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Do Retail’s Frontline Workers Have Enough Tech?
A global survey found that 40% of retail workers feel their employers don’t adequately invest in their tech needs, with 20% actively feeling it’s a non-priority.
The survey of 2,000 store associates across nine retail sub-sectors released by Scandit, a barcode scanning platform for mobile enterprise apps, found that over two-thirds of store associates rate their devices as important or very important for their jobs. The top capabilities in smartphones and scanning devices were seen as the ability to multitask (70%) and access to product information (67%).
As far as the impact of artificial intelligence, half of frontline workers are unconcerned about AI and automation in terms of losing their jobs, with 31% of these respondents believing it will positively impact their role. Staffers in the middle of their careers were more worried about tech’s impact on their roles.
“With attitudes to AI split amongst workers, it’s essential for retailers to ensure they are communicating the ways innovations like AI or automation can augment the human, alleviating mental strain or repetitive tasks,” said Vsevolod Boikov, group IT head of Apollo Group, the Estonia-based entertainment and bookstore chain, in Scandit’s press release.
Zebra Technologies’ 16th Annual Global Shopper Study that came out last year found 86% of retail associates surveyed agree customers have a better experience when associates use the latest technology to assist them. However, 77% — up from 67% in 2022 — feel shoppers are better connected to information than they are.
The top five pain points cited by associates in the survey were:
- Little time to help customers because they are doing lower-value tasks
- Inadequate tools to provide personalized customer service
- Customer finds price and product information on their smartphone faster than associates
- Customer needs a price check
- Customer needs information
Matthew Guiste, Zebra’s global retail strategy lead, said in a press release, “It’s critical retailers invest in technologies that elevate the customer experience, engage associates and optimize inventory.”
Microsoft’s Work Trend Index Special Report, “Technology Can Help Unlock a New Future for Frontline Workers,” which came out in 2022, found 63% of frontline workers excited about the job opportunities that technology creates despite discussions around the threat of automation and AI to their jobs. Aspects where technology can help “a lot” include onboarding new teammates, team scheduling, providing real-time task updates, automating repetitive tasks, and managing appointments.
Among the challenges tech presents, 55% of frontline workers said they had to learn new tech on the fly with no formal training or practice, with 46% feeling pressure to adapt to new tech or fear losing their jobs.
Emma Williams, corporate VP of Microsoft, said in a press release, “If done well, we believe technology can modernize workflows and enhance job performance while also improving workplace culture and communication.”
Discussion Questions
Generally, do store associates have access to enough technology to match the in-store expectations of shoppers?
Where do you see tech-powered handhelds particularly helping associates on selling floors?
Poll
Loading …BrainTrust
Mark Self
President and CEO, Vector Textiles
Gene Detroyer
Professor, International Business, Guizhou University of Finance & Economics and University of Sanya, China.
It is not really surprising that technology and device firms recommend retailers invest more in devices for store associates. Sometimes there is a need for this. Sometimes, the solution is investing in other areas. Inventory is one example: in many categories it would ultimately be better to invest in RFID than investing in upgraded barcode scanners. Another example is inconsistent pricing: the problem here isn’t with the devices staff have, it’s with mis-matched central pricing files and a lack of digital ticketing. Ultimately, all of these decisions should be made keeping the customer in mind: what investments improve things the most for shoppers.
If the focus is improving customer service, including reducing friction in interactions and ultimate transactions, then certainly improved capabilities with technology can play a big factor. Any tech the store associates are using are also dependent on what is typically coming from back office merchants, planners, and other associates, including item attributes, inventory information, pricing/promotion details, and more. The other factor noted in the article is “little time to help customers because they are doing lower-value tasks” comes back to overall store operations blocking and tackling, which technology may support but is also dependent on store leadership, staffing, training, and expectations for the overall store experience.
I’m of a mixed opinion on this: on one hand, an employee is, theoretically at least, in the best postition to judge what they need to do their job; OTOH, it’s very easy to overestimate a wish list, particularly when it’s costless to do so. (Or when the sponsor of the study is a manufacturer of tech equipment) And of course, this question overlooks the many employyes who maybe have too much tech…i.e. they use it for purposes other than work. Putting it all together, if I were a manager – or a BOD – I’d ask pople who express the opinion they are lacking, what specifically they feel they are lacking and how they would use it; credible responses will show themselves readily enough.
