The Technology Shaping The Future of Retail

Retailers are investing in new collaboration solutions to provide the shopping experience of the future

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The Technology Shaping The Future of Retail
Unified Communications

Published: September 21, 2021

Christine Horton

Journalist

The retail landscape has changed enormously in the past 18 months. 

Some reports says the shift from physical stores to online shopping was accelerated by roughly five years during COVID-19. This means that the in-store experience has had to adapt in response. Retailers must provide exceptional service while protecting both staff and customers. And against a backdrop of disruption within the retail sector, they must maintain their focus on cost efficiencies. 

As such, they are embracing digital solutions in-store to enable greater productivity, realise cost savings and ensure customers leave feeling satisfied with their in-store experience. 

One such solution is a range of W-AIR DECT cordless headsets from Wildix. The multicell DECT W-AIR Sync Plus Base Station solution supports up to 16000 cordless VoIP handsets / headsets and a single cell W-AIR Small Business Solution. 

In retail mode it enables seamless communication between in-store employees. It’s easy to help customers, ask questions and check stock remotely – there’s no waiting for a colleague to physically undertake a price check, for example. With team members all in conference mode, it is easy to collaborate on answering customer queries and accelerate problem solving. 

“The savings in time and efficiencies that this creates are vast,” said Ian Rowan, Senior Channel Manager at Wildix UK.

“Employees save on average 240,000+ steps while the store saves 389 working hours by replacing those unnecessary steps with remote communication and workflow management. This leads to a cost saving of more than £3700 every year” 

The headsets can be integrated into the checkout system so processes like requesting a new till roll can be automated. Elsewhere, the system can also be used for ensuring customer and staff safety – if a member of staff feels threatened a call can be immediately broadcast through the speaker system. 

Additionally, many firms are investing in temperature sensing and other health monitoring technologies. There is the potential to integrate thermal cameras into the solution which can detect people in-store with signs of a temperature, for example. 

DIY Applications

Some parts of the retail sector are taking the technology even further. In DIY shops there is an expectation that employees will be able to provide expert advice to customers. But often there is not an expert in every store. 

“DIY stores can place tablets in-store as call points that customers can use to find an expert in any other store to advise them on their purchasing decision,” said Rowan. “That allows them to pull in that expertise across different branches, both improving the customer experience and bolstering the chances of completing the sale.” 

Wildix retail mode can also be used for high-value sales such as fitted kitchens. Instead of being given a print-off of the full plans that customers may take to rival suppliers, customers are given a QR code. When scanned it invites them into a conference with the kitchen designer, who can share the plans on screen, mitigating the risk of a customer taking the plans to a competitor. 

“There’s some real advantages for retail in using our solution – not just in efficiencies, but protecting their investment in staff, gaining hours back, being more responsive to customers and harnessing the expertise they have to be used at any location,” said Rowan. 

 

 

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