Real-time mobile monitoring for convenience store operations

Challenge

With IoT and edge devices reshaping convenience store operations, our client saw an opportunity to empower store managers and owners with real-time insights and controls. But managing multiple retail locations required more than just dashboards. It demanded a mobile experience that supported task execution, supply workflows, and team communication across roles.

The client also needed a way to validate the concept quickly, align internal stakeholders, and gauge customer enthusiasm without jumping prematurely into development.

Solution

Planorama partnered with the client to design and prototype a mobile solution tailored for fast-paced, multi-site retail operations. Core aspects included:

• At-a-Glance Operational Visibility: We designed a mobile interface that gave managers instant access to key stats like sales, resupply needs, and store health, enabling faster, more informed decisions.
• Real-Time Task Management: The app supported execution of essential workflows like work orders, resupply requests, and staff communication from a single interface.
• Role-Based Access and Communication: Team members of all levels could use the same app, with permissions and task views tailored to their responsibilities, simplifying training and day-to-day operations.
• Design-First Execution: We developed a high-fidelity, interactive prototype to gather feedback, align stakeholders, and showcase the vision before development began.

Outcome

Planorama's rapid design-led approach delivered significant value before a line of code was written:

• Time and Cost Savings: The prototype-first strategy saved the client months of development effort and hundreds of thousands of dollars in engineering cost.
• Internal Alignment: The prototype became a centerpiece at a company-wide conference, clearly communicating the vision and roadmap of the client's product strategy.
• Validated Market Fit: Feedback from store owners confirmed the app's value, especially its simplicity, real-time insight, and centralized communication features, creating immediate anticipation and demand.
• Accelerated Development Confidence: With dev-ready assets and a tested UX foundation, the client's product team was set up for faster MVP execution and successful rollout.

Planorama helped transform the vision of mobile-first retail operations into a clear, validated, and actionable product, ready to make convenience store management truly convenient.