Based on my ongoing discussions with retailers, they really want to invest in in-store technologies to empower store associates. However, the biggest challenge is that store investments, when compared to online investments, tend to scale linearly with unclear ROI. Besides, the push to invest in online presence and newer sales channels, such as social commerce, is making it extremely difficult for retailers to assign adequate budgets to store investments.
I’ve done a 180 on this topic in the last few months. The reason for my change of mind is the advances I’ve seen in AI in the last year. Now, with the right technology, store teams have real-time access to data that can be curated in the context of an interaction or task. In my mind, this is a game change. I don’t want employees with a device trying to answer a customer’s question by typing endless queries into a mobile app, trying to get the wording right so they get the answer or data they need.
Now, with natural language and the ability to interact with voice, this entire process can be done in the context of a natural interaction with the customer instead of the transaction becoming centered around the interaction with a device.
Let’s face it: technology is sexy; helping customers on the sales floor is not. Out of the top five pain points in this survey only one – customer finding price point first – requires the use of technology. And there is always a register nearby to solve that problem.
As a consumer I have worked with associates who carry tech, and those who do not. The tech-carriers may have quicker answers but that’s about it. True customer service is the issue here and both can provide it satisfactorily.
Unless you are pushing a tech product, some of this survey doesn’t make sense. “Associates have little time to help customers because they have other tasks to complete”, and “inadequate tools prevent them from providing personalized service.” Naaaaa. This is about lack training issue, not a lack of technology.
It seems that with everything tech, there are two answers. “Give me more.” “You are giving me too much.” Every channel has differnet needs.
There should never be a situation like the one the BrainTrust colleague describes where the associate spends more time navigating the tech than answering the customer’s simple questions. Yes, customers generally ask simple questions. Tech should give associates the ability to solve the customer’s problems.
Tech, for tech’s sake, is foolish. Don’t give an associate a powerful device; give an associate a device that offers the associate power.
Wrong question. Or maybe just a question posed by a tech salesman. My version would read something like, “What portfolio of tools and training do store associates need to meet and exceed customer expectations?” Different answers in different decades, of course. I recently saw a video of a guy visiting one of the big home improvement stores. He walked up to 3 different associates and asked where he could find a left-handed hammer. All 3 immediately whipped out their digital tool and started searching. “Uhhmmm…well, hammers are in aisle 17, but…”. I was chuckling because I thought that there is no such thing as a left handed hammer, but none of the associates had even a tiny clue that they were being sandbagged. I’ve since googled it and it turns out there are specialized left handed tools and hammers. But I think the point here is that it takes more than handing a new associate an apron and a digital device before turning them loose on the sales floor. Training,,,deep product knowledge. Immersion not just in the “what”, but in the “how” and “why”. Training. I can sit home and google it. In the store I need the nuanced insights from a pro.
I’m so confused. Why was there no option “to communicate with customers in an educated way?” That’s what they need.
As was mentioned, training is borderline non-existent and the “store multiplier” grow even small investments into really big ones.
anyway, I can’t believe we’re still debating this. Ten years ago, my partner Steve Rowen observed during a nrf store tour that it seemed like the store manager was “bringing a knife to a gun fight” when it came to engaging with tech enabled customers.
Its a tough pill to swallow…the expense of in-store tech, but there’s no choice anymore.
Agree. How inept does a store look when the customer knows more about the product than the person selling it, and doesn’t even seem to have the tech tools to look something up. Recently had this happen in a showroom and it was downright embarrassing for the salesperson.
Stores could use associates to screen potential customer facing tech. Most store associates are very tech savvy and not afraid to share where your tech falls short. Take advantage of your built-in testers to delivery outstanding shopper experiences in your tech.
Don’t shortchange employees on tech capabilities just because they are employees. I’ve seen terrible customer facing tech at retail but even worse employee facing tech. Make the investment in database, user experience, device management and training.
ESLs are in store tech that address several of the pain points cited included reducing low value work. However, ESLs need database care and feeding to do their job well and not just shift disappointment from analog to digital.
Where I’ve engaged with store employees who were given the opportunity to include more interaction with “quality” tech into their job, there was much higher levels of job satisfaction with increases in attendance and productivity metrics that go with high job satisfaction.
With the emergence of the connected customer, the frontline retail workers have had to play catchup from a technology and capabilities perspective to support an outstanding in-store experience. There are challenges that solution providers, including Microsoft, are partnering with retailers, leveraging GenAI capabilities to mitigate the digital divide between store associates and consumers. Microsoft’s Work Trend Index uncovered that 60% of retail store associates are excited about the new opportunities that digital capabilities provide.
