Overview: Fast Flow
- Marty Niessen (Deactivated)
- Sarah Holst
- Jenni Buonanni
This setup is supported for: Resorts utilizing RTP|One POS.
This setup is not supported for: Resorts utilizing Siriusware POS.
Key Terms
Customer Assignment on the Product Detail Page
Many ski products must be assigned to a contact so that information required when fulfilling that product for the guest can be properly stored and captured. When a product is assigned age rules can be enforced, waivers can be captured, profile information can be stored, and more. Fast Flow works alongside functionality that enables logged-in guests to assign products to their household members on the product detail page. Fast flow and household assignment work as an “either-or” method of assignment, either I assign the product through Fast Flow or I assign the product through customer assignment on the product detail page.
Fast Flow
Fast Flow allows guests to scan media QR codes or enter media ids on the product detail page to allow for quick product assignment even for guests who have not logged in or are not a part of the shopper’s household. When combined with Selective Guest Checkout, Aspenware Fast Flow becomes a streamlined flow with the fewest steps to purchase yet.
Product Attributes
When attributes are added to a product, a single product can offer many variations based on guest selections. These variations offer guests more customized options, so they can find a product that best fits their needs/ age without having to scroll through numerous product pages.
QR Code Regex
QR codes can have URLs that are embedded with a PassMedia number or RFID number. A QR Code “regex” specifies how to parse that value from the URL. This enables scanning a QR code and removing unwanted characters so only the desired values are returned. Configuring a regex to decipher and translate a specific URL format for your store’s Fast Flow requires Aspenware involvement, so contact us at support@aspenware.com.
RTP|One Age Rules
RTP|One Age Rules can be enforced on Fast Flow products to control which guests are permitted to be assigned to a product or product variation based on the guest’s age.
Feature Detail
Fast Flow enables streamlined checkout without requiring guests to log in. Guests will input their media number into the Fast Flow field (can be RFID, pass media, or IP code), and the entered value will be validated. Once validated, the guest will be assigned to that cart item. If a customer is logged in and enters a media number for someone outside of their household, Fast Flow enables that this product can remain assigned to someone outside of the household.
If a customer is not logged in when they select to checkout with a Fast Flow product, they will be given the option of a streamlined guest checkout flow (if the Fast Flow product is configured for Selective Guest Checkout), and the name and email of the assigned guest will be pre-populated on guest checkout fields. Guests can also choose to login rather than checkout as a guest.
From there, the guest can complete checkout, and their order item will be associated with the customer to who the media belongs in the POS.
NOTE: Fast Flow often works alongside Aspenware’s Selective Guest Checkout feature to enable guests to make purchases without logging in (they can log in if desired). If a guest opts not to log in and instead creates a guest account during checkout, then the guest’s purchase will be associated with multiple accounts in the POS (ie: the account already in the POS system that has media AND the guest account they created during checkout).
Additionally, there will not be an “assignment step” in checkout for Fast Flow products. If a guest is also purchasing a non-Fast Flow product that requires assignment during checkout, the Fast Flow product will not be displayed on the assignment screen.
Media Entry Methods
Media can be entered into the Fast Flow field via several methods:
1. Guests can enter their Pass Media number or RFID number into the Fast Flow validation box.
2. Guests can scan a QR code on their pass and their pass number will be auto-filled into the Fast Flow validation box.
NOTE: If you use a QR code that has a URL that has a pass media number embedded within the URL, configuring a regex to decipher and translate this specific URL format requires Aspenware involvement, so contact us at support@aspenware.com to get an Aspenware developer looking at your unique regex needs as soon as possible.
IMPORTANT: There is a known issue with Chrome (details HERE) that QR Scanning does not currently work with Android devices utilizing Chrome. Aspenware is working on a potential workaround for this Chrome issue and note that only 2% of users across all of Aspenware’s resorts utilize Android.
3. A deep linking URL auto-fills the pass number field with the guest’s pass number. The guest simply uses their phone's native camera app to scan the QR code on their pass which directs them to the resort brand site where they select a link to a Fast Flow product. Once selected, the guest is directed to the store’s PDP where the Fast Flow field is auto-filled with their pass number.
Validation Methodology
Fast Flow uses a stored procedure in RTP|One to validate if the pass number entered is eligible. This eligibility is based on settings in the stored procedure which can be customized to look for specific active media, specified age ranges, etc. This ensures the resort is only allowing guests that meet their criteria to purchase the Fast Flow product.
NOTE: Aspenware has custom-built stored procedures for Fast Flow that can be shared with the resort. If capable, resorts can edit these on their own. But for complex changes, the resort may request Aspenware Professional Services for assistance.
If the media number entered is verified as eligible by the procedure, then custom messaging from the procedure is returned along with the guest’s name. From here the guest can either add the product to their cart or click “Reset” to input a new media number.
If the media number entered is deemed ineligible by the procedure, then custom messaging from the procedure is returned and the guest can try reentering or rescanning their media. Until the guest is validated, they will not be able to add the product to their cart.
Optionally, if the guest is logged in, the procedure’s validation may also account for the logged-in user’s group members. If the group member is eligible, the guest can be selected and the product can be added to the cart. Ineligible users will not be able to be selected. Fast Flow and household assignment work as an “either-or” method of assignment, either I assign the product through Fast Flow or I assign the product through customer assignment on the product detail page. This means if a logged-in customer wants to load some Fast Flow products to existing members of their household by selecting their name instead of entering their media ID and other products to members outside of their household by entering or scanning their media IDs, they can.
NOTE: If a product is using Fast Flow in combination with Reservations and/or Assignment Validated Prompts, then Customer Assignment with Fast Flow is not available for this product.
Attributes with Fast Flow
Attributes are supported with Fast Flow, so if a product has an “Adult” and “Child” variant option, the entered media will be re-checked for eligibility upon attribute change and if the previously validated customer is not eligible for the new variant, perhaps because they are too old, an error message will indicate why.
Age Rules with Fast Flow
Aspenware’s Fast Flow feature now works alongside RTP|One configured Age Rules. If a product is configured with Fast Flow and has age restrictions on the product header being sold in RTP|One, then upon entry of the media ID, the customer whose media ID is entered will be checked for both media and age eligibility. If the customer is not eligible, they will be returned invalid with an error message indicating why.
NOTE: Aspenware Age Rules will not be used for Fast Flow age restrictions, only age rules configured in RTP|One will be applied to Fast Flow products.
A customer valid for an adult selection will not be valid for a child selection if RTP|One Age Rules have been set up on that product header.
Fast Flow can also be configured alongside additional advanced product functionality, such as validated procedures and reservations.
Checkout Process / Account Recognition / Multiple Accounts
Fast Flow will most often be used with Aspenware’s Selective Guest Checkout feature. This enables guests to complete their orders without requiring guest login when only Selective Guest Checkout defined products are in their cart. When these features are combined and a guest opts to not log in, their order will show under two accounts in the POS. The order will appear under the account that has the media assigned to it and the order will also appear under the Guest Account they created during checkout.
To help mitigate this, if the guest has an account in the POS, then Aspenware will auto-fill this when the guest enters checkout:
If they continue to Guest Checkout with these prepopulated fields, a prompt will appear reminding the guest they have an account and they can log in. Logging in will not be required of the guest but can help reduce additional profiles in the POS.
NOTE: Merges or bulk clean-up of guest accounts can be used to decrease the number of guest accounts in the POS. Fast Flow does not require the use of Aspenware’s Selective Guest Checkout feature but will often be used to increase the speed of checkout.