Methods and systems for providing customer assistance in a retail store

A method comprising:

• (a) using one or more information monitoring devices to gather information about a first person in a group of persons at a retail store, wherein
• (i) the first person is in proximity of at least one of the one or more information monitoring devices at the retail store,
• (ii) the one or more information monitoring devices are operably connected to (A) a server, (B) one or more databases, or (C) both,
• (iii) the one or more information monitoring devices comprise one or more video image devices, and
• (iv) the step of gathering information using the one or more information monitoring devices comprises
• (A) gathering information of one or more products that the first person retained while shopping at the store,
• (B) tracking the first person to a point-of-sale area of the retail store, and
• (C) utilizing the one or more information monitoring devices to identify one or more being-purchased products that the person is providing for purchase at the retail store in the point-of-sale area;
• (b) analyzing by the system, in real time, the information gathered by the information monitoring devices to
• (i) generate and maintain a list of the one or more products retained by the first person while shopping at the retail store, wherein the list comprises a listing of the products retained by the person while shopping at the retail store;
• (ii) generate a listing of the one or more being-purchased products;
• (iii) comparing the listing of the products retained by the person while shopping at the retail store with the listing of the one or more being-purchased products;
• (c) in response to at least some of the comparisons generated by the system, utilizing the real time analysis to select a sales associate from a group of sales associates at the retail store;
• and
• (d) sending a communication to the sales associate that comprises at least a portion of
• (i) the information gathered by the information monitoring devices, (ii) the real time analysis, or (iii) both;
• wherein the sales representative can then directly interact with the first person in response to the communication.

A system comprising

• (a) a server,
• (b) one or more information monitoring devices operatively connected to the server, wherein the tone or more information monitoring devices comprise one or more video image devices;
• and
• (c) one or more databases operatively connected to (i) the server, (ii) at least one of the one or more information monitoring devices, or (iii) both, wherein the system comprises one or more processors and computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, performs a method that comprises:
• (i) using one or more information monitoring devices to gather information about a first person in a group of persons at a retail store, wherein
• (A) the first person is in proximity of at least one of the one or more information monitoring devices at the retail store,
• (B) the one or more information monitoring devices are operably connected to (I) a server, (II) one or more databases, or (III) both,
• (C) the one or more information monitoring devices comprise one or more video image devices, and
• (D) the step of gathering information using the one or more information monitoring devices comprises
• (I) gathering information of one or more products that the first person retained while shopping at the store,
• (II) tracking the first person to a point-of-sale area of the retail store, and
• (III) utilizing the one or more information monitoring devices to identify one or more being-purchased products that the person is providing for purchase at the retail store in the point-of-sale area;
• (ii) analyzing by the system, in real time, the information gathered by the information monitoring devices to
• (A) generate and maintain a list of the one or more products retained by the first person while shopping at the retail store, wherein the list comprises a listing of the products retained by the person while shopping at the retail store;
• (B) generate a listing of the one or more being-purchased products;
• (C) comparing the listing of the products retained by the person while shopping at the retail store with the listing of the one or more being-purchased products;
• (vi) in response to at least some of the comparisons generated by the system, utilizing the real time analysis to select a sales associate from a group of sales associates at the retail store;
• and
• (vii) sending a communication to the sales associate that comprises at least a portion of (A) the information gathered by the information monitoring devices, (B) the real time analysis, or (C) both;
• wherein the sales representative can then directly interact with the first person in response to the communication.