Should store associates be allowed to use their personal devices?
According to a study in the U.K. by Fujitsu, 65 percent of the 1000 associates surveyed have used their mobile or other personal device in order to do their job more effectively.
One reason is that many retailers don’t provide such devices. But even when staff have enough systems and devices to go around, problems persist.
Half of those surveyed (50 percent) noted that the retailer-provided devices perform slowly. More than a third (37 percent) suggest that they find it quicker to get on with their jobs without using the tech they are issued. About a quarter of associates (24 percent) worry that the in-store technology looks outdated and could give customers a bad impression.
Moreover, a large number of associates believe shoppers are able to access a broader (70 percent) and more rapidly sourced (72 percent) array of information about products using their own devices than associates are with company-provided devices.
As detailed in a recent RetailWire discussion, cost is the primary reason retailers don’t provide associates with devices. A secondary factor is a lack of trust in how workers will use supplied devices.
The BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) to work strategy remains under debate in many workplaces. The pros include being able to better recruit younger consumers accustomed to their always-on smartphones. Some companies apply restrictions, such as only checking social media during breaks. For work purposes, personal devices eliminate company costs and may be a better tool in developing stronger consumer relations, even on social media.
The cons relating to privacy and security threats were spelled out by Fujitsu. According to the report, “From colleagues sharing information on individuals that they may deem to be a risk to a store to customers providing personal information that is captured on an unsecured device, the possible pitfalls resulting from the circumvention of official systems are all too plentiful.”
- The Forgotten Selling Floor – Fujitsu
- Why are so many associates being deprived of tech by their employers? – RetailWire
- Great tips for a successful BYOD implementation – Social Barrel
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Should stores allow associates to use their personal mobile devices for work purposes on selling floors? How big a concern is security when workers use unsecured devices?
Art SurianoChief Executive Officer, The TSi Company
Art SurianoChief Executive Officer, The TSi Company
Art SurianoChief Executive Officer, The TSi Company
Art SurianoChief Executive Officer, The TSi Company
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15 Comments on "Should store associates be allowed to use their personal devices?"
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President/CEO, The Retail Doctor
I’ve seen these policies that associates can use their own devices but only for work. It simply doesn’t work in the real world with the employee’s phone on the desk chirping and clucking drawing their attention or, when it’s slow, drawing them back to the much more engaging virtual world. We didn’t let employees use store phones for personal calls, I don’t see this as much different.
How about training your employees so they know what they are selling and how to do it efficiently instead of assuming more technology is the answer?
Founder, CEO & Author, HeadCount Corporation
Having ready access to content and information on mobile devices is and will continue to be an important tool for retail associates, however these should be company-owned devices provided by the company and not personal devices. As noted in the study, the opportunity for distraction is significant with personal devices and it significantly impacts the ability for the company to control information. While the cost of providing, maintaining and updating these devices is not inconsequential, the potential value they have in enabling associates to serve customers and deliver a better store experience needs to be considered.
CEO, Co-Founder, RetailWire
Yes, store associates should be able to use their mobile devices at work. It is simply not realistic to try to stop smartphone use at work anymore. A much better idea is to provide guidance to employees about what store business they should use their own phones for, and when they can use them for personal things. Blanket policies such as “no cell phone use at any time” are just not effective in today’s world. Perhaps customer information needs to be kept on retailer-issued devices, but those are often tablets, which can be a hassle to carry around the store when you are trying to help a customer.
At some point, the retailer either has to have some faith in its employees, or not. If they can’t even trust them to handle their own phones properly, perhaps they have hired the wrong employees.
Senior Retail Writer
Agreed. Banning personal cell phones altogether is unrealistic. It’s all about hiring the right employees and being able to trust them. As long as all of the work is being done and there is no cell phone use for personal reasons in front of customers, I really don’t see a problem.
Chief Executive Officer, The TSi Company
I think the answer depends on the store, how many associates there are and how they benefit from using their own devices. I can see so many issues such as personal emails/texts, personal calls and browsing the web when the store is slow. All of these can be significant problems.
