It comes down to data risks versus higher in-store cost structure. The National Law Review article clearly states the legal vs. risk debate and helps inform the decision.

Consider the data type and perishability of the information you are making available to your store associates while quantifying the financial risks of any loss. In some ways, retailers need to address company data “privacy” in terms of delivering the best possible customer experience and doing it with high efficiency and effectiveness. Properly constructed, BYOD is a terrific initiative that improves customer service, is cost effective, and further engenders trust with your workforce.

We will likely see more retailers encouraging employees to BYOD. With the pervasiveness of smartphones, it makes financial sense, as it is a compelling cost savings for retailer to leverage employees’ phones. However, I think it is only fair for employers to pass some of that savings to the employee by providing them a monthly phone allowance to help offset their data plan costs. Retailers will still benefit from avoiding the cost of purchasing extra devices and maintaining them in the store.

Managing employees’ personal use on a smartphone is an issue, whether it is their own phone or a store phone, unless you disable internet browsers on the store phone. Even if you choose to use store devices, employees will still carry their personal device and you need to have policies that prevent excessive use of personal communications during work hours.

Retailers will more and more turn to BYOD as so many other businesses have already done. Their store associates are largely already digital natives and savvy users of their smartphones just as so many of their customers are, too. Trying to block or circumvent this behavior will only lead to unhappy associates. The real issue is whether associates are getting the job done that needs to be done. If the answer isn’t yes, then there are other issues that go beyond BYOD or not. This will become more a question of how to control the usage of retailer apps to ensure data security than it will be a behavioral issue in the future.

Barring security and ensuring devices are used for work purposes during work time, I see no significant issues with this if it is what employees want to do. That said, it would be nice if retailers provided their employees with some benefits such as a small amount of compensation or discounts on buying new devices. That only seems fair in exchange for people using their personal property for work purposes.

Never understood why BYOD didn’t happen from the get-go. I see no real risks and lots of opportunity.

This really scares me. The real problem is that no one can control whether it is personal or business usage. It becomes obvious to a customer that is not acknowledged and sees a person on the phone instead of acknowledging them, that it is personal usage, and therefore feels disappointed in the service — in only a few seconds. Are there not stores who issue devices that access store information and inventories, etc.? BYOD scars me to death.

No retail salesperson should ever look at their cell phone while on the sales floor.