Putting generative AI capabilities directly in the hands of store associates and managers helps unlock their potential, contributes to productivity and job satisfaction, and, most importantly, helps enhance the customer shopping experience. This is helping transform the store associate role from an operational focus to a brand ambassador-like role. AI capabilities enable store associates to interact and engage with consumers while providing a great experience. These solutions include:
Store workers need technology to empower them to keep up with savvy, discerning customers, the increased digitization of the store, labor shortages and high expectations.
Innovations help store teams deliver the seamless, efficient and personalized experience that consumers have come to expect. Stores that stay comparatively analog will push consumers to shop online.
One item that may be overlooked here is the technology has to be matched with the quality of the associates on the floor. Add proper training to the mix and “more” investment in store based technologies makes sense. The high turnover in some environments is also a factor…the training can end up be more $ than the tech.
Great point, One of the biggest challenges retailers face is providing technology that is intuitive and simple enough to be used effectively by the team member who only works 16 -20 hours a week, Too often retailers are spending money on hardware and software so that the can have 4-5 pieces of hardware in a store but there are only two associates who are actually able to use overly complex applications.
This looks like a vicious cycle. Reduce turnover (that’s a mouthful) and then your workforce will be more knowledgeable and training dollars won’t go to waste. And once retailers can confidently train store associates, they provide good, workable technology for associates to employ.
Disclaimer – I am a Microsoft employee and opinions represent my own views and not that of my employer.
Retail frontline workers have had it tough in recent years – faced with consumers who often know more about products than they do because of research before visiting a store, ever increasing scope of work due to pressures on headcount, and ever changing landscape in store have combined to make their lives more difficult.
It is hardly surprising they feel they need more technology to keep up and level the playing field.
For retailers there are so many options available – placing work instructions in the hands of workers, helping them help customers better and faster. Providing that specific help to customers through clientelling and other apps is one angle that has been available for a number of years – but with the advent of GenAI there is now the ability for store staff to ask questions using natural language and get a rapid response – inventory, order status, customer history, availability… the options are enormous.
Commentators have been saying for years that as younger people join the workforce their expectations of what technology can do for them in their roles keep rising. GenAI represents another significant shift – driving both opportunity and expectations.
There is plenty of technology to be implemented. In some cases it has not been embraced or adopted by retailers for a variety of reasons. Most of the reason sound like excuses. In other cases, it has been implemented but it doesn’t work well for the end users. The technology has not been designed and/or the associates are not well trained, which renders the technology marginally useful. Finally, in many cases it has been implemented and works well. While hand-held technology is not the end-all/be-all solution for some environments and applications, it is extremely helpful to associates and to customers in areas like mobile POS checkout, Inventory checks, price checks, appointment management, and cross selling and up selling, and even phydical-inventory taking.
The question is how much training the store employees have and how the user interface is customized for the employees. I have seen store deploy mobile tech to associates and the UI is basically the consumer app, you would think they would invest in app customized for in store use by associates rather than web shopping by consumers. Delivering the right information in the right format and context to the employees is key, I am not sure enough retailers think through that part enough.
In my experience working with luxury retailers, it’s generally true that sales associates who skillfully incorporate technology into their sales approach tend to outperform those who don’t. Consumers also increasingly rely on and appreciate technology to aid in their decision-making process and enhance their overall shopping experience.
However, a significant challenge I’ve encountered is the lack of continuous training to help associates master tech — it leads to a post-initial training apathy from associates and a lack of management from supervisors. Also, and this is critical, adoption only occurs if the associate experiences a direct correlation between tech use and earnings.
The results of the pain points identified by associates reveals they don’t have the right information available to them in order to do a good job serving customers.
Leadership must simplify and identify the right information for devices, rather than making things more complicated with increased abundance. Everything should center around how the customer can save time or make better decisions, and for the associates to save steps and time.
In my view, many store associates lack sufficient access to technology to meet the expectations of today’s shoppers. This gap often leads to challenges in providing personalized customer service and quick access to product information. Tech-powered handheld devices can be particularly beneficial for associates on selling floors by enabling multitasking and instant access to product details, aiding in addressing customer inquiries efficiently. These devices facilitate unified inventory view, price checks, and assist with product recommendations for up-sell or cross-sell, ultimately enhancing the overall in-store experience for shoppers while empowering associates to perform their roles more effectively.