However if the store can develop a program that monitors personal device use through the company Wi-Fi and the retailer only allows them access to the company Wi-Fi, then there are many benefits such as: 1.) The employees are most familiar with their device and can navigate quickly. 2.) Their device technology is better than what their employer will provide. 3.) There is less risk of theft because employees wouldn’t steal their own device. 4.) There is convenience when dealing with customers.
These are just some of the benefits so I believe it is something retailers should seriously consider.
CEO, GenZinsider.com
Global Retail & CPG Sales Strategist, IBM
In today’s technology environment, you can properly secure personal devices effectively. I have “Fort Knox” security on my personal device that I use for business. Staff needs to simply load the right security software provided by their employer. The bigger challenge is to train staff how to leverage their social media skills (that they may not even be aware that they possess) to the benefit of shoppers to drive incremental revenue. That, too, can be accomplished.
I believe BYOD policy is one of the most important decisions a retailer can make in the 21st century. The barrier and competitive disadvantage for brick-and-mortar against Amazon is that customers do not know how to use the mobile features a retailer can offer.
Sales floor staff can act as ambassadors with their own personal device to show customers how to scan QR codes, how to download the store app and how to provide feedback creating a more authentic touch point to help mobilize customers. Sales floor staff can even recommend the type of mobile phone best compatible with the store.
Personal BYOD can be a strong weapon and competitive advantage for retailers if they realize the advantages outweigh the FUD.
Director of Marketing, OceanX
President, Raftery Resource Network Inc.
If the situation occurs where someone has a question that can only or best be answered with a smart phone, I’m pretty sure most retailers would prefer an employee at the controls versus a shopper. However, there is little worse than an employee caught up in a personal thing on their mobile device. Well, maybe cashiers chatting about their dates last night while scanning your stuff is worse. So, limits need to be enforced.
CEO, Boltive
There is a difference between working and playing with a device. If an associate is using a device to help a shopper, that’s obviously beneficial and far different from texting alone during work hours.
At Home Depot last weekend, an associate pulled out her personal iPhone, cracked screen and all, and one-handedly helped me find item I needed online. Without the device, I would have driven down the street to Lowe’s.
Would I have bought from Home Depot without her mobile help? No. The device extended her service skills. For all I know she may have cracked the screen while juggling help for the last customer.
A store-issued device may be preferable for security and to avoid entertainment distractions. But I agree with Meaghan that a personal device works wonders in the right hands.
CEO, Beekeeper
Whether or not to allow BYOD is a hot discussion topic for retailers. We see this question all the time so we actually wrote a white paper about it which can be found here. In a nutshell, BYOD policies have proven to be very effective at increasing productivity and communication as long as pre-established fair play rules are followed. And an absolute MUST is that communication should only be done on a secure server, not just any standard messaging app since coworkers would most likely share private employee, company, or customer data. It’s crucial to use a platform that is compliant with ISO 27001 and GDPR (for those companies working in or with businesses in the EU) because if information is leaked retailers will get slapped with some astronomical fines.
CFO, Weisner Steel
So 65% of people used to something to “do their job more effectively,” why are we even questioning whether or not this is a good thing? Is it because we think they should do their job LESS effectively, or because we don’t trust their judgement that the assessment was correct? Neither one is a very comforting thought.
Retail Transformation Thought Leader, Advisor, & Strategist
CEO and Founder, Cahoot
Yes, stores should allow employees to user their mobile devices at work when appropriate.
The ability to service a customer quickly, efficiently & accurately is extremely valuable. If there is a lack of training materials and product information available to associates, it is only going to hurt your customer as well as your Brand. BYOD has become a part of life in the working world today. There need to be specific rules and guidelines in place about what is appropriate for work use of a personal device to protect the customer as well as the employee.
BYOD should not be mandatory for an employee and you should not assume that an employee is willing to use their personal devices for work.