimeException re) {
            log.error("merge: failed for " + detachedInstance.getProductName(), re);
            throw re;
        }

        // Update the localized description.
        ProductI18N productI18N = new ProductI18N(detachedInstance.getProductId(),
        	detachedInstance.getLocale(), detachedInstance.getProductDescription());
        productI18N = productI18NDAO.merge(productI18N);

        product.setLocale(productI18N.getProductI18NId().getLocale());
        product.setProductDescription(productI18N.getProductDescription());

        return product;
    }

    public Product findById(Integer productId, String locale) {
        Product product = null;

        try {
        	product = entityManager.find(Product.class, productId);
        } catch (NoResultException nre) {
        	log.warn("findById: did not find productI18N for id = " + productId);
        } catch (RuntimeException re) {
            throw re;
        }

        if (product != null) {
            // Retrieve the localized description.
	        ProductI18N productI18N = productI18NDAO.findById(productId, locale);
	        product.setLocale(productI18N.getProductI18NId().getLocale());
	        product.setProductDescription(productI18N.getProductDescription());
        }

        return product;
    }

	@Autowired
	public void setProductI18NDAO(ProductI18NDAO productI18NDAO) {
		this.productI18NDAO = productI18NDAO;
	}
}

There is nothing magical about how this works. The base properties are handled directly with JPA and the transient properties are handled in a separate call to the database through the I18N DAO. This is not particularly elegant but all the persistence code is encapsulated in the DAO so from an application perspective the model object will always maintain the correct description based on the locale. The ProductI18NDAO is fairly straight forward so I have not included an example of that, however there is one non-standard method, removeAllForProduct, that is unique to this implementation so an example of that is included here:

	@Transactional
	public void removeAllForProduct(Integer productId) {
		try {
			Query sqlCmd = entityManager.createQuery("delete from ProductI18N pi where productId = ?1");
			sqlCmd.setParameter(1, productId);
			sqlCmd.executeUpdate();
		} catch (RuntimeException re) {
			throw re;
		}
	}

This approach has proven very effective in addressing the I18N issue with JPA. The application has a clean interface to the model object, including the I18N data. If at some point there is an enhancement to JPA that allows this to be handled through an annotation it should only require minor changes to the DAO to take advantage of it.

In case you didn’t know, Starmount will launch Marquis, a new digital signage solution at the NRF.
Marquis is a full-function digital signage solution for the Retail industry featuring integration capability with in-store point-of-sale solutions. Marquis features cost-effective and easy-to-use functionality to CREATE content, MANAGE assets, DEVELOP playlists, SCHEDULE playback, and PLAY your content on any size screen. Marquis is platform independent, running on Mac OSX, Linux, and Windows’ environments. Visit Starmount at booth # 2164 to view a live demo of Marquis!

Our employees raised $555 in cash to donate and that $555 was then matched by our company which means we collectively gave $1110 to families in need this holiday season. Sometimes, we may take our day to day life and lifestyles for granted, but as someone who has visited homes like the ones that Capital Area Food Bank provides assistance for, I know what an impact even a little help can have on a family in need.

According to their website, Capital Area Food Bank feeds more than 300,000 hungry Central Texans each year. This year their efforts are even more crucial for families that have fallen victim to an ailing ecomony. If you don’t have time during this holiday season, also know that they do serve Central Texans year-round and could use your support. On Valentine’s Day, Starmount employees Luke Marino, Peter Fierro, and Sudhir Madyastha will be helping out again by competing in the Austin Marathon.

I’ve been writing software for about 20 years, implementing retail solutions for the last 12 years, one year in between implementing web sites for non-profit organizations, and yet I’ve never been as touched by a potential client’s visit as I was a couple of weeks ago.

In the span of a couple of days we visited a pediatric ward busting at the seams, and a family clinic’s pharmacy. The pediatric ward experience is almost impossible to describe. It was truly one of those times where “you had to be there”. At the family clinic, we listened to the pharmacy administrator’s stories regarding belligerent patients and how they treat her employees and got a chance to see a senior citizen getting to the end of a 3 hour line for the second time in a week only to find out she had to come back another day because her medicine was not available. We were there for about an hour and in that span, I would say that at least 80% of the patients left with partially filled prescriptions.

