SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COORDINATING CUSTOMER PICK UP WITH A VEHICLE WASH

1 . A system for arranging pick-up of orders at shopping facilities, the system comprising:

an electronic interface configured to receive or input an order of at least one product corresponding to a customer;

a shopping facility where the order is made available for pick-up by the customer arriving in a vehicle, the shopping facility including an order pick-up area comprising:

an automated vehicle wash apparatus operatively coupled to a conveyor assembly and configured to wash the vehicle in a predetermined time period; and

a product pick-up location operatively coupled to the conveyor assembly and configured to allow delivery of the order from the shopping facility to the customer; and

a central computing system operatively coupled to the conveyor assembly and configured to:

determine the arrival of the customer in the vehicle at the order pick-up area;

instruct assembly and fulfillment of the order; and

coordinate delivery of the order in the order pick-up area with completion of the vehicle wash.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic interface comprises an intercom at the shopping facility communicatively coupled to the central computing system.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic interface comprises a shopping facility server configured to serve as a platform for receipt of the order from a remote customer or for other input of the order to the central computing system.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic interface is configured to receive information from the customer or communicate information to the customer regarding a time of availability for pick-up of the order at the shopping facility.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the central computing system is configured to allow the customer to select the predetermined time period for the automated vehicle wash apparatus from one of a plurality of predetermined time periods.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of predetermined time periods correspond to automatic vehicle wash options comprising a plurality of cleaning, rinsing, washing, waxing, and polishing options.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the customer's arrival at the shopping facility is determined by software tracking a computing device of the customer, the tracking software comprising global positioning system tracking software.

8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

an order database communicatively coupled to the electronic interface and containing information regarding the order and the corresponding customer;

wherein the central computing system is configured to access the order database and determine the order corresponding to the customer.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the central computing system is configured to instruct operation of the automated vehicle wash apparatus when the order exceeds a predetermined monetary amount.

10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a communication interface that moves with the conveyor assembly in the automated vehicle wash apparatus to allow the customer in the vehicle to communicate with the shopping facility.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the central computing system is configured to communicate with the customer through the communication interface to communicate one or more of estimated time of completion of the order, alternative purchase suggestions, and information about new products.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the central computing system is configured to:

if the order is assembled within the predetermined time period for the automated vehicle wash apparatus, instruct delivery of the order at the product pick-up location; and

if the order is not assembled within the predetermined time period for the automated vehicle wash apparatus, instruct delivery of the order at a remote location in the order pick-up area other than the product pick-up location.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the central computing system:

starts an order assembly clock when the customer's vehicle arrives at the shopping facility;

calculates a time interval for assembly of the order and for delivery to the customer at the product pick-up location; and

adjusts and synchronizes the timing and speed of the automated vehicle wash apparatus so that the vehicle arrives at the product pick-up location at or after assembly of the order.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the central computing system adjusts and synchronizes the timing and speed of the automated vehicle wash apparatus by selecting one of a plurality of predetermined automated vehicle wash apparatus options.

15 . A method for arranging pick-up of orders at shopping facilities, the method comprising:

by an electronic interface, receiving or inputting an order of at least one product corresponding to a customer;

by a central computing system, determining the arrival of the customer in a vehicle at the order pick-up area of a shopping facility;

by the central computing system, instructing assembly and fulfillment of the order;

washing the vehicle in an automated vehicle wash apparatus operatively coupled to a conveyor assembly within a predetermined time period;

moving the vehicle to a product pick-up location by the conveyor assembly; and

by the central computing system, coordinating delivery of the order in the order pick-up area with completion of the vehicle wash.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising, by the electronic interface, receiving information from the customer or communicating information to the customer regarding a time of availability for pick-up of the order at the shopping facility.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising, by the central computing system, allowing the customer to select the predetermined time period for the automated vehicle wash apparatus from one of a plurality of predetermined time periods.

18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining the customer's arrival at the shopping facility by software tracking a computing device of the customer.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising, by the central computing system, accessing an order database containing information regarding a plurality of orders and determining the order corresponding to the customer.

20 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising, by the central computing system:

if the order is assembled within the predetermined time period for the automated vehicle wash apparatus, instructing delivery of the order at the product pick-up location; and

if the order is not assembled within the predetermined time period for the automated vehicle wash apparatus, instructing delivery of the order at a remote location in the order pick-up area other than the product pick-up location.

21 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising, by the central computing system:

starting an order assembly clock when the customer's vehicle arrives at the shopping facility;

calculating a time interval for assembly of the order and for delivery to the customer at the product pick-up location; and

adjusting and synchronizing the timing and speed of the automated vehicle wash apparatus so that the vehicle arrives at the product pick-up location at or after assembly of the order.