Prototype App
In April 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I developed a web application to manage customer counts in Woolworths Supermarkets across Australia. As a Duty Manager in store, I recognized the need for a more efficient solution than the mechanical clickers and walkie-talkies initially proposed by the management for crowd control during the Easter holiday long weekend. The app allowed multiple team members to count customers entering and exiting the store using their mobile phones or store RF guns. This innovation was widely adopted and praised within the company, including by high-level executives such as Robert Moffat, Claire Peters, and CEO Brad Banducci.
Woolworths is one of the largest supermarket chains in Australia, with over 1,000 stores and employing more than 200,000 people. The company holds a significant market share in the Australian grocery sector, making this project a notable achievement during a critical period.
Infographic shared internally within the company, highlighting my efforts and contribution.
Director of Stores post on internal company social media.
To manage customer flow and ensure safety during the pandemic, the app incorporated several essential features and capabilities.
The project showcases a few notable applications and experiments that contributed to its success. These examples, while not exhaustive, illustrate the depth of the project's impact and my technical expertise.
MySQL Server Status during testing of the prototype application.
I developed a prototype web application that facilitated real-time customer counting. The app's backend was built using PHP to handle API requests and MySQL for data storage. Each store had a unique page to ensure the counts were accurate and centralized. This approach eliminated the need for mechanical clickers and walkie-talkies, making the process more efficient and reliable.
The server-side logic was implemented in PHP, which handled API requests from the client devices. The app used RESTful APIs to facilitate communication between the front-end interface and the backend database.
MySQL was used for data storage, ensuring data integrity and consistency.
The front-end was developed using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, providing a responsive and user-friendly interface. The web application was designed to be accessible on various devices, including smartphones, tablets, and the store's RF guns.
The app utilized AJAX calls to fetch and update data without reloading the page. This ensured that the customer counts were updated in real-time, providing accurate and up-to-date information to the staff.
TikTok video of Woolworths Team Member using the app 'out in the wild'.
The app received significant recognition within Woolworths, featuring prominently on the company’s internal social media. I had discussions with executives at various levels, and the concept was well-received across the board. The social media team created an infographic titled "Meet the Mastermind" to highlight my contribution, and the app was discussed in the company’s internal podcast and video updates.
The feedback from staff across the nation was overwhelmingly positive. Here are some of the comments:
Listen to the internal podcast where the app was discussed.
The app was also featured in an article by Yahoo News Australia, highlighting how Woolworths managed customer counts during the pandemic:
Read the article on Yahoo News Australia
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Watch the video update featuring discussions by Claire Peters and Robert Moffat.
Reference letter from Director of Stores
I received formal recognition from Robert Moffat, the Director of Stores at Woolworths Group Limited, for my innovation and the positive impact it had on the company during a challenging time. Staff from around the nation praised the app, with many expressing their appreciation for its ease of use and efficiency.
The Customer Counting Clicker App was a significant project that demonstrated my ability to identify a problem, create a practical solution, and implement it on a large scale. The positive feedback and recognition from Woolworths' top management highlight the success and impact of the project. This experience not only strengthened my technical skills but also my ability to innovate under pressure.
Moreover, this project has prepared me for future challenges in the field, making it clear to potential employers that I am ready to tackle complex problems and deliver effective solutions in high-stakes environments.