The purpose of our visit was to understand some of the client’s inventory and efficiency issues and how we could help to solve them. On our way back from the visit we agreed that the issues are not just technological but social and political. And yet, I believe this is one of those rare occasions where software can truly be used if not to solve, at least to alleviate a social problem.

I don’t know if we’re going to get the contract or not, that decision is above my pay grade. However, it is my humble opinion that, if done right, this could be an opportunity to do something really good. I mean, it isn’t every day that you can go home with the feeling that the software you’re writing could allow someone to:

• Be able to heal as many children as possible.
• Assure a senior citizen that she’ll do a shorter line and receive her medication.
• Turn a once belligerent patient into a grateful and most important, a healthy one

If that’s not the meaning of Software as a Service, I don’t know what is.

The tags in the Altierre system are wireless LCD display devices that can be placed on shelves like normal price tags. Since the Altierre system is fully networked, pricing and promotion data can be generated for all stores at the retail headquarters and downloaded to each store. At the local store, the Altierre system takes over and automatically sends the data ‘over the last mile,’ so to speak, over its wireless platform to the RF Display Tags. The system makes dynamic pricing and promotion a reality, giving the flexibility to change the price of any product in one or all of the stores in a chain, based on store traffic, season and competitive strategies. As an example, the tags let retailers launch promotions such as ‘Buy One, Get One Free’ almost instantly. At the local store level, with the click of a mouse, a grocery store manager could drop prices for a happy hour sale, and just as easily with another click return prices back to normal just in time for the dinner rush.

According to the article, the foundation of the company’s solution is its mixed-signal chip technology interacting with its RF Systems platform. Its software technology platform is built on top of its custom RF technology stack, which allows for a massively scalable ultra-low-power network of display tags, sensory tags and active and passive RF tags to coexist in an integrated fashion within its long-range RF network.

The Altierre server appliance sits as a local node in a distributed computing network to provide control and communications via its RF network. It provides integration with other local appliances, contains system-monitoring functionality, and enables applications such as electronic pricing solutions, inventory, store operations, sensor networks, supply chain, and asset tracking. It also has built-in support for future RFID applications when individual-item RFID finally becomes cost-effective.

With the system, a store can update the product information displayed on 10,000 labels in less than an hour. The stores piloting the system have typically installed two Wireless Access Points – high volume transports that control 25,000 shelf tags deployed across a sales floor measuring 50,000 square feet.

For those of us in the digital signage industry the question to be asked is why isn’t this connected to the in-store digital signage network and therefore supporting the application by driving customers to the products in the store. This seems to be a logical addition to the technology. Consider, when all of those product tags are being updated for promotions, seasonal sales or just price changes the in-store promotions are also updated to reflect the changes made to the prices.

IDC has estimated the total global spending on retail software, in all sub-segments and across all retailer revenue levels, to grow to $20.1 billion in 2010. With most major players like IBM, SAP, and Oracle trying to take a bite off this pie, Altierre has a promising road ahead with its innovative end-to-end solutions addressing the everyday problems of retailers.

The food retail vertical (supermarkets, grocery, and convenience stores) in the U.S. alone offers a $10 billion market to Altierre. Addressing a major pain point within the $3 trillion U.S. retail industry, Altierre is effectively attacking the ‘next big thing’.

For years digital signage vendors have focused their attention on developing powerful digital signage software that accommodates small networks through large enterprise deployments. The number of companies that exist in this space is amazing, approximately 300 or more by some accounts. However, as all of us in the industry know, the technology is evolving very quickly and just providing a digital signage product that facilitates placing text, graphics, and video on digital screens is no longer enough to compete in the industry – the bar is rising. Vendors have to consider online, social media, mobile, place-based media, user-generated content, hand-held devices, and wireless to be competitive.

The article goes on to say that “it’s critical to leverage the fullness of the medium while paying attention to, and planning for, our shifting media landscape. The DOOH industry cannot be looked at as though it were outside of the sphere of other media properties. It isn’t a separate entity. It is a piece of a robust ecosystem, in which symbiotic relationships foretell success.”

This point is critical for retailers who want to integrate digital signage into their in-store strategy. If their digital signage network is deployed as a separate entity, history has indicated it is doomed for failure. The message delivered to their customers on the digital screen is not tied to any comprehensive strategy and therefore the consumer is potentially presented a mixed message when considering the many avenues of information available.

