Not discussed is the ability for in-store associates equipped with mobile devices to save the sale! This is where retailers need solid order management systems that provide full inventory visibility by store, and the ability to place online orders to allow a product to ship to store. When a stock-out happens, the associate helps the customer buy the merchandise and has it brought to the location from another store.

All told, YES mobile is definitely important for associates. It is all part of doing omnichannel retail well!

It will, but not on its own. Giving associates mobile devices is just one tactic in an overall digital strategy. Better access to product information, more personalized experience, better information on your customers and more seamless transactions are what retailers should be focused on. When they move in this direction, then mobile/digital is simply the mechanism to do that whether it is on the shelf, in the hands of employees or in the hands of customers.

It is a definite yes for specialty retail stores. The ability for associates to have all the information about products, inventory, pricing and to complete the sale with MPOS is going to be a must in order to compete with online retail and all the information online to the consumer. In today’s market, mobile devices play an important role in all applications for inventory management, customer service and management applications, however the greatest focus needs to be on customer service. Mobile gives the store associates the ability to engage the customer and not run away from them. They would have any and all the information needed to respond to the customer. And if the product is not in the store or in a nearby store, they can still make the sale online. It is the right thing to do for in-store associates within the specialty retail space.

Tablets that enable screen viewing with the customer are even better. This moves the conversation shoulder-to-shoulder as the associate and customer see information and design the future together. It is off-putting when information is regarded as secret to the associate only. Some brands such as Adidas are making good use of “flinging” mobile or tablet content onto a video wall which goes further in engaging other shoppers in the product discussion. Screen media is best when shared.

How is it customer engagement if they are staring down at their mobile device? Macy’s shoe department uses a mobile device and they click to see if they have your size available but it still takes forever to get the box and then they just dump off to you and never return if you need another size. Oh, and they never lift their heads up to greet you. They are just staring at the screen the entire time. Sadly I think that is the way most associates will be with a device in hand. We need friendliness and more care and attention than ever to get us wanting to come into a store. We don’t want to deal with some cold distracted employee looking at some device to tell us what they think we like. Show us your stock by walking us around a bit, interact with us, NOT your screen. If we wanted to shop online on our mobile we would have stayed home! Learn your inventory if it’s your job. I like the… Read more »

Given retail associate demographics, it is safe to say that 100 percent of retail associates already rely on mobile devices to make their non-work lives more interesting and efficient, so why should work be any different?

Every aspect of an associate’s day — interacting with customers and building personalized offers, processing payments, receiving tailored training and merchandising instructions on new offers/products, interacting with colleagues in other locations and performing store maintenance — can be greatly improved through the adoption of mobile devices.

Yes, it’s critical for retailers to deploy technology to store associates. There’s just no way most retailers can keep up with the training associates would need to keep up with the consumers who are armed and ready with 24/7/365 data streams. Retailers need a chance to be on par with shoppers and tech is the path to get there for now.

Mobile devices in the hands of associates will be great IF (big if) those devices are enabled with excellent tools to help customers better navigate the shopping experience. Those tools increasingly exist, so retailers just need to use them.

I can see the opportunity and the success of mobile devices for store associates but only if used correctly. I fear that too many retailers will not look at the devices as a tool but rather as the solution, and that will be the mistake. Imagine, the customer in a store who has a question. During the engagement process, the store associate can show the customer something on a tablet that answers their question and the customer, now pleased, is ready to make the purchase. But for that to happen, the store associate needs the training to learn how to get to that step, when to use the tablet, when not to, etc. I can see retailers just thinking that because the store associate will have a tablet, that the tablet will now handle all the selling needs. They will assume the associate will use the tablet properly such as for demoing the product and sharing product information. However, I can see store associates having the customer read the product information, and it will only… Read more »

We know the shopper journey has changed and customers are walking into a retail location more informed than the associate. An educated, confident and engaged frontline associate is a valuable component of the shopper journey and ensures a customer-centric experience. A defined mobile strategy can pay dividends for any multi-channel retailer because mobile tablets are the most versatile tool for the frontline — from clienteling to POS and learning/development training. It’s important to note that bandwidth issues should be accounted for out in the field. The use of video is a core element for today’s training needs and it’s how you move your organization forward by communicating directly to the field. Due diligence is required for any native app deployment.

There is no question that this capability helps greatly, as we can think of a couple very prominent examples of where this is happening today … and has been happening for several years now. It’s time for all retailers to leverage technologies in ways they couldn’t only a few years ago. This will be huge … it kinda already is.

