Jul 28, 2022
In mid-June, The Home Depot distributed more than 125,000 “hdPhones,” or state-of-the-art mobile devices, to store associates to help expedite customer journeys.
Advanced features include:
- Communication everywhere throughout the store and in the parking lots.
- Advanced range barcode scanning to allow associates to locate products, check prices and stock availability at close range or over 40 feet away, especially useful for locating products in overhead storage .
- The device’s docking station allows associates to view and demonstrate products and specifications on larger desktop-sized screens, helping customers find products to lead to their projects well.
Additional features include multi-device integration, more efficient app speeds, in-store texting, and direct walkie-talkie communication.
“The enhanced in-store digital environment allows our customers to quickly get what they need to complete their projects with the help of a more connected associate,” said Fahim Siddiqui, executive vice president and director computer from Home Depot, in a statement.
News from RSR Research study“Is the Age of the Empowered Workforce Finally Here?”, sponsored by WorkForce Software, considers mobile to be “the underlying theme of technology enablers when it comes to the workforce. ‘work in store’.
Of the retail “winners” surveyed, those who have above-average performance — 67% said cell phones offer “high value” when used by associates for customer engagement.
“Consumer mobile technologies and apps are no longer assets,” the report says. “Consumers have them in their pockets and purses; those who serve consumers must have the same capabilities.
In other areas, 48% of winners gave mobile devices a “high value” rating for the way they free up store managers’ time. Mobile devices also scored highly on communication, including peer-to-peer messaging/collaboration, employee training “micro” content, and “in-context” communications (messaging embedded in workflows).
The larger retailers, however, were found to drive mobile adoption (70% vs. 41% overall).
A major obstacle seems to be the cost, including maintenance.
In an interview with WWD, Douglas Baldasare, CEO of ChargeItSpot, which helps maintain portable devices, said that on average, 30% of mobile devices assigned to distribution or store staff are missing, broken, have dead batteries or are not properly charged for use. He said: “This is all down to inefficient management processes. »
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Do mobile devices assigned to store employees enhance the customer experience or fail to deliver on promises? How confident are you that mobile devices will eventually bring significant value to sellers?
“Mobile devices work best in stores when associates have a full understanding of what they can do with them.”