However, if the digital signage network is considered part of the overall in-store strategy with brand and product messaging being consistent, the digital signage network becomes a viable part of the retailer’s brand marketing and product strategy. This ensures the consumer is presented with a consistent message when investigating the many avenues of information available.

So, as the digital signage industry evolves through its infancy an opportunity exists to create a media company born from a multi-layer approach to the industry. I believe, as the article highlights, enlightened DOOH vendors who work closely with retailers to combine the reach of place-based media with the mass distribution potential of the Web to form a fluid, nimble, efficient, and robust media entity; one that blankets the out-of-home space and supports the redistribution of power occurring online will be the “next great media company to emerge from the digital-out-of-home space.”

The comprehensive report highlights the continued growth of the digital signage industry and predicts a bright future for the next 6 months or so. PRI indicates that the digital signage Index has grown 10.83% from Q2 to Q3 2009 indicating a demand for digital signage products and services. Looking at the Near-Term Index PRI, an increase of 15.12% indicates an optimistic outlook for the industry for the next 3 to 6 months. Increases in index components like planned capital expenditures and hiring indicate that companies are ready to invest in the anticipated growth. Specifically, the digital signage software industry growth from Q2 to Q3 was 18.25% and predicted increase for the next 3 to 6 months is 37.69%.

PRI amassed the relevant information from a survey of industry professionals and industry trends. The survey answers were subjective and indicated that financial concerns, proof of effectiveness, market share and staying current on emerging trends are the major business concerns.

The news is very positive and indicates that, while we are in the deepest economic downturn in history, the digital signage industry continues to attain it growth potential.

If you haven’t read the report as of yet, I recommend it. The report is detailed and comprehensive and provides an interesting view of the market going forward.

The paper talks about the concept of “value for the money corridor” – the best hardware solution for the various customers employing digital signage. On a chart that maps cost vs. platform capability the lowest cost and lowest capability is the photo frame. Scala is using the IAdea Photo Frame.

The photo frame is suitable for large deployments. It can be centrally managed using a compatible digital signage content manager. While the hardware is inexpensive and easy to install linking it to your digital signage content manager provides a new layer of complexity to the network. According to the paper the best application for the typical 10″ wireless technology is in small to mid-sized business, such as retail chains and restaurants. However, because of the size and resolution limitations, the screens cannot be viewed from a distance or where a customer may need advanced graphics or video. It may also not be suitable for harsh working environments.

Next up the “value for the money corridor” is a Standard Definition (SD) Appliance. Scala is using the IAdea SD Appliance.  The SD appliance is a media appliance capable of playing DVD quality video and sound. The SD Appliance is essentially a MPEG -1, MPEG – 2, or MPEG – 4 ASP device. Much like the photo frame the device can be centrally managed from a digital signage content manager.

Next up the “value for the money corridor” is a High Definition (HD) Appliance. Scala is using the IAdea HD Appliance. The HD Appliance supports high definition video and audio for a reasonably small price. The device supports a myriad of formats and is very well suited for high-end retail and corporate communications as well as national restaurant chains and information networks.

Next up the food chain are the popular Netbooks or Ultra Low Cost PCs (ULCPC). The devices can be most effectively used in any networked situation where dependence on high-end graphics is not required. The device which typically runs in the $200’s is most appropriate for universities, hotels, corporate environments or anywhere where a low cost appliance is required.

Of course for digital signage customers who require high-end HD graphics, full networking capability, a live link to any third-party database and be centrally managed, the current fully configured PC is the answer.

After reading the paper I came to two conclusions: First, the paper is a sale’s collateral that displays Scala’s effort to expand to the widest extents of their market potential. Scala has always had a reputation for high cost and high functionality with a “one size fits all” approach. Now they appear to be trying to fill in the blanks for market segments previously not available to them.

Second and more important, if you read between the lines, it is easy to see that the digital signage market is not a heterogeneous environment. Different customers require different solutions and digital signage providers who are selling a “one size fits all” approach are missing the nuances of the customer potential in the marketplace. This is the real message that underlies this paper. I believe the companies that realize this and plan their product solutions around the concept will be more successful than the “one size fits all” approach.