By Vladik Rikhter, Zenput
Retail stores can stock hundreds or even thousands of items in a single location. And the managers of those stores understand how much work it takes to keep every one of those items in stock and readily available for customers to purchase. It takes equipment, technology and time to make sure those shelves remain stocked, and also to dictate what needs to happen on a daily basis to keep the store operational and efficient. Every retailer knows the stakes are high and that the smallest misstep in communication or operational execution can affect sales.
Retailers strive to make communications between every job function as seamless as possible, and rely on solutions to help managers and store employees eliminate the bottlenecks that can result in mismanagement. Automating task management and departmental interaction using mobile technology can help.
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For example, if an inventory manager sees an issue with shelving, he needs to alert someone immediately, rather than searching the store for the right person. With the help of mobile applications, floor managers can send and receive information between the proper parties in real time.
Communication And Collaboration Come Together
More than 76% of Americans use smartphones, according to comScore. Smartphones are everywhere and used by almost everyone — even at work. How many times have you walked into a retailer and seen an employee with their phone in their hand or visible in their pocket?
While it can be frustrating to see employees playing around on their phones, there is some utility here that retailers can capitalize on if they approach it in the right manner. Instead of trying to control employees and putting the brakes on mobile usage, retailers can put employees’ phones to work with mobile apps that are designed to boost productivity.
Traditionally, when an employee notices a light bulb that needs to be replaced, they have to search around the store to find the person responsible for fixing it, or fill out a report on paper that could easily get misplaced. But with mobility, he can snap a photo from his phone, open an app and instantly let the right person know of the issue.
With automatic follow-up, applications make sure that any uncompleted tasks remain top of mind. And by integrating the technology into the current workflow, less time is wasted on administrative tasks. Managers can also be alerted when a task is completed, and also if it’s done correctly.
Customer Service Elevated With Automated Tasks
A personalized customer service experience will never be able to be fully automated. Technology can’t replace the power of a one-to-one interaction between a sales associate and customer. But what technology can help to do is clear up time usually spent on the operational side, so retailers can spend more time focusing on their customers’ shopping experience.
The more teams can automate manual tasks, the more opportunity there is for customer engagement. For example, the less time an employee has to spend on filling out forms, the more time they can spend on the floor, helping customers and building relationships that in turn build loyalty.
In addition to a more strategic use of time, mobile solutions can gather and store data from all of these areas. Using this data, retailers can gain a better understanding of where teams can improve efficiency. The technology is easy to use and implement, which improves the chances that employees will want to use it.
By empowering the entire team with mobile technology and automated tasks, managers can rest assured that less time is being wasted on operational back-end activities and more time is being spent tackling customer issues.
From self-service checkout stations and online shopping pickup to mobile applications, it’s all about making the shopping experience as simple as possible. As important as mobile technology can be on the sales floor, streamlining the backend processes will improve customer experience and the overall bottom line.
Associates have more options than ever to access information that’s consistent across locations with mobile technology, which frees them from being tethered to back rooms, out of patrons’ sight. Empowering employees on the sales floor with what needs to be accomplished to ensure positive customer experiences is a powerful asset for retailers during the busy seasons, especially now with customers’ ever-increasing expectations.
Vladik Rikhter is CEO and co-founder of Zenput. With more than 10 years of experience in operational and business development roles in B2B technology companies, Rikhter’s background in logistics, supply chain and operations has allowed him to identify and improve workflow inefficiencies in small, medium and Fortune 500 businesses.