Empowering retail staff with mobile devices is a strong move, and it’s one that we can find already well-established in the hospitality and rental-car industries’ playbooks. When it works, and those sectors have been exploring the integration of mobile with representative–to-consumer interactions for years, the business outcomes encompass highly personalized, contextual, loyalty-fostering moments. For physical retail, the opportunities around putting mobile in staff’s hands don’t end with associates having customer identities, purchase histories, and preferences at their fingertips — the advantages extend to what we are learning about generationally specific expectations. Younger shoppers, for example, want customer-support experiences that start on mobile chat and then potentially shift to in-store experts who can step in to further customize the journey. In-store mobile is a direct conduit to this possibility. It’s also a way to leverage the power of on-the-spot video — how-to and and demonstration-based moments between staff and consumers, instant images showing styling recommendations and variations to enhance interactions between associates and shoppers, even further positioning the in-store team to anticipate and inspire in ways that can’t… Read more »

There are many retailers investing billions of dollars for handhelds used by associates to improve consumer assistance and input. The training and device damage/loss costs are staggering and continuing on an upward trend. So what we have is a great idea that is not cost effective for the foreseeable future — kind of like RFID.

There are some amazing things that can happen when sales associates are (1) equipped with mobile devices that (2) have really great software applications on them and (3) are well trained on how to use those applications to ease consumer pain. The most important part? Whatever the sales associate does with that mobile device must provide real value to the customer they are helping. Here are 5 great ways I’ve seen our customers — independently owned appliance stores — use tablets and our app, made specifically for this niche, to make shopping with them a better experience: 1. They look up more information about products without ever leaving the customer’s side, like exactly how many cubic ft of freezer capacity this refrigerator has compared to another. 2. They help customers ease FOMO (fear of missing out) by providing time context. For example, the $800 rebate on this kitchen package may only be valid for two more days. 3. They forecast how long it will take to have something delivered or special ordered by viewing their… Read more »

Simple answer is yes! Why would a retailer want to be on the back foot with customers who have the capability and the knowledge it brings? I see a lot of movement and thinking from retailers in this area. IMHO it would be a bit of a King Canute moment to resist this change; it’s better to embrace change, something I am sure we all tell our staff regularly. An example of this positive thinking came from our own retail clients who came to us at a recent Client Forum. They specifically asked us to put their traffic & conversion rate data, that we provide, in their colleague’s hands, on the shop floor in the form of an app. This we have done and I think it’s a really positive enlightened sign of forward thinking by retailers to shift the balance of work from the back of store to front of store and influence positively their daily outcomes. I see lots of opportunity for mobile tech in retail. My advice is to embrace the change… Read more »

Very pleased to see so many people mention the impact on customer experience, when store associates are using mobile devices. That said, I do think attitudes towards this will change over the next 5-10 years, and the convenience of mobile tech in stores will outweigh the impact on customers. The opportunity for employers to engage employees outside of work hours is broadening too, in some parts of the world, allowing training and improved brand engagement to happen before the employee starts their shift. That, indirectly, improves the shopping experience for customers.

Equipping retail associates with mobile devices is only the first step. Store managers need to consider the broader picture when it comes to improving the shopper’s experience. In our digital era, consumers want a faster and easier way to streamline the checkout process — whether in person or in store. Each and every aspect of must be considered, including perhaps the most important element — shipping. Mobile devices can help save businesses and their customers time and money, but retailers must ensure their customers have the utmost confidence that the package will be delivered with extreme efficiency.

Mobile devices are essential tools for retail associates to keep up with customers increasing demands. Customers want immediate service since they could otherwise buy everything online. With mobile, associates have quick access to information and inventory to answer customer questions as quickly as possible. Management can also share what’s not working and push out new sales strategies so everyone is on the same page at all times. Bulletin boards aren’t cutting it anymore. Giving associates mobile phones is also a good way to attract top retail talent since they value innovation.

Absolutely, giving associates mobile devices is a critical omnichannel strategy. It allows associates to serve in-store shoppers better by having vast product information at their fingertips.

Associates can answer questions about products and inventory wherever a customer is located in a store (rather than ask the shopper to walk over to a stationary terminal), which enhances the shopping experience with faster, more convenient service. Most importantly, retail associates need access to in-store mobile devices to keep up with tech-savvy, informed shoppers who often enter a store armed with product research.

Mobile devices can also encourage showrooming — going in-store to see and touch a product, then buying online. As more shoppers use e-commerce via their phone, this trend of empowering associates with mobile tech will lead to a higher ROI as the market grows. We have seen this in China, a leading mobile country in which six in 10 Chinese e-commerce users have experience paying by phone, which has led retailers to invest in mobile devices for in-store associates.